Ellettsville has quietly grown by nearly 500 acres, increasing its population by 1.8% since 2020.
It's all been done through voluntary annexations, a process where property owners can petition to a town or city to be annexed.
Indiana law allows cities and towns to expand boundaries to accommodate future growth or planning through voluntary, involuntary or super-voluntary annexation.
Ellettsville town councilmember William Ellis said the town does not forcibly annex any areas.
“These are what’s called super-voluntary annexations,” he said. “It’s either 100% of the property owners agree with it, or the property owners come to us.”
Ellis said the town has a list of property owners who would like to be annexed into Ellettsville, though he said he didn’t know the specific number of owners. Since 2020, the town has voluntarily annexed 13 areas, covering almost 500 acres.
Among the largest annexations were four parcels owned by Richland-Bean Blossom School Corporation at 8118 W. Reeves Road. When the town annexed the 87-acre site in February 2020, the land sat empty. Today, it houses Edgewood Primary School, Edgewood Early Childhood Center and Edgewood Intermediate School.
The town also annexed Harman Farms, a 100-acre property at 7633 W. State Road 46. The Harman family voluntarily turned over the land in 2020. The town broke ground on a new development — Village of Harman Farm — on the land in 2024. Local realtor Chris Smith is leading the project, which will bring single-family homes, townhouses, retail space and a new fire station. In August, crews began paving roads for Harman Farm and local builders purchased lots with plans to complete homes in as little as four months.
Ellis said there are good reasons why people want to come into Ellettsville. He also said annexations bring more people into the town to use its services and expand its property taxes.
“I think it’s because we’re starting to get more of the big city amenities, but we still have the small town feel,” he said.
On top of annexations, Ellis said the town is also encouraging business and development growth.
Fiber internet provider Smithville Communications announced plans in 2024 to build a new tech park covering about 242 acres on Ellettsville’s west side, near the KeHe facility on Starnes Road. The development, called Maston Farms and Technology Park, will include manufacturing, retail, warehouses, office space and about 200 homes and apartments.
The Ellettsville Plan Commission approved the rezoning of the parcels from agriculture to industrial in 2024.
Ellettsville Clerk Treasurer Noelle Conyer said new developments will boost the town’s assessed value, expanding its tax base — the total value of income, property, assets and other economic activity — and funding more public services.
“It will allow us to hire more police, more fire, more utilities, street personnel and the equipment in order to take care of it,” she said. “We’re already seeing our assessed value rise from annexations in 2023, but we haven’t seen a huge impact in funding yet.”
Conyer said Ellettsville has a cautious approach to growth financially, putting every penny to work. She said that’s the mentality the town has always had.
Since the town began annexing in 2020, its population has increased by about 1.8%, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Nearby Bloomington has also attempted to annex land, but to lesser recent success. According to former Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton’s proposed plan, Bloomington’s annexation attempts, which are currently tied up in court, would increase the population by 14,300 residents, around a 17.9% increase.
Town Manager Mike Farmer said annexation is about more than just expanding its city — it's about keeping families around.
“I want people to roll in to town and think ‘I'm home,’” he said. “I want to keep the grandbabies in town. If we don’t, they will move away.”
In September, the Indiana Court of Appeals blocked Bloomington’s attempt to annex parts of Monroe County. One of the city’s appeals for a separate case regarding a different area up for annexation is pending in the Indiana Supreme Court.
“Bloomington’s gone to court. People fought it,” Ellis said. “But none of ours were dealt that way because we have worked out with people and we offer a good story of why you’d want to come into Ellettsville, and they want to.”
Madelyn Hanes covers issues in southern Indiana. Her work is supported by a rural reporting grant from the Hearst Foundation.
