Enjoy Family Fun This Summer At Indy Parks Concert Series

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Eagle Creek Park events will feature music that both kids and adults can enjoy

INDIANAPOLIS – The City of Indianapolis Parks and Recreation Department this summer brings family-friendly musicians to light up the stage at the Marina at Eagle Creek Park with the “Family Fun” concert series starting June 25. Kids and parents will be dancing and singing along as they enjoy this unique concert experience together.

The Verve Pipe, Saturday, June 25 at 10 a.m.
· Do you remember singing along with “The Freshmen?” This energetic rock band from East Lansing, Mich., has multitudes of fans and hits and is now touring the nation with a new album of fun, quirky and original family songs.

Milkshake, Saturday, July 9 at 10 a.m.
· This Grammy-nominated band is on a mission: to create great rock music for kids. An exciting departure from traditional kids’ music, the band’s distinctive sound and look has been featured on Noggin, PBS Kids and Discovery Kids.

Justin Roberts, Saturday, July 23 at 10 a.m.
· Called “The Paul McCartney of kids’ music” by USA Today, Roberts performs comic and soulful songs with creative twists-and-turns that parents will enjoy as much as their children. Truly one of the “all-stars” of the indie family music scene!

General admission ticket prices are $6 or $2 off pre-sale if purchased by midnight prior to the day of the concert. Children ages 2 and under are free. For more information visit www.indyparks.org. For tickets, please call (800) 838-3006.

Change To Board Of Zoning Appeals Voting Procedures Increases Transparency

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INDIANAPOLIS – City-County Councillor Aaron Freeman and Department of Metropolitan Development Director Maury Plambeck announced today that they have worked with the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) to provide more transparency on the BZA decisions. Effective June 7, the secretary of the BZA will now read each board member’s name and vote after each vote.

Prior to this change, the BZA’s votes were available for public inspection after the meeting. Though this process complied with state law, it had the unintended consequence of making it more difficult for the public to know the outcome of a BZA decision.

Councillor Freeman, who represents District 25, which includes all of Franklin Township and portions of Warren Township, spearheaded this change with Director Plambeck.

“The shift to a more immediate presentation of each vote at the Board of Zoning Appeals is a small step, but it is yet another step forward in our quest for more transparency,” explained Councillor Freeman. “I am pleased we moved forward with this change, and I will continue to be work closely with Mayor Ballard’s administration to find any opportunity to find ways to be more open and transparent in each and every part of local government.”

The BZA holds public hearings and makes decisions on variances of the zoning ordinances, special exceptions specifically allowed by the zoning ordinances, appeals of administrative decisions, and approval petitions for modifications of previously approved petitions. Because of the large number of petitions filed in Marion County, there are three divisions of the BZA.