Winona Reviews Lawns Of The Courts Alley Vacation Request
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Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
WINONA LAKE – Winona Lake Town Council reviewed a request during its meeting Tuesday to vacate a portion of the alley in the Lawns of the Courts subdivision. The council previously tabled approving the alley vacation when Lawns of the Court residents wanted a center alley to be installed before the entire alley was vacated. Mark Workman, representing residents who want the alley vacated, presented a petition signed by nine residents. “We have waited four years to have the alley vacated and want to put a fence on our property and landscape. We have been held up all these years over that small little portion,” said Connie Kaiser, an Administration Boulevard resident, who signed the petition and attended the meeting. Town Attorney Jim Walmer said the alley is a public way that was platted that way years ago. For the alley to be vacated there must be a process of vacation that has not been granted at this point. “Regardless of what people want, government does not have to give up a right of way it has,” Walmer said. Walmer advised all parties to contact their attorneys to prepare an easement subject to the public right of way and record the easement. Workman said the residents want the grass alley between the southern border of the subdivision and Auditorium Boulevard to be vacated. They also want the paved alley between the northern border of the subdivision and Administration Boulevard to be vacated. Jan Nelson, who has rental properties on Administration Boulevard, attended the meeting and read a letter to the council expressing her opposition to vacating the alley. Nelson said if the alley is vacated it will not allow there to be parking access for those who rent properties, and said residents who live at 401 Administration Boulevard block the alley with trailers and toys. The 401 Administrative Boulevard residents have put up cones to block off the public alley so their children can play. Nelson said she called law enforcement and the resident removed the cones. Nelson presented photos to the council of cones and bicycles blocking the public alley. “Our tenants have no parking in front of the home. It is still impossible for anyone driving in one end of the alley to be assured they will be able to comfortably drive out the other end,” Nelson said. Town Coordinator Craig Allebach said the alley will need to have a new petition for vacation and then the town would act on it from that point. Council President Bruce Shaffner said the council will take the issue under advisement. In other business, Dave Wolkins, Winona Lake resident, encouraged the town to look into legal recourse for fixing the CR 250E project where there is an issue of the road sinking. The council will have Walmer look into the issue and determine if the town has the right to legal recourse and have a cost benefit analysis completed. Also during the meeting, Doug Koher, Roy Street resident, expressed concerns with safety on Roy Street particularly the S curve going west to east. He said he would like the council to look at the area, and also said there are lots on the curve that are overgrown with brush that needs to be cut back 20 feet. He also wants to make sure additional speed limit signs are posted at 25 miles per hour on Roy Street. The council will take the issue under advisement. The council approved a $6,730 contract with LDP Excavating to replace a rusted culvert on Pierceton Road by Christ’s Covenant Church. The council also approved not modifying its recycling and trash collection agreement with Advanced Disposal.
