- Okay, ladies and gentlemen, it's 530. It's the beginning of the Monroe County Planning Commission meeting
- for May 7th, which is Thursday. And why don't you go ahead and call the meeting to order. Please conduct
- a roll call, please. David Bush? Here. Eric Clements? Ron Enright-Randolph?
- Yes. I mean, Rudy Fields is here. He's here. Am I big? OK, gotcha. And I can see you as well. So I will
- change you to present. Jeff Morris here. Julie Thomas here. Van Deventer. And Bishop here. David Henry is.
- yet. We do have a quorum. Please introduce the evidence. I will do the introduction of evidence. I'd
- like to introduce the following items. The Monroe County development ordinance as adopted and amended.
- The Monroe County comprehensive plan as adopted and amended. The Monroe County plan commission rules
- of procedure as adopted
- cases that were legally advertised and scheduled for hearing on tonight. Move approval of the evidence.
- Second. On and write Randolph. Yes. Paris yes. Rudy Fields yes Morris yes Julie Thomas yes. David Bush.
- Yes. That moves us toward the approval. We'll talk about the agenda first. On the agenda, there are
- going to be two items that we are not going to talk about this evening that are going to be continued
- to a subsequent meeting, and that is the point PUD outline plan for the EO Bay garages and also
- The Pratt Prince Administrative Subdivision Type E Access to Lot Waivers Request and Furniture on Improved
- Streets Waiver Request. Those will not be heard this evening and there are only two items on the agenda
- as I see here unless you have any other changes. Motion to approve? Motion to approve the agenda. Second.
- Motion to approve the agenda and a second. Greenfields? Yes. Morris? Yes.
- David Bush. Yes. And off. Yes. Yes. Very six to zero. Okay. Next up is approval of the minutes for the
- meeting on April 21st, 2026 to have a motion to approve. Second. There's been a motion in a second to
- approve the minutes.
- for March 17th, 2026. Billy Thomas? Yes. Jeffrey Morris? Yes. Rudy Fields? Yes. Scott Farris? Yes. John
- Benwright Randolph? Yes. David Bush? Yes. Okay, that takes us to administrative business. First up is
- SIA 24-7, Holland Field Subdivision Phase 3, Request for Reduction of Financial
- guarantee amount. So this is a request for reduction of a financial guarantee amount. We currently have
- a letter of credit on file that expires December 12, 2026 in the amount of $2,942.28 and we kind of
- hold that money under the SIA-21-7 and the
- Commission had approved back in December 2026 a performance-grade extension. We do have all the current
- performance bond document and SIA document agreements filed for this and so they're there. We worked
- really hard with the highway department and their engineers and come up with an estimate that we all
- could agree upon for the remaining improvements that are still
- and fields phase three subdivision this is an older aerial but several of these other lots have actually
- built out and did get submitted an essay from them and we supplied comments back on March 30th and then
- they came back with a few and directed a few things in the as
- and reviewed by the highway department. This was their original estimate at $56,000. We wanted to make
- a few upgrades and improvements to unit price amount and ended up
- There are a couple of the changes that we did. One thing that we had entertained was to rather than
- look at the sidewalks that needed to be removed and replaced, we had considered using a fine item in
- the INDOT spreadsheet called sidewalk concrete reconstruction. And the average price for that, I'm going
- to push this up to
- $26,000 more than what they were expecting. If we had been looking at phase one of Holland field subdivision
- where those sidewalks are so fiber optic utilities like indoor consideration I think the highway department
- and planning would have pushed for using that reconstruction line item but instead we found it more
- fair in this instance.
- with an estimate that we all thought made sense. So with that, approval of the request for a new performance
- with the county revisions dated April 26 and with an approved reduction in 44,000
- following required conditions and that is subject to engineers report in this program. Mission one is
- a new financial guarantee may be submitted in the form of either letter of credit or cashier's check
- for the total amount of $58,800. If the new posted amount is desired prior. Asking for a reduction,
- they would need to swap out letter of credit and deal with their bank
- The performance bond document shall be signed and recorded. Number three is the subdivision improvement
- agreement. The petitioner apply for a right of way acceptance.
