WHITESTOWN — A new public safety training facility that includes a police shooting range is planned for land along South County Road 450 East in Boone County, but the project is drawing new questions from within Whitestown’s own leadership.
After WRTV’s original story aired earlier this week, Ken Kingshill, president of the Whitestown Board of Zoning Appeals, reached out about how the town is handling the project’s approval.
“I went in front of them and said, ‘Hey, are you going to submit this to your own development process?’ and I never really got an answer,” Kingshill said.
He says he’s asked the Whitestown Town Council multiple times to bring the project through the Development Review process, which would include public notice and hearings.
“Right now, they’re trying to do it without that process, and so the neighbors aren’t getting notice,” Kingshill said. “There’ll be no public hearing, no opportunity for concerned residents to come before the Plan Commission and express their concerns about the property or even support.”
Kingshill says his issue isn’t with the idea of a police training facility but with the principle of following the same zoning process required of any other developer.
“I want the town to go through the process with every town-owned project,” he said. “It could be a new fire station, maybe a new town hall, but they should all go through zoning like everyone else.”
The site, located near the Boone-Hendricks County line, sits west of Whitestown’s wastewater treatment plant and adjacent to the town’s maintenance facility.
WRTV reached out to Town Council President Dan Patterson, who said the land is still zoned for agricultural use while design and planning continue.
In an emailed statement, Patterson explained:
“As there is a possibility that we may allow crop leasing from the farmer as we are designing and approving the project and components, it makes sense to leave the property zoned AG for now. Once we finally own it, we will be able to move forward with handling the zoning. Premature to do otherwise.”
Patterson has said previously that the facility will strengthen regional emergency response by allowing police, fire, and EMS agencies to train together.
The Whitestown Police and Fire chief added that this will strengthen their training and help create stronger bonds with surrounding departments.
Neighbors nearby say they only learned about the project recently and worry it’s too close to their homes.
“It’s concerning because I have three little kids,” said one resident who lives just across the county line.
Another neighbor told WRTV, “Whitestown’s way is to continue to have it without disclosing to the public and then pass it.”
Whitestown leaders maintain that safety is their top priority and that the facility will meet or exceed all standards. The plans include a classroom space, K-9 training area, a tactical driving course and a shooting range only for law enforcement use.
Kingshill, however, believes residents should have a formal chance to be heard before construction begins.
WRTV will continue to follow this story as town leaders move forward with the project and any decisions about the zoning process.
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Lauren Schwentker is the In Your Community reporter for West Side Indy/Hendricks County. She joined WRTV as a multimedia journalist in July of 2024. Her passion for journalism started at a young age, following in her father's footsteps who is a chief photographer at KSDK in St. Louis, MO. She is excited to call Indianapolis her home and to be able to tell your stories. Share your story ideas and important issues with Lauren by emailing her at lauren.schwentker@wrtv.com.
