At the start of their meeting Wednesday night, the Porter County Plan Commission removed two cases from the agenda, both located in north county.

Porter County Plan Commission Director Bob Thompson said a petition made by Ronald and Susan Stangebye of Niles, Michigan would not be heard by the plan commission Wednesday because the petitioners had not submitted their packets by the required date. The petition was made to seek approval for a primary plat of Woodland View subdivision to be located at CR 950N and LaPorte County Line Road in Jackson Township.

Several neighboring residents sitting in the audience expressed frustration to the commission saying this was the third time the petitioners have failed to present their case and that coming to the meeting “wasted” their time.

Plan Commission Vice-Chairman Robert Detert told the audience that the commission had “no choice in the matter” but to dismiss the case according to a rule that states application packets must be submitted to the plan commission within 20 days of the hearing. He said the commission was not informed until Tuesday that the plans were not received, which did not give the commission enough time to inform neighboring residents.

Porter County Planner Raymond Joseph said after the meeting that the 20-day rule is implemented so members of the plan commission can have time to review the applications and engineering plans. It also allows the commission time needed to mail notice letters to nearby residents.

The commission agreed to postepone discussion on the Woodland View subdivision until their next meeting on April 14, along with another petition regarding a rezoning a parcel located at the Northwest corner of CR 1050N and CR 125W from Light Industrial to General Agriculture. Thompson said the petitioner, Charles C. Coker of Menomonie, Wisconsin asked for a continuance on the case because more engineering details needed to be completed.

Liberty Township resident Linda Ramsey who lives near the CR 1050N property inquired why the case was postponed, but said she understands the commission has its requirements. “That’s just how the process is,” she said.

In a separate matter, the plan commission also approved looking into a scenic overlay ordinance that would cover Meridian Road from Valparaiso to Chesterton through Liberty Township. Plan commission member Tim Cole said that he felt scenic values should be preserved.

The plan commission also approved a petition made by Joseph that would add a new resolution to the Landscape Standard and Guideline Manual regarding stormwater detention ponds. The new manual now asks that detention pond sites be kept in a natural state and that damage done by maintenance be minimized. The resolution was made under a suggestion made last year from plan commission member Herb Read.

Posted 3/11/2010