Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
When Charlie Haffner bought property off Ind. 13, bordering South Shore Green subdivision, Syracuse, in May 2000, he decided he wanted to put a subdivision on that property.
But before he began that process, he knew he needed to get rid of a one-foot spike strip that borders his property and would prevent his subdivision from having immediate access to Dogleg Drive East.
Spike strips are prohibited by Kosciusko County ordinance but the spike strip was inadvertently approved by the Area Plan Commission.
Recently, he finally got the property owner of the spike strip to be willing to donate the one-foot strip to the county.
The only problem now, however, is that since Haffner began the process, Kosciusko County's ordinance now requires curbs and gutters in all subdivisions. Curbs and gutters weren't required when he bought the property. If Haffner has to put curbs and gutters in his subdivision, he said, it will cost him approximately $50,000 more.
Tuesday, he was back in front of the Kosciusko County Commissioners to ask them to accept the one-foot spike strip into the road right of way of Dogleg Drive East. He also wants permission to build his subdivision without curbs and gutters.
He said if he had not taken the time to fix the county's oversight of the spike strip, he could have platted his subdivision before curbs and gutters were required. Also, when he started the process, he did not know the county was going to approve an ordinance that requires curbs and gutters in subdivisions.
Kosciusko County Highway Superintendent and Engineer Rob Ladson said Haffner could have platted the subdivison in 2000 with side ditches. Now the interior roads in the subdivision need curbs and gutters to make it consistent with other subdivisions.
County commissioner Ron Truex tabled the request to investigate the case further. Commissioner Avis Gunter seconded the motion and Brad Jackson abstained.
