PORTER COUNTY PLAN COMMISSION

Regular Meeting
March 10, 2004

M I N U T E S

The regular meeting of the Porter County Plan Commission was held on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 at 6:30 p.m. in the Administrative Center, 155 Indiana Avenue, Suite 205, Valparaiso, Indiana.

Those members present were Eric Biddinger, Robert Detert, Commissioner Bob Harper, Mike Sheetz and Kevin Breitzke, President. Those members absent were Mike Bucko, Rick Burns, Frank Mahnic and Bob Poparad. Staff members present were Robert W. Thompson Jr., Patricia S. Gibson and Attorney Lily Schaefer.

Mr. Detert moved to waive the reading of the February 11, 2004 minutes and approve them as received in the mail. Mr. Biddinger seconded the motion, which carried on a unanimous voice vote.

Correspondence:

At this time, Mr. Thompson read a letter from Todd A. Leeth who is representing Hampton Manor Subdivision Primary Plat. Mr. Leeth is asking for a continuance until the April 14, 2004 meeting.

Mr. Detert moved to continue Case 03-P-17 until the April 14, 2004 meeting with the petitioner notifying the neighbors by First Class mail. Commissioner Harper seconded the motion, which carried on a unanimous roll call vote.

At this time, Mr. Thompson read a letter from Mike Duffy from The Duneland Group asking for a continuance for Bernie Madej rezoning. Mr. Thompson stated this case is on the agenda this evening for a public hearing to rezone the property from RR to R-1.




Mr. Detert moved to continue Case 04-Z-3 until the April 14, 2004 meeting with the petitioner notifying the neighbors by First Class mail. Mr. Biddinger seconded the motion, which carried on a unanimous roll call vote.

Pending Business:

Case 04-SE-1. Inspection Committee Report for Falling Waters Conservancy, 98 LeVanno Drive, Crown Point, Indiana for a Special Exception to permit a 140-foot-tall monopole wireless communications tower and equipment cabinet, for telemetry for a wastewater treatment plant to be located on the East side of Verdano Terrace, between Ketill Trace and Davidano Court, in Porter Township, Porter County, Indiana.

At this time, Mr. Thompson read the Inspection Committee Report.

Mr. Detert moved to forward Case 04-SE-1 to the Board of Zoning Appeals with a favorable recommendation. Mr. Sheetz seconded the motion, which carried on a unanimous roll call vote.

Case 01-P-3. Petition of ESCO, Inc., c/o Duneland Group, Inc., 1498 Pope Court, Chesterton, Indiana seeking primary plat extension for Jackson Heights Unit C to be located on Fernwood Drive, North of Beechwood Court, in Jackson Township, Porter County, Indiana. (To contain 28 lots on 46.69 acres. Property is zoned RR.)

John Kremke stated he is here this evening representing the petitioner who is asking for a one-year extension on the primary plat for this development. He stated that they are in the process of preparing the final plat to submit within the next few months. He stated the developer is putting some infrastructure in the ground and wants to get more of the infrastructure in place prior to submitting final plat and getting it recorded. He stated in preparation they realized that the plat was about to expire so they submitted the request to extend this for a year so they can complete the infrastructure installation as well as have time to go through the process to get the final plat approved. He stated the development is 26 lots on about 46 acres. He stated it is the third phase of Jackson Heights.


Commissioner Harper stated this has already been approved once.

Mr. Kremke stated that this is correct.

Mr. Detert moved to approve Case 01-P-3 for a period of three years from today's date (March 10, 2004). Mr. Sheetz seconded the motion, which carried on a unanimous roll call vote.

Other Business:

Mr. Thompson stated that last Friday was the deadline for the submittal of the RFQ's for the work to be done for the Zoning and Subdivision Control or the Master Plan update. He stated six firms submitted and they are Camiros, DLZ, Duncan/Associates, Ground Rules, HNTB, Wightman Petrie, Inc. He stated he has been through them and read them and this is why he developed a little staff report for the members. He stated he picked out certain little highlights. He stated he felt that everyone should go through these and read them. He stated the question he has tonight is the procedure on how we wanted to go about with this. He asked if we want the whole Plan Commission to hear the interviews. He asked if there was a thought of a committee set up to go through and look at this. He asked the Commission how they wanted to go through this and on what day do we want to do the interviews. He stated he did speak with Bob Poparad. He asked the same questions to Mr. Poparad and he stated to him that he would like to see the full Plan Commission do the interviews. He stated as far as the six submittals Mr. Poparad suggested that everyone go through and select the three that they thought was the best and submit it to staff. He stated then staff will see who got the most votes and the top three votes would be the ones that the Plan Commission would interview at a special meeting. He stated Mr. Poparad was thinking of a special meeting in April.

Commissioner Harper asked Mr. Thompson what kind of questions would we be asking these firms. He asked what are we looking for. He stated he sort of knows what he is looking for but he is not sure if he is looking for the right thing. He stated for example he is real interested in somebody that he thinks is experienced in working in


communities are real careful about their zoning. He stated Bob is always talking about green space in subdivisions and he is interested in PUD's and different things like that. He stated he is interested in somebody that he feels that can do that kind of work. He stated he is not sure if that is what we are talking about here.

Mr. Thompson stated any questions that you have are appropriate. He stated what he is going to be looking at is their expertise on how they can recommend the Plan Commission to go through certain process's. He stated we have the PUD process but there is also before the PUD Chapter in State Statute's a Chapter called "Developmental Review." He stated he wants to see how familiar they are with working with such things. He stated this could be something that this Commission would be very interested in. He stated "Developmental Review" deals with a lot of commercial and industrial to make sure they meet performance standards. He stated we don't have performance standards set up. He stated he is looking at uniqueness.

At this time, the Commission members had a discussion concerning what type of questions to ask the firms and which direction to take.

Commissioner Harper moved to have all the Plan Commission members interview the firms. Mr. Detert seconded the motion, which carried on a unanimous roll call vote.

Mr. Thompson stated the next question is how many firms do you want to interview. He asked do you want to interview all six at one meeting.

Commissioner Harper moved to close the April 28, 2004 Plan Commission meeting for interviewing all six firms and start the interviewing at 6:00 p.m.; that we limit them to a twenty minute presentation and ten minutes of questioning; at the end of the interview the Commission will decide if they want to have any of the firms back for anymore interviews. Mr. Sheetz seconded the motion, which carried on a unanimous roll call vote.





Mr. Thompson stated he would like to go forward with a part-time secretary to fill the vacancy for inputting the information for the ILP into the computers.

Mr. Detert moved to approve hiring a part-time secretary for the Plan Commission office. Commissioner Harper seconded the motion, which carried on a unanimous voice vote.

There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 7:15 p.m.

PORTER COUNTY
PLAN COMMISSION

S/ Kevin Breitzke, President

Attest: Robert W. Thompson Jr. AICP, Executive Director/County Planner