This resolution urges the Mayor and Metropolitan Development Commission of Indianapolis to cease efforts to rename Georgia Street. It provides background that Georgia Street was named in the original 1821 plat of Indianapolis and has historical significance. Renaming the street could negatively impact local businesses through costs of address changes and loss of identity. The resolution recommends keeping the original 190-year old name to preserve the city's history and character. If adopted, the resolution would be forwarded to the Mayor and Commission requesting they reject any proposal to rename Georgia Street.

1. CITY COUNTY COUNCIL PROPOSAL NO. , 2011
CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS-MARION COUNTY, INDIANA
INTRODUCED:
REFERRED TO: Committee of the whole
SPONSOR: Councillor Mansfield
DIGEST: a resolution urging the Mayor and the Metropolitan Development Commission to cease and to
desist from efforts to rename Georgia Street
SOURCE:
Initiated by: Councillor Mansfield
Drafted by: Aaron E. Haith, Democrat Caucus Counsel
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ADOPTION: PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE:
Adoption and approvals
GENERAL COUNSEL APPROVAL: _____________________ Date: , 2011
CITY-COUNTY COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. ____, 2011
A PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL RESOLUTION urging the Mayor and the Metropolitan
Development Commission to cease and desist from all efforts to rename Georgia Street.
WHEREAS, a community's history contributes to its personality and the preservation of that
history provides a living link to the roots of that community and its people, all of which adds to
Indianapolis' unique character; and
WHEREAS, according to Indianapolis' own home page: "When platting Indianapolis in 1821,
surveyor Alexander Ralston allowed one square mile for the city, never imagining it would grow
larger."; and
WHEREAS, Georgia Street was given its name in the original 1821 plat of the City of
Indianapolis; and
WHEREAS, during the construction along Georgia Street area businesses have suffered
significant economic detriment; and
WHEREAS, a street name change will cause those same businesses to incur unnecessary
expenditures due to address changes and may cause further economic loss due to loss of location
identity; and
WHEREAS, the City and its leaders embraced the perpetual partnership among the past, present
and the future which partnership encourages each generation to employ the best of contemporary
thought and technology without rejecting the history, culture, traditions and values on which our lives and
futures are / were built; and
WHEREAS, without the physical presence of Georgia Street, today and into the future, some of
the details of what and where Georgia Street actually was will be lost; and more details will be lost as we
pass on our stories of Indianapolis to the next generation and the next; now therefore,

2. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY-COUNTY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS AND OF MARION COUNTY, INDIANA:
Section 1. The Indianapolis City Council recommends and urges the Mayor and the Metropolitan
Development Commission to keep and respect the 190-year old street name (Georgia) from Alexander
Ralston's original 1821 plat of the City of Indianapolis and to reject any proposal that we rename Georgia
Street.
Section 2. The Council joins with the citizens and entities that want to keep the last three (3) blocks of
Georgia Street within the mile square.
Section 3. Upon adoption of this resolution, the Council Clerk will forward a copy to the Mayor and to the
Metropolitan Development Commission.
Section 4. This resolution shall be in full force and effect upon adoption and compliance with IC 36-3-4-
14.
The foregoing was passed by the City-County Council this _____ day of __________, 2011, at _____
p.m.
ATTEST:
___________ __________
Ryan Vaughn
President, City-County Council
____________________________________
Melissa Thompson
Clerk, City-County Council