March 3, 2005

 

 

 

The Ellettsville, Indiana Planning Commission met in regular session on Thursday, March 3, 2005, in the Fire Department Training and Conference Room located at 5080 West State Road 46.  Frank Buczolich called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. opening with the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

Roll Call:  Frank Buczolich, President; Ed Bitner, Vice President; Lisa Creech, William Evans, Terry Baker, Don Calvert and Sandra Hash, Secretary were present.  Rick Coppock and Frank Nierzwicki were also in attendance.

 

Approval of the Minutes for January 6, 2005

 

William Evans made a motion to approve the Plan Commission Meeting minutes of January 6, 2005.  Lisa Creech seconded.  Motion carried.

 

New Business

 

Request from Hearne Development LLC for Preliminary and Final Plat approval for the property located at 7405 West State Road 46

 

Phil Tapp, Bledsoe Tapp & Riggert, Inc. requested the preliminary and final plat approval for Phase I of Litton Estates, the single family portion in Parcel A.  Rick Coppock gave a technical review outline of items that need to be corrected.  Ed Bitner asked Rick to explain how the memo applies to the print.  Rick answered the memo is adding and moving drainage structures and inlets.  He also provided the calculations. 

 

Questions were taken from the public, starting with Shelly Nelson.  She wanted to know if there were any changes to the lot size.  Phil Tapp answered there would be no traffic changes and the lots would be just slightly under the required lot size. 

 

Ed Bitner asked about the drainage and possibilities of flooding in the Ridge Springs addition due to this construction.  Phil answered the water runs away from Ridge Springs; he went on to discuss the retention facility and the water flow. 

 

Frank Nierzwicki, Director of Planning Services, stated that he has been involved in the 2nd half of this project and has reviewed the prior information.  A construction road will be developed to prevent construction traffic in the current addition. 

 

Rick Coppock will review items listed to be corrected or addressed prior to approval.

 

Shelly Nelson wanted to know if increasing the lot size decreased the number of homes.   Phil Tapp explained that the number of homes would still be the same.  He went on to explain they would not achieve the density on the number of lots that they planned. The lots would just be larger.  A question was then asked where the construction road will be.  Phil answered that it will start at Highway 46 across from Red Hill Road and it will come into the project as a gravel drive to start.  Then a plan will have to be submitted for the Rule 5 Erosion Control.

 

Lisa Creech motioned to approve the request from Hearne Development LLC for Preliminary and Final Plat approval for the property located at 7405 West State Road 46.  Ed Bitner second.  Motion carried.

 

Request from Development Group Network Inc. for the Preliminary Plat approval for a 30 lot subdivision on the property located west of the 5500 block of Union Valley Road which is Lot 1 of the Staggs Subdivision.

 

Rick Coppock showed the details on the map and explained the drainage.  Originally it was thought they would develop 30 lots but it ended up with 33 lots.  All lots are 10,000 sq ft.  There are two detention ponds.  Terry and Ed questioned the water run off to the Meadowlands.  Rick pointed it out on the map.  There was a big discussion on the drainage issues in and around the area.

 

Frank Nierzwicki would like to review in the future a connector road going out to Union Valley Road.

 

 

Sandra Hash asked about the signs.  Mr. McDonald likes to use custom style signs.  It is unclear if the stop signs are the legal format and who would take care of them after the development is finished. 

 

Ed Bitner expressed concern of adding to the flooding problems of Jacks Defeat Creek and Kelli Heights.  Rick answered the volume will increase due to the roof tops but the detention ponds will hold back the water for gradual release.  Ed added that Main Street has a problem with flooding and doesn’t want the water to increase in his crawl space.  Has it been proven the detention ponds will work?  Rick responded ponds were installed behind Terry Baker’s house and Don Calvert’s house.  They seem to be working.  Terry Baker replied when we get really heavy rains, after the ground gets soaked nothing is going to help.  It is still soaking in and going into the basement.  There is nothing anybody can do about it.  But if there is a flash rain it takes a lot longer for his basement to leak than it did before.  So it did help.  Don Calvert said his neighbor who had a flooding problem has not experienced any flooding since the detention pond was put in behind his house.  It has worked for them.  

 

Lisa Creech motioned to approve the request from the Development Group Network Inc. for the Preliminary Plat approval for a 33 lot subdivision of the property located west of the 5500 block of Union Valley Road which is Lot 1 of the Staggs Subdivision.  Terry Baker seconded.  Vote 6-0-1 Ed Bitner Abstained.  Motion carried.

 

Privilege of the Floor – non Agenda Items

 

Frank Nierzwicki mentioned there is a BZA meeting scheduled for March 29 at 7:00 p.m. concerning the size of a sign along State Road 46.  Hoosier Outdoor is asking to replace and upgrade the sign. 

 

Joe Smith, President Quality Construction Corp developer of Prominence Point, came to Ellettsville due to the common sense approach.  It is his understanding that recently all building permits and fees have been handed to the Monroe County Building Department.  Ellettsville presently has a flat $25.00 planning fee.  Monroe County is 12 cents per square feet and will be adding another 6 cents for Ellettsville.  He would like to slow or stop the 6 cent increase.  The reasons he stated are:

 

v         Sewage hook on fees are $235 higher than Bloomington

v         5,000 gallons of water, sewage and storm water is $40 in Bloomington

                            In Ellettsville it is $55.99

v         No trash pick up in Ellettsville

v         Now with the 6 cents increase, it almost triples cost of permit. 

v         Monroe County charges for basements. Ellettsville didn’t and this will

          quadruple the price of basements.

 

The Town needs developers to expand the tax base to help pay for the police and fire departments.  In Monroe County and Bloomington, developers get water main installation credits.  Developers spend the money to improve the infrastructure and in Bloomington these water main installation credits come back to developers as consumers hook on and water use.  Is it out of the question for Ellettsville to keep their own building department and get their own inspector?  It is getting more expensive to build in Ellettsville and eventually he will be looking elsewhere for future developments.  He is trying to build quality homes but it is costing his business and his buyers more money. 

 

Lisa Creech complimented Joe Smith on the good job he is doing on his development. Ellettsville is going through growing pains and the Fire Department’s responsibilities have grown making it prohibitive for them to continue as Building Inspectors.  We don’t want to make Ellettsville an unattractive place for people to live.   She would like to sit down, address some of the issues and come to a compromise.  Joe Smith commented on knowing about the sewer and water fees coming into the project.  But the building permit fees were a bigger hit.  He would like to see the 6 cents not added.

 

Lisa Creech had a question about the driveway law.  Can driveways be perpendicular to house according to the law?  Or does it have to be adjacent?  We make the laws and everyone is doing what they want.  Frank replied he is going on inspections tomorrow.  There have been a lot of issues. 

 

Terry Baker made a motion for the meeting to be adjourned.  William Evans seconded.  Motion carried.  Meeting adjourned at 7:50 pm.