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Residents criticize proposed rezoning, cite evictions and traffic concerns near Hamilton Grove
Summary
Speakers at the May 27 St. Joseph County commissioners meeting urged the county to defer to the county council on a proposed rezoning of 57 acres in the Hamilton Grove area, raised concerns about evictions at Minimountain Campground tied to Amazon activity, and warned of added traffic and water impacts.
Several residents used the St. Joseph County commissioners meeting on May 27 to urge the county to stay out of a fight over a proposed rezoning of 57 acres north of U.S. 20 and south of Chicago Trail in the Hamilton Grove area and to express concern about recent evictions at a nearby campground.
Dan Caruso of New Carlisle told commissioners the landowner’s proposed rezoning could come before the board and urged officials to "stay out of the fight. Let the county council decide what happens with this land." Caruso said 46 people are being evicted from Minimountain Campground and criticized the proposed development and wetland filling, saying "we've got to stop this now" and asking officials to "quit thinking about the dollar and think about people." He also said he expects a county council public hearing on the matter on July 9.
Mary Countryman of New Carlisle echoed those concerns during online public comment, saying residents are being forced out to make way for development and warning of increased traffic in the area. "There's been over 66 accidents this year alone on State Road 2," she said, and added that spillover traffic onto Chicago Trail and Hamilton Trail is already causing safety problems for local drivers and pedestrians. Countryman said residents worry about impacts to local water supplies as well.
Why it matters: the speakers framed the rezoning and associated development as a community-safety and housing issue, citing possible displacement of longtime residents and greater traffic on already-busy routes. The comments were made during the public-comment portion of the commissioners’ meeting and did not reflect any formal action by the board.
Meeting officials did not take formal action on the rezoning during the session. Caruso urged commissioners to wait for the area plan commission and county council processes, noting he expects the council’s public hearing on July 9. Countryman asked the county to consider safety and the capacity of local roads before approving more development.
The transcript shows these remarks came from members of the public during the meeting’s public comment period; no county staff or commissioners offered a substantive response on the rezoning or the reported campground evictions at the time the comments were made.
