Commissioners deny petition to vacate Treasure Island Road after residents urge traffic-calming alternatives

Kosciusko County commissioners on a recent meeting denied a petition to vacate a segment of Treasure Island Road adjacent to the Enchanted Hills subdivision after hearing conflicting testimony from property owners, neighborhood leaders and county staff.

Area Plan staff opened the hearing by recommending denial, saying the proposed vacation would make access difficult for several property owners and could increase emergency-service response times. The staff report cited a unanimous 7–0 recommendation against the vacation from the Area Plan Commission and noted alternative measures were available under county practice.

"Lowering the speed limit to 20 miles an hour and installing speed bumps would allow continued vehicular access while addressing speed concerns," the Highway Superintendent said, describing operational alternatives his office proposed instead of a permanent closure.

Representatives for the petitioner argued the roadway is used as a shortcut with high speeds and said physical changes, including a cul-de-sac in one section, could preserve access while preventing through traffic. "The south intersection from East Wawasee Drive on to Treasure Island is a convoluted intersection of three streets… it is a hazard just by itself," a petitioner representative said, urging closure for safety.

Neighbors and neighborhood leaders pushed back. County Council member Kimberly Cates said she had "received about two dozen calls" from residents in her district who preferred speed bumps and a walkway rather than vacating the road. Resident Kim Fiant told commissioners closing the road would leave some residents feeling excluded and expressed concern about pedestrian access. "I do walk … I don't want to go out on, you know," Fiant said, asking the board not to vacate the road.

Shane Aiken, president of the Enchanted Hills Homeowners Association, said the marina’s expansion and parking practices have increased traffic and that the association offered to help place speed cushions. He said the marina had added more boat slips and that customer traffic is part of the safety equation.

After questions about parking and maintenance, Commissioner Eric Sorensen moved to follow Area Plan’s recommendation to deny the vacation. The motion was seconded, put to a voice vote and recorded by the chair as denied (motion failed to vacate the road). The board directed staff to proceed with the non-closure alternatives discussed, including lowering the speed limit and installing speed bumps at locations coordinated with the marina and technical review.

The decision preserves public vehicular access and keeps open the option for limited pedestrian easements if property owners and the county agree. The county will consider speed-limit reductions and the installation of traffic calming devices; timing and locations are to be coordinated through the Highway Department and technical review processes.