The Fishers Comprehensive Plan — often referred to as the 2040 Plan — is periodically updated as the city grows and development patterns change. One portion of that document, the Thoroughfare Plan, is now set for an update.

Wednesday night, the Fishers Plan Commission unanimously recommended approval of the updated thoroughfare plan to the Fishers City Council. A public hearing was held as part of the process, but no one spoke.

The City Council is expected to consider the plan at its March meeting.

The proposed updates include a number of intersection improvements, new road connections and changes to previously proposed roundabouts. Among the changes:

• Intersection improvements added at 141st Street and Trade Center Drive
• Intersection improvements added at 131st Street and Britton Park Road
• The previously proposed roundabout at 116th Street and Allisonville Road revised to a signalized intersection improvement
• Local roads added for the Maple Dell and Balmoral developments
• Proposed road connections added between Meadows Drive and Lantern Road
• A roundabout added at 141st Street and Howe Road in Noblesville
• The roundabout at 131st Street and Howe Road updated from “proposed” to “complete”
• Intersection improvement added at 116th Street and Klotz Farm Boulevard
• Local roads added for the Canterwood development
• The roundabout at 121st Street and Hoosier Road updated from “proposed” to “complete”

Several updates involve the Brooks School Road corridor. Those changes include:

• A roundabout at 126th Street
• A roundabout at Carriage Stone Drive (Sandstone Meadows) and Duval Drive (Cottonwood Creek at Gray Eagle)
• Intersection improvements at 116th Street
• A roundabout at Club Point, the entrance to Hamilton Proper
• A roundabout at Aldenham Boulevard (Brookston Place) and Anchorage Way (The Anchorage)
• A modified roundabout at Fall Creek Road

Additional changes include new road connections between 134th and 136th streets and between Minden Drive and Olio Road in the Saxony area, intersection improvements at Olio Road and Olivia Way, and local roads for the Legacy Living development at 136th Street and Cyntheanne Road.

The plan also revises the status of the roundabout at 136th Street and Atlantic Road from  “future” to “others.”

Planning and Zoning Director Ross Hilleary also updated the commission on the upcoming project at 116th Street and Allisonville Road. Construction bids have been awarded and work is expected to begin before the end of March, with completion projected for October.

Earlier plans for a roundabout at that intersection were abandoned. The project will instead improve the existing signalized intersection. Some lane restrictions are expected during construction, but a full closure of the intersection is not anticipated.

The next meeting of the Fishers Plan Commission is scheduled for April 1.

There are times when I truly believe I may be getting too old for this news reporting business.

I planned to attend Wednesday morning’s meeting of the Hamilton Southeastern School Board Policy Committee. I thought the meeting began at 8:30 a.m. Had I checked the agenda more carefully, I would have seen it started at 8:00. By the time I arrived at the administration building, the meeting had already been over for several minutes.

Fortunately, I ran into school board member Suzanne Thomas while walking in. Although Thomas is not a member of the policy committee, she typically attends the meetings as an observer. She had recorded the audio from the session and offered to play it for me, an offer I gladly accepted.

During the meeting, the committee reviewed three proposed policy changes. Two of the items dealt with public records procedures and background checks for employees and volunteers. Those proposals were routine updates and did not generate much discussion.

The third proposal drew considerably more attention. It addresses how and when school board members may attend certain district meetings that are not officially considered meetings of the board or its committees.

The proposal begins with a broad statement outlining the board’s oversight responsibilities. The language emphasizes transparency, accountability and the duty of individual board members—elected by the community—to have access to information necessary to oversee district operations and policy decisions.

More detailed language follows, describing circumstances under which board members could attend certain “district meetings.” These meetings include collective bargaining sessions between district administrators and the teachers’ union, insurance committee meetings, curriculum adoption committees and ad-hoc budget reduction committees.

Under the proposal, the board president could appoint a board member to attend such meetings as a non-voting observer. The appointed member would be required to notify the superintendent in advance and obtain approval from both the board president and the superintendent before attending.

The policy would also give the board president or superintendent authority to limit attendance because of confidentiality or legal concerns.

Board members attending these meetings would have a strictly observational role. They would not be permitted to ask questions, participate in discussions, record the proceedings, or publicly share notes or information obtained from the meetings. Any observations could only be discussed with fellow board members during executive session when allowed under Indiana law.

In addition, the policy specifies that board members would attend these meetings without compensation.

Policy committee members Dawn Lang and Juanita Albright both appeared to support adding the language to the district’s official policies. They indicated they would favor approval when the full Hamilton Southeastern School Board meets next Wednesday, March 11.

Seeing Suzanne Thomas did give us the chance to talk about her recently becoming a grandparent and we both discussed the joys of grandparenting.

The long-running effort to put a second American team on the Formula 1 grid becomes reality this weekend as Cadillac makes its debut at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

While the original push was led by Michael Andretti, the project ultimately shifted ownership and is now operated by TWG Motorsports — headed by Mark Walter and Dan Towriss — in partnership with General Motors. After years of resistance from Formula 1 leadership, the group secured approval one year ago and paid a reported $200 million anti-dilution fee to join the series.

Cadillac becomes the first new team to enter Formula 1 in a decade, following the 2016 debut of Haas, according to a story written for the Associated Press by motorsports reporter Jenna Fryer.

The team’s operations include multiple locations, with many key functions based in Fishers, Indiana, where a new headquarters facility is currently under construction. Additional operations are located near Silverstone in the United Kingdom, while General Motors’ power unit facility is based in North Carolina near Hendrick Motorsports.

