Vanderburgh County commissioners adopt septic ordinance, approve bridge design exception and open road repair bids

Vanderburgh County commissioners on Feb. 11 adopted a local ordinance to align the county's septic and on-site sewage rules with the state model, granted a federal-aid design exception for the Lindbergh Road bridge over Locust Creek, opened bids for multiple road and bridge projects and deferred a proposed increase to the health department's credit-card limit pending additional information.

The board voted unanimously to repeal and replace the county's septic provisions with language that mirrors the state model ordinance. County staff told commissioners the state's recent guidance reduced the acreage threshold for septic eligibility from 2.5 acres to 1 acre and allows certain newer septic technologies, including above-ground tanks with required service and maintenance agreements. County staff and a commissioner noted the Indiana Department of Health has paused its review panel meetings; staff said the county can adopt the local ordinance and address any state-level changes later. President Elpers and other commissioners voted to waive a second reading and adopt the ordinance.

Why it matters: the change reduces the minimum lot size for septic systems and formally allows some newer septic technologies locally; staff said the local action follows state direction and provides clarity for permitting while state review is on hold.

The board also approved a Level II design exception for project 2201250 (Lindbergh Road, bridge 2430, replacement over Locust Creek). County engineering staff said the new bridge design does not meet the Indiana Department of Transportation's sight-distance standard if the driver's eye is measured 14.5 feet from the pavement edge, but it does meet sight-distance criteria if a more typical stopped-driver eye height of roughly 5 feet is used. Staff estimated meeting the NDOT standard would add about $250,000 in locally funded work because federal funds for the project are fixed. Commissioners voted unanimously to sign the waiver required for this federal-aid project.

The meeting included several engineering and highway items. The board opened sealed bids for multiple projects to be reviewed later by staff: - BC25-01-01, Klytts Road bridge rehabilitation (Klytts Road over a branch of Locust Creek): one bid received from Blankenberger Brothers, Inc., $498,800; the board took the bid under…