To dispose of your real Christmas tree, you may either recycle it or put it out with your trash (note that burning is prohibited).
Recycling
The Johnson County Recycling District has four locations around the county to drop off your real tree for recycling through January 11.
The locations are:
Johnson County Fairgrounds Center Grove High School McCarty Mulch Indian Creek Intermediate School
Look for directional signs to the designated drop-off point.
All decorations, tinsel, lights, etc. need to be removed.
Trash
Christmas trees may also be put out for pickup on regular trash days in January.
Republic Services requires that trees be cut into sections no more than 4′ long. Place the tree sections next to the regular trash/recycling cans for pickup.
Earlier this year, the Town made an appeal for an excess levy of $60,000 for 2015. The Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) has reviewed the appeal, and late last week, the Town received notice that the appeal was denied.
The DLGF’s statement on the appeal is available as a pdf here.
Excavation next to the leaking manhole. Pumps kept the groundwater from filling the hole too quickly.
Last week, Whiteland public works employees excavated and patched a leaky manhole on the north side of the Meadow Creek subdivision.
This manhole had been identified to have a significant amount of groundwater infiltration earlier this year.
A “before” photo of the interior of the manhole, showing groundwater pouring in around the sewer pipe.
A patch placed on the inside of the manhole was unable to prevent the leak due to the high pressure of incoming water. Because of this, it was necessary to dig down next to the manhole and patch the leak from the outside.
This repair has reduced the amount of extraneous water in the sewer system by an estimated 20,000 gallons per day! The reduction in infiltration on rainy days will likely be even more.
For comparison, a typical single-family home generates about 10,000 gallons of wastewater per month, meaning that this one leak was equivalent to more than 50 homes.
The Whiteland wastewater department is constantly monitoring the sewer system to identify and repair conditions such as this one in order to provide customers the best service possible.
On December 17th, the Whiteland planning department will be hosting the second visioning workshop on the vision for US 31 in Whiteland.
US 31 in Whiteland today
This process is the next step after the Comprehensive Plan’s recommendation to create an “image” and “identity” for the Town. After all, US 31 is “us”.
This workshop will build on the first workshop’s visions of the present US 31 and start discussing the ideal future image of US 31.
These workshops are the initial stages to developing a corridor plan for US 31. Your input will guide the long-term development of Whiteland’s most traveled, and visible, street!
Visioning US 31 Workshop #2 November 17, 7pm Whiteland Town Hall 549 Main Street, Whiteland
On November 19, the first workshop to develop a more detailed plan for the US 31 corridor was held. Approximately 35 residents from Whiteland and New Whiteland, town officials, INDOT, and others attended.
Prior to seating, attendees were asked to note the best and worst things about US 31 in Whiteland on green (good things) and pink (bad things) post-its and place them on a map of the US 31 corridor. The resultant “Impressions” map is shown to the right and the text of the comments are below.
The Director of Planning and Zoning led the workshop. After a welcome and introductions, he described the planning process and how this workshop fit in. To give background on the issues facing US 31, there was a brief history of the development of the highway, its relationship to the location of Whiteland, and the growth of businesses along the road. Also highlighted were recent events that have emphasized the need for a vision and detailed plan for the US 31 corridor.
Discussion:
The principles of a Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats exercise were given, and how it would help to gauge the present condition of the US 31 corridor. The attendees then viewed a video drive-through along US 31 and noted strengths and weaknesses of the highway.
At the conclusion of the video, each table presented their observed strengths and weaknesses. These were discussed by the audience.
The discussion of opportunities and threats was a more informal discussion among the audience members, resulting in several items in each category. A complementary video drive-through from the opposite direction was played during this discussion. The listed points of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats are below.
There were some closing remarks, an overview of upcoming meetings, and appreciation for everyone’s attendance and contributions.
Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats
Results of the SWOT exercise
This is the list of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to the development of US 31 that were identified during the workshop.
