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Study session: commission reviews Laura Lane office plan, Nottingham Square redevelopment and proposed driveway rule changes
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Summary
At a May 5 study session the Schererville Plan Commission reviewed three development proposals — a single‑tenant office at Laura Lane Lot 2, interior rehabilitation at Nottingham Square (Sherwood Forest), and proposed zoning text changes to driveway width rules — and provided feedback to staff and applicants.
During a May 5 study session immediately following the public meeting, the Schererville Plan Commission reviewed multiple development proposals and a staff‑proposed change to driveway rules in the zoning ordinance.
Bob Gates, petitioner for Laura Lane Lot 2 (1139 Caroline Avenue), described a single‑story, roughly 3,000‑square‑foot office building for his contracting business and said "it'll just be me and my family that occupy it." Gates told the commission utilities (water and sanitary) will be extended from Phase 1 to serve the new lot via easements along the property lines, and he said he plans to preserve existing oak trees except where utility trenches must be installed. He said he does not plan to install a monument sign and expects to complete site engineering with DDG and Ted Roan.
Scott Goodwin of CSK Architects presented a redevelopment plan for two properties in the Nottingham Square area of Sherwood Forest (Robin Hood Boulevard). Goodwin said the property owner, Dino Develis, "wants to redevelop" two existing buildings, add sign areas that meet code parameters and reconfigure interior spaces to create leasable units. He described plans to enclose a drive‑through in one building and to install cedar dumpster enclosures; the project includes an addition of about 1,500–1,600 square feet but remains below 9,000 square feet, meaning the owner does not expect the building to be required to have an automatic sprinkler system.
Staff led a review of proposed changes to zoning ordinance No. 2004 concerning residential garages, carports and driveway regulations. Staff described repeated requests from residents to widen driveway areas to provide practical access to garbage cans and pedestrian access without creating front‑yard parking. Under the proposed text change, driveway width would be permitted up to the width of the garage (rather than a narrower fixed width "adjoining the garage"), and the ordinance language referencing carports would be clarified (carports are not currently allowed). Staff noted the commission previously increased allowable driveway curb widths from 18 to 30 feet for some house types; the current proposal is intended to align driveway paved width with garage width while retaining the ban on front‑yard parking outside a driveway.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about utility easements, preservation of mature trees, signage, and the relationship between driveway width and sidewalk connections. Commissioners expressed general support for the driveway‑width clarification, noting it should be designed to avoid encouraging additional on‑front‑yard parking while allowing practical pedestrian and container access.
No formal actions were taken at the study session; staff will return with refined ordinance language and any required formal agenda items for future hearings.
