24 March 2008 Dearborn County Plan Commission Meeting

24 March 2008 Dearborn County Plan Commission Meeting

Present: Hall, Chairman, Kraus, Jr., Held, Laws, Lehman, Nelson, Beiersdorfer, and Thompson
ABSENT: Lansing

Also Present: McCormack, Planning Director, and McGill, Attorney.
Listerman- Transportation Director was also present.

In the audience were the following CANDIDATES: Kathy Scott, D-1 Commissioner, Jake Hoog, D-2 Commissioner, and Phil Darling, Council at large.

OLD BUSINESS-REOPENED:

Richard Schmidt, one of the developers, presented the variance request for White Pines Subdivision to develop in 4 phases. This is along North Dearborn, Short, and Gaynor Ridge Roads.

They want phase 1 with 24 lots, 2 with 22 lots, 3 with 14 lots, and 4 with 15 lots. When the 35 the permit is issued, they will complete the connector Road with Gaynor Ridge, as suggested by Listerman at the last meeting.

Three members of the public spoke.

Clint Crocker represented several families along Short Road. He gave a slide presentation of the types of berms and tree shielding they would like to see from their front porches. He showed what he called their “million dollar view” right now and was concerned that the buffering would not be done as development occurred. He said that they didn’t want to see it done- “as dirt became available” as discussed in the previous meeting. The slide presentation contrasted good looking berms, fences, and trees done artistically with ones that looked more like fencing a penitentiary and thin lines of hills with trees on them.

McGill asked what this had to do with the phasing question.

Thompson said the covenants were done at the last meeting- you are a month late.

Kraus Jr. said we would be reviewing things at the 2ndary plat stage so we will look at this.

Tom Gaynor said he wanted to see phases 1 and 2 done before they connect to his road- for safety reasons. Gaynor Ridge is not ready for the traffic. Then again- maybe the houses won’t sell – so we won’t have to worry about it.

Ralph Geis – wanted to know if the dips in the road will be fixed and was concerned about kids in his woods, etc.

Listerman explained that the 35 home cut off was used as a variation on the number of homes that should be on a cul de sac- versus a through street.

Thompson motioned and Held 2nd to approve the variance for phases but put the in order of 1, 2, 4, and then 3, with the 35th permit being the trigger to connect Bristlecone with Gaynor Ridge. They addressed the 5 criteria for the variance item by item, in a fashion similar the applicant version of meeting the criteria and noted that topography was the issue as is unique to this design and the need for the variance was not due to something the applicant did.
Nelson asked if flipping the phase numbers was a problem with sewer phasing. Schmidt said no. All ayes- passed.

Thompson asked if the run-off addressed at the February meeting would be an answer to Jack Gentry’s letter in the file. Yes.

ADMINISTRATIVE: (was addressed before new business)

Clarification of March 28, 2005 motion regarding a variance request on the Chappelow Ridge Road extension for Maxwell’s Whitewater Point Subdivision. Mark Lehman excused himself from the board for this. ( I was told later that this was because prior to his last employer- Fischer Homes, he used to work for HC Nutting ,who did the geotech on this)

McCormack explained the applicant was trying to keep to max of 10.5% slope per code, but now has a new road plan that would require that previously requested variance. Nelson said- 5 of us weren’t part of that hearing- so how would we know what they meant?

McCormack said Maxwell and others were working under the perception that 14% slope was granted, though it wasn’t listed on the application form. Nelson said- they have to come back and request it.

Thompson motioned and Beiersdorfer 2nd to have them come back to request the variance. All ayes.

NEW BUSINESS:

Proposed changes to the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances.

Kathy Scott was the only public member who spoke during this section. She presented her concerns on being fair to all developers not just making it so subjective.

Article 3 Section 315C was forwarded with a favorable recommendation to the Commissioners. (flag lot arrangements)

Article 24 Section 2408 was forwarded with a favorable recommendation. (driveway clearances)

Article 2 Section 220 was TABLED to be reworded. (phasing subdivisions)

Updates:

1. Bonds are getting up to date. Some are still outstanding.
2. New ordinance books will be in 3-ring binders to ease corrections and amendments.
3. McCormack is still trying to get with Jeff Hughes to answer his questions on the Comp Plan Future Land Use map. He has met several times with Rick Fox and is hoping to get the maps back onto the commissioner’s agenda.
4. OKI is getting a different consultant on the fiscal impact study- so that is delayed.
5. The 2030 plan for OKI did not have the SR 1 at I-74 bridge enhancements on it. They are still being essentially ignored by INDOT on this issue. That bridge and ramp will be a problem just like Batesville and Harrison had and McCormack wants to see it addressed BEFORE the development gets there and fixes are much messier. [NOTE: Our local reps and senator should be all over this.]

Meeting adjourned at 9:30 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township