Attorney Steve Snyder, middle, hands out paperwork to APC board members Lee Harman, left, and Matt Goodnight. InkFreeNews photo by Phoebe Muthart.

By Phoebe Muthart
InkFreeNews

KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — The Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission gave a favorable recommendation for a 12-lot residential subdivision near James Lake at its Wednesday, July 3, meeting.

Wacky 2 Premier’s petition is for preliminary plat approval for a residential development on a tract of ground.

The property is located on the west side of EMS T52 Lane, north of EMS T52C Lane in Tippecanoe Township. The property was once the home of a Baptist camp.

The plans were met with some skepticism from the board, mainly flood issues, curbs and gutters in the new development, a group pier, DNR inspections and common areas.

The county’s technical committee said a number of issues needed to be addressed first.

Attorney Steve Snyder represented the developer. Most of these issues, said Snyder, “we can take care of.” He said he is fairly certain the DNR will approve the pier plans and inspections are completed.

“This is complicated,” he said, but doable. The plans, he said are “well done.”

The proposed subdivision has significant lake frontage and meets the subdivision control ordinance, Snyder noted. It also will have a channel with access to the lake.

There is a proposed grassy area for water run off and a place to put snow when it is plowed in winter.

One of the issues was the curbs and gutters, which most of the board was not in favor of.

“It is a flood hazard area; we know that,” said Snyder. He said the flooding issues can be dealt with correctly during the development phase.

Citing another subdivision in the county, which has had water run-off issues, Snyder stressed this new subdivision would be different.

Snyder said “a properly constructed subdivision won’t be like that.”

Curbs and gutters, noted Snyder, will do nothing for the water run-off issue, noting the water will go into James Lake. Plus, he said, curbs and gutters would an additional expense to the developer.

“We propose to re-pave (the road) without curbs and gutters,” said Snyder.

Most APC board members said they were not in favor of having curbs and gutters but instead recommended side ditches.

A recommendation will need to come from the county highway superintendent, Steve Moriarty, as to the curb and gutter situation, APC agreed.

The decision by APC, to favorably recommend the petition with stipulations, will now go before county commissioners at 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 16, for its final decision.

Robert and Loretta Stutzman’s petition to rezone 11.17 acres from an agricultural district to an agricultural II district was approved.

The property is located on the north side of CR 1100 North and 2200 feet west of SR 19 in Scott Township, south of Nappanee.

The Stutzman’s case will go before the county commissioners at 9:15 a.m. July 16.

Darrell Carr’s petition for preliminary plat approval for the replat of a residential development on a tract of ground was denied.

The property is located on the north side of Acorn Drive, west of Levi Lee Road in Plain Township at 510 Acorn Drive.

One final plat was approved for Tippecanoe Heights, located near Stanton Lake, a residential subdivision on one lot. This is phase one of the property, which is located in Leesburg.

The next meeting is at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 7.