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Owner declines town drainage easement; Cedar Lake board defers 14616 Dewey Street for 60 days
Summary
The Cedar Lake Unsafe Buildings Board voted 3-0 to defer action for 60 days on a proposed house at 14616 Dewey Street after owner Tom Frick said he would not grant the town a drainage easement and plans to install a private storm drain; the board asked for engineered drainage plans and will revisit the case on March 18.
The Town of Cedar Lake Unsafe Buildings Board voted 3-0 on Jan. 21 to defer for 60 days consideration of a new house at 14616 Dewey Street after the property owner, Tom Frick, said he declined to grant the town a drainage easement and intends to install his own storm-drain system.
Frick told the board he had asked to see engineering drawings before granting any easement and said he had not received a response from the engineer (DBG/Glenn Borne). “When they said to me about a drainage easement, I said, ‘Well, I want to see a drawing of what you plan on doing,’ and nobody wants to do that,” Frick said. Town staff and board members said engineered plans and a town-engineer review are required before issuing a building permit.
“The town was going to pay for all infrastructure but he would have to grant the easement,” a board member said during discussion. Board member Greg Parker moved to defer for 60 days so the owner could get engineering drawings and the board could receive an update; Mr. Parker’s motion was seconded and approved in a roll-call vote recorded as 3–0.
Staff noted the lot is relatively small (about 100 by 120–125 feet) and that a lower western portion of the parcel sits roughly 2 feet lower than surrounding parcels, which can cause ponding if drainage is not addressed. The town engineer previously flagged drainage as an item that must be resolved by the owner’s architect or engineer before a permit can be issued.
Under the board’s action, Frick has until the board’s next full review to present updated drainage plans or other documentation. The board noted that, if Frick chooses not to accept the town plan and easement, the owner may proceed with a private storm system but must still submit engineered drawings for review. The board set the follow-up for March 18, 2026.
The deferral preserves the town’s oversight while allowing the owner time to resolve the technical drainage question that underlies the permit review.
