STATEHOUSE (Sept. 7, 2023) – The Land Use Task Force will hold its first meeting at the Statehouse Friday to examine how large and small communities can continue to grow while protecting prime farmland, according to State Rep. Kendell Culp (R-Rensselaer).
As co-chair, Culp said the 13-member task force will kick off the meeting at 9 a.m. in the Senate Chamber at the Statehouse in Indianapolis. He said the first meeting will focus on economic and demographic factors that developers consider in siting projects.
"The Land Use Task Force is ready to get to work and promote smart economic growth," Culp said. "I look forward to meeting for the first time and take a deep dive into how we can help communities overcome barriers to attract development while also protecting prime farmland."
The meeting will be live-streamed and archived online at iga.in.gov, where committee calendars and meeting agendas are also posted. Members of the public are welcome to attend and testify. Participants include representatives from the Indiana Builders Association, Indiana Association of Realtors, the Indiana Economic Development Corp., Indiana Economic Development Association, Indiana Broadband Office and American Structurepoint.
In his first year as a state lawmaker, Culp authored the new law establishing the Land Use Task Force to take a deep dive into growth trends in rural, urban and suburban communities, as well as how they can better position themselves to attract economic development and protect prime farmland. Culp also authored House Enrolled Act 1557, which directs the Indiana State Department of Agriculture to conduct an inventory of all the farmland lost in the state between 2010 and 2022, and identify the cause of the losses. Culp said he expects the task force to utilize this data to inform public policy in the future.
The Land Use Task Force is scheduled to host its second meeting at 9 a.m. on Oct. 2 in the Senate Chamber. The agenda includes growth trends in rural, suburban and urban communities across Indiana, and barriers to community growth. The task force's findings and any policy recommendations will be reported to the Indiana General Assembly, which could take further action.
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State Rep. Kendell Culp (R-Rensselaer) represents House District 16,
which includes portions of Jasper, Pulaski, Starke and White counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
