[{"_1":2,"_108":-5,"_109":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86,96],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6585726,"mediaKeyId","5599866-7f714faef0ea7138b766070a3a10c2a3","parentId",5599866,"title","Marion County surveyor seeks modest increase funded by perpetuation fund, highlights staffing and equipment needs","audioSeconds",678,"startMs",2254000,"endMs",2932000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5599866-7f714faef0ea7138b766070a3a10c2a3&start=2254&end=2932","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5599866-7f714faef0ea7138b766070a3a10c2a3/thumbnail_2254000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6585726/Indianapolis-City/Marion-County/Indiana/Marion-County-surveyor-seeks-modest-increase-funded-by-perpetuation-fund-highlights-staffing-and-equipment-needs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6585726-3ee963f6e773e90fb7454b611f0577eb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160365&Signature=fkRSMfYgTKELytS42wfLFyrhWhJxExAonE4GAL2Lm4i80FwWsYV57I7JyGxSGriIXK5dw4J5bn3zUJKXBolIbsbI8MQPjxCQaLb5QiwIqGQFhzP~l4DUk~MMa-uiZmsYgrZHexDzU01kIfAalJpr2afRywWL~o2OUlEwjZ1g2dHTgKFL2XKyWpIPzBIQOHj8E7aO53sFQD7rBJzH7GimJGvkPlQZFWTQhcQU~LbQ797u6PkkADKi~yb2JB93oHgM8RG5WG~JMR~9zpmKMUxKmD4wX9ob2aFc4Db~B5VnxBPRzC45eTCXBUrfih9hKZHIOETyizt6RuHFxrZgpE3Raw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Indianapolis, IN","date","2025-08-18T00:00:00Z","article","Marion County Surveyor Deborah Jenkins presented her office's 2026 budget to the Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee on Aug. 18, 2025, asking the committee to approve a budget that increases departmental spending by roughly $65,000 financed by the office's perpetuation fund and not the city's general fund.

Jenkins described the surveyor's office structure (administration, surveying/research and preservation/data analysis), staff development and community engagement activities. She said the perpetuation fund, supplied in part by a $5 recording fee deposited with the county recorder, covers most salaries and supplies for the office. \"Our budget is a little over $1,000,000; it is an increase of $65,000 compared to this year, but that increase was absorbed through my perpetuation fund. It was no impact on the general fund,\" Jenkins told the committee.

She described ongoing operational priorities including workforce development (staff attending Vincennes University and state licensure training), public education about the surveyor's role, and fees tied to Alcoholic Beverage Commission (ATC) forms and liquor-license site determinations. Jenkins also requested capital: an $80,000 GPS station to increase field productivity and safety for the five field staff who work on surveying projects. She said the equipment request had been denied in prior years and reiterated safety concerns after a vehicle fire in the office fleet.

Jenkins also highlighted the office's involvement with regional and national professional organizations, an effort to host a major state conference in July 2028 and the office's longevity and community outreach achievements.

