WOWO EXCLUSIVE – SW Allen County Quarry Not a Done Deal – Commissioner Ron Turpin says

FORT WAYNE, IND. (WOWO) The Southwest Allen County Schools Board held a special meeting on Wednesday evening to address a proposed quarry and associated asphalt and concrete plant in southwest Allen County. The board voted unanimously to oppose the project, which would span approximately 1,600 acres near a school, a hospital, and several residential areas.

Allen County Commissioner Ron Turpin, who attended the meeting, spoke with Fort Wayne’s Morning News host Kayla Blakeslee about the event and the ongoing process surrounding the proposal.

“The room was packed. There were well over 100 people there, every chair was filled, standing room only,” Turpin said. “It was obvious that group was against having this facility in their community, and they let that be known. The president of the aggregate company that would do the quarry was there last night, along with two of his people, and people were respectful to them.”

Turpin emphasized that public engagement remains a critical part of the approval process. “There are still a number of steps that have to happen. At this point, Kayla, there’s not even been an application filed. The preliminary application they did was not finalized yet,” he explained.

If the project proceeds, several governing bodies would be involved. Turpin outlined the process: “The first one would be for the 524 acres for the quarry through the Board of Zoning Appeals. Then there’s a request for rezoning 200 acres along I-69 as industrial and another 180 acres as a shopping center around IU Health on the south side of the property. Those are both the Allen County Plan Commission, which ultimately is a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners. Even if everyone said yes, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and other agencies would need to sign off because it is a floodway with significant drainage systems.”

Despite the strong opposition from local residents, Turpin said the concerns are being considered carefully. “Those are all very legitimate concerns. There’s also the question of whether this type of operation is appropriate for that location. The assumption is that they’d be blasting every day. That’s not accurate. It’s usually one or two times a month, coordinated with the surrounding community, IU Health, and the schools to minimize disruption,” he said.

Other concerns involve traffic, noise, and groundwater. “Their proposal is to build a brand new road that would go from IU Health, snake around I-69 to their property, so they would not even use Homestead Road,” Turpin said. “There are still concerns, no doubt, but there are things that need to be addressed at the public meeting in April.”

Regarding the location choice, Turpin noted that the geology of the site is a determining factor. “They are extracting rock to use in building projects, and the quality of stone differs greatly depending on location. This specific site, based on geological studies, is considered ideal for high-quality stone needed for roads, buildings, and other projects. There aren’t many locations they can choose from,” he said.

The next public meeting is scheduled for mid-April at a landmark center, Turpin said. “Nothing will happen to move this forward until after that meeting. That is a critical opportunity for neighbors to learn more, hear from the developers, and form an opinion,” he said.

Turpin added that he will continue reviewing the project and assessing community input. “I go into these things open-minded. I’ll study the issue, visit other facilities, and then make the best decision possible for the people of Allen County,” he said.

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