HANCOCK COUNTY — A landscaping materials distributor plans to set up shop near the northeastern corner of I-70 and Mt. Comfort Road.

GreenCycle of Indiana, which produces mulches, composts and soil blends for consumer and commercial use from recycled yard, wood and food waste, is behind the plans for the almost 10-acre site in the western part of the county.

The company’s site plans call for an office, product bins and outdoor storage for its products and recycling services. It will be GreenCycle of Indiana’s fifth location, joining those in Danville, Indianapolis, Noblesville and Whitestown.

John Repenning, vice president of GreenCycle of Indiana, said at a Hancock County Board of Zoning Appeals meeting late last month that the company is looking forward to branching out to the area.

“We think that the site we’re looking at here in Hancock County will serve the entire county,” Repenning said. “We think it’s a perfect location; it’s already most of the way developed. We’d like to put in a really nice building, make it really attractive and make something that the county is proud of, because we are very aware of how prominent the location is.”

Repenning said all of the company’s sites take in yard waste like leaves, brush and grass to process its products.

“Virtually 100% of the material that we bring into GreenCycle goes back out the door,” he said.

The company sells a variety of stone as well.

GreenCycle of Indiana requested a special exception to allow a contractor’s storage yard and three variances from the county’s board of zoning appeals. The variances included doing away with road frontage and varying from fencing and architectural design standards.

Mike Dale, executive director of the Hancock County Area Plan Commission, supported the company’s requests, including one to allow for the office building to stray from standards by having partial brick and partial metal paneling.

“In this case, I don’t object,” Dale said. “I think that this type of material and architecture would be appropriate for this location.”

The board of zoning appeals approved the exception and the variances unanimously with conditions, including one that requires screening of all outdoor storage areas visible from I-70 and Mt. Comfort Road.

Repenning said when the site becomes operational, it will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. From March 1 to Oct. 1, it will also be open Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon.
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