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Three of the four petitions brought before the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission were continued to the June 7 meeting.
Two of them were asked to be continued by the petitioners themselves, while a petition by Dennis L. Replogle was continued by the plan commission. The plan commission wants Replogle to discuss his plans for the property with the town of Milford.
Replogle's petition is to rezone ground from an agricultural district to a residential and agricultural II district. The property is on the north side of Beer Road, 1,180 feet east of Shaeffer Street in Van Buren Township. CR 1250N is to the north of the property and Beer Road is to the south.
The property is divided by Turkey Creek. Dan Richard, Area Plan Commission director, said all the land to the west of Turkey Creek is proposed to go to residential, while land to the east of the creek is proposed to go to agricultural II.
Replogle is not the only property owner involved. When Replogle brought the petition before the plan commission office, the office asked Replogle to try to get other property owners, whose properties are surrounded by Replogle's 57.37 acres, to also get their property rezoned. The area is expected to be where future growth for Milford will occur.
However, only S. Douglas Strycker was in favor of having his four acres rezoned. Shane Maust, Bob Brooks and another property owner were opposed to having their properties rezoned.
Milford Town Council asked that Replogle's petition be continued until they can talk with Replogle. A letter from town council members John Lehman, Douglas Ruch and Bob Phillips said the town has concerns with the agricultural II district rezoning. The letter says the town understands the land can be sold off in five- to 10-acre lots, which could landlock Milford from growing to the east in the future. Milford also wants input as to how the property is developed in regard to utilities. Milford wants the petition to be denied to let new owners of the property, when they buy it, rezone it as necessary.
"We would really like it to be continued for another month so we can see what they have planned," Lehman said. He said having three-, five- or 10-acre lots out there isn't the best for Milford.
Brian Wuthrich, of Hahn Auction Service, representing Replogle, said Replogle is not the one who will be developing the property, he just plans to have it auctioned. Milford needs to talk with whoever buys the property and not hold up the rezoning, he said.
Dallas Winchester, who is the Milford utilities department head, said the town is trying to plan for the future. The town is land-locked to the north and south, and the east is the only direction left for growth. Sewer and water will be available for development in that direction but need to be carefully connected.
Plan Commission President Vic Virgil said, "I think we wish there had been some communications with the town of Milford."
Maust said he did not want his land rezoned and would not like the property adjacent to him rezoned as well.
He said, "I moved out in the country and I want to keep it in the country."
Plan commission board member Charlie Haffner moved to continue the petition and Don Ahrms seconded. The continuation was approved 5 to 2 and one board member abstained.
The other two petitions continued to the June 7 meeting included a petition by Christine Snavely and a petition by Lakeview Terrace Mobile Home Park.
Snavely is requesting preliminary plat approval for an agricultural II development on 28.15 acres of ground. The property is on the west side of CR 1000E and 430 feet south of CR 1050N in Turkey Creek Township.
The mobile home park's petition was for a preliminary plat approval for a residential development on 7.971 acres. The property is on CR 500N, on the east side of Woodview Drive, and south of Ridgeview Drive in Tippecanoe Township.
Devon and Mary E. Zolman's request to rezone ground from an agricultural to a residential district was approved. The property is on the east side of Ind. 15 and north of CR 700S in Clay Township, Claypool.
A letter from the town of Claypool was sent to the plan commission with some concerns.
Devon Zolman said he played on the property as a boy and wants to see Claypool grow. "We'll do everything Claypool asks and more," he said.
Approximately 35 acres are involved in the rezoning.
Members of the Plan Commission include Kelly Easterday, Don Ahrms, Kevin McSherry, Hal Strong, Charlie Haffner, Richard Kemper, Norman Lovell, Barb Carwile and president Vic Virgil. They meet at 1 p.m. in the county courthouse the first Wednesday of every month.
