Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Not happy with either item brought before the board Wednesday, Area Plan Commissioners unanimously denied one petition and tabled another with a stern reminder.
Attorney Richard Helm represented the Warsaw Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses Inc. in a petition to rezone 10 acres of property from an Agricultural District to an Agricultural II District, which would allow residential development.
The property is on the south side of CR 200S and about a half mile east of Ind. 25 in Wayne Township.
A petition of remostrance was presented against the request.
Three local property owners - Mark Faulk, Steve Johnson and Krista Barker - remonstrated against the proposed plan, citing water retention as a major cause of concern if more buildings are constructed. All three said water stands in or floods across their property.
Johnson said the water problem has increased since a church was built on the property.
Increased traffic on the county road also was given as a cause for concern.
Helm readdressed the board, saying state law requires drainage to be addressed in any preliminary plat and the neighbors were giving a "classic remonstrance of 'not in my back yard.'"
Commission member Charlie Haffner said he used to own the land being discussed and water drainage was always a problem there.
"The water is a problem of the whole community," Haffner said. "It was before the church was built.
"I originally sold the land to people to satisfy their particular needs before zoning (was in effect)," he continued. "The people there have essentially what they wanted (in land size), without being in a housing development, which does not fit in with the original plan."
Haffner said the board could keep from compounding the problems without affecting the neighbors, recommending the current owners sell the land to one person.
A motion to recommend the petition to the Kosciusko County Commissioners was made and not seconded. A motion to deny recommendation was seconded and unanimously approved.
Attorney Steve Snyder approached the board regarding property owned by Mr. and Mrs. Dale Conley, formerly known as Crooked Creek Campgrounds, on the northeast side of Big Chapman Lake.
Snyder said 30 lots are planned with a Chapman Lake Road entrance and emergency egress off of CR 400S.
He described the development as being of the highest caliber, requiring homes of at least 3,200 square feet, underground utilities, wooded lots and an architectural control committee that would review all construction design, including roadside mailboxes.
Snyder said the only outbuildings allowed would be a 250-square-foot pool house.
Rob Ladson, county highway superintendent and engineer, advised the board he did not have an opportunity to review the drainage plan and recommended a continuance.
Joel Wihebrink, vice president of the Chapman Lakes Conservation Club, read a communication from that group asking the board for a continuance of the petition pending the outcome of a diagnostic study of the lake and watershed.
John Richardson, senior project manager for J.F. New and Associates, Fort Wayne, said the diagnostic study would be complete in less than 60 days.
"There is a 700-foot sandbar developing from the silt (in front of the Crooked Creek frontage)," Richardson said.
He said the Conleys were aware of the problem and were very cooperative.
"The sewer issue there is huge," Richardson said. "The agriculture runoff and poor septic systems set in poor soil add to the problem. Chapman Lake residents are not thrilled about getting sewers, but they'll have to."
Mary McFarren and Kevin Horn, speaking for his parents Bob and Virginia Horn, criticized plans for 30 individual piers being installed from the beach and construction of a shelter facility with restrooms and lockers.
The petition was tabled because items of concern, complete soil erosion, drainage and site plans, have not been addressed and were requested in a letter composed by Ladson dated Jan. 20, 2000.
Plan director Dan Richard also said the subdivision name, Thorn Tree Hill, already exists.
Richard Bondheimer, manager of Hide-Away Hills mobile home park, approached the board on behalf of residents at the park who want carports.
Bondheimer said he discovered the setback for such structures is 20 feet.
He presented pictures taken at West Haven, Green Acres, Lake Estates and Forest Park mobile home parks, showing carports installed at less than the setback.
"These are massive violations," said Richard in reviewing the photos.
"I have 155 people who want carports," Bondheimer said. "What do I tell them about these?"
"Some of them are expensive, costing $400 to $500," he said. "It's not fair to have them tear them down. What I would like to see is a change in ordinance."
Bondheimer said he and other mobile home park managers/owners are beginning to meet and would like to be involved in the ordinance-making process.
"A group would speed changing of ordinances," said commissioner Kevin McSherry. "We would welcome your input."
The board also discussed establishing a deadline and checklist for all preliminary plat proposals.
• Directed Richard to send a letter to mobile home park owners regarding the 20-foot setback on carports.
• Heard from Matt Sandy, assistant area plan director regarding the new website: http://www.indico.net/counties/KOCIUSKO/GOVERNMETN/KAPC.htm
APC members are Vic Virgil, Norman Lovell, Richard Kemper, McSherry, Haffner and Kelly Easterday. Members Barbara Carwile and Don Abrams were absent.
