Grace Church ministry center plans advance; county highway requests curb waiver for rural section of 109th Avenue

Representatives for Grace Church updated the Town of Saint John Plan Commission on June 4 that engineering review of the church's primary plat and site plan for a proposed ministry center at 12632 Wicker Avenue is substantially complete and that the project will be advertised for a public hearing in two weeks.

The design team said it received an engineer's approval letter for the initial submittal and resubmitted full engineering plans to address remaining comments. The applicant identified coordination with the Lake County Highway Department as a key recent step: the county official agreed the planned driveway location is generally acceptable for the rural section of 109th Avenue and recommended against installing curb-and-gutter on the right-turn lane. As a result the applicant said it will request a town plat waiver to avoid installing curb-and-gutter on that lane and will provide sidewalk as shown on final plans.

The church's consultant noted wetland permitting is pending because the project routes a water main through wetlands, and said bids are being solicited; the consultant expected contractor bids and permit approvals to be provided to planning staff before a July final approval. "We will...request a plat waiver...to not install curb and gutter on the right turn lane," the consultant said, summarizing the county highway department's request.

Commissioners and staff asked whether the town could preserve the right to require curb-and-gutter in the future if the roadway is annexed or converted to an urban cross section; staff said it was unclear how enforceable a future installation condition would be and that the commission might not be able to require it at this stage. No formal action was taken; the applicant will appear at the next meeting for publication and then a July public hearing for final determination.