The DeKalb County Drainage Board met at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 2 and approved a series of minor and secondary plats, a parking‑lot variance and an October attorney claim, and heard a surveyor’s report about upcoming maintenance hearings.

The board approved the October attorney claim for $1,295 and accepted recommendations from the surveyor’s office on several subdivision and plat matters. The meeting included presentations from surveyors and applicants for parcels in Saint Joe, Corona and Concord townships and a request from a developer to replace a temporary parking lot near the Veterans Memorial with permeable asphalt.

Why it matters: These routine approvals clear land‑use and drainage paperwork that allows property owners to proceed with small‑scale development and with a poultry facility, and they set a path for the county to address overdue maintenance on a named drain.

Board actions and highlights

- Meeting called to order: the presiding officer opened the meeting at 8:30 a.m. and led roll and business items. The board approved the October attorney claim for $1,295.

- Barn View minor subdivision (5397 County Road 52, Saint Joe): Applicants described a one‑lot minor subdivision of about 20 acres to permit construction of a barn on the southern portion of the property. The surveyor’s office reported existing drainage patterns would not be materially altered; the board approved the minor subdivision on the surveyor’s recommendation.

- South Cottage secondary plat (Plot 3, 2360 County Road 17, Corona): A representative from the surveying firm described a one‑lot, two‑acre secondary plat. The surveyor noted the parcel will require Board of Zoning Appeals review because of a setback to a pond; the board approved the secondary plat.

- Fetters/Schwartz chicken barn minor subdivision (5397 County Road 52, Concord Township): Steve Maxwell of Maxwell Surveying Engineering presented plans for a proposed 56‑by‑572‑foot chicken barn for egg production, with two detention ponds and outlet structures sized to disperse runoff before it reaches nearby tile. Maxwell said the project covers a roughly 1.42‑acre watershed and that the team plans maintenance work on a nearby regulated drain currently carrying water into a neighbor’s yard. The board approved the minor subdivision with a favorable recommendation from the surveyor’s office.

- Auburn Oldie Road extension (secondary plat): The board approved a secondary plat for a road extension south of Home Depot to serve new lots; the surveyor noted a temporary turnaround and related water‑main work.

- Variance for East Seventh Street parking lot: Dave Clark with Citi requested a variance to replace a temporary crushed‑millings parking lot with 4‑inch permeable asphalt in the same footprint. Clark said FEMA had issued a letter last year allowing use of the area; the city engineer designed drainage with a center tile and slopes to tie to the city storm system. The surveyor’s office recommended approval, and the board granted the variance.

Surveyor’s report and next steps

The surveyor’s office said it is working to mail hearing notices but faces a computer access issue that limits map availability. The office expects to mail notices for the Frank Yard Lateral hearing on time but said another hearing’s materials may need to be rescheduled if documents cannot be accessed. The surveyor also said the county and city are coordinating to transfer maintenance responsibility for the Ketchum drain after collecting an outstanding balance; the office hopes to complete that before year‑end but said collection may occur next year.

Direct quotes from meeting participants

- "It is 08:30, October second 2025. I'll bring the DeKalb County Drainage Board meeting to order," the presiding officer said at the start of the meeting.

- "It's a proposed 56 by 572 foot chicken barn for egg production," said Steve Maxwell of Maxwell Surveying Engineering when describing the Fetters/Schwartz subdivision.

- "We had come across a letter from FEMA from last year that said it was approved that they could use that area indefinitely," Dave Clark of Citi said about the temporary parking lot and the proposed permeable asphalt.

Votes at a glance

- Approve October attorney claim ($1,295): approved (motion and second; unanimous aye)
- Barn View minor subdivision (5397 County Road 52): approved (motion and second; unanimous aye)
- South Cottage Plot 3 secondary plat (2360 County Road 17): approved (motion and second; unanimous aye)
- Fetters/Schwartz chicken barn minor subdivision (5397 County Road 52): approved (motion and second; unanimous aye)
- Auburn Oldie Road extension secondary plat: approved (motion and second; unanimous aye)
- Variance, East Seventh Street parking lot (permeable asphalt): approved (motion and second; unanimous aye)

The meeting closed after a brief surveyor update; the presiding officer adjourned the session after no objections were raised.