DeKalb County plat committee approves four minor subdivisions, hears drainage concern

The DeKalb County Plat Committee on Feb. 4, 2025, approved four land‑division requests: three one‑lot minor subdivisions and one replat that enlarges an existing lot. The committee voted unanimously to approve petitions 25‑04 (Whitworth Woods), 25‑05 (Our Place), 25‑06 (Ward Acres) and 25‑07 (replat of Our Lady of Hope Lot 1), subject to standard recording and agency‑compliance conditions.

The approvals allow property owners to split parent parcels to create single‑family lots or, in the case of the replat, to combine lots for agricultural use. The committee’s staff report recommended approval for each item and listed conditions that must be satisfied—such as site compliance with the DeKalb County Unified Development Ordinance, county health and highway department sign‑offs, and recording of any required covenants—before plats may be recorded.

Most discussion was procedural and centered on technical plat standards: net acreages, minimum lot widths and frontages, right‑of‑way dedications to county roads, and reviews by the County Highway Department, County Board of Health, Drainage Board and Soil and Water Conservation District. For petition 25‑04 (Whitworth Woods), a nearby resident told the committee he was concerned that heavy construction traffic using an existing, shared driveway could damage a private field tile and alter drainage. The resident said he had installed a culvert and tile decades ago and asked that any post‑construction damage be repaired: “I have a little bit of concerns about heavy trucks and stuff that will go back there of, smashing that field towel down and stopping my water from flowing,” the resident said during public comment.

Committee staff member Chris Gomer told the committee the County Highway Department had reviewed and approved the driveway location as shown on the plat and that the plat includes an ingress/egress easement for the drive. “Highway department, basically approved the driveway there,” Gomer said. Staff recommended standard recording conditions and noted the planning commission may enforce drainage and covenant requirements by injunctive relief and attorney fees if necessary.

For petition 25‑07 (replat of Our Lady of Hope Lot 1), petitioner representative Marvin Graber said the enlarged lot would be used to build an agricultural building with box stalls for calves and storage, not presently for a single‑family home: “We’re putting a, we wanna agriculture building with some box stalls and place to put straw and sawdust and start my baby calves,” Graber said.

All four petitions included the same procedural safeguards in the staff recommendations: plats must not be recorded until applicants provide written evidence of compliance with any conditions required by the DeKalb County Board of Health, the DeKalb County Highway Department, the DeKalb County Drainage Board or DeKalb County Surveyor, the DeKalb County Airport (if applicable), and the DeKalb County Soil and Water Conservation District. The Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) standards cited in staff reports include minimum lot area, lot width and frontage requirements and standard covenants recognizing surrounding agricultural uses.

Votes at a glance

• Petition 25‑04 — Whitworth Woods (one‑lot minor subdivision, ~16 acres proposed; zoned A2 agricultural): Approved, unanimous (Sandy Harrison, Jerry Yoder, Suzanne Davis, Alicia Rogers — yes). Staff noted ingress/egress easement on the plat; a neighbor raised drainage concerns related to private tile and heavy trucks.

• Petition 25‑05 — Our Place (one‑lot minor subdivision, ~4.26 acres; zoned A2 agricultural): Approved, unanimous. Staff recommended typical recording conditions and agency sign‑offs.

• Petition 25‑06 — Ward Acres (one‑lot conservation/agricultural subdivision, ~2.5 acres; zoned A1 conservation agricultural): Approved, unanimous. Staff noted this split is the second allowable billable split and that no further billable splits are permitted under the conservation zoning.

• Petition 25‑07 — Replat of Our Lady of Hope Lot 1 (replat enlarging Lot 1 from 3.68 acres to ~31 acres; no new buildable lots; zoned A2 agricultural): Approved, unanimous. Petitioner said the expanded lot will accommodate an agricultural building; staff reiterated standard plat conditions and required agency approvals.

The committee closed the meeting after the approvals and confirmed the next meeting date. Several items required follow‑up paperwork and agency sign‑offs before plats may be recorded; the committee’s staff (zoning administrator) will determine when those conditions have been met.