26 October 2009 Dearborn County Plan Commission Meeting Notes

26 October 2009 Dearborn County Plan Commission Meeting Notes

Present: Hall, Chairman, Kraus, Jr., Beiersdorfer, Lansing, Hornbach, Nelson, & Thompson
ABSENT: Lehman and Hoog
Also present: McCormack, Plan Director, and McGill, Attorney

New Business:

Request to vacate streets and alleys in the Town of Chesterville on 0.288 acres of Ag zoned land in Sparta Township along Chesterville Road owned by Ed Schwartz. Kraus Jr. stepped down to present the case and left the room following the presentation. No public spoke and no board discussion after presentations. The applicant had tried to get more of the old streets vacated but no other landowners came forward per McCormack. Thompson motioned and Lansing seconded to send a favorable recommendation to commissioners to vacate the old streets and alleyways in Chesterville noting that it did not inhibit growth or block adjoiners etc. All ayes.

Changes to the proposed Article 18 of the County Zoning Ordinance regarding Wind energy conversion systems were modified and further discussed from last meeting’s input. Windmills were classified in 3 categories based on height, energy output, and amount of people or businesses served. Minis are <> 80-100 ft and > 100 Kw and serves commercial or industrial uses.
McCormack used information from Benton, Grant, and Jay counties in IN, Sagamore in IL (from Travis Miller in Yorkville, IL), and Storey County, Iowa. He has talked with installers of the smaller systems here in the county. He will also check some of the new windmills used for water pumps. There is one in Yorkville area as an example.
They may add some other alternative energy like solar panels. McCormack stressed they want anticipate problems like noise, nuisance, or safety issues, but they do NOT want to discourage these uses.
Thompson motioned and Kraus Jr. seconded to table this item to allow the board more time to digest the material and options.

Administrative:

1. Performance bonds database was reviewed. Rookwood Estates (Linkmeyer) on Tower Road expects to have roads approved before the bond lapses. Harvest Ridge and Harley Springs and Whitewater Point (Maxwell) also are finishing their roads. Old Orchard (Tucker) had the bond renewed- but they were late again (as in the last 2 years) and will be warned that that is not acceptable.

2. Comp Plan Advisory Committee stands at 51 accepted. 17 removed – one of those 17 is Tim Meyer- who passed away last week. McCormack noted that Tim Meyer was always present for every session. Jayne Wolgamot asked to be considered- her husband Chet is already on the committee. The board suggested her as an alternate for her husband possibly. They need someone for Solid Waste and Sandy Whitehead was suggested as she is their educator. The Board probably will not meet until 2010.

3. 2010 meeting schedule was passed out.

4. Open House for FEMA and new flood plain maps is Nov 12. Notices in paper, radio, and on the Planning website. 300 additional people are affected by these new maps.

5. Mixed martial arts events- McCormack passed out 2 states ordinances on these. They do things like require them to be indoors, no alcohol, etc. It was agreed by consensus that this is a law enforcement issue and the commissioners should be handling the ordinance on this- not a zoning issue.

6. Tucker let his bond lapse again on Seldom Seen and Laurel Valley. Sections of these roads are not in the county system and so we receive no taxes for them. County is considering notifying residents by mail that they will not have snow removal and/or road repairs as they were not brought to county standards. Newspapers- Register and Beacon will also be considered as a means of letting the public know the road status in those neighborhoods. Nelson suggested they get Listerman to get an estimate of the cost to get the roads to standards (old standards from when these subdivisions were approved) and submit it to the developer. If no agreement- perhaps a lawsuit will occur. The homeowners may desire to be part of that.

Meeting adjourned at 8:20 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township