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Nurian West seeks rezoning for 146‑acre wetland mitigation bank; county asks for hydrology modeling and stewardship details
Summary
Nurian West LLC presented plans April 2 to rezone 146.79 acres to Greenway for restoration and mitigation banking; the committee requested hydrologic modeling, tile investigations, stormwater plans, DNR/IDM coordination for floodplain and legal‑drain work, and documentation of long‑term stewardship and funding before rezoning consideration on April 22.
Nurian West LLC asked the Porter County Development Review Committee on April 2 for an informal rezoning review to convert roughly 146.79 acres in Pine Township to Greenway (GW) zoning, with the goal of creating the Old City Light North and South wetland mitigation banks.
Lynden Graber, representing Nurian West, said the company has secured federal and state approvals: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a nationwide permit (No. 27) and the state issued Section 401 water‑quality certifications late last year. He told the committee the company purchased the property earlier in 2026 and plans restoration work this summer that will rely on low‑line berming and ditch plugs to re‑establish emergent wetlands and sedge‑meadow habitat. "We provide that offset by providing for restoration in the form of what's called a bank," Graber said.
Staff and board members pressed the applicant for more technical evidence before a rezoning decision. County staff urged submission of hydrologic modeling and tile/tracer investigations to assess whether raising seasonal water levels could adversely affect nearby septic systems or agricultural tile outlets. The board also asked Nurian West to confirm DNR/IDM floodplain requirements and to secure any permissions necessary for work near Carver Ditch, which is a legal drain.
Graber described the project’s operations: construction, five‑to‑seven years of monitoring until performance standards are met, a permanent conservation easement enforced by Still Waters Land Trust, and a funded long‑term steward (the applicant cited Loveless Custom as a typical long‑term manager) paid from an endowment to cover future maintenance. He said bank credits will be earned over time rather than released at once and estimated the project would generate roughly 80 credits from ~150 acres, acknowledging market risk for advance mitigation.
Board members also discussed market context and pricing: the interagency in‑lieu fee provider (ILF) was cited at roughly $90,000 per credit in the area, while a consultant’s in‑fee figure of about $195,000 was mentioned; the committee flagged the heavy upfront capital and long‑term obligations and requested documentation of an operation and maintenance plan and financial assurances.
Next steps: Nurian West should provide hydrology modeling, any tile mapping or exploratory trench results, a planting/seed‑mix plan, a detailed O&M and stewardship/endowment schedule, and any DNR or construction‑in‑floodway coordination paperwork to county staff ahead of the Planning Commission hearing on April 22.
