Developer seeks design waivers for Porter Business Park townhomes; staff flag stormwater and private‑road issues

Todd Le, counsel for the developer and petitioner, told the Porter County Development Review Committee on Feb. 19 that St. Andrews Development LLC and Car A Lot LLC are seeking design waivers to replat four former commercial parcels in Porter Business Park into a 28‑lot, townhouse‑style subdivision at 843–849 North Campus Drive in Liberty Township. "We're seeking permission to have some design waivers," Le said during an informal review of case DW2026‑5.

The request would allow some lots to lack frontage on a public street and rely on a private interior access easement; the petitioners said the site was platted in 2017 under an office/technology scheme and has since been rezoned to R4 residential. The developer described narrow, deep lots intended for townhome units and said the interior access will be a private 35‑foot easement to serve the lots.

Why it matters: The committee framed the discussion as an early, informal review ahead of a Plan Commission hearing set for Feb. 25 at 5:30 p.m. County staff emphasized that technical demonstrations — especially stormwater calculations, detention‑pond capacity and driveway spacing — must show equivalency or improvement over the original plat before a formal approval could proceed.

County planner Susan H said the applicant previously obtained variances from a hearing officer to permit 20‑foot‑wide lots and reduced lot‑area and parent‑tract standards, and that the design waivers under review are the remaining prerequisites to a primary‑plat amendment. "They were granted back in March," Susan H said when summarizing earlier approvals and the purpose of today's informal review.

Staff comments and technical follow‑up centered on drainage and infrastructure. David, identified in the record as the county stormwater reviewer, said staff will review impervious‑surface calculations against the original plan, verify detention‑pond capacity and inspect any existing infrastructure relied upon by the development. "They would have to compare the ... original calculation satisfied that," David said, adding that staff would require condition assessments and potentially surveying to ensure the pond can still hold the design storm volume.

A written set of comments read into the record from a staff member named Kevin questioned whether local zoning permits 20‑foot lot widths and asked whether the developer intended two dwelling units per site or condominium ownership. Kevin's comments stated that multifamily standards "allow 30 foot per unit" in his reading of the code; that point was entered into the record for Plan Commission consideration but not resolved at the informal review.

Committee members also clarified operational matters: the record shows an address of 6084 Loot Road for record purposes; the petitioner said homeowners would not be blocked from access and that garbage collection would be handled individually at each dwelling. On the private‑street issue, county staff warned that private roads can create long‑term maintenance and takeover questions and urged the applicant to memorialize an HOA's maintenance obligations in covenants and declarations. "We'll have a homeowners association," Le said, "and a declaration that provides for the right to assess and the obligation of the association to maintain the private road."

No formal vote was taken at the informal session. The chair closed the review by noting the matter will appear before the Plan Commission on Feb. 25 at 5:30 p.m. in the same room for formal consideration.

Next step: the applicant is scheduled for a Plan Commission hearing on Feb. 25; staff will require technical submittals addressing stormwater, driveway spacing and the private‑road maintenance plan before any final plat approval.