Community against new development plan in city of Seymour in southern Indiana

SEYMOUR, Ind. (WDRB) -- A new plan for development in southern Indiana was met with strong opposition from the community.

The Seymour City Council tried to take up Brookings Institution's plan for city development on Monday night, but neighbors more than made sure their voice was heard. It was a series of recommendations for the next 20-30 years.

In November 2022, Brookings announced its plan to partner with Seymour to "co-create community-centered economic inclusion programs," which was supported by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation.

The plans include building small businesses, welcoming immigrants, expanding the nature trail system and designing a new master plan for parks and housing options. Brookings, an American research firm that complied analysis for the plan, said Seymour's population has grown rapidly in the last 30 years, due in large part to a 174% increase in Hispanic/Latino populations.

Monday, Seymour residents formed a line around the block as many came to city hall for the first time to have their voices heard.

The anger poured through at the prospect of an Immigration Welcoming Center coming to Seymour. Mayor Matthew Nicholson tried to explain the purpose of the center and the advantages it could offer the entire county.

But Nicholson's comments were quickly shouted down or dismissed by the crowd. Part of the meeting was meant to settle internet rumors.

Nicholson said the city is not a sanctuary city and isn't shipping immigrants to Seymour. He said the economic development corporation approached the city three years ago with a proposal to place the facility near Seymour.

Brookings published a comprehensive study, for which it conducted focus groups with seven specific groups in Seymour and interviewed seven city leaders. More than 50 people and organizations worked on the study, which particularly focused on immigrants and the impact they have on the surrounding area.

The four main focuses from that feedback included:

Housing
- The need for more affordable housing, different styles of housing and enough units to keep up with the rising population
Welcoming New Residents
- The rising number of Hispanic, Japanese and Haitian immigrants in Seymour brings the need for a central location to help those people get vital resources to settle in the area
Things to Do
- Create new, better family activities after the recent closings of a local movie theater, skating rink and bowling alley
- There is a need for additional recreational and economic opportunities, things employees currently struggle to find, instead spending time at big box stores
Economy
- Identify and train willing entrepreneurs who want to open small businesses and invest in the area

But almost nothing the mayor said was met favorably by the crowd.

A city council member hand-wrote a resolution against the project, which passed with a 5-1 vote.

The project will require the annexation of land and people willing to sell, but right now the project is facing strong opposition. To read the full plan, click here.