31 March 2025 Dearborn County Plan Commission Meeting Notes
Present: Dennis Kraus, Jr., Chairman, Jeff Hermesch, Mark Lehman, Joe Vogel, Jake Hoog, Dan Lansing, Jim Thatcher, and Eric Lang
ABSENT: Russell Beiersdorfer
Also Present: Nicole Daily, Planning and Zoning Director, and Andy Baudendistel, Attorney.
(Meeting started about10 minutes late due to a train coming through town.)
Baudendistel read the Title VI statement as legally required.
ACTION ON MINUTES February 24th Minutes- none to review.
OLD BUSINESS: none
NEW BUSINESS: Just a question from a citizen:
Mr Sears: When you set a zone district- what is the process?
Dennis Kraus Jr. explained how the submissions go in, tech review board reviews. They look to see about compatibility with other uses in the area. If infrastructure is needed, then they have to provide it before it goes thru. Etc. He explained that the PC gives a recommendation to the commissioners and the Commissioners make the final decision.
ADMINISTRATIVE:
MS4 Ordinance and Technical Standards started January 1, 2025—This will cause some changes within the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Control Regulations that will need to be discussed. The following items are to be changed, due to SWPP. Looking for a Favorable to be forwarded to Commissioners on this. Daily showed the changes on the monitor for board to review. 325 and 330- there is a bill going thru the legislature regarding this. HB 1037. Board and Baudendistel talked about whether this is more stringent than the state. Planning would not be more restrictive- because this will all go to MS4 for the permit. So no problem with HB037 anyway. Lang discussed one of the charts not being pertinent to our area of Indiana. He pointed out to remind Sandy Whitehead about that. Daily said she would add it to her list.
Daily matched other areas to MS4 now. She also corrected one error regarding back filled and not back field.
Vote taken on the following Subdivision Control Regulations—regarding the above discussion.
Text Amendments to Article 2, Section 232 Item #25, Section 272 Item #10
Text Amendments to Article 3, Section 330- which will become Section 325
Text Amendments to Article 6—Definitions
Repeal/remove portions of Article 3 of the Subdivision Control Ordinance, Section 325, 325.2, 325.3, 325.4, 325.5 and 325.6- as these will be required permit so these do not need to be in other parts of the Ordinance.
Plan Commission approved a FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION to be sent to the County Commissioners. Thatcher ABSTAINED
Discuss Update to the Comprehensive Plan through 2025, workshops for public involvement, surveys, completed studies or plans to be included, separate Bright Overlay Zoning Districts, etc.
Daily said they were working on some info that started during the COVID era. A survey was not started then. She calls it Survey Phase 1. They need comments from citizens, where they live and work, how long, why they live here. Want perceptions of desired growth for the county. Stable or affordable house, walkability, housing needs and options, business and industrial growth for the county, do they like working elsewhere or were, transportation needs. Strengths and Weaknesses. Comparison to 10 years ago. Thoughts on the future for Dearborn County. ALSO TRY TO GET EMAILS so they can get info to more people.
Daily said Last update we did we had an advisory committee. Do you feel like this is necessary this year? For housing it would be a specific group. I was part of these groups back in the day. Wants to separate the groups for people who have more expertise in the groups and not just a general group. She wants comments to see if they want changes in the survey. Board to email her about their thoughts.
She wants a secondary survey for the land use elements.
Daily is putting a section on the county website at the Planning and Zoning Dept. section. She will put some sections on the site as they are worked on to get feedback and comments. She wants the paper and Beacon involved and the radio station. Looking to see if they can send out one- time notice to give them the website, Facebook page etc. The excuse for not putting it in the tax notices this year was that they didn’t have enough time to get it together before they went out. [Note: The tax notices did have an extra smaller note added to the mailing this year- so it is possible to get that in the envelope.]
I asked DAily if the topics with people who are knowledgeable of the data etc could all be open to the public in order to enhance public knowledge and ability to see the process. Daily agrees and thinks that the website and the videotaping of these sessions would help also.
Census info, housing, transportation, need more realtor info, also OKI info and data, and Parks and Recreation. There will be things on Park Board’s 5 year plan. She wants this out on website before hand in DRAFT form. These will be focus on first workshop next month. She wants some components of Beth land use elements at each workshop. She will have some maps to draw on. This land use element will be out there the whole time. Lehman asked about roundabouts on the transportation element.
Updates have to be every 5 years to qualify for grants etc. per Daily.
Stellar Award has up to $8 million that can be used for the County, Dillsboro, and Bright Park. She’s helping Park Board get their 5 year done. Park Board is all volunteers. Daily talked about all the help she and staff are giving to the Park Board due to this Stellar Process.
First Comprehensive Plan Update Workshop will be on April 24th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. in this room and the lobby.
Next Plan Meeting is April 28th. There is one item on the agenda. She will also try to move info on the April 24th workshop process.
The Britton Farm Rezone has been requested by applicant to be moved to the MAY meeting. It’s the Tuesday after Memorial Day. They have not received the water letter yet. They were holding traffic study until they have the water letter. The traffic study is expensive.
Meeting adjourned at 7:18 PM
Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township
