By PAULENE POPARAD

The Porter Plan Commission again postponed a final vote on a controversial eight-home addition to Hunter’s Glen subdivision Wednesday.

Petitioners Todd Martin and Royal Church for C&C Development were given a continuance after being told only four of seven commission members were available for a vote. All four would have had to agree for official action to take place.

Member Greg Stinson has stepped down and recused himself to remonstrate as an adjacent property owner; members Jim Eriksson and Brenda Brueckheimer were absent due to illness. Commission attorney Patrick Lyp told Martin/Church’s attorney Brian Hurley they could take their chances with a short-handed board or wait until next month.

After stepping out of the room with his clients, Hurley returned and asked for the matter to be postponed until Sept. 17, which was approved on a 4-0 vote.

C&C Development had a preliminary hearing in March on developing eight homes on 4.4 acres west of Quail Ridge Drive. Remonstrances were heard at a subsequent public hearing and the petition was referred to town department heads for engineering review; they made recommendations prompting C&C Development to seek its first continuance to resolve outstanding issues.

Last month Hurley by letter asked for a private meeting at his office to discuss matters raised at the public hearing. The commission rejected the idea and instructed town officials not to attend.

In other business, secondary or final plat approval was granted 5-0 with Stinson voting to split Robert McDonald’s previous two-lot, 8.07-acre minor subdivision into three lots at 271 South Mineral Springs Rd.

The subdivision fulfills a commitment made to the Plan Commission when it platted the 190-home The Trails subdivision on 63 acres adjacent to McDonald’s land. B&R Development plans to purchase 4.85 acres from him for a park accessible from the subdivision, which is located on the east side of Mineral Springs north of Wood Street at the eastern terminus of Old Porter Road.

Posted 8/21/2008