For its first two seasons, Cadillac will lease engines from Ferrari while its own power unit program is developed. The team’s first car, named the MAC-26 — honoring 1978 world champion Mario Andretti — has already completed shakedown testing and preseason sessions in Europe.

Veteran Formula 1 drivers Sergio “Checo” Perez and Valtteri Bottas have been signed to lead the program in its inaugural season. Perez brings significant popularity in Mexico, an important market for General Motors.

Expectations for a first-year team are modest, as new entries typically struggle to compete immediately in the highly technical and competitive series. Team leadership, however, has made clear its long-term goal is to win — not simply participate.

Cadillac is positioning itself as “America’s team” in Formula 1, embracing a strong national identity and bold branding approach. If IndyCar driver Colton Herta earns a Formula 1 seat in the future, he could become the first American driver on the grid since 2023.

For Fishers, the team’s launch represents a rare connection to one of the world’s most prestigious sports properties, placing the growing Hamilton County city on the global Formula 1 map as the Cadillac program begins its ambitious climb.

Read Jenna Fryer’s Associated Press story at this link.

A cold, snowy early March day did not deter supporters of the disability community from gathering at Fishers City Hall Monday morning to mark the beginning of Disability Awareness Month.

The City of Fishers Advisory Committee on Disability organized the kickoff event, led by co-chairs Cecilia Coble and Kelly Hartman.

Jessica Minor of the accessABILITY Center for Independent Living delivered the keynote address. Minor shared her personal story of overcoming significant disabilities, as well as the challenges faced and overcome by her husband. Both have built successful careers and are raising two children.

Minor emphasized that accommodations are a part of everyday life for many people, noting that something as common as wearing contact lenses or eyeglasses is, in fact, an accommodation.

Mayor Scott Fadness told those in attendance that promoting accessibility and inclusion aligns with his long-stated vision of building Fishers into a smart, vibrant and entrepreneurial city.

As part of the event, the city awarded three grants to support organizations serving the disability community: Fishers United Methodist Church, Opportunities for Positive Growth, and Outside the Box.

Several individuals and organizations were also recognized for their contributions:

• Life Without Limits Award — Crysta Coble

• Cornerstone Employer Award — Amanda Smith and Spavia

• Accessibility Award — Dalia Kassas and Sara MacGregor

• FACD Years of Service Award — Shelby Slowik

Additional photos from the event are posted below.

Continue reading Fishers Launches Disability Awareness Month with City Hall Ceremony →

Weather forecasters said Sunday that accumulating snow might stay south of Fishers, but the track of the system remained uncertain.

By Monday morning, that uncertainty was gone.

Fishers received between 1 and 2 inches of snow overnight, prompting Hamilton Southeastern Schools to operate on a two-hour delay. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for the area through 9 a.m.

Forecasters warn that untreated roads, bridges and overpasses are likely to become slick. Hazardous travel conditions could affect the Monday morning commute.

Motorists are urged to allow extra time, reduce speed and use caution while traveling.

At a recent meeting of the Fishers Plan Commission, neighbors voiced opposition to a proposed memory care center along Brooks School Road. As the public hearing concluded, City Councilor Pete Peterson — who also serves on the Plan Commission — warned those in attendance about legislation moving through the Indiana General Assembly that he said could significantly limit, or even eliminate, local control over such land-use decisions in the future.

The General Assembly wrapped up its 2026 session Friday. So what, exactly, did lawmakers send to Governor Mike Braun on that issue?

The answer is a sweeping housing measure aimed at increasing residential development statewide and reducing housing costs — but one that stops short of fully stripping zoning authority from cities like Fishers.

Required review of local zoning rules

Under the new law, local governments must hold a public hearing by January 1, 2027, to review their unified development ordinance (UDO) and zoning rules “with the goal of increasing housing development.”

The legislation directs cities and counties to specifically consider a wide range of changes, including:

• Allowing duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes in areas currently zoned for single-family homes
• Permitting accessory dwelling units (ADUs)
• Encouraging adaptive reuse of commercial buildings into residential housing
• Increasing allowable density and floor-area ratios in multifamily districts
• Reducing or eliminating minimum lot sizes, setback requirements and parking mandates
• Shortening permitting timelines and streamlining approval processes

Local governments are also required to submit a report to the Legislative Services Agency outlining what changes were made — or explaining why changes were not adopted.

The law does not mandate that cities adopt these reforms. However, it requires them to publicly examine their land-use rules through the lens of housing production and formally document their response to the state.

Impact fees and development costs

The legislation also tightens rules on local impact fees — the charges assessed on new development to pay for infrastructure such as roads and public safety facilities.  Fishers has made use of such fees for many years.

Under the new framework, impact fees must meet more uniform standards and procedural requirements. Lawmakers argue this will create predictability and reduce development costs. Local officials, however, have expressed concern that additional state oversight could limit flexibility in planning for growth.

What it means for Fishers

Fishers retains zoning authority under the new law. The Plan Commission and City Council will still vote on rezonings and development proposals, including projects like the Brooks School Road memory care center.

However, the city will be required to formally review its development code and consider whether its standards — including density limits and design requirements — are restricting housing supply.

The broader message from the Statehouse is clear: local zoning authority remains in place, but it must now operate within a statewide policy push favoring increased housing density and reduced regulatory barriers.

For residents who packed the Plan Commission meeting concerned about a single project, the larger debate about local control and housing policy may just be beginning.