Know Your Rights & Protect Your Record

We are still fighting to stop this. But prudent neighbors protect themselves regardless of outcome. The steps on this page take an afternoon — and the record you create now may be the most important evidence you ever have. Do this before any operations begin.

💧 If You Are on a Well

Indiana law protects you — but only if there is a baseline on record.

Your Legal Protection

Indiana Code 14-25-4 (Water Rights: Emergency Regulation Statute) was enacted specifically to protect owners of small-capacity residential wells against high-capacity groundwater pumping — exactly the kind a limestone quarry operation requires. If a quarry substantially lowers groundwater levels and your well fails as a result, Heritage Group would be responsible for remediation. ^{[Indiana DNR — Division of Wate]}

The critical condition: the Indiana DNR must conduct an investigation and conclude that the quarry was the root cause of your well’s failure. That investigation depends on having a historical baseline measurement of your well’s depth — taken before any operations begin.

What To Do Now

Contact Evan Rouse at the Indiana DNR. His team will visit your property and measure the depth of your well, creating an official baseline datapoint in the state’s records. This is a free service and takes just one visit.

Evan Rouse — Indiana DNR, Division of Water

Contact Evan directly to schedule a baseline well depth measurement for your property. Mention that you are a residential well owner near the proposed Homestead Road quarry in Allen County.

erouse@dnr.in.gov

317-602-1064 Call

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When you call or email, mention: your name, your address, that you are a residential well owner in the Homestead Road quarry impact area in Allen County, and that you are requesting a baseline well depth measurement under IC 14-25-4.

Further reading: Indiana DNR — Water Rights: Emergency Regulation

🏠 Document Your Property’s Structural Condition

Quarry blasting generates ground vibration that can crack foundations, basement walls, masonry, driveways, and porches. Documenting your property’s condition now — before any operations begin — establishes the baseline that distinguishes pre-existing conditions from quarry-caused damage.

We do not yet have a specific official contact for structural baseline inspections. We are working to formalize a process and template. In the meantime, use the guidance below.

Consider a professional inspection. A licensed home inspector or structural engineer can produce a stamped, dated baseline report that carries more evidentiary weight than photos alone. Even a standard home inspection report, stored carefully, is far better than nothing.

If you have existing cracks

Photograph every crack

Photograph each crack with a ruler or measuring tape in frame showing the width clearly
Take both a wide shot (showing location context) and a close-up (showing crack detail and width)
Include a date reference in frame — a piece of paper with today's date, or your phone's screen showing the date, held next to the crack
Write a brief location description for each photo: e.g., "northeast basement wall, 18 inches from floor, near water meter"
Note the current width so future growth can be measured against it

If you have NO visible cracks

Document the absence of damage

A clean record is just as important as a cracked one. Future claims depend on proving the damage wasn’t there before.

Photograph all foundation surfaces — exterior perimeter, interior basement walls, floor slab
Photograph porches, porch columns, steps, and stoops
Photograph masonry chimneys, brick veneer, and block walls
Photograph garage floor, driveway, and any concrete flatwork
Include a date reference in every frame — newspaper front page, phone screen, or handwritten note
Write brief descriptions: "No visible cracks, northeast basement wall, full height, as of [date]"

HOA and Community Association Boards

Shared structures need documentation too

If your neighborhood has a homeowners association, the board should assign a member to lead a baseline documentation effort for all shared property. That includes:

Clubhouse foundations, walls, and floors
Pool deck, pool surround, coping, and any masonry around pool equipment
Retaining walls and community entrance structures
Parking lot surfaces and curbing
Any shared masonry, fencing, or hardscaping

Store HOA documentation in official board records with a clear date and the name of the person who conducted the survey. A formal board resolution documenting the survey effort adds additional credibility.

📋 General Tips for All Documentation

Store in at least two locations — a cloud service (Google Photos, iCloud, Dropbox) and a local backup. Do not rely on a single phone that could be lost or replaced.
Do not alter original files — photo metadata (EXIF timestamps) may matter. Share copies, keep originals intact.
Date everything explicitly — even if your phone timestamps photos, also photograph a handwritten note with the date for belt-and-suspenders reliability.
Repeat your survey periodically — once operations begin, re-photograph the same surfaces on a regular schedule (quarterly is reasonable) so any changes can be tied to a timeline.
Keep notes with your photos — a short written log describing what you photographed, when, and any relevant observations is far more useful than photos alone.

📋 A formal documentation template is coming. We are working to create a structured checklist and reporting template for both well water and structural conditions — something you can print out and fill in as you go. Check back here, or email us and we will notify you when it is ready.

Take Action — Email officials, sign the petition, attend hearings
Science & Data — Research on groundwater, air, and wetland impacts
The Threat — What is being proposed and why it matters

Know Your Rights & Protect Your Record — No Quarry on Homestead