Plat Committee - Regular Meeting

Thank you. Huh?

Okay, so we'll call the Hancock County May 21st black committee to order So we may as well I Will I'll make a motion to approve the the minutes from April 6th.

I'll second it.

Okay, I And motion to approve the minutes from last month. All those in favor, say aye.

Aye.

All those in favor? Against? Okay, so that's approved. We might make note that Brian Smith is here. Byron Holden's here. Jim Sweet's here. Jack McKinney is absent. And we have, for the first time, we have a new person. Dr. Todd Hancock is absent as well. So let the record show that. And ready for number one.

First up is the biblical minor subdivision, right? all right so this first uh came to plat in january of 26 where it was approved four to zero we realized here this spring that uh proof of mailing had not been supplied and notified the applicant to reapply to the plaque committee they have to send out that mailing and give us proof that they've mailed the neighbors the minor subdivision approval within so many days after. So that's the reason this is different. So it's the exact same plat, tech comments all addressed. Happy to answer any questions you may have about it, but that's why it's here today.

So it actually comes to you after the fact.

Notice? Yes. And we do have representation here today. We can send them up here to speak if you'd like.

Do you have remonstrators?

No, no, the petitioner. Oh, the petitioner? If they'd like, that'd be fine.

Hello. For the record, my name's Rachel Kiesling, representing Steppleworth and Associates.

You might speak a little bit louder, so it's being recorded. Okay.

Do it, please. Representing Mrs. Lawler, Debbie Lawler, and we did bring this before you back in January for a minor subdivision plat to split one lot into three lots. And just with some mis... Mistakes people are people didn't put out the notice and didn't give Didn't have proof of sending out the notice So we're doing it again, and we're gonna get it right this time and send out the notice afterwards So we'd appreciate your support in approving this once again. Thank you.

Thank you So what we looking for a motion to approve the plat Approve the plat. Do I hear a motion to reapprove the lawyer minor subdivision plat?

I'll make a motion and the note the three to one desperate exception. Excuse me.

Do we have a motion for to reapprove the plat in including the three to one? I'll second it. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Motion carries unanimously. Number two would be.

This is the final split off of a parent tract at the intersection of 700 North and 500 East. As you guys know, we keep record of how many splits have occurred since 2001. January 1st, 2001. Start counting. You're one, two, and the remainder. This is two. And then there's the remainder of this large farm field. So there will be no more minor subdivisions off of this particular furniture. So this is a minor subdivision for residential purposes. It meets all of our requirements as far as width and depth and acreage and all the other requirements. We had some technical comments on my side that have been addressed. Surveyor and Health also had comments which have been addressed. The surveyor comments were, let's see, legal description, technical issues which have been addressed in the legal description, recording and easement, and a pipe being installed and inspected or bonded before the recording of the plat. Those two items just need to be done before the plat is recorded. So that's been noted on there as well. And then the health department has signed off contingent to soils being completed on June 9th, 2026 as scheduled. And make sure that there's good locations for septic system. That's it.

Is this considered a 3-1? Hmm? Is this lot considered a 3-1? No.

So you say there's one lot and there's a remainder and you, is there another lot?

To the north, yes.

Oh, okay. So that's what we do.

You just can't see it. When we do research to make sure we haven't exceeded that number of splits is see, okay, what did it look like in 2001? How many splits have been off under 10 acres since then? All right, I'll turn it over to Mike.

Good morning, Mike Gibson with MJ Gibson Land Surveying. To answer Brian's question on the three to one, it's a corner lot, so. considered no rear yard so there wouldn't be a depth to it so if that answers that Kayla mentioned the sign off from the surveyors office we're running a tile to the west to hook into a legal drain we try to wait until the plats approved to record easements before record recording the plat no need to do something if it doesn't go through but And then Chad requires that pipe to be 125% performance bond cash or check. What happens is if the plat's recorded and that pipe's not installed, the buyer of that lot is now responsible for that tile. They still may be, but it ensures that there's money to install that tile to protect that buyer. The health department, the sign-off for the septic system, we did have good soils in one location, and that's where the primary system is going to go. The other soil borings were taken prior to the to the work being done in securing where the lot was going to go. So they were off the lot. So they have to go back and do soil borings where the secondary system would be. So we have soils, but those are scheduled for June the 9th, and we'll have to have that before plants are quartered as well.

I just still wonder about the secondary system. I thought there was a statute that was passed that they technically weren't required as secondary systems, so I'm wondering why they have to provide borings even though they're setting the land aside. Am I wrong on that?

Yeah, the state does have, the Indiana Department of Health does have They took away the ruling that you have to have a secondary system. Pretty much left it up to the counties to... If they require it, then we don't have a problem with it. I know in other counties, they hope that you show it, but it's not a requirement. But Hancock County still requires that. We abide by the rules.

Okay.

