By PAULENE POPARAD

Density, drainage and traffic --- often raised by remonstrators of proposed development projects --- were cited again Thursday by residents opposed to Tom Cahillane’s 40-home Duneland Trails subdivision at the northwest corner of County Road 1050N and County Road 50E (South Fifth Street).

After hearing from seven neighbors, the Chesterton Advisory Plan Commission voted 7-0 to continue the public hearing until June 19 giving town staff more time to review construction drawings and utility/drainage plans.

However, building commissioner Mike Orlich said the subdivision lot sizes meet or exceed minimum town code requirements, and Duneland Trails engineer John Hannon said the subdivision drainage plan will collect and carry away water from a detention pond to the Pope-O’Connor ditch and actually improve drainage conditions in the area.

Roadside culverts and open ditches along the subdivision perimeter will be replaced with a storm-sewer collection system including rear-yard drains.

The 1050N/50E intersection is a three-way stop east of Chesterton High School; Tanglewood subdivision is to the east. Hannon said Cahillane would widen the west side of 50E to 20 feet from the centerline and the north side of 1050N to 26 feet from the centerline, all on public right-of-way. Sidewalks will be built on both sides of the subdivision’s road frontage as well as along its interior streets.

Hannon reminded that the developer reduced the original lots by three, moved the subdivision’s 1050N entrance farther west of the intersection at the commission’s suggestion, and made the main entrance on 50E flanked by two landscaped outlots.

Another major concern raised by remonstrators was wetlands at the northeast corner of the subdivision near 50E. Asked neighbor Larnie Fryar, “It’s all wetland, everything. How can he build on wetlands? All he came out here for is to make a profit and leave and I’ll be stuck with it.”

Kim Goldak rapped 40 single-family homes on 15.5 acres. “That’s too dense.” She also said 1050N is too narrow, especially when school buses are present. Tom Browne of Tanglewood echoed her concerns. “It’s a very heavily traveled street in the school year.” Fryar said motorists travel too fast.

Browne asked if an environmental impact assessment has been done on the wetlands, and what impact the additional sewage would have on the Tanglewood lift station. “I don’t think the town should look at putting houses just anywhere there’s open space. You should put some thought into this,” he told commission members.

Hannon said a delineation has been done and the wetlands will remain undisturbed except for the portion needed to improve 50E; the developer will have to obtain all required state and federal construction permits, he added. Regarding density, Hannon said the 9,600 square-foot to 30,000 square-foot lots exceed the town’s minimum size for single family so no variances are needed.

The homes are expected to sell for $180,000 to $200,000 each.

Paul Blosser, like Fryar and Browne, addressed drainage. “I don’t know how we’re going to keep moving this water,” said Blosser, also expressing concern about density and traffic. He questioned whether the Pope-O’Connor can handle additional stormwater flow. Hannon said the detention pond outflow would be metered into the ditch.

Ron Perez asked who would be responsible if the planned Duneland Trails property owners’ association, which would be responsible to maintain the drainage system, pond and landscaped outlots, folds. POA matters are covered in the subdivision covenants, said Hannon, and commission member Steve Yagelski said under them the town has authority to do any required work and charge it back to the POA homeowners.

John Mullin voiced concern about density and traffic, and Joseph Nowicki questioned Hannon’s statement that a path from Duneland Trails would connect to a trail around a constructed wetland southeast of Chesterton High School. Nowicki asked if the Duneland School Corp. had agreed to this and said the school trail is often swampy and rarely used.

He also feared pedestrians would mistake his yard for the trail and come onto his property.

Commission member Mike Bannon said he wanted to be sure Duneland Schools knew of the proposed trail connection; Bannon also wanted a time certain by which an unattractive metal outbuilding on an adjacent property intended to be dismantled actually would be.

Commission member Emerson DeLaney asked if there’s any chance water would back-flow away from the subdivsion. Hannon said no. Bannon was of the opinion area drainage should improve after the subdivision improvements are made.

Hannon, town engineer Mark O’Dell and Yagelski, who is town utility superintendent, discussed the depth at which the sanitary sewers would need to be installed and the depth of basement excavations due to a high water table. O’Dell said the Tanglewood sewer lift station may need to be upgraded at developer’s expense.

No one spoke in favor of the subdivision during the public hearing.

Two other public hearings unanimously were continued until June 19 at the respective developer’s requests: 94-home Springdale subdivision on the south side of 1050N in the Crocker neighborhood and the 362-home Sand Creek Farms at the eastern terminus of East Porter Avenue on the east side of Friday Road.

Commission member George Stone said it’s confusing to the public to have the hearings on the agenda but not take place because of repeated continuances. “It’s a precedent I’m not happy with."

Posted 5/16/2008