The Office of the Auditor of Johnson County

The Johnson County Comprehensive Plan, titled 'Plan the Land 2030', serves as a guide for the county's future development, aiming to create a distinctive place with a comfortable quality of life, connected communities, and cooperative, efficient governments. The plan outlines thirteen key goals: protecting rural character and farming, supporting quality development, preserving culture and history, encouraging intergovernmental coordination, enhancing public awareness and involvement, protecting the environment and natural resources, providing recreation opportunities, increasing walkability and bikeability, improving road quality, supporting mass transit, ensuring quality non-transportation infrastructure, fostering a diverse economy, and promoting healthy lifestyles. These goals are intended to manage growth, maintain a desirable quality of life, preserve the rural environment, and ensure the provision of essential services.

The 2017 amendment to the Johnson County Comprehensive Plan updates the Future Land Use Map for the unincorporated area of White River Township, providing more detailed land use recommendations. It identifies three Critical Areas—Morgantown Road, the Smith Valley Road Corridor, and the Old Smith Valley Commercial Area—and outlines preferred development scenarios for each. The plan aims to balance commercial growth with the protection of residential areas, improve transportation, and promote orderly development while maintaining the rural character of the county.

The Johnson County Board of Health convened to discuss various key issues, including updates on the new building's progress, the county commissioners' potential adoption of the State Health Fund for 2025, and a review of the Health Department's Annual Report for 2023, which highlighted trends in drug overdoses and suicides. Nursing reports indicated active TB and lead cases, while environmental updates covered new swimming pool facilities, food establishment remodels, and backflow training. Discussions also addressed housing codes, condemned properties, and funding for trauma and injury prevention, including behavioral health facilities. Emergency management reported on eclipse preparedness and upcoming training, while vital records provided data on births, deaths, communicable diseases, and suicides. Breast Cancer Awareness was also mentioned, though no specific report was given.

The Johnson County Health Department Board Meeting included discussions on the new health department building, COVID-19 transmission levels, school immunization records, and funding for county health departments in Indiana. The board also discussed workforce development, septic inspections, breast cancer and STD programs, monkeypox vaccinations, COVID clinics, TB cases, lead cases, food permits, emergency management, harm reduction kits, and a mobile vaccine trailer. The meeting concluded with a vital records report, breast cancer awareness updates, and the introduction of a new board member.

The meeting agenda includes approval of minutes from the previous meeting, public hearings for minor plats on Possum Hollow and Watson Road, and a waiver request for a roadside subdivision. The minor plats involve dividing several large parcels into smaller residential lots. The waiver request concerns a two-lot roadside subdivision with variances related to lot size, road frontage, and subdivision on a non-original lot of record.