By PAULENE POPARAD

With most agenda items deferred, the Chesterton Advisory Plan Commission breezed through its Thursday meeting but did pass on to the Town Council a proposed zoning amendment dealing with final subdivision approval.

Public hearings were continued at the respective developers’ request for both 362-lot Sand Creek Farms and 94 living-unit Springdale residential subdivisions. Nevertheless, in each case commission president Fred Owens asked if anyone in the public wanted to comment; no one did. Additional comment will be allowed at a future meeting.

The proposed 34-home Phase 6 addition, The Highlands, an amendment to the Estates of Sand Creek residential portion of the country club community, also was continued until April 17 because town staff hadn’t had time to review changes made at their request by the developer, a group led by James Gierczyk.

There also was no comment during a public hearing that was conducted on a change in the subdivision control ordinance that would delegate the town planning director, at this time Steve Yagelski, to approve secondary plat applications. Primary plat approval, where the major negotiation and discussion occurs, would remain with the Plan Commission and still require a public hearing.

Member George Stone had suggested that a staff member handle secondary plats because the commission relies on town employees to recommend whether the plat’s mostly technical requirements have been met anyway. By a 6-0 vote with member Yagelski absent the commission forwarded the zoning amendment to the Town Council with a favorable recommendation.

The commission briefly discussed whether also to delegate to town staff the authority to grant an extension of completion dates and/or reductions in financial guarantees for installation and maintenance of infrastructure related to development.

“I was looking for efficiency, what’s ministerial,” said Stone, but he said having town staff do it might subject them to pressure from developers and charges of favoritism, an argument for leaving the responsibility with the commission.

Town engineer Mark O’Dell said with developers knowing the commission only meets once a month, they might assume town staff could act on a more-expedited schedule than would exist. Commission member Mike Bannon said staff could develop their own filing deadlines for bond-reduction requests. “If staff feels uncomfortable or there’s a question they can come to us. I’d like that in their hip pocket.”

Bannon did favor leaving requests for extending infrastructure and sidewalk completion deadlines with the commission.

Commission member Jeff Trout advocated delegating secondary-plat approval to the planning director but for the time being leaving bond reductions and extension requests how it is. Owens commented, “I still see advantages for our oversight for extensions and reductions.”

Each meeting the commission typically has about 10 approaching or expired completion dates and financial guarantees it reviews with staff and attorney Charles Parkinson for action as needed.

Posted 3/21/2008