By the Numbers
to BZA denial
opposition coalition
to deny
Coalition Growth — March to May 2026
44 organizations joined between petition launch and the BZA hearing
Petition Growth — March to May 2026
Change.org · 12,842 signatures across 81 days
Timeline
Developer Withdraws Before Plan Commission — Accepted in Minutes
Immediately following the BZA denial, the developer withdrew their concurrent rezoning petition before the Allen County Plan Commission. The Plan Commission voted to accept the withdrawal — a proceeding that concluded in minutes, a stark contrast to the three-hour BZA hearing. No rezoning approval was issued.
BZA Votes 4–0 to Deny Special Use Variance
After a nearly three-hour public hearing at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, the Board of Zoning Appeals voted 4–0 to deny US Aggregates / Heritage Group's application for a special use variance (one member absent). Community members, neighborhood associations, healthcare leaders, school officials, and environmental advocates testified on the record. The hearing represented the largest public turnout in recent Allen County zoning history.
Without a special use variance, the project cannot proceed as proposed. The developer retains the right to appeal the BZA's decision to an Allen County court within 30 days, or to reapply with a substantially changed proposal after approximately one year.
Developer Resubmits Application — Deemed Complete, Hearing Scheduled
US Aggregates / Heritage Group resubmitted a revised rezoning and special use application to the Allen County Department of Planning Services by the required deadline. County planning staff deemed the filing complete and placed it on the agenda, triggering a joint public hearing for May 26, 2026 before the Allen County Plan Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals. No approvals have been issued.
Southwest Allen County Schools Board — Votes to Oppose Quarry
The Southwest Allen County Schools (SACS) Board of Trustees voted to formally oppose the proposed quarry and asphalt plant on Homestead Road. Lafayette Meadows Elementary is the closest SACS school to the proposed site. This marks a significant milestone — an official institutional voice joining the coalition's opposition. See all organizational supporters →
Allen County Plan Commission — Monthly Business Meeting
Regular monthly business meeting. Quarry application not yet on the agenda due to the incomplete filing.
Allen County Plan Commission — Monthly Public Hearing
Regular monthly public hearing. Quarry application was not on the agenda; the developer's filing had been deemed incomplete by county planning staff.
Application Filed — and Rejected as Incomplete
US Aggregates / Heritage Group formally submitted rezoning and special use applications to Allen County for the proposed quarry, asphalt plant, and concrete plant complex. The Allen County Department of Planning Services reviewed the submission and deemed it incomplete, requiring the developer to refile. No hearings were scheduled.
Heritage Group is targeting ~1604 acres for acquisition, bordered by Homestead Road, I-69, and the new IU Health hospital campus. Of that, ~710 acres are proposed for industrial and quarry operations; the current rezoning application covers ~913 acres.
Community Organizes — 1,500+ Petition Signatures in 5 Days
Once the proposal became public, Southwest Allen County residents mobilized rapidly. A petition opposing the development launched on March 6, 2026 and gathered 1,500 signatures in five days. Public meetings drew overflow crowds. No Quarry on Homestead formed as a community-led coalition and began documenting the scientific, environmental, and economic case against the project.
Proposal Announced — US Aggregates / Heritage Group
US Aggregates, a subsidiary of The Heritage Group (a family-owned Indiana conglomerate), announced plans for a major mixed-use development anchored by an open-pit limestone quarry, asphalt plant, and concrete batching plant in the Little River Valley of Southwest Allen County.
Inside Indiana Business reported on the proposal, describing it as one of the most significant industrial land-use proposals in the region's recent history.
Historical Context: How We Got Here
Hanson Aggregates Quarry Expansion — Fought and Stopped
A few miles from the current proposed site, Hanson Aggregates (now Heidelberg Materials) proposed expanding their existing limestone quarry operations in a way that threatened the Eagle Marsh wetlands and the broader Little River watershed.
The Little River Wetlands Project (LRWP) — a nonprofit land trust founded in 1990 — led the fight. Working with the Conservation Law Center and community donors, LRWP successfully blocked the expansion through strategic land acquisition and organized opposition. They purchased key land parcels to protect wetland buffers from quarry encroachment.
The result: Eagle Marsh is now an 831-acre protected wetland — the largest inland urban wetland restoration in Allen County — supporting over 225 bird species and several state and federally listed species. The LRWP continues its stewardship mission today.
👉 Read the full LRWP story → | See our analysis of this precedent →
Little River Wetlands Project Founded
Concerned residents founded the LRWP to restore and protect wetlands in the Little River watershed — recognizing that Indiana had already lost an estimated 85% of its original wetlands. Their work at Eagle Marsh would become a model for urban wetland conservation and a direct precedent for today's fight.
Stay Engaged
- Allen County Agenda Center: allencounty.in.gov/agendacenter — monitor for any new filings
- Allen County Plan Commission: allencounty.in.gov/365/Allen-County-Plan-Commission
- Take Action: Sign the petition, contact officials
This timeline is maintained by No Quarry on Homestead. We cite only verified public records and published news sources. If you have documentation of an event we should add, contact us at noquarryonhomestead@gmail.com.