Ralph Biggs Inc.'s petition for a subdivision was tabled to Dec. 12 after the Warsaw Plan Commission failed to approve an ordinance for the Paths of Deerfield.

With two commission members absent, the board voted 3-2 in favor of approving the ordinance, but missed the quorum vote needed for approval. Four votes are needed for a board majority.

President Joe Thallemer and Vice President Jeff Grose voted against Bigg's request, both of whom denied approval of the subdivision during its previous stage as a planned unit development.

"I didn't support this at the PUD level, and I still don't like the plans I see," Thallemer said.

Prior to the decision, city attorney Bill Fawley and city planner Jeremy Skinner explained to the board and meeting attendants that a vote would be taken using the terms of the Warsaw Subdivision Control Ordinance. After the lengthy discussions created during previous meetings, Skinner believed the preliminary plat was largely similar to Bigg's secondary PUD review.

Skinner also said a decision would be subject to drainage calculations not yet collected for the planned subdivision.

Before opening the discussion to the public, Thallemer urged attendants speaking against Bigg's request to be brief and to "avoid redundancies or anything we've been through extensively in the previous meeting."

Residents still spoke, some using the floor to express their disappointment of the commission in the matter.

Marcia South disagreed with traffic reports given to the plan commission by members of the traffic commission. The reports, she said, underestimated projections for the flow of traffic in the area if the subdivision were to be constructed.

South showed the board projected traffic numbers she found using her own calculations in the area, which estimated 3.57 cars per minute. The traffic commission's report estimated 1.37 vehicles per minute.

"I'm sorry that (the plan commission) really dropped the ball on this one," South said. "If it wasn't all about profit, maybe you would have made the right decision."

Matthew Fluke, an existing property owner surrounded by Bigg's proposed subdivision, expressed concerns over how houses would be placed on lots adjacent to his property. Due to the dimensions of Bigg's lots around his property, certain houses are likely to face Fluke's residence in close proximity.

Fluke also said the commission failed to adequately inform him of upcoming meetings related to Bigg's requests, something he believed he had the right to be aware of.

Member Rick Keevan claimed an error at the county level caused Fluke to receive informal notification of the matter. Skinner said a discrepancy might have occurred while Fluke's property was being annexed into Warsaw city limits.

Regardless, Fluke failed to submit an appeal within 30 days of when the plan commission reported directly contacting Fluke on the matter.

In other matters, the board approved a final plat for Zimmer Lane, a newly constructed industrial thorough-fare north of Zimmer's location within Boggs Industrial Park.

Skinner commended Zimmer on its "good planning" and willingness to compromise with adjacent residents to help the operation run smoothly.

Tom Jordan, Zimmer employee, reported the company was working with individual residents for screening needs and that fences were being constructed on both the north and south sides of the street.

"We're working towards as little change for residents as possible," Jordan said.

The board also approved Dale Custer's request for a beginning phase of Eagle Crest Subdivision, located northwest of County Farm Road and CR 200S.

Phase one of construction will consist of 17 residential lots inside of 42 acres.

Present members were Thallemer, Grose, Keevan, Alan Clingan and Lacy Francis. Tammy Dalton and Jim Gast were absent. [[In-content Ad]]