SPENCER 

Owen County commissioners voted, 2-1, to approve a comprehensive land use plan for the county, seen by many as the first step to implementing planning and zoning ordinances.

Byron Stockwell and Herb Ranard voted for the plan, while Wiley Truesdel voted against it.

The proposed plan lays out objectives for the county's future development. It calls for preserving its rural character, safeguarding the environment in general and the White River watershed in particular, logging the area responsibly and promoting "infill" development around Spencer.

The plan is split into policies that address residential areas, commercial and industrial areas, agricultural areas, recreational land, and public places and utilities.

A steady stream of residents approached the three before the vote to register their opposition to the plan.

Some accused the three of seeking money and power and not acting in the best interest of the people who voted them into office.

A few questioned why the commissioners didn't try to enforce ordinances already on the books. 

There were muted rumblings from the crowd throughout the beginning of the meeting, which erupted into full-blown shouts after the vote was taken.

"We'll remember this come next election," one man yelled, eliciting cheers and claps from nearby people.

Ranard said he voted for the plan because he'd felt his hands were tied when he'd been approached by residents seeking help to stop a proposed gun range, and wanted to be able to act on similar requests in the future.

"We need this plan in place before we can do anything about a gun range, a race track or cellular towers," he said.

Stockwell echoed Ranard's reasoning, while Truesdel said he was against the plan because it could affect the timber and farming industries.

After the vote was taken, many people congregated outside the courthouse to talk about the decision.

"I feel like we need something, but not this," Spencer resident Don Dayhuff said. "I think they just shoved this down our throat."

LeeRoy Patton, who works for a Martinsville timber company, said he's concerned about the new plan.

"We were the king of the castle on our own property, but now we're down the pecking order," he said. "It's infringing on private property."

Although no one spoke publicly in favor of the plan, it may have had silent supporters. One woman who wouldn't give her name said there were people in attendance in favor of the plan who didn't speak for fear of retribution.

A previous board of commissioners established a similar ordinance in the mid-1990s, but an overwhelming wave of public opposition forced the repeal of that ordinance.

The current commissioners began the movement toward reinstating county planning about a year ago, working to create a general document that would help guide development at the edges of Spencer and land use in the White River valley.

In June, a county plan commission was created to address the issue. That group recently approved a proposed comprehensive plan and referred it to the commissioners.

Late last month, a crowd of residents swarmed the commissioners' meeting at the Owen County courthouse to declare their opposition to the plan.

The vote was shifted to Thursday night, where the board also approved a resolution that confirmed the current members of the plan commission and instructed that body to begin work on a subdivision control ordinance.