By Noah Crenshaw | Daily Journal
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A concerned Greenwood resident questioned the vacation of sanitary easements for a proposed apartment complex on the city’s far southwest side.
The ordinance would allow for the vacation of previously established drainage and utility easements for the Swartz Crossing Commercial Subdivision, located near the intersection of State Road 135 and Stones Crossing Road, with a condition that the ordinance be simultaneously passed with another ordinance allowing for the re-plat and new easements. The city did not want the property to be without a platted easement for any period of time.
The easements needed to be vacated to better accommodate the proposed complex, and would also help with future development on other lots, the developer said. The Greenwood Board of Public Works and Safety and Greenwood Advisory Plan Commission gave the proposed development favorable recommendations.
During a public hearing on the ordinance Monday night at the Greenwood City Council meeting, Greenwood resident Ilona Corcoran told the council she was concerned drainage from the proposed development would increase the amount of flooding in Stone Village, a nearby neighborhood where she lives. During heavy rains, the neighborhood floods. Sometimes, the flooding is so severe it makes its way into homes, she said.
Homeowners have tried to find solutions to the problem for years. Some of the runoff from the Swartz Crossing area runs into to her subdivision, Corcoran said.
The retention pond that was added in 2018 when Franciscan Health moved onto part of the property did help with the flooding, but it is still an issue, she said.
About six weeks ago, during a heavy rain, Corcoran had two feet of water in her backyard. This meant the retention pond was full, and the overflow was entering her neighborhood, she said.
The developer plans to add a larger retention pond, which is a good thing. Corcoran, though, is hoping any future developments at the Swartz Crossing Commercial Subdivision include smaller retention ponds and underground storage tanks for drainage. She also hopes the drainage is rerouted toward Honey Creek, she said.
The existing pond is not affected by the request that was before the council, said Derek Snyder, of CrossRoad Engineers, which represents the property owners. That pond was approved and built in compliance with the city’s storm water manual, he said.
Drainage and sewer easements on the eastside of the property will be affected by the ordinance because that is the area where the new development will be. Vacation of the easements would make or breaks the development, he said.
The council voted 7-1 to advance the proposal. A final vote will take place on Aug. 8.
In other news
The city council unanimously passed an ordinance that would allow council members and the public to continue to participate in meetings virtually.
The ordinance would allow for council members and the public to participate in meetings virtually, with conditions, after Gov. Eric Holcomb’s emergency orders regarding meetings expire. It will also amend the procedures for meeting minutes so that it lists which council members attend physically and virtually, according to city documents.
Council members have to give both the council president and the city clerk 72 hours notice, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, if they are going to participate virtually. This is so the public has an option to participate virtually, and so public meeting notices can include virtual information, city documents show.
A maximum of four council members can participate virtually during a single meeting, so there is a quorum of in-person council members as required by state law. They are not allowed to participate virtually if the council is taking final action on budgets, personnel reductions, initiating referendums, establishing or increasing fees or penalties, using eminent domain, or creating, raising or renewing taxes, according to city documents.
The ordinance also includes a procedure in the event of a technical failure of the virtual communication platforms. If there were some sort of issue that disrupts or prevents council members — or members of the public — from attending the meeting, it would not affect the validity of any actions taken during the meeting as long as the sum of council members participating in-person and virtually without issue satisfies both the quorum and voting requirements, city documents show.
Also on Monday, the city council voted unanimously to increase the salary for the assistant city attorney position following the departure of Sergey Grechukhin.
The salary for the assistant city attorney will be $85,000, a 19% increase. Last year, Grechukhin was paid $71,400.39 as assistant city attorney, according to Indiana Gateway.
Grechukhin left the city earlier this year to take a higher-paying job, city officials said.
