24 August 2015 Dearborn County Plan Commission Meeting Notes

24 August 2015 Dearborn County Plan Commission Meeting Notes

Present: Dennis Kraus, Jr., Chairman, Russell Beiersdorfer, Mark Lehman, Mike Hornbach, Art Little, Jake Hoog, Dan Lansing, Jim Thatcher.

ABSENT: Eric Lang

Also Present: Mark McCormack, Plan Director, Nicole Dailey, Assistant Planner, and Andy Baudendistel, Attorney.

ACTION ON MINUTES- July 27th meeting minutes approved. Mike Hornbach and Dan Lansing abstained. 

OLD BUSINESS: none

NEW BUSINESS:

 Request: Zone Map Amendment Applicant/Owner: Dennis Kraus, Jr. / Richard and Reda Renck Site Location: Hyland Road and State Route #1 Legal: Sec. 23, T 7, R 2, Map #02-23, Parcel #006.000 & 006.001 Township: Kelso Size: 12.9 + Zoning: Currently Zoned Agricultural and B-1

Dennis Kraus Jr. stepped down as he had prepared the survey. He did not leave the room.  Mark Lehman lead the meeting as acting Chairman then. 

Mark McCormack went thru the staff report as below. He also showed a powerpoint and pictures of the area.

Staff Report:

3) This property—Kelso Township, Township 7N, Range 2W, Section 23, identified as being part

of parcel # 006.000 and all of parcel # 006.001—located on the southwestern portion of the

State Road 1 and Hyland Road intersection—is currently located within (both) Restricted

Business (B-1) and Agricultural (A) Zoning Districts.

4) During the Comprehensive Plan Update process, County staff identified these parcels as being used for Commercial and Agricultural purposes. The proposed development site is bordered to the west and northwest by Golf Course Uses; to north and northeast by Moderate-Density Residential and Institutional Uses; to the east by Moderate and Low-Density Residential Uses, and to the south and southeast the property is adjacent to Agricultural Uses. There is a cut out area around the existing house. They are proposing 52,000 sq ft of storage. 

5) The Applicants’ concept proposal estimates that additional development of the property will generate approximately 30-35 vehicle trips per day for the proposed use—based on the

volume(s) of the existing business. Please note: The Dearborn County Technical Review

Committee has the authority to require a full Traffic Analysis (in accordance with Article 23, Section 2320 of the Zoning Ordinance) during a Site Plan Review process, if necessary or applicable.

6) Please refer to Article 25, Table 25.1 of the Zoning Ordinance regarding the minimum

dimensional standards and maximum density requirements for a General Business (B-2)

District. A General Business (B-2) zoning classification would allow for a maximum building density of 15,000 square feet per acre. There is currently 36,997 square-feet of structural storage approved for the 4.1-acre property with the existing storage units. An additional 52,000 square-feet of structural storage is proposed with the Applicants’ proposed rezone. At this time, the proposed overall building density (approximately 6,900 sq. ft. / acre) is well below the maximum density that would be permitted in a General Business (B-2) Zoning District.

7) Please refer to the Goals and Strategies of the Comprehensive Plan, pages 59, 72-74, 95,

110, 116, 121, 148-149

8) Land Use Designation Criteria:

Please refer to the Comprehensive Plan, Land Use Element, pages 124, 142-149

 Moderate and Steep Slopes: As stated in the Comprehensive Plan, slopes with

gradients over 20% should be avoided for clearing, re-grading, or construction. There

appear to be no areas identified in this project that are intended to be developed that

meet or exceed this (20%) threshold.

 Floodplain/Flood Prone areas: No portion of the subject property appears to be

situated a one hundred (100) year flood hazard area (Flood Hazard Zone “A”), as

determined by the applicable FIRM Community Panel Map.

 Transportation Infrastructure / Functional Roadway Classifications:

 Hyland Road is a Category I Local Road—with a paved width ranging from

17 to 18 feet in this area.

 State Road 1 is a Category II Arterial Road—with a paved width ranging from

24 to 25 feet in this area. (Traffic = 6,822 vehicles per day in this section)

*The transportation figures included in this section have been determined by referencing

INDOT traffic counts and County staff’s field inspection(s). These measurements are not

intended to imply that there are uniform conditions on the roadways referenced.

