PARKE COUNTY, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — The meeting of the Park County Board of Zoning appeals to discuss property on Highway 36, across from the Miami Nation of Indiana, has again been postponed.
The Miami Nation of Indiana is a Native American tribe that resides in many parts of the state, including Park County.
Representative Brad Buchanan said they have over 100 acres of land that remains untouched.
“The Miami Indians were entrusted decades ago with 150 acres of land located east of Racoon Lake here in Parke County”, Buchanan said. “That was entrusted to us by a Vietnam veteran and his sole wish was that we keep that land natural. That we have it be a spiritual place for people to visit and find some peace and solace.”
Recently, Dollar General has located agricultural property directly across from that land and the company is looking to re-zone the property to a commercial space.
The Miami Nation of Indiana is protesting.
“We have a Dollar General four miles away”, Buchanan said. “Union Township is about 1200 people, so we don’t understand the necessity of it. We definitely don’t agree with the location of it.”
Buchanan said, although the new store will be across the highway, it will cause them a number of issues.
“Right now, you can go to that land, and you can see the Milky Way on a clear night”, Buchanan said. “We are not looking forward to a sickly, yellow glow of a Dollar General sign, creating light pollution in that area. We are also not looking forward to yellow plastic bags suffocating the deer, the doe, the fawn that live in that beautiful forest that we have maintained, and been great stewards, for decades.”
Thursday marks the third time the Park County Board of Zoning Appeals has attempted to resolve the issue, but each time the meeting has fell through.
Buchanan said, with more time that passes, the Miami Nation of Indiana has gathered more people to their side.
“This is not just a Miami issue”, Buchanan said. “There are over 300 Parke County residents that have signed our petition, and that number is growing day by day. We also have the support of the surrounding landowners.”
The board will reach a final decision and then pass on their recommendation to the county commissioners, who have the final say on whether a new Dollar General will be built.
We’ve reached out to the Park County Commissioners and the Parke County Planning and Zoning Board, neither has a comment on the situation at this time.
