Plan commission approves IU Health campus

The plan for an IU Health Hospital campus in Lafayette Township was approved today by the Allen County Plan Commission by a 7-0-1 vote.

The commission voted to rezone several variously zoned tracts containing 137.3 acres at Ernst and Lower Huntington roads to shopping center and approved a primary development plan.

However, the vote came only after the developer committed to allowing only a hospital and an associated medical services building to rise to a proposed 150 and 75 feet, respectively.

If other uses were proposed for buildings under the shopping center zoning -- for example, a hotel -- the buildings would be limited to the 40 feet allowed by the zoning ordinance.

The height requests had been a sticking point for neighbors who opposed the rezoning during a public hearing Thursday.

Republican Allen County Commissioner Nelson Peters, also a plan commission member, abstained on the rezoning. He voted with other commissioners on the primary development plan, which passed 8-0.

rsalter@jg.net