Lake County holds hearing on Carter Road centerline; staff say recorded plat will clarify property lines

The Lake County Board of County Commissioners held a public hearing on a proposed recorded centerline for Carter Road in Concord Township and Leroy Township, county officials said during the meeting. County chief surveyor John Jansky described the filing as a way to clear long-standing ambiguity about the road’s center line and adjacent property boundaries.

“By recording this plat, it will clear up all those questions as to where the center line is,” John Jansky, Lake County chief surveyor, said during the hearing. Jansky said different surveyors over time used different control points, producing inconsistent legal descriptions and uncertainty about where property lines and the road right-of-way lie.

The hearing opened with a procedural motion to waive the reading of verifications and publication; a commissioner moved, another seconded, and a roll call was taken. Commissioner Beveridge answered “Here,” Commissioner Plutchnick “Yes,” and Commissioner Ragavan “Yes.” Officials then heard a presentation from Jansky and remarks from county staff about outreach to affected property owners.

A county staff member said the engineer’s department sent notices to all abutting landowners, held an in-person review of the proposed plat that a “handful” of owners attended, and mailed a second letter to secure the required signatures. The staff member said the county received more signatures than the minimum required to proceed. Jansky and staff said the road was first platted in the 1830s and that the recorded centerline will provide a uniform reference for future surveys, ditch work, or other improvements.

Officials did not record a separate formal approval vote on the final plat in the transcript; Jansky said the plan is ready for signatures and recording “once we get this approved.” The clerk reported there were no written public comments. The public hearing was adjourned at 9:50 a.m., and the board recessed for 10 minutes before continuing its meeting.

The action at the hearing was procedural and informational: staff presented the proposed recorded centerline and described outreach to property owners; county survey staff and the engineer’s office said they are prepared to finalize signatures and record the plat once any remaining administrative approvals are completed. No additional details about timing of final recording or the exact number of signatures were provided in the meeting record.