By PAULENE POPARAD

Developer Robert Lewis’ personal plea Monday before the Burns Harbor Advisory Plan Commission to approve his 24-lot, single-family subdivision preceded its 4-2 vote granting Stone River a hard-fought primary plat approval.

The commission did urge Lewis to work closely with the Indiana Department of Transportation, which has jurisdiction over Stone River’s entrance on the north side of U.S. 20 west of Frain Insurance.

Voting for the nearly 10-acre subdivision, which has been in the planning/review stages for almost 18 months, were Louis Bain, Terry Swanson, Mike Perrine and Virginia Bain. Voting no were Jim Meeks and Jeff Freeze. Jim McGee was absent.

The commission’s first vote was 5-1 to reopen the closed April 11 public hearing to discuss upgrading private Domon Lane instead of creating a new Lewis Drive into Stone River from U.S. 20. The impact of the long-planned reconstruction of the nearby Indiana 149/U.S. 20 intersection, now slated for March, 2009, also entered into the discussion.

In 2007 Lewis proposed upgrading Domon, a private lane on his property, to town standards as a public street for Stone River’s entrance but the commission gave that 40 living-unit proposal an unfavorable recommendation and the Domon improvements died with that design.

Last week the town’s Economic Development Commission said orderly development could be harmed if Domon never is built and urged the commission to reopen a dialogue with Lewis.

Last month’s Plan Commission vote on 10-acre Stone River ended in a 3-3 tie in Perrine’s absence so some action was required last night. V. Bain said reopening the public hearing wasn’t necessary and voted no.

Jeff Ballard representing Lewis said they have complied with all town code requirements and a new Domon Lane is no longer on the table. “Why wasn’t the original plat approved if that’s what you wanted? This is no way a means to stop this project, no way at all.” Perrine denied that was the EDC’s motive saying its focus is the best economic interests of the town.

If someone else upgrades Domon in the future, Stone River provides for an easement to connect to it and would, according to Ballard. He also said Lewis by law is obliged to allow Larry Kleckner, who owns land and a drywall business north of Lewis, to continue to use Domon under an existing easement.

Several speakers Monday supported developing Domon as a future main thoroughfare between U.S. 20 and South Boo Road west of Indiana 149. Abutting landowner Larry Frain offered to donate land if needed near U.S. 20, but no one alone or in combination including the town offered to pay to improve Domon.

Creating a frontage road to serve several area properties also briefly was mentioned and Tom Roberts, who owns land for sale at the northwest corner of the 149/20 intersection, offered frontage property for that use. Tony Ello, who owns the baseball fields north of Kleckner, asked if he would have input if Domon is extended. V. Bain said absolutely.

Lewis, an attorney who resides in Portage, told the commission, “We still stand here 15 months later hoping and waiting and praying we get this project,” which he stressed will be aesthetically beautiful, safe and no different than the adjacent The Village subdivision to the west, a more than 200-home project with only one entrance onto U.S. 20.

During the reopened public hearing former town building commissioner Gene Weibl rapped single-entrance subdivisions and noted when later phases of The Village are completed, a second access onto South Boo Road is planned for it.

Vic Roberts, who owns land with U.S. 20 frontage south of Lewis, said he organized a meeting of landowners with an INDOT representative to discuss how the 149/20 redesign would affect them. Roberts was advised U.S. 20 has 18,900 vehicles per day traveling east and west, and Indiana 149 has 9,100 per day traveling north and south.

No existing driveway entrances would be required to be moved, said Roberts, even though land has been purchased to widen U.S. 20. Tom Roberts’ intersection parcel including a former bank building will not be granted direct access onto Indiana 149, reported Vic Roberts, and he said future driveway entrances along west U.S. 20 could line up for future stoplights if needed.

Tom Roberts said INDOT doesn’t have a request for Stone River’s Lewis Drive road cut, which Roberts said takes one year to process. Freeze asked how much influence Burns Harbor would have with INDOT; he was told by Perrine not much. Resident Brad Enslen said, “Don’t expect INDOT to look out for the best interest of Burns Harbor. Your responsibility is to look out for the interest of Burns Harbor.”

Frain said, “Right now, the town is mish mosh. There is no plan.” He said it’s his understanding on the north side of the Lewis property there is some kind of longstanding easement that might be used for future access some day.

According to Ballard, “There seems to be a lot of quick, snappy master planning going on” that has no bearing on Lewis’ current plans. “There’s no reason we shouldn’t have approval.”

Posted 5/13/2008