Councilors asked clarifying questions about public inquiries the surveyor's office fields (many calls concern private property boundaries) and congratulated Jenkins on staff development and recent hires. Jenkins said she welcomes further questions and thanked the committee for the opportunity to present.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council of Indianapolis, IN - Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee","oneSentenceSummary","Marion County Surveyor Deborah Jenkins presented a budget that keeps general-fund impact neutral by using the perpetuation fund for a roughly $65,000 increase, described staffing successes and requested an $80,000 GPS unit to increase field capacity.","taxTitle","Indianapolis City, Marion County, Indiana","taxId",3627,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6585729,"Business and Neighborhood Services proposes fee overhaul, continuous-vacancy enforcement and expanded demolition after staffing and permitting updates",0,5925000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5599866-7f714faef0ea7138b766070a3a10c2a3&start=5925&end=5925","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5599866-7f714faef0ea7138b766070a3a10c2a3/thumbnail_5925000.jpg","/articles/6585729/Indianapolis-City/Marion-County/Indiana/Business-and-Neighborhood-Services-proposes-fee-overhaul-continuous-vacancy-enforcement-and-expanded-demolition-after-staffing-and-permitting-updates","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6585729-ec6f278c959e0960d7f7aef587078ee2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160365&Signature=LbtZ4aJilr72P82HuQ~N1cEPRZE52eoa0x2HaAkCLqD6XCAHU0Jx~WJrp1V3hv9rPEZtVOmNydELsDSYUnXk08liDn8kMrRyj89hCXkt3-99CznlfIZwnS9KieOL2pI1Lj4mSfZCIPa1VvH1sCqdbTn72AaVdRDT4AcmCk57ZXUP2ZtMKoTPf4~riqLxMDrNLyMPHn-WnLOfx5Si0~JHiwlU-4xSwDMVuBf4oJIv5LCnZ0bVS3RHZbesXB-rZFwpZaSDocgnh7pUSZYrLTpyHteFzFsMSqNzb6tqLEUr8AGz6IWJzmqYtztZvg~iX0RAkAjluFy3TBdSF5UoKyeYGg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Department of Business and Neighborhood Services presented a 2026 budget proposal and a set of fee and penalty changes to the Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee on Aug. 18, 2025, seeking to stabilize revenues and modernize permitting and enforcement operations.

Director Abby Brands summarized operational work and regulatory changes, including two state laws that affected permitting this year: House Bill 1037 limited local authority over erosion and sediment control for sites under one acre, which changed the city's ability to issue certain drainage permits; House Bill 1005 authorizes private third-party plan review and inspection for residential work starting Jan. 1, 2026. Brands said the department paused some drainage permitting to review the legal changes and adapt its processes.

BNS said it has issued roughly 20,000 permits year to date with an average open-to-ready-to-issue turnaround of about 6.25 days across all permit types; development permits (zoning, structural and drainage) averaged about 13 days. Brands described customer-service innovations including a \"bookings\" link that allows applicants to schedule direct time with permit reviewers and a public-facing closure viewer that visualizes road-closure and right-of-way permits.

On enforcement and code work, Brands highlighted a continuous-vacancy program leveraging state statute to prioritize long-term vacant properties that have had at least three consecutive repair orders; BNS estimates about 150–200 properties would be eligible in year one and that about 60% of those are owned by companies, out-of-state individuals or trusts. The department also described progress in demolition: an extra $3 million invested last year allowed bids on 54 structures in 2024, 79 demolitions completed to date and a backlog reduced to roughly 110 affirmed structures (down from about 500 ten years ago).

BNS proposed fee updates that include a reinspection fee (aligned with peer cities), updated inspection accelerators for commercial projects, and structural-plan-review and structural-fee formula changes. Brands said the changes were informed by a Baker Tilly rate-and-fee analysis and peer comparisons; she provided examples showing the department's proposed increases would remain below or competitive with peer jurisdictions in some categories. To illustrate, a hypothetical 2,500-square-foot residential new building would pay roughly $1,000 in structural fees under the proposed formula (compared with larger figures cited for some peers), and a 25,000-square-foot commercial project would see plan-review and structural-fee adjustments that reflect third-party review costs.

Amanda Thompson, president of AFSCME Local 1437, endorsed the proposed budget package and staffing priorities, and BNS noted it had reduced its vacancy count to 18 positions from a high of 70 a year earlier. Brands also described a new illegal-dumping assistance program and a highways-and-grass assistance program to help homeowners with financial or physical hardship, and said the department would continue digital license renewal and web-content overhauls to improve customer access.

