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Record of Proceedings

Lake County Plan Commission Meeting – April 15, 2026

County Boards & Commissions — Wednesday, April 15, 2026
BodyLake County, Indiana
SessionCounty Boards & Commissions
DateWednesday, April 15, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:05

Uh if we could all stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, please.

0:18

Under God.

0:27

The following is emergency exit announcement.

0:30

In case of an emergency, exit the commissioner's courtroom, proceed to the stairs, go to the second floor and exit the building.

0:36

Do not enter an elevator in an emergency.

0:38

You require assistance, a plan commission employee will escort or assist you.

0:42

Please silence any cell phones during this meeting.

0:45

If you receive a call during this meeting, please excuse yourself with as little disruption as possible to these proceedings.

0:53

Thank you.

0:54

Real quick.

1:01

Jim Metro.

1:02

Here.

1:02

Can you see?

1:04

Here.

1:04

Paul Panson?

1:05

Here.

1:06

Brandy Halbidas?

1:07

Here.

1:07

Jerry Tippy.

1:10

Here.

1:10

We can have a core.

1:13

Yeah.

1:13

Um communications.

1:16

I don't believe we have any communications.

1:19

Oh, I'm sorry.

1:20

We do have on the the for uh adjustments to the agenda.

1:23

I'm not sure if it's proper or not.

1:25

Item number one, uh under old business, petition number 26-Z Cero one.

1:29

Johnson Sunnybrook Farms LLC.

1:32

Land trust company is trustee under trust number 4928.

1:35

And Barbas Foundation properties LC owners and Denwitty Holdings LS petitioner.

1:40

Properties located approximately two tenths well east of Clay Street on the south side of East 100 First 181st Avenue in Eagle Creek Township.

1:47

We have quest zone change from A1 agricultural zone to L1 Light Industrial Zone for the purpose of allowing a data center.

1:53

Um I believe this was tabled, if not just a first one.

1:59

Uh what's the adjustment?

2:01

Uh just the fact that there's gonna be no action taken on the zone change for sunny birth.

2:05

Okay, yeah.

2:06

I I think it was already deferred to according to this today twenty and so I'm sorry.

2:10

I don't think there's any action.

2:11

No need to touch it.

2:14

One item of interest is we have reserved the auditorium for the May 20th meeting.

2:21

Anticipating a crowd so they don't have to stand out on the hall.

2:26

Yeah.

2:26

So and I think Terrell has written the legal ads notifying everybody.

2:31

Right.

2:31

Our meeting will be in the auditorium on May twentieth, rather.

2:37

Great.

2:40

Um also we had a um committee formed to look at some amendments to the uh data center ordinance.

2:48

We did meet uh on that at a very productive, I think, meeting and review of kind of some staff uh proposed uh amendments.

2:57

Um but no, we don't have anything formal to bring back to the commission at this time.

3:01

Not at this time I have not.

3:02

Based on the the comments I have not been rewritten the ordinance, you know.

3:08

Since I overstepped my bonds in a lot of the earlier things.

3:12

You said it, not me.

3:14

I still like the fact that I use well we love you, Ned.

3:18

Um other communications or anything else.

3:22

Do we have I have a lot to say, but it's not the thing we can wrap up communications.

3:29

All right, we did have uh uh minutes uh for March.

3:32

What?

3:33

Did you have anything, Paul?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Land Use Planning█████████████████████████████████████████████51%
Zoning Regulations██████████████████████████29%
Water And Wastewater Management██████████████16%
Procedural████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Lake County Plan Commission Meeting – April 15, 2026

The Lake County Plan Commission met on April 15, 2026 with five members present. The meeting addressed several zoning and subdivision petitions, including a special exception for the Crossroads YMCA, three zone change requests, and a final subdivision approval. One item was deferred to the May 20 meeting, which will be held in the auditorium to accommodate an expected large crowd.

Consent Calendar

  • The minutes from the March meeting were approved unanimously.
  • Two site development plans approved by staff (26-SDP-06 PC – Illiana Christian High School west side addition; 26-SDP-07 PC – Lumen fiber optic booster addition) were noted without discussion.

