NextEra seeks variances for Porter County spare‑parts yard; staff asks for drainage, sidewalk and road‑use assurances

NextEra Energy Transmission Mid‑Atlantic wants to build a 6,000‑square‑foot warehouse and outdoor storage yard for transmission spares on a 15‑acre site in Liberty Township, Porter County, and asked the county’s Development Review Committee on May 21 for multiple variances and a special exception ahead of a Board of Zoning Appeals hearing next week.

Sean Shortell, director of development for NextEra Energy Transmission Mid‑Atlantic, told technical staff the facility would not be a daily operations base but a laydown and spare‑parts yard supporting an existing transmission line. “We have a mandate from the North American Electric Reliability Council to have spares on‑site in the event of an equipment failure,” Shortell said, explaining the request for a use variance to allow outdoor storage of monopole sections and reels of conduit.

The company asked for several development‑standards variances: an exemption from pedestrian sidewalk requirements (UDO §7.25), permission for an 8‑foot front fence where the code limit is 4 feet (UDO §5.18), and relief from landscape buffer rules (UDO §5.25). The special‑exception request (UDO §5.62) would allow on‑site well and septic service; staff described a plan using a permanent holding tank and an agreement with a licensed wastewater hauler because the site lacks an acceptable drain outlet.

County technical staff said the application has been under engineering review since an initial submission on Jan. 28, 2026. A reviewer identified only five outstanding review comments after a resubmittal process and said conformance has not yet been found but appears close. “Conformance has not been found, albeit very close to having done so,” the reviewer, David, told the committee and asked the applicant to provide a cover email pointing the staff to where each of the five comments has been addressed so the office can finish its review within about a week.

Committee members and staff pressed the applicant on two implementation concerns. First, Martin (committee member) and others asked the applicant to coordinate with county staff and a neighboring landowner on historic drainage improvements reportedly tied to a now‑former golf course to ensure proposed construction and stormwater controls will not affect existing outlets. Second, because the monopole delivery pieces are long and heavy, Martin recommended a road‑use agreement or surety to cover potential roadway damage from deliveries; Shortell said the company will coordinate on routing and cited prior NextEra road agreements as a starting point.

The sidewalk request prompted disagreement among staff. Shortell and the applicant team argued building a sidewalk now would not connect to a pedestrian network and could create a safety hazard; county staff and Martin argued the site should either include a sidewalk now or a binding mechanism to ensure installation later because they expect nearby development and connections to Chesterton and local schools. Shortell said the site plan would reserve space for future sidewalk construction and that the company is open to negotiating an acceptable mechanism.

Planning and technical staff told the applicant the committee will compile the comments from today’s informal technical review into the staff report for the Board of Zoning Appeals, which will hold a public hearing on these items on Thursday, May 28 at 5:30 p.m. Shortell said the applicants will try to submit a brief cover email and any draft agreements before that hearing so staff can update their materials.

No formal votes were taken at the May 21 informal technical review; staff comments and the zoning administrator’s report will be considered by the BZA at the public hearing.