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County approval of a preliminary plat for what will eventually be an 82-home subdivision adjacent to the town of Milford was given Wednesday - with conditions.
The Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission gave owner Ralph Biggs permission to continue with the development, provided he furnishes the Area Plan office with the dimensions of the two planned detention basins and clears other drainage details with county engineer Rob Ladsen.
The subdivision is on the south side of CR 1250N and west of Shaffer Road in Van Buren Township. Biggs said the development will be built in phases over approximately eight to nine years, and will comprise 82 homes.
The board's approval came after hearing from Ladsen, who was concerned with drainage on the property, and from the owners of two adjacent properties.
Robert Bowerman expressed concern over what the development will do to the property values of current residences, the type and amount of housing going in, the size of the lots, the drainage and the lack of public areas.
"My recurring concern is the long-term viability of this as a prospering suburb," he said. "It seems that the focus is on building houses rapidly. If it's gonna cost me, I don't want anything do to with it."
Mark Baumgartner, also an owner of adjacent property, asked whether a neighborhood association would maintain and control the storm water runoff and drainage.
No law requires the subdivision to set up an association, Ladsen said.
The town of Milford will run sewer and water lines to the development, said Dallas Winchester, public works superintendent for Milford, with plans to annex it after work is complete.
The Plan Commission also recommended approval of Jackie and Suzanne Caudill's petition to rezone three acres in Seward Township, on the western edge of Burket, from a commercial to an agricultural district. The Caudills' petition will go before the county commissioners for final determination on Sept. 23 at 9:30 a.m.
Doug Hoffert's request for preliminary plat approval of property on EMS B38 Lane, near Irish Lake, was approved. Hoffert plans to build one house on the property and said there will be no further development.
A petition by James McCleary for preliminary plat approval of more than five acres was tabled until next month's meeting to allow for all adjacent property owners to be contacted. McCleary plans to develop the property, which is on the north side of Wooster Road near Winona Lake, into a 10-lot residential subdivision. His petition will be heard at the Plan Commission's Oct. 1 meeting.
Members of the plan commission are Hal Strong, Norm Lovell, Vic Virgil, Dick Kemper, Kevin McSherry, Kelly Easterday, Don Arms and Charlie Haffner. They meet at 1 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month in the Justice Building meeting room.
