Honda told Indiana to start its engines Wednesday morning, but the green flag wasn’t waved until later that night.

At a special session of the Decatur County Board of Zoning Appeals and Area Planning Commission, the final details required for Honda to begin their new manufacturing plant were discussed, and approved.

The American Honda Motor Corporation, represented by Joseph Scimia of Baker and Daniels, first requested to the APC for their selected build site on Old U.S. Highway 421 to be rezoned to the appropriate classification.

The approval was as follows: They rezoned 1,656.34 acres, plus or minus, from am A-1, I-2 and B-3 zoning classification to an I-1 industrial zoning classification, to permit the development of an automobile manufacturing facility and its related accessory uses. These accessory uses include, but are not limited to, rail transport facilities, automobile test track, shipping, receiving and sub-assembly facilities, waste water treatment facilities, electrical substations and fuel storage. This request falls under Decatur County Ordinances 2-3-2 (a). The property is located on Old Highway U.S. 421 N. in Adams and Washington Townships.

After requesting the rezoning, Scimia explained proposed developments to the land.

“There’s been a lot of effort given to landscaping this property in a way that will protect the views of nearby property owners,” he said. In relation to this, 25-foot-tall mounds, spanning nearly 150 feet, will be erected as both a barrier and location for tree planting.

Scimia also touched on drainage concerns.

“All existing drainage tiles which cross the area will be identified,” he said. “All existing drainage tiles will be incorporated into our master drainage plan.”

Part of that plan includes the creation of five wet ponds which, when combined, will offer a total of 12,660,000 cubic feet, or 291 acre-feet, of storage.

After consideration of these points, the APC members voted unanimously to grant the rezone of the site.

Honda then petitioned, by means of Scimia, to the BZA for exceptions to maintain fuel storage on the site, exceed the building-height limit of 50 feet, and exceed the maximum sign area of 250 square feet.

The wording of the petition was as follows: Petitioners are requesting a special exception to permit fuel storage on the subject property, also a variance to exceed the height limit of 50 feet in an I-1 zoning classification to 96 feet, and a variance to exceed the maximum sign area of 250 square feet to 1,100 square feet. This request would fall under Decatur County Zoning Ordinance 2-3-3 (b) and 2-3-7 and 5-1-8.

Scimia explained the request for fuel storage on the site.

“Our fuel storage, or tank farm, is accessory to our primary structures,” he said. “We thought it appropriate to ask for an exception now.”

As the proposed building will encompass more than 1 million square feet, the request to exceed 250 square feet of signage explained itself. Scimia also noted that should the height of the building exceed 96 feet with smoke stacks, Honda will return to the Board to review the exception as appropriate.