- Let's go to the Commission. Anybody to my left have a question?
- I just wanted to make a recommendation to the group for item number one to not accept a cashier's check
- because financial instruments of that type become void after 180 days and the extension of this project
- exists beyond that. A modification to the existing letter of credit would be reasonable. Otherwise,
- a new letter of credit would be or some sort of bond would be ideal.
- Otherwise, the financial institution that the cashier's check would be drawn on if it exists past the
- 180 days would be at their discretion, not their obligation to cash.
- answer with the cashier's check when we receive that we can we automatically deposit into its own line
- and it's difficult to get it out but we don't have to worry about it expiring on our part which is a
- little easier on that sense with the letter of credit we have to be hyper vigilant make sure these I
- did a while ago that we do not do mm-hmm yeah one more question that if you're depositing those they
- go into an interest-bearing account
- I know that does occur at the county government level and I don't know if these specific assets are
- allowed to do that, honestly. That's the treasurer's office. Right, yeah, there's certain restrictions
- on that for IELTA accounts and ASCRO accounts, things like that, so I don't know if it falls within
- that purview, but if it doesn't, then. I don't think it does. I think it has to be ready to cash in.
- The developer wants it back.
- have one question and that is that you have in this recommendations additions one through four you have
- discussed that with the petitioner I assume and everybody's in agreement correct they were given a copy
- of the report and we agreed on the estimate so they already have the two on file if they want to give
- us another letter of credit
- that reduced amount, we just ask that file with the correct amount. And fourth one, yeah, if they don't
- get their acceptance completed, then they need to come back here to the performance period extension.
- All right. Looks like Tron, you got a question. Go ahead. Not really a question. I just wanted to let
- Ms. Behrman know that
- her mic is going in and out, maybe if the microphone was adjusted a bit. I'm hearing like one word out
- every 10, so I'm able to repeat the recommendation and everything, so I'm good. Also, I appreciate Mr.
- Bishop's comments from his expertise, but yeah, just for the public and for Ms. Beerman, we are able to,
- Thank you, Tron. I'm the only one in here with the old microphone. And Julie just brought me a new one.
- So there we go. Perfect. Teamwork makes the dream work. Thank you. All right. Because this is administrative,
- we really don't have a requirement unless somebody tells me that I'm wrong. Make a statement. Nor do
- we need to take and have public comment. Correct. I have a motion from one of the members
- I move approval of the request for a new performance guarantee amount based on the current engineer's
- estimate with the county revisions dated April 28, 2026 and with an approved reduction in the amount
- of $44,048.23 with the following required conditions subject to the highway engineer reports and stormwater
- program manager reports.
- One, a new financial guarantee may be submitted in the form of either a letter of credit or cashier's
- check for the total amount of $58,894.05, $102,948.42, original LOC minus $44,048.23 reduction request
- if the new posted amount is desired prior to the completion of the required public improvements.
- Two, a performance bond document shall be signed and recorded within two weeks of submitting the new
- amount of the financial guarantee as stated in condition one above. Three, a subdivision improvement
- agreement document shall be signed and recorded within two weeks of submitting the new amount of the
- financial guarantee as stated in condition one above. And four, petitioner apply for a right away acceptance
- on or before December 12, 2026. I have a friendly amendment.
- as long as I don't have to read it again. Yes, backwards. I think we should add to your hauling field
- subdivision phase three. I accept all that. I'll second.
- request for the new performance guarantee amount for the division phase three. 24-7. Based on the current
- engineer's estimate, county revisions dated 8th, 2026. Approved reduction in the amount of 44,000 or
- conditions
- listed in the staff report, not reread at this time. Or in the stormwater program. I'll go ahead and
- call the roll. David Bush. Yes. On and write Randolph. Just a clarification. Oh, friendly amendment.
- I'm sorry. The friendly amendment was nothing more than adding the the SAA 24 seven.
