ANDERSON — Ed Martin Toyota can move from Anderson to Fishers despite protests from Hamilton County car dealerships, the Indiana Supreme Court has ruled.
Ed Martin Toyota, 5500 S. Scatterfield Road, had sought to relocate to Fishers in an effort to benefit from a growing customer base in Hamilton County, according to the court ruling.
On Friday, Derek Manis, general manager of Ed Martin Toyota, said Toyota also asked the dealership to move to Hamilton County to meet the company’s needs.
“It’s not because we want out of Madison County,” he said. “It’s because they desperately need a store in Hamilton County.”
Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc., planned on approving the request after determining the other area dealerships were out of its relevant market area, according to documents.
Andy Mohr Toyota, Butler Toyota and Tom Wood Toyota protested the move, saying they were in the relevant market area.
But an initial Hamilton County court ruling affirmed the Auto Dealer Services Division’s decision to allow the relocation of the Ed Martin dealership.
The relevant market area is defined by Indiana code as a six-mile radius for a new motor vehicle dealer who plans to relocate the dealer’s place of business in a county having a population of more than 100,000. The statute states that a 10-mile radius is required for a proposed new motor vehicle dealer.
The other dealerships took the local court's decision to the Indiana Court of Appeals, arguing Ed Martin should fall into the new motor vehicle dealer category, requiring a 10-mile radius. The Court of Appeals determined the relocation of Ed Martin could fall under both sections since the dealership is moving to a different county. The appellate court reversed the initial decision.
Ed Martin proposed to relocate to 141st Street and Indiana 37.
With either decision, Butler Toyota, near 96th Street and Keystone Avenue, is the only dealership that would conflict with the 10-mile requirement since the dealership is located seven miles from the proposed Ed Martin site.
Tom Wood Toyota, 4202 Lafayette Road, is 17 miles away from the proposed location and Andy Mohr Toyota is 24 miles away in Avon, according to the ruling.
For the final say, the Indiana Supreme Court determined the Division’s interpretation of the statute reasonable, agreeing with the trial court.
Manis said the relocation will happen, but no deadline has been determined since there isn't a building currently at the new location.
Manis said the decision came just after Ed Martin Toyota celebrated 25 years in Anderson. He said the dealership is making as many efforts as possible so Madison County customers do not feel abandoned.
Ed Martin Toyota is planning on having a service center for local customers at the current Scatterfield Road location. It also plans on having a shuttle service to take Madison County residents to the new location about 25 minutes away.
Manis said a large part of the decision to relocate was based on sales. He said about 65 percent of the vehicles Ed Martin Toyota sells currently are to Hamilton County residents.
“We are already the major Toyota dealer in Hamilton County without even being there,” he said.