Aug. 17—GOSHEN — The Elkhart County Commissioners Monday approved a zone map change for a portion of C.R. 21 in Milford despite disgruntled neighbors and the concerns of the commissioners themselves.
"This is something I've been struggling with on and off, and it's the balancing act of property rights and general welfare versus individual welfare," Commissioner Suzie Weirick said. "I understand that this is ag land and this is just an overlay on the ag land. I don't see ever converting this back to straight ag land once this is put in ..."
The request to change the zone map from A-1 to DPUD A-1 was for a property on the west side of C.R. 21, 660 feet south of U.S. 6, in Jackson Township. The request came from Northern Lakes Investments, represented by B. Doriot & Associates, for the purposes of creating a storage lot for Aluminum Trailer Company (ATC Transport). The issue has been a topic of contention between county leaders and neighbors living directly adjacent to the property, as well as those within the nearby neighborhood, Horizon Estates.
Blake Doriot, of B. Doriot & Associates, spoke on behalf of ATC Transport and Northern Lakes Investments, telling the commissioners that after talking to Shawn Bornman of Choice Homes, developer for Horizon Estates, no concerns were mentioned. In fact, he questioned purchasing a portion of the property in order to build more homes, Doriot explained.
But neighbors didn't agree.
Matt Myers, a homeowner with property just south of the location in question, spoke at the public hearing for the rezoning. Myers said he'd canvased Horizon Estates and found that at least 70% of people he spoke with felt they had moved into an agricultural area and were "being put into a wrongful position, a very contrary position because someone wants to move in commercial/industrial."
"We are pre-existing, moved into this area for its value to our way of life," Myers said. "It will affect our property values. It does not affect or give us gain."
He added that the area is entirely surrounded by agriculture and residential property, but three other properties that Northern Lakes Investments owns are not, although they may require more investment to get access to highways or better drainage systems installed.
"I'm not the professional there, but as far as residences and the amount of residences — over 100 in Horizon Estates, a dozen on (C.R.) 21 south, another dozen on (C.R. 21) north — this is not just going to affect everyone south of U.S. 6," he said. "This is going to be a radius much larger than a few hundred feet of inconvenience to direct neighbors."
Jason Auvil, zoning administrator and planning manager for the county and a supporter of the zone map change, spoke counter to residents who expressed concerns about the change.
"I can tell you that the market and the academic — and as well as real-world application — shows that any negative influence concerning property value stops at about 200 feet," Auvil said. "When you get past 200 feet, there really is a legibility change or diminution in property values."
He added that with a DPUD in A-1, any changes made to the site plan are required to go through a new approval process.
Nappanee Mayor Phil Jenkins also attended Monday's meeting to inform the commissioners that his city's planning commission also supported the project. Nonetheless, at least half a dozen people spoke out against the rezoning. Concerns included the need for lighting on the property, increased traffic on the roadway, and more.
"As our company's grown, so has our transport division," said Matt Knepp, general manager at ATC Transport. "There's been a need for storage facilities. Our production has grown, and so we've ran out of space. We've been looking for the right place to store these trailers."
With 15 drivers, the company is concerned about how to keep trailers secured, he explained.
"We don't want them parked in different places all over Elkhart County," he added. "We want them centrally located."
He noted that the location is just three miles from the company's new headquarters, which is currently under construction.
Weirick expressed concerns surrounding the increase in RV storage facilities countywide.
"Truly this county relies heavily on RV — yet at the same time, RV storage seems to be getting heavily out of control," she said. "There are more and more RV storage ... I really struggle with when is enough enough?"
Doriot told her that the RV industry needs space to build out and store units.
"Elkhart County is 9% of the state's product, and that's because we're going to put out 400,000 to 500,000 RVs," he said. "It's a fact of life. Elkhart County is growing, and this is part of that growth."
Neighbors didn't agree.
James Otis, owner of an adjacent property, said he finished a petition from nearby property owners that would be affected by the change and submitted it during the meeting.
As president of the Alliance for a Better Elkhart County, Otis told the commissioners that photos they released show ATC's current storage location on U.S. 6.
"The waste would come up to my waist, and it is not an attractive facility, nor do I think that it is properly maintained at any level," Otis said.
He also claimed that the location is dangerous to the area and would increase the risk of car crashes, would lower property values, and more.
Doriot told the commissioners the property on U.S. 6 is not owned by ATC Transport, and therefore, they do not have control over how it is kept up.
Commissioner Brad Rogers argued that the property is owned by Northern Lakes Investments, and the Beers have a right to use the property as they see fit. However, additional buffering should be necessary if it passes, he explained. Weirick also said she would require buffering as well.
Commissioner Frank Lucchese motioned to approve the zone map change as presented by the plan commission with additional buffering, but neither Weirick nor Rogers agreed. Weirick then put forward a motion including a demand for buffering inside the fence line, and on all feasible sides of the property. The clarification resulted in all but Rogers voting in favor of the request, although Weirick herself remained hesitant.
OTHER BUSINESS
Other items to come before the board Monday included:
—The Warren Street and Middlebury Street bridge replacement for the bridge going over the Little Elkhart River now officially has a design consultant. American Structure Point was selected at a cost of $710,422. As approved, 80% of the cost will be reimbursed through a federal grant.
—The commissioners agreed to a joint resolution that would transfer real estate to York Township in order to expand property at a cemetery in the area. When doing research, the township discovered the cemetery was owned by the county, but they have need to expand it.
Dani Messick is the education and entertainment reporter for The Goshen News. She can be reached at dani.messick@goshennews.com or at 574-538-2065.
