24 February 2025 Dearborn County Plan Commission Meeting Notes

 24 February 2025 Dearborn County Plan Commission Meeting Notes

Present: Dennis Kraus, Jr., Chairman, Russell Beiersdorfer, Jeff Hermesch, Mark Lehman, Joe Vogel, Jake Hoog, Dan Lansing, Jim Thatcher, and Eric Lang

Also Present:  Nicole Daily, Planning and Zoning Director, and Anthony Smart, Atty covering for Baudendistel. 

Approximately 100 people attended this meeting. 3 people videotaped this meeting. 

ABSENT: Andy Baudendistel, Attorney.

Kraus, Jr. read the Title VI statement as legally required.

ACTION ON MINUTES- January 27, 2025 Minutes- Approved 

OLD BUSINESS: none

NEW BUSINESS:Request:  Zone Map Amendment from Low Density Residential (R-1) to Moderate Density Residential (R-2) for a proposed 108 lot subdivision on a 74 acre tract of land along Carr Road in Harrison Township, Parcel #15-01-27-100-001.000-006.  The applicant is Maronda Homes and the property owner is Randall, Gary, Barry Britton and Peggy Wanamaker.

Dennis Kraus- laid out the ground rules for speaking to keep things orderly.They can limit speaking time due to large number of people.

Nicole Daily- said master plan was not updated since 2004 and 2009. They are doing this update starting April 24th for workshops. They welcome the public’s input on that. This is a county wide unincorporated plan.

Nicole will present and then the board may have questions. The applicant will present and answer board questions. Then the public may speak. 

The zone change its a recommendation from the PC and then the Commissioners decide on the rezone. 

Daily did the staff report. 74 acres for 108 homes. Existing land use of this is Ag. This property is across from moderate density residential to the west. If the board approves this it will be limited to 108 lots. This is being submitted with this concept plan for 108 on 30 acres. 46 of those acres will be open space to be managed by an HOA. 

Daily showed pictures of Carr Rd and Brookstone and North Dearborn intersection. Some additional locations along Carr Rd were shown. 

The staff report had additional info. The entire 74 acre tract is asking for rezone. 380 linear feet of frontage along Carr Rd. Roadway width s approx. 20 ft with a 50 ft ROW. Average lot size is 0.25 acres. 

West is R2, North is R1, east is Ag Hand South is R2 and R1. 

Brookstone and Brightridge and Carr Ridge and Pine Ridge subdivisions were outlined as how they were set up. 

Daily also went over the findings necessary for a zoning map amendment. Any conditions can be placed on this . Tech review was done in January on this. 

Waivers requested for cul de sac length. Tech review wanted two entrances. Doing that removed the waivers for the cul de sac. Street is 24 ft which is 22 get plus 2 ft for curb and gutter. This has not been done in many subdivisions. Except some on Stateline Rd. 

Bond has to be put in place for the road. It does not get accepted until 80% is completed. Detention areas outside the closed system with be maintained by the HOA.

Water letter not there yet- as they are doing a hydrologic study on their entire system in March. Sewer letter said it is available.

Notices were sent out to all adjoining property owners. 

Staff does give recommendations - they do not have to take them. If the recommendation is unfavorable- make it specific and point out the criteria they have failed to meet. We are waiting on letter from Tri Township Water Corp., Road needs traffic study. Waiver needed for side yard set back.(10 ft) Conceptual plan has to be followed along Carr rd. Minimum half of the property has to be open space. Parking on street. Storm system has to be approved by MS4. This could take more time. 

Staff recommends to table this tonight due to missing items. Board asked questions about closed system and MS4. There were questions about a utility tax at some point.Enclosed system has to be maintained by HOA . It does not have to be a utility tax- but it will be something decided by Commissioners and Council. We don’t know what that mechanism will be then. 

Kraus said Merrilees had catch basins etc in the past. Ditch systems and ROW can be taken over by the county. 

Thatcher asked  the lot frontages. Daily about 60 ft. and 10 ft set back.

Brian Hosele(sp?) based in Cincinnati Maranda smaller market. Does Land Acquisition. — family owned based out of Pennsylvania. Building about 150 homes in the area. Indian Walk in Cleves, Boone county , and Casey’s subdivision on SR1. Cutting as few trees as possible on teh hillside- to avoid slippage. The use cluster design to preserve open space and buffer around the site.  60 ft lots is marketable to first time home buyers. Average 1/4 acre is shocking to a lot of people. He described the reasoning to get to a decent price point for buyers. 60 ft lot costs $90,000 to develop now. Confirmed sewer capacity. In other areas the storm sewers are maintained by the  county with a bond. They can also work out the HOA way- but he thinks that is inferior to the bonding etc. 

Working with Tri Township Water  to try to work that out. They changed it to 2 entrances for fire dept reasons. They do not build all the houses and sell them like spec homes. They offer 8 models 1400-3,0000 sq ft. Not asking for a tax abatement. Average sale price has been $352,459. Theres is around $400,000. Showed pics of their homes. 