Council members raised operational concerns: some asked for clearer timelines to speed permitting and urged more court docket capacity to process violations more quickly; Brands and staff said coordination with the city prosecutor and efforts to improve interdepartmental processes were underway. The BNS board will consider fee changes before council codification; Brands said the department planned a multi-step process with board votes and a committee follow-up.","BNS proposed updated fees and penalties, a continuous-vacancy enforcement program and continued demolition work, and described impacts from new state laws on drainage permits and private plan review during its Aug. 18 budget presentation.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":78,"_43":89,"_45":89,"_47":90,"_49":91,"_51":92,"_53":93,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":94,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":95,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6585733,"Department of Metropolitan Development outlines 2026 budget with housing, engagement and legacy-property investments",2953000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5599866-7f714faef0ea7138b766070a3a10c2a3&start=2953&end=2953","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5599866-7f714faef0ea7138b766070a3a10c2a3/thumbnail_2953000.jpg","/articles/6585733/Indianapolis-City/Marion-County/Indiana/Department-of-Metropolitan-Development-outlines-2026-budget-with-housing-engagement-and-legacy-property-investments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6585733-b6f03a9c3f09db0c8c92c53c2a4fc64b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160365&Signature=dI4-xN8pj9mx9J6xKZBf74k5bxt0hudjsGNxN2U5bshOZsHXMBs~BPfhIW7-2~0iG2oRQz-p5rzvLrk9I3RPd4eaTuEMx~cb2abQDXylVWjJAPIGZJAN~XzgQPu4x6MKQUoS6UniTt6AOY5OgczLTtdRGxBTfwbWWnYq2AJh3o2IHE6PQPT3p7A0QQ84L-LzeLmTolUngue9Wl-XdpqWYE1jxlPF208TR56e~PjMrbviNkqFRCfNcW9NIZqcswiz6KIQnkMgJzA5YIp4S6efFB6ui7YnxgMoIHGv6sY3K8gfy0fx0GRMDIWHie9DBoyjCbwpNR3c8xvu7QFgVe4lIw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Department of Metropolitan Development presented its 2026 proposed budget to the Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee on Aug. 18, 2025, reporting an overall decrease of roughly 6.3% compared with 2025, primarily because one-time ARPA-related federal grant funds are phasing out. DMD said the reduction would not materially affect core service delivery and that most local programs and staffing plans remain intact.

Director Megan Buksic and CFO Lucas Anderson outlined program priorities including affordable-housing investments, a new engagement division, additional oversight on city-owned redevelopment parcels, and continued work on legacy public spaces such as the downtown canal and Monument Circle. \"We are proud of what we've been able to collectively put together,\" Buksic said, noting reorganizations and new staff hires to better serve the community.

DMD reported program accomplishments and pipeline figures: acquisition and relocation work for the Town and Terrace redevelopment (152 parcels acquired and 120 households relocated), a homeowner repair program that has received 555 applications with 192 active projects, and housing investments in the pipeline totaling 683 affordable rental units and 186 affordable homeownership units as of 2025. DMD's homelessness-policy team reported that 97% of people who enter DMD permanent housing programs remain permanently housed.

Lucas Anderson described the proposed budget breakdown and explained the federal grant decrease was tied to the phaseout of ARPA funding previously applied to HUD entitlement grants and other pandemic-response efforts. He said DMD sought to align 2026 spending with anticipated federal and local revenues, noted a $325,000 opioid-funding request to expand the master leasing program (potentially raising leased units from about 30 to 50), and described a $75,000 shift to the vacant-to-vibrant land-bank program to enable further property acquisition and to address property-tax timing issues.

Buksic highlighted DMD operational priorities: expanding engagement and customer-service capacity (a new engagement division), growing an economic incentives compliance team, and modernizing the development portal to streamline applications and data tracking. On the City Market and surrounding public space, DMD issued an RFQ for developers to deliver Whistler Plaza improvements and said it would continue pursuing private development for the Gold Building while seeking an operator and sustainable business model for the Market House.