- and making it clear that the subdivision was for phase three. Oh, absolutely. Sorry, Mr. Ferris. For
- some reason, the audio is just really bad on the virtual. I vote yes. Scott Ferris. Yes. Rudy Fields.
- Yes. Jeffrey Morris. Yes. Billy Thomas. Yes. Motion carries six to zero. All right. That moves us on
- to new business. And we have
- Rd 26 one, which is a new road name for the improved road segment off of the twenty hundred plus or
- minus block of West Gordon Pike, which is adjacent to the Southwest Library Library of Bachelor Middle
- School and. Thank you. As mentioned, the request is to establish a road name for what is currently a
- section of driveway. The purpose of this is to take it into the Monroe County Road Inventory and make
- it a public road.
- The petitioner is the Monroe County Highway Department. And more specifically, they are requesting a
- new road name from West Gordon Pike from the roundabouts that now forms an intersection with West Gordon
- Pike, South Clearview Drive and West Fullerton Pike to its northern terminus, which is the driveway
- for bachelor middle school.
- The proposed 385 linear foot road in question is currently a driveway that provides access to the Monroe
- County Southwest Public Library and the bachelor middle school. This petition is again requested due
- to the highway department being interested in taking that section of driveway and see the Monroe County
- road inventory. A current signage and map applications such as Apple Maps refer to this driveway as
- bachelor school drive
- but this was never officially approved nor taken into the Monroe County Road Inventory. Indian State
- Statute 36-7-4-405 gives authority to the Planning Commission to assign street names and numbers. So
- the following alternative names were suggested by the library themselves, such as Library Road, Literacy
- Lane or Drive or Way, Enlightenment Lane, Drive or Way, Learning Road,
- Sorry, Reading Road, Learning Lane or way, but it should be noted that Branch Drive and Branch Road
- have been rejected as there are multiple other roads in the county that have the word branch in their
- names, such as West East Branch Road. The goal is that every road name should be unique and unmistakable
- from other road names that are existing. The following names have been independently suggested from
- other county departments involved in this petition.
- Knowledge Lane, Seekers Drive, Scholars Lane, Readers Lane, Cognitive Drive, Intellectual Drive, and
- Education Drive. Alternatively, the Planning Commission can choose to officially designate the road
- as Bachelor School Drive. The Bachelor Middle School and the Monroe County Community School Corporation
- have not provided any recommendations at this time. Emergency Services has stated that any name would
- be acceptable to dispatch
- so long as it is not similar to any existing road name. Comments from various county departments are
- as follows from the planning department in terms of addressing it appears that the public school that
- the public library and the bachelor middle school are the only two addresses that will be impacted along
- this section of roadway having the addresses of
- 9 of 890 West Gordon Pike for the library and 900 West Gordon Pike for bachelor middle school. The final
- determination for new address numbers are pending the establishment of road ranges. In regards to historic
- preservation board, they often review and provide input regarding road name changes. However, this petition
- has not been reviewed by them as this time. It is scheduled to be heard by the board during their meeting
- on May 18th, 2026.
- Here is a view of the entrance to the proposed road from the roundabout that is the intersection of
- West Gordon Pike, West Rollerton Pike, and South Clearview Drive. And here is a picture of the roadway
- itself. And here is a sign that is publicly posted along the roundabout showing it as Bachelor School
- Drive, which again, the board can either, the commission can either
- vote to approve or change. Here's just a GIS view showing the rough path the road follows in blue, as
- well as an isometric aerial view of said road along with the two properties that connect off of it.
- Staff does have a recommendation for the road name. Staff recommends that the roadway be named South
- Learning Lane, conditional to review by the Historic Preservation Board.
