By JESSICA BRICKER
City and county officials want to continue conversations about the barricades at Premier Flats and North Oaks.
Bluffton Fire Chief Don Craig told the county commissioners Monday that the original agreement was for the barricades to be removed once construction of the new apartment complex was complete.
“I’m asking at this time the barricades be removed,” Craig said.
Commissioner Vice President Blake Gerber said he received short notice — five minutes — to attend a meeting last week about the barricades. He was unable to attend but President Mike Vanover did.
“I’ve investigated projects like this, actually projects this developer did,” Gerber continued. “I want more time to investigate it because based on projects they’ve done — Fort Wayne, West Lafayette, Brownsburg, I believe — there is one access point, which you have off of State Road 1, and had no other access at all. I want to get a determination, because we’re not hindering the access point off of State Road 1.”
Additionally, Gerber said there are minutes from previous commissioners’ meetings with previous commissioners during which time the approval for connection was stipulated by a minimum occupancy level at the apartment complex.
“I’m not sure if the message didn’t get to the city,” Gerber said of that requirement. “I apologize.”
He said once it was approved, county officials didn’t hear anything until this point.
The barricades have switched from concrete to sandbag-weighted barricades that Gerber said can be moved in 20 seconds if needed.
“I want more time for discussion, at some point, in private. We don’t need to do it in a public session. I think we just need to get together privately,” Gerber said.
“I would encourage that meeting,” Craig responded. “I feel it’s a safety concern having (them in place). There’s a lot of people there, and I think we need two accesses. But I would encourage that meeting, sir.”
jessica@news-banner.com