DMD also reported new grant awards: a 2025 EPA Brownfields Communitywide Assessment Grant of $450,000 for environmental assessments and corridor development work and a Public Art for All grant of up to $30,000 to rehabilitate downtown canal murals commissioned for Super Bowl XLVI. DMD said it expects no programmatic impacts from the federal grant phaseout and that the department would continue to pursue grant funding and to leverage local dollars for housing and public-space investments.

Committee members asked for detail on enforcement and oversight tied to city-owned parcels such as Canal Village phase 3; Buksic and staff explained conditions in project agreements (architectural approvals, DMD inspections and reversion rights) and said the department would provide regular community updates. Members also asked whether the department's hiring needs could be eased by changing residency requirements; Buksic said DMD had strong applicant pools for open positions and was actively recruiting to fill vacancies.

The presentation closed with an emphasis on cross-department coordination, continued hiring and refinement of the development portal to measure housing outcomes and streamline approvals.","DMD presented a largely balanced 2026 proposal with a 6.3% decrease driven by the phase-out of one-time federal ARPA grant funding, while keeping local service levels and highlighting housing pipeline investments, a new engagement division, and plans for City Market and Whistler Plaza.",{"_33":97,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":98,"_41":99,"_43":100,"_45":101,"_47":102,"_49":103,"_51":104,"_53":105,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":106,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":107,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6585737,"Committee approves PILOT for Canal Village 3 after developer outlines repair, tree and fence commitments",1878,302000,2180000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5599866-7f714faef0ea7138b766070a3a10c2a3&start=302&end=2180","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5599866-7f714faef0ea7138b766070a3a10c2a3/thumbnail_302000.jpg","/articles/6585737/Indianapolis-City/Marion-County/Indiana/Committee-approves-PILOT-for-Canal-Village-3-after-developer-outlines-repair-tree-and-fence-commitments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6585737-c993b7c7e56d52105303a4a249778a34/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160365&Signature=YeDFdkQSBT03FJV2VC-jpPVhBHHFfSm0-A9zYIXCyg2u1uogyb5oMmy07~SIPr62kPZsVVhkCk5gokS8CVrv2IH3plWlfzf9SkpWJix-hhbC0CuShA-QyXBP4ZAU27hsWV9tpwS5WtygqMchl8HyRCukoa-dLWuhRZqIzrFQC2-liXaDct8aZ3mke1aeNb3W9I0uqvLRKIDS56s4frlMtGhpy5UiJnqJUfwFn~DosiVqIbsuxLOFoenInkQIRLmUQCNFx-sQZZmS9Civer--8QaeaTvIAjP04vGe8jVefMlB-8IXn0egVgG8u5dLAlhUhyEONTUp8kQ-g6rxlXLIkw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee approved a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes pilot for Canal Village 3 LP on Aug. 18, 2025, a step the developer said is needed to close financing and begin construction next month. The pilot was approved under Indiana Code IC 36-3-2-12 and the project is expected to be financed in part with low-income housing tax credits under Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code.

The pilot matters because it ties a city financial incentive to a privately financed affordable-housing project, and residents and neighborhood advocates made repeated requests that the city use the project agreement to secure repairs and environmental protections for existing tenants in Canal Village 1. Gary Hobbs, president and CEO of BWI, told the committee that BWI had completed or is expediting promised repairs, will prioritize tree preservation and will finish remaining privacy fences for Canal Village 1 residents ahead of the original schedule.

Hobbs said the developer had three commitments to the community: a resident survey about improvements (residents later chose privacy fences), completion of five community sponsorships, and fences along Clifton Street. He told the committee the remaining 35 fences for current Canal Village 1 residences would be completed by September, ahead of the contract deadline. \"We are a business of our word,\" Hobbs said, adding that BWI will not remove trees except when \"absolutely necessary\" and has discussed tree replacement with Flanner House.

