Author Archives: Sharon

BRIDGE CLOSURE: INDIANA AVENUE

The Indiana Avenue bridge just north of Wilden Avenue will be closed from August 2 through August 6 to allow to seal the coat of the deck. The dates are weather permitting, and it is not anticipated for the work to take the whole week.

Notice of Adoption of Ordinance 5090, County Road 36 Annexation

Ordinance 5090, County Road 36 Annexation, was passed by the Goshen Common Council on July 20,
2021 and approved and adopted by Mayor Jeremy P. Stutsman. The annexation area consists of
approximately 163 acres of real estate generally located along both the north and south sides of County
Road 36, west of County Road 31 and east of the railroad. Ordinance 5090 in its entirety is available for
inspection during regular business hours at the Goshen Clerk-Treasurer’s Office located at 202 South Fifth
Street, Goshen, Indiana.

ROAD CLOSURES: WEEK OF JULY 19

COLONIAL MANOR DRIVE: Colonial Manor Drive is closed between Bashor Road and William Drive until Friday, July 23 (weather dependent) to allow a full depth asphalt road replacement on the road. The road is closed except to local residents.

16TH STREET: 16th Street, between Fairfield Avenue and Kentfield Way, is closed to allow to complete the planned road reconstruction of 16th Street.

PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE CLOSURES: Three pedestrian bridges will be closed for repairs.

  • Bridge 306, by the Goshen Dam Pond, will be closed between July 19 and July 23 to complete the repair of the bank stabilization on each side of the head gate.
  • Bridge 303, a pedestrian bridge that connects Douglas Street and Shanklin Park. Will be closed from July 19 through July 30 to allow for the steel components to be sand-blasted and painted.
  • Bridge 201, a pedestrian bridge that connects Clinton Street and Rogers Park, will be closed between July 26 and August 6, to allow for the steel components on the bridge to be sand-blasted and painted.

INDIANA AVENUE: There will be lane restrictions on Indiana Avenue, between Plymouth Avenue and Linway Drive, beginning July 21 through August 4. The restrictions are to allow Direct Line Communications to install a new fiber optic conduit for Surf Broadband along S. Indiana Avenue. Traffic controls will include signs, cones and flaggers.

Electric Vehicle Awareness Survey

The City of Goshen, Department of Environmental Resilience is launching an online public survey about electric vehicles at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WBCY5DF .

The survey is designed to gather information about what the public knows regarding electric vehicles. As the overall makeup of mobile technologies shifts from internal combustion to electric, the City believes it is important to be aware of the opportunities and be ready to take advantage. The survey will ask questions about barriers to adopting electric vehicles, and perceptions and general knowledge about electric vehicles.

Local businesses, including Massimo’s Pizza, Woldruff’s Footwear and Apparel, Soapy Gnome, and Fables Bookstore, are offering gift cards to members of the public who take the survey. Instructions about receiving gift cards are included in the survey; gift cards can be picked up only at the Rieth Interpretive Center, 410 W. Plymouth Ave.

Electric Vehicles (EVs) are powered by electricity, meaning they rely exclusively on a rechargeable electric battery instead of gasoline. To power the electric motor, EVs need a large traction battery pack that must be plugged into a wall outlet or charging equipment, also known as electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE). EVs do not have a tailpipe and do not have the traditional liquid fuel components such as a fuel pump, fuel line, or fuel tank because they run on electricity.

Facts about EVs

  1. Pollutants from gasoline vehicles have both immediate and long-term consequences for the environment. Car exhaust emits a variety of gases and solid matter, which contribute to climate change, acid rain, and other environmental and human health issues. Pollution is also caused by engine noise and gasoline spills.
  2. EVs help reduce emissions from gasoline vehicles that contribute to climate change, as well as improve public health and lessen environmental harm.
  3. There are currently over 50 Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) and Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) models in the USA.
  4. There are 16 electric vehicle charging stations within a 30 mile radius of Goshen
  5. Some brands of new electric cars cost as low as $30,000.
  6. There are currently over 60,000 charging stations in the USA

NOTICE OF RESCHEDULED PUBLIC MEETING

Governing Body: City of Goshen Board of Public Works and Safety         

Date and Time of Meeting: Tuesday, July 6, 2021

Place of Meeting: 111 E. Jefferson St., Goshen, Indiana      

Pursuant to the provisions of the Open Door Law and Indiana Code 5-14-1.5-5, the Goshen Board of Public Works and Safety has CANCELED the meeting originally scheduled for Monday, July 5, 2021 at 2 p.m. and RESCHEDULED the meeting for Tuesday, July 6 at 2 p.m.  The public meeting will be held at the City of Goshen Council Chambers, 111 E. Jefferson St., Goshen, Indiana.