Strengths
Flow of traffic
Availability of land
Curb appeal of Rascal’s, Masterpiece Classic Cars, CVS
Visibility of businesses
Grassy median, some trees
High school visibility
I-65 interchange: increased traffic on Whiteland Road, increased business viability on US 31
Water tower
Weaknesses
No location definition
Where are things? No wayfinding/directions
Traffic flows well because there is nothing to go to
Very little effective advertising for the local businesses
Westside residential abuts US 31 with no buffer
Mr. D’s
House separations of less than 12’
No retail visibility
No clear boundaries of retail/shopping vs. service/office
Hole at the NW corner of intersection of US 31/Tracy Rd
Too many signs: too busy/distracting/cluttered
Easy to dismiss signs
No unification/unified look
School traffic onto 31, timing of traffic
Lack of beautification, especially in the medians
No consolidation of Whiteland-New Whiteland
No identity
Speed limit lowered? Stoplight needed?
Speeding, inattentive driving
No walking ability for students, no designated safe crossing
Street lighting is poor
No rooftops to support business growth
Opportunities
Buffering at residential
Joint gateway treatment, beautification with New Whiteland
Really nice sign
Threats
Unreasonable land prices
Increasing traffic from the north
Speeding, speed limit enforcement
Good/Bad impressions of US 31 map results
These are the comments made on the good/bad impressions map.
Good Impressions
Map Location
Bad Impressions
Map Location
CVS
CVS
Fragmented business and many entrances with cars in and out
Intersection of US 31/Whiteland Rd turn lanes
Traffic too fast
Good traffic flow
Lack of retail/rooftops
4-lane Highway 31
Wishing Well
Wishing Well
Lots of traffic
No continuity with buidlings
Briar Hill Drive
Vacant ground with potential for new (modern) development
Mr. D’s
Mr. D’s
Mr. D’s needs sold
Mr. D’s building
Mr. D’s
Turn lanes at stoplight
US 31/Whiteland Rd intersection
Mr. D’s building and lot
Mr. D’s
CVS/Marathon
US 31/Whiteland Rd intersection
Looks trashy
Mr. D’s
Mr. D’s
Mr. D’s
Mr. D’s property not sold
Mr. D’s
US 31/ Whiteland Rd intersection
Mr. D’s/abandoned gas station
Mr. D’s
Busy traffic
Mr. D’s
Mr. D’s
Kacey’s
Mr. D’s
Mr. D’s
Traffic moves well with a good speed limit
Outdated development
Expansive US 31 frontage
Access control
Tracy South Drive
High school
More business
Good traffic flow
Need more homes
Traffic moves well
Not pleasing to the eye
Rascal’s
2 towns should be unified as 1
Mr. D’s building corner still looks very trashy
Drainage next to 31, both sides
Upcoming meetings
The vision and development of the plan for US 31 will continue to be discussed at the meetings below. The next public input workshop is December 17.
December 2, Plan Commission. Update and discussion of the workshop.
December 17, public workshop. Additional input on more refined details that may apply to US 31.
January 6, Plan Commission. Update and discussion of the workshop. Additional workshops may be scheduled if the input made so far warrants further broad discussion.
On November 19th, the Whiteland planning department will be hosting a visioning workshop on the vision for US 31 in Whiteland.
US 31 in Whiteland today
This is the next step after the Comprehensive Plan’s recommendation to create an “image” and “identity” for the Town. After all, US 31 is “us”.
This will be the first step in refining what should that image be…
Individual standalone shops? Strip development? Big boxes? Car lots? Offices? Retail? Brick? Stucco? Tree-lined? Broad sidewalks? Parking lots: up front or out back? Gateway treatments? How can Whiteland be distinguished from New Whiteland, Greenwood, Franklin?
This will be just the formal start to developing a corridor plan for US 31. Your input will guide the long-term development of Whiteland’s most traveled, and visible, street!
Visioning US 31 Workshop November 19, 7pm Whiteland Town Hall 549 Main Street, Whiteland
The Johnson County Recycling District has four locations around the county to drop off your real tree for recycling through January 11.
