By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — It didn’t take long for the first sign of new development to surface after construction of the new Tippecanoe-Chapman Regional Sewer District began two weeks ago.
On Tuesday, the Kosciusko County Commissioners approved a recommendation from the area plan commission to rezone about 20 acres along Stanton Lake Road, just south of Tippecanoe Lake.
Tuesday’s approval is the major step but how many homes could be constructed is still unclear, said Area Plan Commission Plan Director Matt Sandy.
The request by the Ransbottom family to rezone the land from agriculture to residential was unanimously approved by the commissioners and follows a unanimous recommendation from the area plan commission.
The only opposition came from one resident who express concern about whether Stanton Lake Road can handle the increased traffic.
The move comes two weeks after construction began on the new sewer district that will serve customers around ncd Chapman and Tippecane lakes.
The area represents one of the biggest residential lake areas in the state that still is without sewer service.
Sandy said he believes there is a connection between the two events.
“If I had to take a guess, almost totally, it’s the sewer. Without sewer, lot density is a lot higher, soils become more of a factor — so sewer really opens the door for this to happen,” Sandy said.
Construction of sewers will continue into 2024. Nearly all residents in the area have signed agreements to participate.
Officials have predicted the availability of sewers would open the door for more development.
“This is what we anticipated seeing and we’re probably going to see more of it around Chapman and Tippy,” he said.
