Railroad tracks may soon no longer be an impediment to Indiana municipalities looking to expand their territory.
The Indiana House voted 94-0 Monday in favor of legislation authorizing local units of government to annex otherwise contiguous land if the only thing separating it from the rest of the municipality is a railroad track.
Currently, a railroad must consent to any annexation that crosses its tracks or other property. House Bill 1058 eliminates that requirement so a railroad cannot stand in the way of an otherwise ordinary annexation of contiguous territory.
At the same time, the legislation does not allow a municipality to annex along a rail line to try to incorporate territory that's not closely located to the community, said state Rep. Greg Steuerwald, R-Avon, the sponsor.
The proposal next goes to the Indiana Senate for further review.
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