Lang asked about the water and the traffic study. Probably need 2 months to get those done. 

Lansing- Fire? They are working on that. 

Lehman- the lot sizes were needing a little correction. The number of lots may go down for this- but won’t go up per Hosele. Three phases at a year each are planned. IDEM has to approve and SWIFT (IDEM) and MS4 has a local permit too. Lehman- we are going to try to keep this local as much as possible. 

Lansing asked when first build- First houses in 2026. Maronda Homes ARE the builders. They are doing 3 lots at Casey Knigga’s development on SR1.

Bright Fire dept - and Nicole Daily are meeting and trying to get them what they need provide the equipment needs for this. Fire plug placements are 500-800 ft. 

Lansing- there’s a backlog on emergency equipment. 

Beiersdorfer-  Motioned to table til April 28, 2025- until Traffic Study to reflect the county engineer’s letter, Water availability and capacity, and Fire Dept service ability can be ascertained. 2nded by Lehman. Board wanted to limit the public comment to the 8 people .

Withheld the motion to table until the could hear the 8 cards submitted. That was approved. .

Opened Public Discussion 

Steve Cerino - no longer present

Kevin Eberhardt- didn’t speak

Shawn Simonson- lived on Carr Rd since 1990, 2 homes - 2nd one was soon 2004. I live at the lowest point on Brookstone. He outlined the drain pipes and how hard rains go into his house They will have to re route the water coming down Carr Rd. He passed out the pictures. County Highway did this. Lang- the MS4 regs will crank this up- and it allows them to put in new rules for the developer where there is a known drainage issue. 

No clapping allowed per Kraus Jr. 

Alina Weisenbach- Young girl- Lived there all my life- We like to play there and it’s crowded in our schools.  I like playing outside with my pets.  Kraus praised her and told her it took a lot of courage to get up and speak at this meeting.

Michael Kane — Been here since 1990 from Delhi. Kids into dirt bikes and horses. Love the country and not opposed to development. Concerns about development that may not improve the county. High density could increase traffic If you walk your dog ups nd down Carr Rd, this would be harder with a coulee hundred more cars on this road. We have no traffic lights. It’s got to be reasonable. Why rezone again, after you just rezoned it. 

Warren Kirk - Moved to Dearborn County in 2000’s on Pine Ridge Rd. The lots on our subdivision are 10 times bigger that these. I volunteer at the Pantry - there are a lot of cars at the intersection. There is a lot there that is NOT for Sale. He wants to build a gas station there he has heard. That will increase traffic. Carr Rd is really narrow. Mail delivery issues with traffic. I don’t think it belongs in the neighborhood we have in this area. Doesn’t seem fair to go from 2.5 acres to 1/4 acre. When you put asphalt etc- that water has to go someplace. 

Brian de Bruler- Thanked people to hear public tonight. Thanked Lang and Thatcher. Question was - Does the developer have any experience in rural areas? Asked if anyone on the board lives in Bright. NO. He noted there is a lack of will serve letter from Tri Township Water. Referenced Article 5 section 520. Minimum elements for zone change request. He went thru the 5  points. He pointed out that they state they SHALL also have these items that are required. How are we here if these things are not done. 

Kraus said that there is some disconnect with Tri Township Water. And they had met twice and still no letter yet. Communication issues need to be worked on. 

De Bruler thinks we are out of order statutorily with these items not being in the application when it says SHALL. He has read the code 4 times - and its pretty painful. <Laughter> There was a question about how the Plan Commission has purview over the Fire dept funding. 

Nicole Daily said she would love to help the fire dept. Lansing asked if they had considered being a city. 

DeBruler said that it has been a discussion lately. I still don’t have a clear answer about my statutory questions. Not anti development- just pro common sense. He doesn’t think this meets the mark. [NOTE: If the zoning ordinance states that applications have a minimum requirements, then how ARE these zoning requests being processed before they are complete?]

Closed Public discussion.

Hosele from Maronda Homes- said they are always building on the rural fringe. He also said that the water on their development has to stay there- not go to other areas.

Beiersdorfer -reverted back to his original motion:

Beiersdorfer-  Motioned to table til April 28, 2025- until Traffic Study to reflect the county engineer’s letter, Water availability and capacity, and Fire Dept service ability can be ascertained and how this fits with the comprehensive plan. 2nded by Lehman. All Ayes-Approved. 

If the update materials don’t all come in - we won’t hear this item  at the April meeting. 

ADMINISTRATIVE:March 31st is the March meeting. Still no good way to get info to property owners other than Beacon per Nicole Daily or her email blast- if people call her and sign up for it. [NOTE: So no real newspaper usage or mailing via the tax statements from the county that go out to all property owners in April, which would be helpful for the UPDATE to the Comprehensive Plan.]

Meeting adjourned at 8:13 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township