Public hearing set on smaller building lot sizes

The Brown County Area Plan Commission will have a public hearing at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 27 about whether or not to shrink the minimum size for lot sizes in residential districts in the county.

The APC is proposing that in R1 and R2 districts, the minimum building lot size be changed from 2 acres to 1.5 acres if a septic system is used.

At the October meeting, APC Chairman Dave Harden said the aim is to get more building sites. The group has been considering several different ways to change ordinances to make building in Brown County easier and possibly more affordable.

If someone has a large lot — such as 5 acres — they are able to ask for a “minor subdivision” to make another lot. (Any division that makes more than two lots is considered a “major subdivision.”)

Right now, unless that lot is at least 2 acres and has a space where a septic system and driveway can go, it is not buildable. The idea of shrinking the minimum from 2 acres to 1.5 is to create more possible buildable lots.

Regardless of whether or not this size change passes, a buildable lot needs to have a septic system or sewer access.

Audience member Heather Nicholson said that planned subdivisions make more environmental sense than allowing someone to split off part of their land and put another septic and another house on it.

Harden said planned subdivisions aren’t really practical right now because sewers aren’t widely available.

However, what this change would do is enable a person to build a home on a smaller piece of land than they previously could. “It goes right along with our square foot reduction size,” said APC member Russ Herndon, mentioning a change the APC made earlier this year in home size minimums.

The meeting will be in the County Office Building, at the corner of Gould Street and Locust Lane.

Town accepting letters of interest for board seats

If you want to volunteer to serve on a board or commission for the Town of Nashville, the deadline to express interest is Dec. 15.

Expression of interest forms are available on the town’s website at townofnashville.org and at Town Hall on Commercial Street. Commissions deal with a wide variety of topics including arts and entertainment, police, redevelopment, building and sign design, parking and restrooms and other focuses.

School board approves staff changes, field trip request

The Brown County School Board of Trustees approved the following Oct. 18:

• The Brown County Career Resource Center budget for 2019.
• The 2018-2019 contract between the Brown County Board of School Trustees and the Brown County Educators’ Association. The contract was ratified earlier in the day by the educators’ association and will allow teachers to move up a pay ladder along with receiving a lump sum payment, since the contract is retroactive to the contract year, Superintendent Laura Hammack said.
• A request for the Brown County High School History Club to travel to the Ohio Renaissance Festival on Oct. 20.
• Separating Sprunica Elementary School teacher Sarah Roberts, effective Oct. 26. This was not a termination. A new teacher will not be hired; teachers will be moved around within the building.
• Appointing Brown County Junior High School seventh-grade basketball coach Noah Smyth, $2,302 stipend.
• Appointing CRC adult basic education educator Brenda Krieger, $25 per hour, not to exceed four hours per week, no benefits, effective Oct. 19.
• Appointing boys’ fifth-grade basketball coach Ryan Oliver, $993 stipend, effective Nov. 26. He is a replacement for Justin Dodd.
• Appointing BCHS assistant football coach Kevin Greve, $1,614 stipend, effective Oct. 4.

Lake Monroe watershed plan funding recommended

BLOOMINGTON — The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) is recommending funding for a Friends of Lake Monroe project to develop a watershed management plan.

The Friends of Lake Monroe applied for a Section 319 grant in August. The grant, if received, would cover the cost of hiring a watershed coordinator, monitoring water quality, engaging stakeholders, and developing a watershed management plan. This work would serve to pinpoint areas of most concern in regards to sediments and nutrients entering the lake. The City of Bloomington Utility Services Board, Monroe County Stormwater Board, and the Sassafras Audubon Society have committed to provide matching funds if the grant is awarded.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is recommending the project for funding. This is not a guarantee of funding, since the federal funding allocation for Indiana has not yet been determined.

Sherry Mitchell-Bruker, FLM president, was cautiously optimistic about this news. “This is a very important step in the funding process and we are excited to have our application receive a high ranking,” she said in a press release. “There are many people who worked hard to bring us this far. The overwhelming support by our local government and community played a big part in our success. Let’s hope that we get the final EPA approval and funding so that we can meet our goal of developing a watershed plan for this vital resource.”

A large part of Lake Monroe’s watershed — the area from which water is funneled into the lake — is in Brown County.