By DAVE SCHULTZ
The Wells County Area Plan Commission approved the development plan for the county’s new highway garage Thursday night, and spent the bulk of its three-hour meeting considering items in the draft of the county’s revised comprehensive plan.
The highway garage will be near the intersection of Adams Street and Wells County Road 200S on Bluffton’s west side, and it will replace the century-old facility where Cherry and Washington streets come together.
Conor Jackson of Bluffton-based James S. Jackson Co., who is serving as the project manager for the new facility, was present as the eight members of the APC in attendance Thursday night reviewed the documents. They approved the plan, with four conditions attached to the approval — that the county drainage board review and approve the plan, that permits are obtained for driveway construction, easements are approved, and city approval is given for various utility signoffs.
The eight APC members present — Harry Baumgartner Jr., Tyson Brooks, Bill Horan, Josh Hunt, Jerome Markley, Tim Rohr, John Schuhmacher, and Becky Stone-Smith — all approved the plan. Three members — Corey Elzey, Jarrod Hahn, and Melissa Woodworth — were not present.
The revision of the comprehensive plan drew 28 members of the public to the meeting, and they all wanted to talk about one of two topics, and occasionally both of them — industrial solar farms and the section on transportation plans.
After the planners’ April meeting, APC staffers reopened the solar energy survey it had sought input in an attempt to make sure as many people had been given an opportunity to sound off on the issue. The results remained roughly the same — most people (73 percent) said that industrial solar farms would not be beneficial to the county. Those participating in the survey, however, were in favor of solar panels for household and commercial/business use.
Several people addressed the APC on the matter, with many of them taking issue with the statement in the energy section that the community “should actively promote the installation of solar energy facilities of all scales.” Those who addressed the APC on the matter particularly wanted to remove the word “support” and replace it with something neutral or even expressing opposition to the larger solar farms.
Many people said the transportation section placed too much emphasis on improving Ind. 1 through or around Ossian and wanted additional alternatives brought forward.
Mike Lautzenheiser, the APC’s executive director, said he would review the verbiage and bring alternative language to the APC’s next meeting on June 2.
That brought up a question as to whether the APC’s customary venue — the all-purpose room in the lower level of the Wells Carnegie Government Center — was large enough for the June meeting. The room was nearly at capacity Thursday night, which meant any additional people could create a problem at the next meeting.
The APC members directed Lautzenheiser to look into alternative sites for the June meeting. Lautzenheiser said he would do that, but depending on availability, it could mean the June 2 meeting could be delayed as well as moved to new location. An announcement would be made when that decision has been made.
daves@news-banner.com
