By PAULENE POPARAD

Approximately 10 residences on CR 1050N in Chesterton’s Crocker neighborhood would get to abandon their small-diameter sewage systems and connect directly to a town sanitary sewer if the Springdale subdivision is approved.

Last night the town’s Advisory Plan Commission heard a conceptual presentation by attorney Greg Babcock on behalf of Springdale developers Larry Wright and Don Coker; they preliminarily have proposed a total of 94 living units and limited commercial uses on 39 acres on the south side of 1050N immediately west of Abercrombie Woods subdivision.

Commission members offered comments on what will be a planned unit development or PUD but because the Springdale land only recently was annexed, further action on the subdivision must wait until additional statutory annexation steps are finalized.

As now proposed Springdale would have 50 single-family lots, those abutting Abercrombie Woods of comparable lot size, as well as 22 paired-patio homes on Springdale’s south perimeter. A six-unit building in its initial design has been dropped. Babcock said the development is attempting to be designed requiring no variances from town code.

Springdale’s west property line abuts existing light industrial uses. Babcock said on the far west would be Springdale’s 1.9-acre detention pond and possibly two lots for commercial uses including outside storage. East of Elgin Street extended south the commercial uses would be more restricted; the types of businesses allowed and/or prohibited would be delineated in a future PUD ordinance accompanying the project.

Babcock said the commercial areas might not be divided into lots at this time, instead waiting until a suitable tenant has been identified. A convenience store or a restaurant have been mentioned.

Drainage, not sewage, has been a concern in the surrounding Springdale area. Project engineer John Hannon told the commission Springdale’s 39 acres are relatively flat and an existing ditch, which is not a regulated drain, on the south end doesn’t function. “Right now (water) goes where it goes and sits where it sits.”

After considering different scenarios, Hannon said it was decided to intersect with and upsize the existing storm sewers in Crocker serving Abercrombie Woods that discharge into Gustafson Ditch. Commission member Steve Yagelski said the plans are only conceptual at this point and need to be fully reviewed. “This is not an endorsement of the suitability of this land.”

Commission member Jeff Trout asked about provisions for recreation. Babcock said rather than have an individual park in Springdale, the Chesterton Park Board prefers that developers donate money so the board can improve an undeveloped park in Crocker. A donation of approximately $60,000 has been discussed.

Trout said generally Springdale sounds like it would make a good transition between the existing industrial uses near Indiana 149 and Abercrombie Woods to the east. “It’s a good way to fill in that 40 acres.”

Yagelski is also town utility superintendent. Regarding the 1050N sanitary sewer extension west from the Westwood lift station, after the meeting he said it’s his hope that eventually Chesterton will be able to install sewer lines north along Crocker’s side streets tying all residents in; such sewer connections allow them to abandon their septic tanks that are part of the maintenance-prone, small-diameter system as well as allow the town to eliminate the Crocker lift station. The town currently has 32 such stations.

The commission was short-handed Thursday with members Mike Bannon, Sig Niepokoj and George Stone absent.

In other business, Frank Sessa and President Fred Owens joined Yagelski and Trout in voting to allow Coker to donate $3,600 in lieu of planting 36 trees in his Westwood Manor subdivision northeast of the Springdale site. Coker said there are more than 200 trees already at Westwood.

Posted 6/22/2007