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A Wal-Mart Supercenter and Lowe's store are in the works for Warsaw. The Warsaw Plan Commission approved preliminary plat approvals for the two stores Monday, with stipulations.
Location for the stores is on property owned by Petro Family LLC on the northwest quadrant of Ind. 15 and U.S. 30 at the 2500 block of North Detroit Street. Petitioner for the construction is CEI Engineering.
The Petro family received rezoning approval from the plan commission last month for the 56-acres south of their car dealerships. The request was for rezoning from C3 (arterial, commercial and single-family residency) to C5 (special commercial zoning).
Plan commission president Joe Thallemer told board members they were "at a point where we need to decide to approve or disapprove (or approve with stipulations)."
Noffsinger said the Wal-Mart location is a three-lot subdivision, and the Lowe's location, a two-lot subdivision, is just south of Wal-Mart.
Wal-Mart is proposing to build on "one large lot with two outlots" with gas station potential. Along with the proposal, Frontage Road will become a private road and will relocate 100 feet west to "jog around to tie into the entrance of Frontage Road."
Tim Martin, representative for CEI Engineering on behalf of Wal-Mart, said the distance between Frontage Road and Ind. 15 will be 250 to 300 feet. Martin also said they're trying to "line up the driveways with Lowe's."
Noffsinger said the current Frontage Road would be abandoned. He also said Wal-Mart will have two entrances plus one entrance in the rear for trucks. The only entrance off Ind. 15 is the existing stop light at CR 250N.
Board member Alan Clingan wanted to make sure there "isn't a glorified parking lot." Clingan said he didn't want to see "a million entrances off a private road (Frontage Road)."
Thallemer asked Noffsinger if there was development potential in the city and county to the north. Noffsinger said the development potential is primarily in the city.
Several stipulations were attached to the preliminary plat approval. Stipulations include: drainage easements to reroute water behind the Wal-Mart store, traffic, abandonment of Frontage Road, outlots adjacent to Frontage Road, maintenance responsibility as well as conservation of wetlands, creation of common cross easements for access, storm sewer, sanitary sewer and what to do with the tree lawn and sidewalk area. Frontage Road will also be 70 feet wide with a 5-foot sidewalk with 7 inches of concrete and 6 inches of aggregate base.
Board member Jeff Grose said he "appreciates their efforts, (but) I think the list is too long."
Warsaw Street Superintendent Lacy Francis said he thinks CEI will be able to meet all requirements.
"I think they'll be able to make these pretty easy," Francis said. "I don't think it's a big deal."
Board member Dewey Lawshe said he had "no problem" with the proposal and "approving the preliminary would be fine with me."
"I'll trust Jeff and I'll trust Lacy," Clingan said.
But, Clingan warned, if the list of issues is not completed, he will be very upset.
"If you screw with me, I'm gonna screw with you," Clingan told CEI representatives.
Wal-Mart's request was approved with a four-to-one vote. Grose was the lone opposition.
Thallemer said the issues on the list must be resolved 10 days prior to the next meeting.
"We want to make sure it's done right," Petro said.
Tony Silveus spole in opposition to Wal-Mart's proposal.
"I think this body (plan commission) has a lot more work to do than what's been presented tonight," Silveus said. "The big box stores suck the everliving life out of small town businesses."
Silveus said Warsaw has approximately 50 closed store-fronts already.
He said board members "have an obligation to do more research" because of the possible negative effects the "big box stores" could have on the community.
Lowe's request was also approved. Noffsinger said the plat vacation was not as complex because they're "not dealing with public roads."
Issues for Lowe's include stormwater drainage, sanitary sewer and lane configuration (proper turn movements and adequate widths).
Francis said he had "no concerns whatsoever" with Lowe's requests.
Clingan said "if Lacy's satisfied, then I'm satisfied."
Lawshe also said he was "comfortable with this as long as Lacy (is)."
Grose moved to approve the request, and the preliminary plat approval was unanimously approved with the list of conditions.
Thallemer reiterated that the issues must be resolved 10 days prior to the next meeting.
In other business:
• Petro requested a plat vacation for Camelot Village, located where the Pancake House is now.
Noffsinger said the vacation is related to Wal-Mart's supercenter.
Petro's request was approved.
• Board members also granted final plat approval to Bonnie Stevens for lots on Logan Street.
"That was a four-lot subdivision," Noffsinger said earlier.
• Noffsinger briefed board members on the planning charette that recently took place.
"A charette is a brainstorming or working session," Noffsinger said.
He said a wide variety of people attended the charette to discuss residential, commercial and industrial growth in Warsaw, Winona Lake and Kosciusko County.
The conclusion?
"The city and the county need to work together to come up with a cohesive plan we can work from," Noffsinger said.
He also said they are leaning toward a joint city-county plan commission (also to include Winona Lake). But no decisions or recommendations took place at the charette.
Dan Richard, Kosciusko County area plan commission director, and Matt Sandy, assistant area plan commission director, thanked Noffsinger and Thallemer "for pulling (the) meeting together."
"We're going to be working very close with you," Richard said.
Sandy said Noffsinger and Thallemer "hit it on the head" with the charette.
"I think everyone's looking at growth," Sandy said.
"We're starting to build a bridge that was lacking between city and county," Noffsinger said.
Winona Lake, Warsaw and the county have "a lot of work to do," Noffsinger said.
Thallemer wants board members to visit the county's plan commission meetings. He said board members could rotate visitations. County board members will also visit the city's meetings.
"We need to keep the ball rolling on that," Thallemer said.
Members of the Warsaw Plan Commission include: Joe Thallemer, Dewey Lawshe, Jeff Grose, Bill Baldwin, Richard Keeven and Alan Clingan.