FOURTH OF JULY AND THE CITY’S FIREWORKS ORDINANCE

Fireworks at night
Photo by Garreth Broesche on Unsplash

As the Fourth of July approaches, it is important that Goshen residents be aware of fireworks regulations. A local city ordinance was adopted in 2007 at the urging of residents concerned about neighborhood safety and noise. Regulation is controlled by parameters imposed in state regulation.

Consumer fireworks are allowed by state legislation and local ordinance from 5 p.m. until two hours after sunset (or until approximately 11:30 p.m.) from June 29 through July 9, with the exception of July 4—fireworks are allowed from 10 a.m. until midnight. Any other times require Board of Works approval and must be on real estate owned by a government entity. Fines for violations may be of up to $500 per incident.

To report a violation of the fireworks ordinance, residents are welcome to call the non-emergency dispatch number—533.4151. The caller must supply an exact address of where the violation is occurring in order for a police officer to respond effectively to the call.

Fireworks not limited to certain dates and times by local ordinance include dipped sticks or wire sparkers. However, total pyrotechnic composition may not exceed 100 grams per item, and chlorate and perchlorate salts may not exceed 5 grams per item. Other items not regulated by local ordinance include cylindrical or cone fountains, illuminating torches, wheels, ground spinners, filter sparklers, snakes or glowworms, smoke devices and trick noisemakers (like party poppers, snappers, trick matches, etc.)

Local regulations apply to “consumer fireworks” as defined in state statutes. Such fireworks include certain small ground or aerial devices designed to produce visible and/or audible effects by combustion. They are required to comply with the construction, chemical composition and labeling regulations of the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission under 16CFR1507. Ground devices (firecrackers, salutes and chasers) are limited to 50 milligrams of explosive composition. Aerial devices (skyrockets, “helicopters” or spinners, roman candles mines and shells) are limited to 130 milligrams of explosive composition. Larger devices are not allowed under local ordinance and they require state permitting.

JUNE BRUSH COLLECTION

NOTE: The Street Department will waive the requirement for brush pile sizes, which are established on Ord. 5054. Under the ordinance, piles of Brush may not be larger than 10’ long, by 5’ wide, and by 5’ high. Due to the high winds in previous weeks, the Street Department is expecting for the volume of brush to go up this month.

Though the size of brush for collection has been waived this month, residents are still encouraged to call the Street Department at 534-9711 and request a Brush trailer. Read more about the Brush Trailer Program by going to Street Department

The monthly brush pickup will begin on the week of June 28, 2021.

During scheduled brush collections, the Street Department will make only one pass through the city to pick up brush. Please have your brush by the front curb, but not in the street, by that first day in the morning at 7 a.m. Brush will not be picked up in alleys. The piles of brush should be trash-free. Crews cannot access the piles if blocked by vehicles.

For information regarding Dial-A-Trailer and the Brush Trailer, go to goshenindiana.org/street-department.

The next summer brush pick up weeks will begin on the following days:

• July 26, 2021
• August 30, 2021
• September 27, 2021

RAILROAD CROSSING CLOSURES

Norfolk Southern will close the several railroad crossings in Goshen in the coming weeks to make repairs and repave.

The following crossings will be closed between Wednesday, June 16, and Friday, June 25, 2021:

• East Lincoln Avenue
• Cottage Avenue
• Main Street
• 1st Street

The following crossings will be closed between June 21 and July 2:

• Greene Road
• County Road 13

Lastly, the crossing at Sunnyside Avenue (outside of Goshen city limits) will be closed between June 28 and July 7, 2021.

Notice of Public Hearing for the CR 36 Annexation into the City of Goshen

A Petition for Annexation into the City of Goshen has been filed with the Goshen Common Council requesting the annexation of certain real estate located outside, but contiguous to the corporate limits of the City of Goshen.  This area is identified as the “County Road 36 Annexation Area” and consists of approximately 163 acres of real estate generally located along both the north and south sides of County Road 36, west of County Road 31 and east of the railroad.  The Goshen Common Council will conduct a public hearing on the County Road 36 Annexation at its regular meeting on July 6, 2021 at 6 p.m.  The hearing will be held in the City Court Room/Council Chambers at the Goshen Police & Court Building, 111 East Jefferson Street, Goshen.  All interested members of the public are invited to attend and will be given the opportunity to testify on the proposed annexation at the public hearing.