Cedar Creek Project Stirs Debate
By Bob Caylor, The News-Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Ind.
May 29–A county board on Wednesday opened the door to a massive new housing development near Cedar Creek in northern Allen County and, in doing so, to a potential conflict of interest.
The owner of the land, which covers almost a quarter-square-mile in a part of Perry Township renowned for preserved natural areas, is Charles Bodenhafer, president of the Allen County Plan Commission. The commission is set to review the proposal next month.
Oakmont Development III LLC, however, brings something unique to the commission: a promise to help solve an environmental problem. It pledges to provide access to a sewer line — at its expense — for homes that rely on failing septic systems.
That provision appeared to help persuade the board of the Allen County Regional Water and Sewer District to unanimously approve a change in policy. Instead of banning new development in such an area, board member Ted Nitza proposed allowing approval if developers, at their expense, provide direct sewer access to at least twice as many residences as they build.
In the case of Canyon Cliffs, the proposed addition at Chapman and Coldwater roads, that would mean at least 56 houses with defunct or decrepit septic systems would be able to tap into a line Oakmont would build to hook up to Fort Wayne’s.
Local officials, however, can still count on advocates for natural preservation expressing strong opposition.
"The entire development is really a bad idea from the standpoint of crossing Cedar Creek," said Ron James, a former president of the local chapter of the conservationist Izaak Walton League, which owns land nearby, said during Wednesday’s sewer board meeting.
Originally, Oakmont envisioned building septic systems for each of the homes, Mike Thomas, a registered agent for Oakmont, told the sewer board Wednesday. The development would include 28 homes, none located on a lot smaller than about 2 1/2 acres.
Later, however, "the developer reached out to the district, and asked, ‘Can we do something here that’s a win-win?’" said attorney Thomas Niezer, representing Oakmont, after the meeting.
But the Canyon Cliffs development isn’t a sure thing. On June 12 the plan commission is scheduled to consider a request to approve development of six "minor plats" that together would form the 139-acre addition.
Beyond that, in order to approve the development, the plan commission would have to revoke restrictive covenants on land that otherwise remain in effect through at least 2015.
Fort Wayne attorney John Gastineau, representing Larry Yoder, another opponent of the development, asked board members why it had popped up suddenly and appeared on the fast track for approval.
"You don’t do these things overnight," Gastineau said.
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Copyright (c) 2008, The News-Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Ind.
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