Clark County (The Evening News)
Salem-Noble project moves forward
Engineer says work on stop lights, turn lanes should begin by summer
Construction projects that came before the Clark County Commissioners at Thursday’s meeting both pleased and befuddled the county executives.
Representatives from the River Ridge Development Authority were on hand to give an update on the effort to install traffic lights and turn lanes at Salem-Noble Road and Ind. 62.
According to River Ridge Engineer Marc Hildenbrand, the preliminary engineering plans have been completed and sent to the state for approval.
The plan sent to the state includes closing three cross-over lanes in between the traffic signal at River Ridge Circle and the proposed signal at Salem-Noble Road along Ind. 62.
One cross-over will be partially open to allow vehicles to make right turns out of River Ridge’s complex and the purpose for closing the other cross-overs is to divert cars to the traffic lights.
A deceleration and turn lane will also be placed at the cross-over that will remain partially open.
Hildenbrand said a left turn lane will be added onto Salem-Noble Road from Ind. 62 and will extend farther down the highway, while a right turn lane will be placed at the same spot going into River Ridge.
The timetable to begin the project consists of 30 days for the Indiana Department of Transportation to review the plans. It will then be followed by a field check by INDOT then allow for time so changes to be made to the plans if needed. Then a final approval will be needed.
But another delay may also slow the project, Hildenbrand told the commissioners.
“Because this is a federally-funded project we have to bid this through INDOT and they say that’s a 90-day timeframe,” Hildenbrand said.
However, with all of the planning and hurdles that remain, construction is not that far off.
“We’re probably going to start this thing in the summer, the late summer,” Hildenbrand said. “Right now [the plan is] it’s going to be completed this year, that’s the plan.”
In addition to the construction project to install the turn lanes and traffic lights, River Ridge Executive Director Jerry Acy said work is underway to clean up the area along Ind. 62 and improve the safety along the road in order to create a more aesthetic and add area that would be more readily available for development.
The second construction project brought before the commissioners left them a bit confused.
A group known as 403 Properties LLC, along with Dan Cristiani Excavating Inc., recently received a favorable recommendation from the Clark County Planning, Zoning and Building Commission for a development along Old Ind. 60.
Two previous attempts to rezone the 6.7-acre property failed, both of which were planned as apartment complexes, but the zoning change from agricultural — A1 — to patio home residential — RP — was finally granted.
However, the confusion was not a result of the zoning approval, but from the definition of a patio home.
The definition stated that the area is either a “single-family detached housing unit,” consisting of a small lot. Or, in the second part of the definition, the area could be occupied by an attached patio home as a two-, three- or four-family housing unit, with one or two attached walls.
The residents in the area and Commissioner Mike Moore were under the impression that a patio homes would contain at least one shared wall and not be single-family structures.
Apparently the planning commission was under the same impression of what defined a patio home.
“The plan commission intends to start the process of revising the zoning ordinance because it is probably an unintended result to have detached houses in these patio home districts as I understand it,” said Greg Fifer, attorney for the commissioners.
Complaints persisted over the development including increased traffic, concerns over drainage and development that was not consistent with the surrounding homes.
Commissioner Les Young asked the residents what they saw as being placed on the land adjacent to them.
“At some point in time some of that ground is going to have to be developed out there,” he said.
Although the local homeowners had previously told developer Dan Cristiani that they would not be opposed to construction of patio homes on the property if they were defined as having shared walls residents have since said that they would like single-family homes, as designated by a residential zoning — R1.
“This would be the lesser of two evils for you,” Young said referring to the RP designation as opposed to R2 — which would allow duplexes. “This is going to get zoned one way or another at some time.”
Even with the possibility that the zoning designation may be changed, it will not be amended before a decision on the development is made.
“You can’t condition a rezone,” Fifer said. “We could not impose conditions on an owner/developer saying, ‘we are going to rezone it, but you can’t do things that are permitted in that zoning classification.’”
The commissioners tabled their decision for the next meeting in order to gather more information.
In other business:
• A motion was made — and unanimously passed — to request the River Ridge Development Authority Board to change the name of Waterline Road to Paul Garrett Avenue.
• The former commissioner also known as “Whitey” was instrumental in acquiring the property now known as River Ridge from the U.S. Army that formerly served as the Indiana Army Ammunition Plant, and Commissioner Meyer suggested that he be honored.
River Ridge Board President Mark Robinson said he would take the idea back to the board of directors and submit it for approval.
• The commissioners unanimously approved resolution 2-2010 for an engineering plan for sanitary sewer improvements for the Henryville Membership Sanitation Corporation.
A contract for the low bidder of the project — Dan Cristiani Excavating, Inc. — was also approved.
Construction is expected to begin as soon as the plans are approved by the state.
• Jan Huff was appointed to the Clark-Floyd Counties Convention and Tourism Bureau Board of Managers for a two-year term ending Jan. 15, 2012.
The vote was 2-0 with Young abstaining.
• The commissioners approved — 2-1 with Meyer voting against — to pay up to $20,000 to Strand and Associates, Inc. for appraisals and management associated with the construction of Star Hill Road.
The $20,000 will likely come from money coming back from the state, nearly $400,000, for projects already completed and paid for by the county.
WHAT IS PATIO HOME RESIDENTIAL?
As read during the planning commission meeting a patio home is defined as, “a single-family detached housing unit, on a small lot, 5,000-square-feet ... with limited yard space, often just a patio, large flower bed and/or garden allowing for little exterior maintenance responsibilities; [or] the second definition for an attached patio home is a two, three or four-family housing unit with one or two attached walls with limited yard space, often just a patio, large flower bed and/or garden allowing for little exterior maintenance responsibilities.”
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Borden principal to return to school
In a short school board meeting Thursday afternoon, the West Clark Community Schools board approved an addendum to an employment contract that would allow Borden High School Principal Lisa Nale back on the job as early as Oct. 7.
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Jeffersonville residents challenge IDEM on Mac plant
Questions and concerns gushed Thursday night from an audience upset with the living conditions in their neighborhood brought on by odor, soot and dust they attribute to the nearby Mac Construction and Excavating asphalt plant.
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Bridges Authority adopts strategy as deadline approaches
The Louisville and Southern Indiana Bridges Authority adopted strategic objectives at its public meeting in Jeffersonville on Thursday while rejecting calls to alter the Ohio River Bridges Project to avoid possible tolling.
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Ex-employee of Sportsdrome charged in beer-theft scheme at track
A Memphis woman has been charged with class D felony theft in an alleged scam to defraud Sportsdrome Speedway in Clarksville out of more than $20,000 in beer sales.
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$47.5 million in marijuana plants eradicated by ISP
Within about a week, Indiana State Police eradicated approximately 19,000 marijuana plants with an estimated street value of $47.5 million across the state.
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Setting out for a stroll
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Moving on: Students, teachers get used to new schools at NA-FC
“You have to get to know people. You have to learn all these new names. It’s kind of scary at first. You don’t know them and they don’t know you.”
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Burglary suspect leads police on chase
Crotchett said he knows the owner of the house, so he called him to ask if anyone should be there.
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Straight ‘A’ educator: St. Anthony teacher makes top 10 list
She also wrote about how teaching is more than a career. It’s a vocation.
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Facelift planned for part of Market Street in Jeffersonville
Crouch said the entire road is being redone from sidewalk to sidewalk and local traffic can use rear-alley to access their homes.
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Borden principal to return to school
