The Town of Zionsville announces the hiring of Mike Dale as the Director of Community and Economic Development. Dale will start on October 3.
Dale brings 30+ years of urban planning experience in municipal and county government. He was previously the executive director for the Hancock County, Indiana, area plan commission and board of zoning appeals. His office performed the permitting, entitlement, subdivision platting, code enforcement and rezoning functions for the unincorporated areas of the county and two municipalities – Shirley and Spring Lake. In this role, Dale successfully led efforts to adopt a new zoning code and maps in 2007, county-wide trails plan in 2020 and new comprehensive plans in 2005 and 2022. Dale wrote Indiana’s first ordinance promoting agribusiness at the county level.
As a principal planner and certified floodplain manager for Allen County, Indiana, Dale revamped the county’s floodplain management, permitting and code enforcement programs. Dale was recognized for streamlining those functions while enrolling the county into FEMA’s Community Rating System that lowered flood insurance premiums for county landowners.
“After an extensive search, we are thrilled to welcome Mike to the team,” said Mayor Emily Styron. “With more than 30 years of planning experience in municipal and county government, Mike is a highly accomplished director. He will bring innovation and expertise to the department’s vision for our community while administering the wide variety of regulations that exist in the planning world.”
Dale has degrees in biology, environmental policy analysis and planning. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.