As the use of drones and unmanned aircraft systems are gaining in popularity, the city of Crawfordsville is taking steps to regulate their use.
On Monday, city council members approved the first reading of an ordinance that will regulate the operation of UAS’s in the city. The council aims to adopt a similar ordinance already in place in West Lafayette which states the UAS must remain in visual line of sight of the pilot. The ordinance also states that UAS’s may not be flown higher than 50 feet and that no person may launch a UAS over public property or over any person’s property without prior consent.
In other business, the council:
• Approved on third and final reading an ordinance making an additional appropriation for the year 2022 for the Community Crossings Paving Program in the amount of $259,981.
• Approved several resolutions that find the following businesses are in substantial compliance for tax abatement purposes — American Innovation, Indiana Municipal Power Agency, International Paper and Crawfordsville Solar Array.
• Denied on first reading an ordinance to add one disabled parking space east of the driveway at 517 E. Jefferson St.
• Approved on third and final reading an ordinance annexing 5.64 acres of land at 1812 S. US Hwy 231 (Stevenson’s Ace), and 68.35 acres of land located on C.R. 150S (Leaming property).
