26 April 2021 Dearborn County Plan Commission Meeting Notes
Present: Dennis Kraus, Jr., Chairman, Russell Beiersdorfer, John Hawley, Mark Lehman, Jake Hoog, Dan Lansing, Jim Thatcher, and Eric Lang
ABSENT: Joe Vogel
Also Present: Mark McCormack, Plan Director, Nicole Daily, Zoning Administrator, and Andy Baudendistel, Attorney.
Baudendistel read the Title VI statement as legally required.
ACTION ON MINUTES- none
Plan Commission Board decided to open all future meetings with the Pledge of Allegiance like many of the other boards do.
OLD BUSINESS: none
NEW BUSINESS: none
ADMINISTRATIVE: McCormack showed two versions of maps for the zone change map and Version 2 was the one most board members emailed back that they favored. Other major comments seem to be with rural residential and also some regarding how to handle animals in rural residential. Also adding high tunnel on one of the list of uses.
Consultant and the public are still going to weigh in on this. There are going to be some growing pains with enacting this. Some discussion with having the southern side of SR 46 up to I- 74 in the NW side of the county be rural residential. The northern side of I-74 does still have some more farming and should stay Ag.
Even though an area is zoned residential- they cannot put subdivisions in if they do not have sewer. Sewer plant plans need to be taken into consideration when planning residential. Discussion about Guilford and Moores Hill and near Sunman for residential if they increase capacity and lines or build a sewer plant. Sunman line includes Kruse (sp?) farm as they accessed it through their field. Potential development along west US 50. Dillsboro has quite a bit of capacity for sewer hook up.
Weisberg town could be changed to reflect that it is not commercial or industrial. They will probably leave that as is for now.
Greendale has property that is Ag and could become Residential as sewer is there.
McCormack is going to take to Steve Renihan from DC Regional Sewer District and Doug Baer to see about sewer plans that they have.
Tree service- add to Ag zone uses- as it has come up a couple times in the past.
John Hawley asked about animal use. He put forth several animal types and the amount they can have per acre of each type. He also talked about having a better environment for raising the animals in question. Billions of $s in damage can be done by animals sold and then released into the wild. So animal welfare component exists also. McCormack will go through the process and look at the chart of animal numbers and types. Animal Control sometimes gets involved in animal welfare issues.
Solar information will be looked thru next. HB1381 brought out local issues as it would limit local control. Solar and Wind need to have local regulations prior to the state. Wireless telecommunications is a case in point - with the state not necessarily knowing what is best for our local situation. McCormack talks with State Rep.Randy Lyness over the years about bills affecting us. Model solar ordinance was put together . He has checked with other counties to see how they do it and the numbers they are seeing and using. Wind is not so prevalent here but solar is improved and even on a cloudy day those panels can get decent solar energy captured. He is trying to get a solar ordinance done that is good, simple, and logical. He has several to look at and draw from. If the solar farm is acting like a utility, then fencing and other permits are required. Wind turbines are mini, small, or large. The number of turbines would determine what they might be classified. Soil and Water will be involved with solar farms for drainage and runoff etc. Once these cease to be useful there is a bonding and a de-conditioning process for the clean-up. Some worry about the farm fields that are used for solar and the lack of vegetation under them leading to runoff issues etc.
OTHER ISSUE: Rumpke site- and he talked to SE IN IDEM and there is a report from them on and that there is nothing affecting Indiana YET.Thatcher has sent letters to several agencies in Ohio and Indiana and there is nothing more we can do. Thatcher is meeting with Rumpke this week to discuss further. Rumpke owns 38 acres in Bright area. That is a transfer station.
NEW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER: She’s started and he thinks this will work out. Enforcement officer is allowed to carry and may wear a uniform.
Meetings in July will probably be when the public sees the new proposed Zoning map.
Meeting adjourned : 8:53 PM
Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township
