A proposal to annex 14.96 acres into the City of Marion could facilitate one of the largest industrial hemp processing plants in the country.
Marion City Council unanimously passed the annexation proposal on first reading Tuesday, but it is still under consideration by the council.
Marion Corporate Counsel Tom Hunt presented the ordinance to the council, noting that this request is part of a proposed $15 million investment “as far west as you can go” on Ninth Street. The development would encompass 24 acres, with 15 of those acres currently lying outside of Marion city limits.
Star Lease Holdings, LLC of Gas City, the current owner of all 24 acres for the proposed development, would like to annex 15 acres into the city to enable the land to be sold for the project, Hunt explained. The potential buyer, Central Industrial Fiber, is joining the petition for the super voluntary annexation.
Hunt said the partners for the project, Jay Berry, who helped bring Central Indiana Ethanol to Marion, and Mike Bartram could bring 10 jobs with wages at about $29 per hour to the community. By 2023, the project has the potential to increase to 25 employees.
Bartram told the council the partners are in the process of financing the development. He was not certain whether or not they would be requesting a tax abatement.
The developers are asking for the council to consider this annexation as soon as possible to move the project forward by the end of February. The council is expected to hold a second reading and public hearing on this ordinance at 7 p.m. on Feb. 18.
The plant would produce hemp fiber that can be used for many purposes such as rope and textiles. Bartram said the processing plant, like hemp itself, would be clean-running without negative impacts on the environment.
Bartram said local farmers could also benefit by growing hemp for the processing plant.
“The largest impact will be for the farmers of the community – and this rotates very well with corn,” Bartram said. “Right now these farmers have corn and beans – and beans are not always good. This would give them another crop to grow that could be even more profitable than corn.”
Bartram told the Chronicle-Tribune Wednesday that the development team is not set on Marion as a location and he could not disclose other communities under consideration. He said he could not offer any more information on the development at this time due to a non-disclosure agreement.
Copyright © 2024 Chronicle-Tribune