[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6220227,"mediaKeyId","3618000-2821299fe7f5b216cceb439757dd2169","parentId",3618000,"title","Planning Commission continues review of 49‑page stormwater ordinance to June 24, requests questions within two weeks","audioSeconds",1562,"startMs",2046000,"endMs",3608000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3618000-2821299fe7f5b216cceb439757dd2169&start=2046&end=3608","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3618000-2821299fe7f5b216cceb439757dd2169/thumbnail_2046000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6220227/Michigan-City/LaPorte-County/Indiana/Planning-Commission-continues-review-of-49page-stormwater-ordinance-to-June-24-requests-questions-within-two-weeks","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220227-22db20061e22b69f70792f9620e501fb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771180212&Signature=Rg6RSKav88FL7bAWheV-oSZrK55aqq8jZaVUIMkcxcDfwjg2nXTshpVY9W9Um7oNkZcxDcou8ShVN-E87yMT~eMXctku-x2wB5IAs4ZAWtFS-z9hdCVYSDEB-mN7hjBPpIJ9Gsu~ni8qtjRrka8P6ykM4r52IK98BvGdegI2gmRF-GlHbtyx~szcKyVqdy4JrZevdDAlwU6YC4Zw8TuBP~lsp2dDrvaeqGnUaau1xCo3xQyruVBqo3-IJXAdWh5zi98c2Oz5KhloXNmc9pd4qnzgJR~prlJmqK46KhHNJ1BBmBCBOiC9Gj44WnozNZBkTlJYz~bA6HGF3He0U7ozDg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Michigan City, IN","date","2025-05-28T21:20:45Z","article","The Michigan City Planning Commission on May 27 voted to continue consideration of a new municipal stormwater ordinance so members and staff can gather technical questions and present clarifying responses. The commission scheduled the item for its June 24 meeting at 6 p.m. and asked commissioners to submit questions to planning staff within two weeks.

Sanitary district representative Al Wallace and city attorney Ernie Hale explained that the proposed ordinance (Exhibit A) is a technical, 49‑page document that implements requirements of the 2021 Construction Stormwater General Permit and the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit and was prepared using a statewide template developed with assistance from Purdue University. Exhibit B contains 43 additions and deletions to the zoning and subdivision codes — chiefly removing stormwater language from Zoning Code Article 20 and redirecting references to the new city stormwater code.

Wallace said the template has been adopted or adapted by other Indiana communities and that local tailoring is necessary to reflect Michigan City’s conditions, and he offered to meet with commissioners or staff to walk through technical questions. He told the commission the city is not proposing a general stormwater fee for property owners; the only fees that may be charged would be plan‑review fees tied to developer drainage plans if the sanitary district elects to recover review costs.

Commissioners described the ordinance as technical and voluminous and recommended practical briefings in layman’s terms for council members and others who will consider the ordinance. Several commissioners suggested a joint workshop or an educational presentation to explain the ordinance’s purpose, how it will be used by developers and the differences between the zoning code and the city code versions. The commission agreed to collect and submit questions to staff (via planning staff and the planning commission clerk) within two weeks so staff and Al Wallace can prepare answers ahead of the June meeting.

Public commenters supported clarity and suggested a workshop for council and commission members. Tommy Kolovic asked specifically whether the ordinance includes a stormwater fee; Wallace answered there is no citywide stormwater fee in the proposed ordinance.

The motion to continue the item to the June 24 meeting, with the two‑week deadline for submitting questions to planning staff, passed by roll call (Bolling, Connolly, Dabney, DeMedici, Klender, Tietta and Warner — all in favor). The commission’s resolution and a certification will accompany the package when sent to the Common Council if the commission ultimately votes to recommend adoption.

