Family Express subdivision raises parking and stormwater waiver questions at Schererville study session

Family Express Corp. on March 2 presented a study session to the Schererville Town Plan Commission proposing a three‑lot re‑subdivision of an existing 6.3‑acre property. The developer said Lot 1 (about 2.73 acres) would house the Family Express storefront (roughly 9,800 sq ft), Lot 2 (about 2.0 acres) would retain a ~14,500‑sq‑ft building for lease, and Lot 3 (about 1.6 acres) is a landlocked parcel that would require a plat waiver to develop.

James L. Weezer, the applicants’ attorney, summarized the plat mechanics, said the existing cross‑access easement would be maintained with minor shifts and said Family Express would convey an additional five feet of right‑of‑way along Klein Avenue and perform the south‑leg widening at its cost. "We will be granting free of charge an additional 5T of rightway to Klein Avenue," he said, describing the developer’s commitment to roadway improvements.

The commission also reviewed a written correspondence from John Teol, manager of Lake County Trust 1438, who warned that terminating the shared throughway between the properties "may be problematic" if future uses demand traditional retail or restaurant parking. Teol suggested moving the throughway about 20 feet west to preserve traffic flow; the developer said that change would reduce car‑wash queuing and create safety conflicts.

Weezer said the applicant will seek two plat waivers at the formal hearing: a waiver from the requirement that every platted lot have continuity with a public right‑of‑way to allow Lot 3 to be platted (cited in the presentation as "title 11 division 5 section 102254A"), and a waiver from stormwater technical standards requiring on‑site detention (cited as "division 3 section 9 355"). The applicant argued the redevelopment would marginally reduce impervious area compared with the prior condition and said it will add a hydrodynamic separator to improve stormwater quality; "I will admit we are decreasing it very marginally, but we are definitively decreasing the impervious area," one speaker said.

Commissioners expressed reluctance to advertise for a public hearing without a completed engineering review. Staff confirmed the engineering materials had just been received and were under review; the developer and staff discussed a tentative schedule that would allow a study session on April 6 and, if engineering comments are resolved and public‑notice requirements are met, a public hearing on April 20.

The study session closed with directions to complete engineering review and to return with final overlay materials (architecture, landscaping, lighting, signage) ahead of any advertised hearing.