Neighborhood speakers urged the committee to tie the pilot to enforceable conditions and expressed continuing distrust about whether BWI will maintain commitments once the pilot is granted. \"What it does not show is the true condition of this area after Canal Village 1 — the clear cutting of mature trees and loss of a tree canopy that once defined and served this neighborhood,\" said Laurie Perdue, co-director of the Community Canopy Alliance, while submitting photographic documentation to the committee. Ray Schnapp of the Community Canopy Alliance said the group's survey identified 13 heritage trees on parcels in the proposal area, ranging from a 50-year-old elm to a 175-year-old chestnut oak and a 189-year-old walnut tree, and described quantifiable stormwater and air-quality benefits those trees provided.

Other residents recounted continuing maintenance problems at Canal Village 1. \"The repairs are not being done in a timely manner,\" said a neighborhood representative, who described a tenant who lived with a leaking roof for two years before a recent repair. Alita Kemp, a Northwest Landing resident, said many tenants do not trust the developer to follow through: \"They don't trust the fact that he's going to complete the repairs and keep on top of this once everything is approved.\"

Committee members pressed staff for details about how the city would enforce developer commitments. DMD staff said the city owns 26 of the 33 lots in the phase 3 project, that the city's architect had signed off on BWI's architectural plans, and that the land transfer and project agreements would include: architectural review; a 15-year affordability requirement during which BWI would restrict rents to households at or below 60% of area median income; maintenance obligations that follow IHCDA livability standards; the city's right to conduct inspections during the 15-year affordability period; a right of reversion to take back title if the developer fails to complete redevelopment within a specified timeframe; regular monthly project updates to the community; and authority to revoke the pilot or assess penalties for noncompliance.

Committee members said those provisions, and the city’s ability to inspect and enforce them, were central to their decision. Councilors asked how residents could follow up if conditions were not met; DMD staff pointed to the mayor's action center and DMD project contacts as enforcement pathways and noted the city could take back ownership if the developer failed to meet commitments.

Votes at a glance — proposal outcomes recorded at the Aug. 18 hearing included appointments and the Canal Village action: Proposal 237 (appointment to Lawrence Township comprehensive plan citizen advisory committee) — motion carried by voice vote; Proposal 238 (appointment to City Market Corporation board) — motion carried by voice vote; Proposal 239 — tabled at committee; Proposal 184 (Canal Village 3 PILOT under IC 36-3-2-12) — motion carried by voice vote, pilot approved. (Vote tallies were recorded as voice votes in the transcript and numeric counts were not specified.)

The committee approved the pilot after the public comment period and a brief council discussion. Committee members and DMD staff emphasized that the project's commitments and the project agreement terms would be embedded in the land-transfer and pilot documents and that DMD and other city departments would retain enforcement tools, including inspections and the right to reclaim property for material noncompliance.

The developer asked council members for support to allow closing and construction to begin next month; the motion to approve the pilot carried by voice vote.

The committee hearing record shows the discussion included formal statements from the developer, multiple neighborhood speakers and DMD staff clarifying enforcement mechanisms. Committee members asked for ongoing community updates and clearer channels for residents to report compliance concerns.

Looking ahead, DMD staff said they would include the commitments in project agreements upon land transfer and provide monthly updates to the community until obligations are fulfilled. Residents and neighborhood groups asked the committee to monitor compliance closely and to use the pilot agreement's enforcement remedies if repairs or preservation commitments lapse.

","The Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee approved a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) pilot under Indiana Code for Canal Village 3 LP after the developer, BWI, described repairs and community commitments; neighborhood residents and tree advocates urged stronger enforcement and raised concerns about past work on Canal Village 1.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Marion County surveyor seeks modest increase funded by perpetuation fund, highlights staffing and equipment needs

Business and Neighborhood Services proposes fee overhaul, continuous-vacancy enforcement and expanded demolition after staffing and permitting updates

Department of Metropolitan Development outlines 2026 budget with housing, engagement and legacy-property investments

Committee approves PILOT for Canal Village 3 after developer outlines repair, tree and fence commitments