If we wanted to fight it, I'm sure the state would... step in and help us, but it's such a, it's a little bit more money that you have to spend to ensure safety for a second system, but, you know, we're still, that's a bigger fish to fry, I guess.

Every once in a while I need updated on that because it just seems strange to me. Yeah, I understand. Changed, but it didn't change, so. Yeah, that's correct. For Hancock County. Do we have any other questions for the petitioner?

No, just for Kayla. Everybody sign off on this because basically I see no signatures on here but one. So I'll be signed? Okay. I'll make a motion to approve.

We have a motion to approve. Do we have a second?

I'll second it. Hang on a second. Hold on a second. With the condition that the easement gets recorded after the plot. Yeah, the easement and the bond.

Do you agree with that? Yes. So we have a motion on the floor. All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Motion carries unanimously.

Thank you.

Finally, there's that Zion Estates third petition, which did not need to be here today because it's a replat of a major subdivision. So at that point, since it's a secondary plat still in keeping with the primary plat of Zion Estates, that can be approved administratively. Also, it's just the exchange of a little bit of property between two owners, the abut. So and the one of the reasons that brought this on It was listed as a lot that had more acreage than it actually did when you measured it out And so they've fixed the lot line so it actually does have that amount of acreage Mike was the surveyor on it in case you have any questions about it But essentially it just moves that property line a little bit between one lot and its neighbor Yeah, I went from what nine point something eight point something I

I think it's only... I have no questions. I don't either. That's what I figured it was. I figured it was a true wrap when I saw the difference.

So what happened was the primary plot that has to go first prior to doing construction plans and so forth showed the lot line being one place when the secondary plat was prepared that line was moved so the developer was selling lots based on the primary plot that had an acreage and when she sold the lot not what matched the plat and the gis so happened and then somebody else is buying another lot and found out that they were they were getting less than what the primary plot showed the one person got more than what it should but it was a something happened between the primary and secondary and it caused confusion that's an interesting conversation between homeowners yeah between between developer and and those two yeah Then we of course we go back in our records trying to find out why that lot line moved There had to be some sort of communication Because we just don't move them unless the developers ask and but there again we couldn't find anything so we're doing this too and luckily the homeowners have agreed to Be nice so as nice as they could be so So we had to do a replant

Thanks, Mike.

Any other discussion of anything?

I have a question. I saw an interesting case. It was out in the city of Wilkinson where the Wilkinson had a right-of-way. The right-of-way wasn't used. There was a red-flash alley that existed on paper. So the city decided to abandon that right-of-way or easement But it looked like there was four or five homeowners that have been using or maybe built into part of that easement But technically the land belonged to someone else That situation what do you do?

I? Guess as acting as who I?

Was I was just curious. I have no interest in any of the properties I just I heard about it sometimes ask me questions, and I said I don't know that's an interesting question. I'll ask I

I know from the planning perspective and here, we try very, very hard not to let anything get built in that area because we know that utilities oftentimes locate in those areas or yeah, there's, even if it doesn't look like an improved alley, it's a driveway easement or something like that for homeowners.

But Mike, what do you do as a surveyor?

Well, if it's a platted alley, not to be confused with an easement, platted alley, homeowners have encroached into that and it's probably an unimproved alley. right that that would be my assumption as well yes so my understanding is you can vacate that alley and the commissioners or whoever the town officials have signed off or accepted that has to vacate that alley and the equal portions go to home so they would in eventually own that ground but also had a conversation with an attorney years ago and let's just say like in zion estates the developer dedicates the ground they owned the right-of-way of the road prior to dedicating the plat, right? So it's really when the commissioners, if they would ever vacate that, wouldn't it go back to the developer, okay? So when you're looking at title, and he was doing some research way back, he goes, how can we give property to homeowners that wasn't theirs to begin with? Officials are vacating it. But long story short, it doesn't. It goes to the owners that are adjacent to it, 15-foot alley. They get half. They get seven and a half.

I was curious. The one individual I heard ended up buying the whole property because he'd put a pull barn on it, is what I was told. They ended up working a deal with, I think, the landowner to buy that whole.

There's several, like Shirley Wilkinson.

Correct.

Philadelphia.

Yeah.

Those roads that go through houses are horrible. right away as they go through house. Try to clean those up when we get there.

It was interesting. I just wondered what the, is there a grandfathered in that says the home, like you said, looks like it's a 50-50 split, but the original landowner actually loses the property.

They're giving it away anyway, right? Yeah. They're dedicating it, so they're giving up their money so you can do it.

I was just curious. I just want some clarification on that. That was an interesting conversation I had with somebody. Well, it makes it fun. I'm glad I didn't own any property. What a headache. Thanks, Mike. Oh, I have.

Motion to adjourn.

Make a motion to adjourn. I'll second.

All in favor say aye. Aye. Motion carries unanimously.