Old Business

  • 26-ZC-01 PC – Johnson Sunnybrook Farm (Data Center): This zone change from A-1 to M-1 was previously deferred to May 20, 2026. No action was taken; the May meeting will be held in the auditorium due to anticipated public interest.
  • 26-SE-02 BZA – Crossroads YMCA (Solid Fill): Petitioner Russ Posen (civil engineer) and Todd Sevens Coleman (Crossroads YMCA CAO) presented a request for a special exception to deposit solid fill on the day camp property. The project involves excavating sediment from two existing ponds to deepen them for watercraft activities, with material placed outside the floodplain but within the floodway. Indiana DNR approval was obtained. Commission discussion focused on flood storage and erosion control. No public comments were made. Vote: Unanimous favorable recommendation to the Board of Zoning Appeals. (5-0)

New Business

  • 26-FS-03 – David Vanderzee (Vander-Wold Estates): Request for final subdivision approval to create two residential lots. Petitioner David Vanderzee stated the surveyor and all agencies provided favorable comments. No public hearing required. Vote: Unanimous approval. (5-0)
  • 26-ZC-02 PC – Tyler Jabaay (Jabaay Ventures): Zone change from R-3 and B-2 to B-3 for a landscaping business. Petitioner Nathan Viss explained the property was historically used for heavy equipment storage and maintenance. Commissioners discussed the need for consistency with a similar earlier petition in the area and possible restrictions on B-3 uses. The petitioner requested time to work with staff on limitations. Vote: Unanimous deferral to the May meeting. (5-0)
  • 26-ZC-03 PC – Martin Butler (Firewood Sales): Zone change from R-3 to B-1 for the sale of firewood on a 0.29-acre lot. Petitioner Martin Butler presented letters of support from neighbors. One public commenter expressed concern that the zoning change could allow undesirable future uses. Commissioners noted the small lot size limits potential future development and that the corridor is planned for commercial use. Vote: Unanimous favorable recommendation to the County Council. (5-0)
  • 26-ZC-04 PC – Greg Jessup (Residential Development): Zone change from CD to R-1 for a proposed five-lot single-family subdivision on approximately 10 acres. Petitioner Doug Redig outlined a concept with lots fronting on Parish Avenue, all on well and septic. Discussion covered road access, sewer availability, and potential water table impacts. Public commenter Maureen Carroll opposed, citing concerns about lowering water levels in her pond from new wells. Commissioners countered that large-lot rural zoning minimizes water impact compared to higher-density annexed development. Vote: Unanimous favorable recommendation to the County Council. (5-0)

Public Comments & Testimony

  • One speaker spoke against the Martin Butler firewood zone change, warning that the zoning change could allow undesirable businesses in the future, but acknowledged the petitioner's good work.
  • Maureen Carroll (15206 Parish Street) spoke against the Greg Jessup zone change, stating her pond has dropped 4–5 feet in the last five years and that adding five homes with private wells would further deplete the water table.

Key Outcomes

  • Unanimous favorable recommendation to the BZA for the Crossroads YMCA solid fill special exception.
  • Unanimous approval of the Vander-Wold Estates final subdivision (2 lots).
  • Deferral of the Jabaay Ventures zone change to the May 20 meeting for further refinement with staff.
  • Unanimous favorable recommendations to the County Council for the Butler firewood zone change (R-3 to B-1) and the Jessup residential zone change (CD to R-1).
  • The May 20 Plan Commission meeting will be held in the auditorium due to expected high attendance for the Sunnybrook data center petition.

Meeting Transcript

Uh if we could all stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, please. Under God. The following is emergency exit announcement. In case of an emergency, exit the commissioner's courtroom, proceed to the stairs, go to the second floor and exit the building. Do not enter an elevator in an emergency. You require assistance, a plan commission employee will escort or assist you. Please silence any cell phones during this meeting. If you receive a call during this meeting, please excuse yourself with as little disruption as possible to these proceedings. Thank you. Real quick. Jim Metro. Here. Can you see? Here. Paul Panson? Here. Brandy Halbidas? Here. Jerry Tippy. Here. We can have a core. Yeah. Um communications. I don't believe we have any communications. Oh, I'm sorry. We do have on the the for uh adjustments to the agenda. I'm not sure if it's proper or not. Item number one, uh under old business, petition number 26-Z Cero one. Johnson Sunnybrook Farms LLC. Land trust company is trustee under trust number 4928. And Barbas Foundation properties LC owners and Denwitty Holdings LS petitioner. Properties located approximately two tenths well east of Clay Street on the south side of East 100 First 181st Avenue in Eagle Creek Township. We have quest zone change from A1 agricultural zone to L1 Light Industrial Zone for the purpose of allowing a data center. Um I believe this was tabled, if not just a first one. Uh what's the adjustment? Uh just the fact that there's gonna be no action taken on the zone change for sunny birth. Okay, yeah. I I think it was already deferred to according to this today twenty and so I'm sorry. I don't think there's any action. No need to touch it. One item of interest is we have reserved the auditorium for the May 20th meeting. Anticipating a crowd so they don't have to stand out on the hall. Yeah. So and I think Terrell has written the legal ads notifying everybody. Right. Our meeting will be in the auditorium on May twentieth, rather. Great. Um also we had a um committee formed to look at some amendments to the uh data center ordinance. We did meet uh on that at a very productive, I think, meeting and review of kind of some staff uh proposed uh amendments. Um but no, we don't have anything formal to bring back to the commission at this time.

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