Residents oppose St. John plan to annex 168 acres for wells and a 982‑unit development

St. John Town Council held a public hearing Sept. 10 on Ordinance 18-70, a proposal to annex roughly 168 acres at 12863 State Line Road in unincorporated Hanover Township for municipal water and related development; the council closed the hearing after more than two hours of public comment but did not adopt the ordinance that day. Town Manager Billy opened the hearing by describing the site as about "100 and roughly 68 acres" between Stateline and Calumet with four viable wells and a development plan for residential housing. The council scheduled the ordinance for possible adoption on Oct. 22, but presenters and the town attorney said the annexation would not become effective until any municipal water withdrawal and treatment facilities were operational.

Why it matters: The annexation would change which government provides services, taxes and regulation for the parcels and is a legal prerequisite to St. John operating municipal wells that residents fear will cause private wells to dry up. Opponents said the town moved too quickly, that Exhibit A (the development plan) was not publicly available until shortly before the hearing, and that the proposal would permit very high density on farmland adjoining long-established rural properties.

Resident…