Warrick County drainage board approves three projects; neighboring landowner urges drainage plan for Harmony Hill

Warrick County Drainage Board — March 9, 2026 — The Warrick County Drainage Board approved minutes and claims and then voted 3-0 to approve three development projects, including the Harmony Hill subdivision, after hearing objections from a neighboring landowner's counsel who asked the board not to accept the plat without a drainage plan.

The board approved Harmony Hill, a low-density subdivision presented by project engineer Jim Morley Jr., described as primarily 10-acre lots with roughly 17 lots in total and a handful of smaller parcels near the south end. Morley said the applicant requested a "no drainage improvements" determination based on low density and historical practice for similar rural plats.

Counsel for nearby landowners, Chris Bay, representing Cypress Farms LLC and client Mr. Hendrickson, urged the board to require a drainage plan before final approval. "We would object to this to the extent that there's no drainage plan," Bay said, arguing runoff from the proposed lots would collect in the roadside ditch, travel under SQ Road and onto downstream property and a nearby land-application operation. Bay called for site-specific culvert sizing and clearer driveway-drainage details to protect downstream landowners.

Morley responded that the development would drain to existing roadside ditches and, where driveways connect to the highway, driveway culverts sized through county permitting would be required. "The runoff will leave this site just the same way it's always left this site," Morley said, adding that county oversight of driveway culverts and showing any necessary drainage easements on future plats are standard safeguards.

The board approved Harmony Hill by voice vote, 3-0. The approval included acknowledgement that if drainage easements or culvert requirements are needed they would be shown on subsequent plats and handled through county permitting.

The board also approved two other projects by 3-0 votes. Jim Morley Jr. described the Darke Matt Berkshire planned unit development near Freeman Park as a residential project of about 101 lots with four detention basins designed to detain and slow runoff; staff reported required revisions had been addressed and recommended approval. Tyler Klein of 3i Design presented a pre-K addition for the Warrick County School Corporation, tying into a salvaged gym and including a combination of subsurface detention and an outlet pond sized so post-development releases are no greater than pre-development flows. "We have a subsurface detention in series with a detention pond... it's just an added layer of protection for those downstream," Klein said.

What happens next: approvals recorded on March 9 allow applicants to proceed with subsequent permitting steps, including driveway building permits and any necessary secondary-plat drainage easements. Neighbors who raised drainage concerns during the Harmony Hill discussion said they will monitor downstream drainage and expect culvert sizing and easement details to be confirmed before construction.

Votes at a glance: approval of minutes (3-0); approval of claims $822.46 (3-0); Harmony Hill subdivision approved (3-0); Darke Matt Berkshire PUD approved (3-0); Warrick County School Corporation pre-K project approved (3-0).

Sources: Board proceeding, March 9, 2026. Quotations attributed to participants as recorded in the meeting transcript.