Council approves ordinance vacating platted drainage easement at 8011 County Road 311

The Sellersburg Town Council on April 14 approved Ordinance 2025-ORD-009 to vacate a platted public drainage easement at 8011 County Road 311, following a public hearing in which the property developer described drainage improvements that made the existing easement obsolete.

At the hearing, Sean Graham of Insight Real Estate said the company "is looking to vacate an existing public drainage easement that is no longer in use." He told the council the developer upsized an undersized outlet pipe, regraded near a regional detention basin, and granted a new private drainage easement spelling out maintenance responsibilities and cost sharing.

Council members moved to add Ordinance 2025-ORD-009 to the agenda and then considered the ordinance after the public hearing. The ordinance text included a finding that surrounding property owners were notified by certified mail and that a public hearing had been held. The council voted to waive the second reading and adopted the ordinance.

Why it matters: The developer says the existing platted easement contains no utilities and was never used; vacating it will "clean up our title commitment," Graham said, and reflects as-built changes to the pipe location.

Council action and outcome: Motion to add the ordinance to the agenda and to adopt Ordinance 2025-ORD-009 were moved and seconded; council recorded the voice vote and approved both motions. The ordinance took effect on passage per the council action.

Context and next steps: The developer said the relocated pipe discharges to a regional basin that serves multiple properties. Council members thanked the developer for completing the drainage improvements and noted the work benefited the town and neighboring parcels. The council did not specify any follow-up requirements in the meeting minutes.