Plymouth Plan Commission to tackle largest annexation request in years

Plymouth Plan Commission to consider annexation and rezoning request from Indiana Tool and Manufacturing for 900 acres.

The Plymouth Plan Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals will meet Wednesday, November 4, one day later than usual due to Election Day.

At the top of the agenda is what officials describe as the biggest issue the Plan Commission has considered in many years: a request to annex just over 900 acres on the city's northeast side. The proposal, presented by Indiana Tool & Manufacturing Company and ITAMCO, involves 20 separate parcels of land and includes a companion rezoning request.

The annexation and rezoning would support existing operations at the ITAMCO facility on North Michigan Road at 6th Road and lay the groundwork for a broader vision announced last month — the Indiana Innovation Center and District.

The concept is designed to give entrepreneurs and emerging technology companies a place to launch within the current facility. As those businesses grow, they would move out and build their own facilities within the innovation district.

Indiana Tool plans to partner with the University of Notre Dame to identify companies that need more land than is available in St. Joseph County. Those companies would build in the innovation district, which would focus on advanced manufacturing, emerging technologies, research and commercialization, advanced communications, cybersecurity, entrepreneurship, and other technology-intensive industries.

The company will also work with the City of Plymouth to pursue a potential state district designation — a step that requires the rezoning now under consideration — and will help to secure grants and other financial resources needed to support the district vision.

While speculation among the general public has centered on the possibility of a data center, there has been no official comment confirming or addressing that theory.

The City Council Chambers are expected to be filled to capacity for Wednesday night's Plan Commission meeting, which begins at 6 p.m.

The State Fire Marshal's Office has set a limit on the number of people allowed on the second floor of the building during the meeting. Attendees will be counted as they enter through the Garro Street door.

For those unable to attend in person, the Plymouth Plan Commission meeting will be streamed live on the City of Plymouth YouTube channel.