 Sanitary Sewer: This proposal does not require a new connection to public sewer at

this time—or expanded sewer service. The existing property is served with sewer from

the Town of St. Leon.

Technical Review Committee Recommendations and Findings:

9) Please refer to the Technical Review Report / letter from the July 6th, 2015 Technical Review Committee Meeting. Please note that as of Thursday, August 13th, these items remain incomplete or questionable:

 The letters / documentation confirming an acknowledgement of the site’s fire and EMS

services;

 A description of the site’s proposed security measures and lighting (as recommended).

10) Please refer to the Applicant’s Zone Map Amendment statement(s) and enclosures copied to the planning board.

They need to consider the written commitments if they give a favorable recommendation. The area around the house needs to be considered to make it a bit bigger to make it shielded from potential future uses in the B-2 zone. 

Dennis Kraus, Jr. spoke as the surveyor. There is central sewer. Electric is the only utility serving the storage uses. He never could get a letter from St Leon Fire Dept. There is an electronic gate across the driveway with a keypad. There are fences around sections of the property. Access has to be three the electronic gate. The original zoning did include the parcel across SR 1 that is essentially unusable for building, so there is probably no benefit to being zoned B-2. Most of it is in SR 1 highway right of way. This old rezone was from the 1980s. Lighting would be consistent with what is already there and on the existing buildings. There is one security light out front that would be freestanding. There is existing detention and more is being considered for the site. Kraus then left the room.

Sam Renck- There is security lighting every 50 ft. We live in the house - so we have on-site security too. 

Mark Lehman and the board want to move the north line all the way from the house to SR 1 to shield the house. 

Beiersdorfer- Where is closest fire plug? In the church lot across the street. 

PUBLIC DISCUSSION:

Mr Bardell (sp?)- property is just south of the Renck property. How does this affect our property? If we wanted to be B-2 also? Lehman explained that it would fall in line with the current uses- but they would have to come to the board with a site plan. My parents owned this land initially. The land is just sitting there- growing weeds and groundhogs I guess.

END PUBLIC DISCUSSION

Art Little- thinks it is already there- no problem with extending it. 

Jim Thatcher- Good with it.

Jake Hoog- Falls in line with what is there and it fits all five of the criteria for a rezone. It shouldn’t affect the property values any.

Dan Lansing- This is fine and it shouldn’t affect traffic.

Russ Beiersdorfer- OK- but change the line to the SR 1 from the house and across the road it should move to Ag. Any other businesses moving in would have to have  traffic study possibly.

Mike Hornbach- agrees along the same lines and a traffic study IF the use changes to get 1000 per day. 

Beiersdorfer motioned and Hoog seconded for a favorable recommendation for B-2 for 12.9 (+ or - with changes) acres contingent on the resurvey of the south side of the B-2 are to be north of the house straight out to SR 1 and if another rB-2 business comes in there needs to be a commitment for a traffic study. The area east of SR 1 be changed from B-1 to Ag. All ayes Passed.

ADMINISTRATIVE

Garrett Walker- started as new planner. From Ball State.

Next will be working on the Comp Plan. They will format everything to get a consistent feel to the plan. 

Nicole is working on demolition projects. 

Aurora had code court for the first time with the county. They are working with BZA there and met with Historic Preservation there too. If there is too much time involved- Aurora will have to pay more or we will have to change our involvement there. 

St Leon is starting update of their plan that will last about 6 months to a year. 

Budget hearing for Planing is tomorrow. We have more expenses as we absorbed GIS into our office. Asking for $12,000 for equipment that will locate fire hydrants etc. Some of the old equipment is off by a considerable amount. Kraus Jr. said he doesn’t think it’s off that much. There have been a lot of changes  in GPS world- so it might be good to have this replaced as the old one is 10 years old. We were going to increase the per diem. Only because they didn’t give us enough for our boards should all members show and all meetings occur each month.

He also requested more money for the assistant planner in order to keep them for more than 2 years. ( It’s costly to rehire and retrain too)

Legal budget is going to increase probably. We have to be more selective with enforcement. 

Going to bring some more ordinance amendments in the future on cell towers and signage.

Meeting adjourned at 8:10 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township