Plan Commission Talks Lake Access, CAFOs
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Daniel [email protected]
The commission once again heard a request to vacate a portion of an undeveloped public way that gives access to the lake.
The request was to vacate a tract of land that ran across three adjacent lots on T48 B Lane on the north side of Tippecanoe Lake.
Attorney Steve Snyder said the property has been maintained by his clients, the Matchett family, and that it’s never been used by the public to get onto the lake.
He said the goal was to consolidate the property to build the house his clients wanted.
Area Plan Director Dan Richard said the commission’s technical committee had brought up a compromise which would create a 25-foot public access on the north side of the property to still allow access to the lake by the public.
Snyder balked at the compromise saying it would hurt what his clients wanted to do.
Dick Kemper, county surveyor, argued that once a public access is gone it’s gone and that whether or not someone has used it to date is beside the point.
Commission member Larry Coplen said that a lack of remonstrators or letters opposing the request showed there was no concern or interest.
“It’s just another public way to a lake that will never be used again,” countered Kemper. “Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”
After a lengthy discussion, the commission moved to recommend the vacation request with the caveat that a 10-foot public way be dedicated on the north side of the property.
The Kosciusko County Commissioners will vote on the request at its Sept. 27 meeting.
The issue of confined animal feeding operations was once again brought before the plan commission.
Mark Vance and Janet Ecklebarger were given five minutes to address the commission and they asked the commission consider ordinances restricting CAFOs beyond what the state has set.
The plan commission at its next meeting, Oct. 5, will look at ordinances other counties in the area have adopted.
Richard suggested looking at neighboring counties rather than more distant ones to provide a more accurate idea of what Kosciusko County would deal with.
Commission President Charlie Haffner said the issue was something that had to be looked at carefully.
He said the plan commission would do its part but he urged residents, business people and CAFO owners to form a citizen’s advisory group that would represent everyone involved in the issue.
Haffner said it would be unfair to both sides of the argument to take any action hastily.
Commission member Dr. Lee Harman said the issue would take a lot of study since the commission has received conflicting reports from both sides of the debate.
“We need to do what’s beneficial for all parties involved,” said Haffner. “Not just a single interest group.”
Commission member Kevin McSherry said that accountability had to be looked at as well as regulation.
“You can have a McDonald’s that is clean, does everything right and they have the same rules as one down the street that is a mess,” said McSherry.
McSherry also said that current CAFOs have a vested interest in not letting bad farm owners in to “foul it up for the rest of them.”
Concerning regulation, Coplen said he couldn’t speak for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, the body which regulates CAFOs, but did speak of his experience with the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
“It’s impossible to comply with all their rules and stay in business,” said Coplen. “You’re forced to violate those rules. I’m not saying it’s right or wrong. I’m just talking about the reality of the issue.”
Coplen said it was important to look at the issue but the plan commission needed to make sure it didn’t do harm to any particular group.
At next month’s meeting, the plan commission will also look at traveling to other counties that have enacted ordinances regarding CAFOs.
A request to rezone a 2.18-area tract of ground on the east side of Pine Road in Turkey Creek Township was approved.
The request was to rezone the land from residential to agricultural.
The land is owned by King Fisher Properties and will be used to build storage units for condominiums.
Land must be zoned commercial or residential to be used for such storage units, according to Richard.
The commission expressed concern that at some point in the future, with the land being zoned agricultural, a farm may go in the area.
Snyder, who represented King Fisher Properties, said that if approved and once the land was developed, they would petition to have it rezoned once more.
The rezoning request still needs to be approved by the Kosciusko County Commissioners at its Sept. 27 meeting.
The commission approved a request for a replat of six plots in the Hawthorne subdivision north of Chapman Lake at CRs 400N and 250E.[[In-content Ad]]
The commission once again heard a request to vacate a portion of an undeveloped public way that gives access to the lake.
The request was to vacate a tract of land that ran across three adjacent lots on T48 B Lane on the north side of Tippecanoe Lake.
Attorney Steve Snyder said the property has been maintained by his clients, the Matchett family, and that it’s never been used by the public to get onto the lake.
He said the goal was to consolidate the property to build the house his clients wanted.
Area Plan Director Dan Richard said the commission’s technical committee had brought up a compromise which would create a 25-foot public access on the north side of the property to still allow access to the lake by the public.
Snyder balked at the compromise saying it would hurt what his clients wanted to do.
Dick Kemper, county surveyor, argued that once a public access is gone it’s gone and that whether or not someone has used it to date is beside the point.
Commission member Larry Coplen said that a lack of remonstrators or letters opposing the request showed there was no concern or interest.
“It’s just another public way to a lake that will never be used again,” countered Kemper. “Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”
After a lengthy discussion, the commission moved to recommend the vacation request with the caveat that a 10-foot public way be dedicated on the north side of the property.
The Kosciusko County Commissioners will vote on the request at its Sept. 27 meeting.
The issue of confined animal feeding operations was once again brought before the plan commission.
Mark Vance and Janet Ecklebarger were given five minutes to address the commission and they asked the commission consider ordinances restricting CAFOs beyond what the state has set.
The plan commission at its next meeting, Oct. 5, will look at ordinances other counties in the area have adopted.
Richard suggested looking at neighboring counties rather than more distant ones to provide a more accurate idea of what Kosciusko County would deal with.
Commission President Charlie Haffner said the issue was something that had to be looked at carefully.
He said the plan commission would do its part but he urged residents, business people and CAFO owners to form a citizen’s advisory group that would represent everyone involved in the issue.
Haffner said it would be unfair to both sides of the argument to take any action hastily.
Commission member Dr. Lee Harman said the issue would take a lot of study since the commission has received conflicting reports from both sides of the debate.
“We need to do what’s beneficial for all parties involved,” said Haffner. “Not just a single interest group.”
Commission member Kevin McSherry said that accountability had to be looked at as well as regulation.
“You can have a McDonald’s that is clean, does everything right and they have the same rules as one down the street that is a mess,” said McSherry.
McSherry also said that current CAFOs have a vested interest in not letting bad farm owners in to “foul it up for the rest of them.”
Concerning regulation, Coplen said he couldn’t speak for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, the body which regulates CAFOs, but did speak of his experience with the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
“It’s impossible to comply with all their rules and stay in business,” said Coplen. “You’re forced to violate those rules. I’m not saying it’s right or wrong. I’m just talking about the reality of the issue.”
Coplen said it was important to look at the issue but the plan commission needed to make sure it didn’t do harm to any particular group.
At next month’s meeting, the plan commission will also look at traveling to other counties that have enacted ordinances regarding CAFOs.
A request to rezone a 2.18-area tract of ground on the east side of Pine Road in Turkey Creek Township was approved.
The request was to rezone the land from residential to agricultural.
The land is owned by King Fisher Properties and will be used to build storage units for condominiums.
Land must be zoned commercial or residential to be used for such storage units, according to Richard.
The commission expressed concern that at some point in the future, with the land being zoned agricultural, a farm may go in the area.
Snyder, who represented King Fisher Properties, said that if approved and once the land was developed, they would petition to have it rezoned once more.
The rezoning request still needs to be approved by the Kosciusko County Commissioners at its Sept. 27 meeting.
The commission approved a request for a replat of six plots in the Hawthorne subdivision north of Chapman Lake at CRs 400N and 250E.[[In-content Ad]]
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