- and I will take any questions. Ron had a question. Yeah, thank you. I guess, does highway have
- a recommendation? The reason I asked that is there's already existing sign that costs money to remove
- a new one to be installed. I guess my additional
- question on that as well. Daniel is or it's more to wait until the history plays in. Is there any urgency
- here? I'm amenable to the direction that the planning commission wants to go. But those are just so
- I know that some members of the highway department have had their opinions
- expressed, particularly the first six names on this list were suggested by Ginger Young. I know that
- Lisa Rich expressed a liking for South Education Drive, but I believe those were more personal preferences
- than in their roles as members of the highway departments. I do remember an email where Lisa said it
- was not an inconvenience to change the sign name that's out there. They would have had to change it,
- I think, anyway because of road
- the North Southeast West. So it needs an upgrade. Awesome. Thank you. Is there urgency? I kind of that
- two part question. I don't believe there's any real urgency to this petition, but they are requesting
- a waiver of final hearing. Okay, thank you. Appreciate that. Commissioner Thomas. Thank you.
- So I had a discussion with my colleagues on the board of commissioners today about this item just to
- kind of get their input. And there's an interest in just leaving it as Bachelor Drive. But then one
- of my colleagues suggested adding her first name, which is Laura, L-O-R-A, I believe. We'll have to
- look that up and verify it. But calling it Laura Bachelor Drive might be a nice
- way to commemorate who the school is named after. And being a leader in education in our community,
- I think it's a nice thing to do. And it fits in with both buildings. So I'd like to suggest that we
- consider that. Okay, let's go back up to the commission. Anybody else on the left here have a comment?
- I agree with Commissioner Thomas. I think this is a really good plan.
- Yeah, before Commissioner Thomas spoke, I was going to recommend keeping it as is just because it's
- been called that and the signs already up, but I like Commissioner Thomas. I agree with Commissioner
- Thomas. That's a nice option. Alternatively, I've got wisdom way. This is going to take. I also support
- Commissioner Thomas's comment.
- I guess we need to go to the petitioner which is County Highway or are they going to speak or are we
- pretty much have their position here? No petitioner. All right. We go to the public. We have go to teams.
- Anybody online or in the room would like to take and speak? And I don't see anybody any either for or
- against and so I guess we are ready for a motion. Go ahead.
- I move that case number RD 26-1, the new road name from West Gordon Pike in preliminary hearing, waiver
- of final hearing requested. We move that we roadway be named Laura Batchelor Drive. I'll second that.
- I'll second that. Do we need to ensure that we have
- name spelling correctly we make it conditional to that yes we need to we need to verify the spelling
- of the first name I found it in one location but I would want staff to verify the spelling of the first
- name well I don't want to offer that as a friendly amendment as I'm the second step that for a conditional
- Unless Mr. Fields restate his motion to include that. I'm you know based on what I've heard here I'd
- like to also recommend that that is conditional based on the Historic Preservation Board's review. I'll
- second. So my question for Ms. Bierman is if the Historic Preservation Board says they don't like that road name
- What happens next? Does it come back to us? It doesn't have to. Okay. Thank you. Motion in a second.
- I guess my question, want to make it conditional to the review or do we want to finalize it? I'm sorry,
- I know there's a motion. We have a motion in a second.
- There's been a motion and a second to new road name RD-26-1 to segment of road along West Gordon Pike,
- Laura Bachelor Drive. And this has the condition that one, that the spelling for Laura is confirmed,
- that it is historically correct.
- and two, that the HP, the Historic Conservation Board of Review, reviews the name. Go ahead and call
- the roll. David Bush? Yes. Ron and Wright Randolph? Yes. Scott Ferris? Yes. Rudy Fields?
- Yes, but does it need the South in front of it? Based on road, on how road names work, it would have
- the South in front of it. So it would be South Laura Bachelor Drive. Julie Thomas? Yes. All right, motion
- carries six to zero. All right, that concludes the new business. Let's go ahead and go to staff reports.
- Anything from the planning department?
- officially acting director. Congratulations. And from legal. No report. So we don't have another meeting
- in May. Correct. We canceled the May meeting that was regularly scheduled for the 19th.
- And I guess we need to take and address those things not on the agendas or anybody has any items that
- they'd like to bring up. Okay. Move to adjourn.