Shown from left are Kosciusko County Commissioners Bob Conley, Cary Groninger and Sue Ann Mitchell. Photo by Jackie Gorski, Times-Union.

By Jackie Gorski
Times-Union

KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — Kosciusko County Commissioners approved two vacations Tuesday, July 29.

One vacation request was by Jama Roose and Jennifer Griffin, concerning a flag-shaped right-of-way between lots 19, at 8 EMS B40G Lane, Leesburg, and 20, at 64 EMS B40B Lane, Leesburg.

Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission approved the vacation during its July 2 meeting.Kosciusko County Area Plan Director Matt Sandy said the vacation is for a strip of land, which is accessing a marshy area. The vacation would be split between the two owners.

Attorney Scott Reust, representing the petitioners, said the plat created a stub road that would allow access to the marshy area on Saw Mill Lake. Alisha Solache, who is a neighbor in the area, said she hasn’t seen many people park in that area, only some people here and there. She didn’t see people park there until the fall of last year when it was heard about the possible vacation.

She brought up a past lawsuit between neighbors and she said she thinks the neighbors in the area that lost may have not been happy about their loss. She said she believes the land has been crossed to possibly hararss her neighbors, which she called uncalled for. She said a vacation could possibly give them a sense of privacy.

Walt Runyan spoke against the vacation. He said brought up issues, including the Rooses putting up no trespassing signs in the vacation area and them calling the sheriff’s office on a crew that was cleaning up the area.

He claimed when the Rooses moved to the area, they started claiming that area for their own. Runyan said that corner was a safety issue, bringing up close calls with other vehicles. He said parking has always been an issue. He said there is no reason to vacate the road. He said the road really needs to be cleaned up and widened. He said they would like to maintain that area for community parking. He felt it should be left open for all the area residents.

Sherry Runyan also spoke against the vacation. She said she and her husband were accused of bullying by the Rooses, but they haven’t been bullying anyone. She also brought up other accusations she says the Rooses made against them, which Runyan said were false. She said the community is a good community and they share everything.

The Rooses were not at the meeting.

Before voting for the vacation, Commissioner Sue Ann Mitchell said, “It must be difficult to live somewhere where people can’t get along. I can’t imagine having to do that every day. But I do believe that the logic here is here, as evidenced by what the Area Plan Commission said in the determination.” She said she believed it was appropriate to vote for the vacation and hoped the neighbors could find a way to get along.

The other easement approved by the commissioners was a request from James Silcox to vacate part (up to the utility pole) of the east end of North Kitson Lane, Syracuse. Area Plan approved the easement July 2. Sandy said at the very eastern end of Kitson Lane, there is a plot of land that was never developed. The recommendation from Area Plan was to vacate the eastern 82 feet of the lane, but it was being requested 100 feet be vacated.

Attorney Steve Snyder said the reason why it was requested 100 feet of the street be vacated was because the vacation would end at the end of the Wyant’s driveway. The plan is to remove a utility pole in the proposed easement and have an underground entrance created for a new residence that is proposed to be built at the Wyant property on the vacant property of the north parcel.

NIPSCO has an easement for the utility pole and that easement will stay in place even after the vacation takes place, Snyder said. It will be up to NIPSCO to approve the relocation of the utility pole. He said he believes the plan was to place a transformer further down the road. There was no one who spoke for or against the vacation.