Commission defers South Main Street re‑subdivision after NIPSCO, sewer and certificate questions

Representatives for the petitioner described a plan to create an additional lot on South Main Street by using a vacated portion of a former street. The planner explained that 77 feet of vacated right‑of‑way existed between adjoining plats; the proposal would reallocate portions of that vacated area and create a new lot that the petitioner said would meet ordinance requirements once certain utilities and easements were addressed.

Commissioners and staff focused on three technical blockers: a 34‑foot NIPSCO easement tied to an overhead wire that the applicant proposed to convert and relocate underground; a sanitary sewer that physically crosses the proposed area and would need to be relocated into a new public or private easement; and the absence of certificates typically attached to a preliminary plat. Commissioners repeatedly noted that NIPSCO’s correspondence expressly stated it did not constitute final authorization for the conversion. One member summarized the board’s concern: “NIPSCO could change their mind and here we are — we’ve approved something but we can make it subject to removal of that NIPSCO.”

Staff and petitioner agreed that final plat approval would require documented clearance or conditional release from NIPSCO, final utility acceptance from the city, and the required certificates on the primary plat. The commission voted to defer petition PC‑26‑32 pending NIPSCO’s final response, public works acceptance of the sewer relocation plan, and documentation on the existing garage structure and certificates required for the primary plat.