Hancock County plat committee approves minor subdivisions, adds utility easement; continues one application

The Hancock County Plat Committee approved minor subdivisions for properties referred to in the meeting as Sylvie, Batty and Marin, granted two 3:1 depth-to-width exceptions and required an 8-inch tile to be installed and bonded before one plat may be recorded, the committee said.

The approvals came after staff reported that technical conditions had been satisfied or would be addressed before recording. Mike, a county staff member presenting multiple applications, told the committee that “we have to install an 8 in tile to the lot that's closest to the road. So, Chad requires a bond or it to be installed prior to the recording of the plat,” and said surveyor and health signoffs were complete or pending required submittals such as soil borings and invert elevations.

Why it matters: the plats create new building lots, require utility and access easements for shared driveways, and raise drainage and floodplain considerations that affect where homes and septic systems can be sited. The committee’s actions set the administrative conditions developers must meet before plats are recorded and construction proceeds.

Sylvie subdivision: Committee members discussed a 3:1 depth-to-width exception for a rear lot and whether a 100-foot rear setback (largely occupied by a septic field) and drainage features were handled on the plat. The committee voted to approve the 3:1 exception and to add a 10-foot utility easement to the 20-foot access easement, a motion that carried by unanimous voice vote (counts not specified in the transcript). Staff noted the developer must either install the required 8-inch tile before recording or post a bond guaranteeing installation.

Barrett application continued: The committee agreed to continue the Barrett application to next month while applicants and an adjoining neighbor work with the county surveyor to resolve drainage tile and water concerns. A motion to continue Barrett passed unanimously by voice vote.

Batty subdivision: Staff said labeling issues and storm-line location items for the Batty (sometimes spoken as “Barrett/Batty” in the record) subdivision had been addressed and that surveyor and health signoffs were in place. The committee approved the plat for the 10-acre tract near 900 North and Meridian Road by unanimous voice vote.

Marin subdivision: The Marin split of an approximately 21-acre horse farm into two building lots raised floodway and solar-setback questions. Staff and the surveyor confirmed that the rear of the property included floodway/flood fringe and that existing tile drainage would need drainage-board approval to daylight outlets; reviewers also requested existing septic locations and invert elevations. The committee approved a 3:1 exception for Lot 2 and approved the application by voice vote; staff noted approvals and recording remain contingent on any drainage-board conditions and completion of the listed signoffs.

Other business: Staff announced a community vision session for the proposed Ninstar Park adjacent to Spring Lake and said the 2025 report would be circulated to committee members. The committee was informed that board member Joe Donninger intends to retire, creating a vacancy typically filled from the Southern Hancock/New Palestine School District. The committee nominated and unanimously elected Jim Sweet as vice chair before adjourning.

What happens next: Recordation of approved plats is contingent on completing the technical items noted in committee—installation or bonding of the 8-inch tile where required, receipt of soil-boring results and invert elevations, drainage-board approvals where needed, and final surveyor signoffs.