Wallace noted that because IDEM requires regular review, the city will be required to revisit the ordinance every five years, meaning ongoing engagement and education for commissioners and council members will be important.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Michigan City Planning Commission May 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The commission continued the stormwater ordinance discussion to its June 24 meeting and asked commissioners to submit technical questions within two weeks; staff said the ordinance is a standardized IDEM‑MS4 template tailored for Michigan City and contains no citywide stormwater fee.","taxTitle","Michigan City, LaPorte County, Indiana","taxId",12510,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6220228,"Planning Commission approves primary plat to split former Tire Barn parcel at US‑20",1809,169000,1978000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3618000-2821299fe7f5b216cceb439757dd2169&start=169&end=1978","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3618000-2821299fe7f5b216cceb439757dd2169/thumbnail_169000.jpg","/articles/6220228/Michigan-City/LaPorte-County/Indiana/Planning-Commission-approves-primary-plat-to-split-former-Tire-Barn-parcel-at-US20","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220228-291a75debf22eae75cefb92bea9d7462/orig.mp4?Expires=1771180212&Signature=Io-UeXi~pOE84p5undfj3tzQhRrSVEcP6MVpVNn8z5X0erd7ndAEjiCU29XmqC0PUYTsJ-kV1ZTdEN5q6HTUhoCCNjUC~FrSoJzzgDlZ5kmB66nWwxaT~HACkgt2q78W6REIXPxC~didr7oedilvX7z5ax2nhbXK0oD4ra579yVwapSKwFgKiBrIO0oa5beKr~KW879VMJv5WAgp7bnnfgNE3wtnjwb8CGZoaJ8ujmpvZzIh~5WzlmTpCHWgSDq6QPzHAsdsyDko4MZdLsu5uNp4R-Tl0~c9E2TfmQIQLMQYCKX1QJnQTpQaoFyMzk8175FhUNK6R9ucj~20x7TxuA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Michigan City Planning Commission on May 27 approved the primary plat for a minor subdivision that splits the parcel at 201/275 West U.S. Highway 20 into two lots, clearing the way for the former Tire Barn site to be redeveloped while creating an additional marketable commercial lot.

The commission’s approval was limited to primary plat status and carried the condition that outstanding department comments — chiefly on stormwater, sanitary sewer connections and private water lines — be addressed to the satisfaction of city departments and planning staff before any secondary plat approval.

Attorney Steve Unger, representing petitioner GLI 275 US 20 LLC, told the commission the site includes a vacant former Tire Barn building on the west side of the parcel and that the developer intends to redevelop that building as a new auto shop while subdividing off the east portion as a second lot that could be sold or used for parking tied to the adjacent Marquette Mall. Unger said the plat complies with the subdivision control ordinance in his view and that sewer and water service appear available from the former development.

Planning staff summarized departmental review that flagged three substantive areas: (1) stormwater infrastructure crossing the proposed lots and receiving inlets and easements that must be shown; (2) clarity about sanitary sewer service origins and whether services are public or private; and (3) locating and severing mall-owned water/irrigation lines near a shutoff structure at the southwest corner of proposed Lot 2. The water department asked that a site utilities map or ALTA survey be provided showing the origin and termination of private lines and documentation that private lines are severed outside proposed property lines.

Petitioner representatives said they will identify utilities located on their property and work with departments on needed documentation but argued it would be unreasonable to require them to map the mall’s entire utility network. Commissioners and staff agreed the applicant should identify and map structures and utility lines immediately adjacent to the proposed lots so departments can confirm connections and drainage paths.

Public commenters supported facilitating redevelopment. Tommy Kolovic noted the Marquette Mall has a new owner as of May 7 and urged progress; Scott Mellon said subdivision to create a marketable second lot made sense but asked that parking and lot dimensions be adequate.

The commission voted by roll call to approve primary plat petition 902-251 with the staff conditions for department signoff prior to secondary approval. The vote recorded: Bolling, Connolly, Dabney, DeMedici, Klender, Tietta and Warner — all in favor. Secondary plat approval will be handled administratively by enforcement staff once departments confirm the conditions have been satisfied.

The action keeps a 120‑day approval timeline in play for the petitioner to complete required work before secondary plat processing and avoids requiring the applicant to return to the commission unless there are substantial changes.

Questions about exact utility alignments and stormwater inlets remain to be addressed between the petitioner, CHAAPC Engineering & Land Surveying (surveyor Tony Hendricks) and city departments before the secondary plat can be finalized.","The Michigan City Planning Commission granted primary plat approval for a minor subdivision that splits a parcel at 201/275 W. U.S. 20 into two lots, subject to department sign-offs before secondary approval.","actionData","errors"]

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Planning Commission continues review of 49‑page stormwater ordinance to June 24, requests questions within two weeks

Planning Commission approves primary plat to split former Tire Barn parcel at US‑20