Need, desire drive new houses

A local developer received primary plat approval to create a nine-lot subdivision along U.S. 27.

Scott Pierce, a Fountain City native, plans for the Deer Trace subdivision to cover 24 acres on the northwest corner of U.S. 27 and Union Pike. The subdivision will be north of Webster Road, which runs into the angled Union Pike just west of U.S. 27.

The Wayne County Advisory Plan Commission unanimously approved the primary plat during its Feb. 20 meeting. It also granted Pierce variances waiving a requirement of soil borings prior to primary plat and reducing the front and side yard setbacks. The approval is conditional on the soil borings proving septic is possible and on a traffic study finalizing placement of the subdivision’s two roads.

Dan Burk, director of the county’s health department, said he had no concerns about the viability of septic systems for the lots. Gordon Moore, who represented Pierce, said the traffic study would result in moving one of the roads or a request for the county to reduce the speed limit on Webster Road.

The plan commission will later consider secondary plat approval after those issues and others, such as drainage and house placement on lots, are finalized. On Dec. 12, Wayne County’s Board of Zoning Appeals granted the project a variance of use to create the subdivision on land zoned agricultural.

Pierce said the custom homes are a creative project for his company, SCM Construction, which has Costco and Tractor Supply as core customers. Homes are expected to cost from $300,000 to more than $500,000 on lots ranging from 1.75 to 3.5 acres. Two 300-foot roads with cul-de-sacs — Buck Shot Trail and Doe Meadow Path — will access the homes from Webster Road.

“I grew up here, and to leave something behind is pretty cool,” Pierce said.

Matthew Hicks, the superintendent of Northeastern Wayne School Corp., said that houses are badly needed within Northeastern’s school district. He did not find a house in the district that fit his family.

Hicks said families sending their children to Northeastern schools from outside the district often mention they’d like to live in the district but can’t find housing. Hicks said 35% of Northeastern’s students live in other school districts. It would be a “tremendous benefit” for those families to live in the district and increase the district’s assessed valuation, Hicks said.

Keith Webster, a former Northeastern school board member, said certain dollars do not follow students from other districts when they enroll at Northeastern. That creates a financial crunch with the district repairing buildings rather than expanding. Webster said additional property taxpayers within the district are badly needed.

Realtor Tracie Robinson said that as of Feb. 20 there were only 11 houses on the market in the Northeastern district. She said there’s a need and a desire for more homes in that area.

Jason Troutwine, a Reid Health vice president, said Reid struggles to recruit employees because there’s not enough housing stock, creating an issue with providing health care. Housing developments are crucial for Reid, he said, as it looks to fill 200 job openings, including 150 requiring medical credentials.

Dakota Collins represented Earlham College and echoed the challenge to attract and retain faculty and staff when conversations about housing options are difficult. He said a growing and healthy community needs additional housing to attract and retain talented employees.

David Sheets said he’s lived on Timothy Drive north of the proposed subdivision for 54 years, and for 53 of those, he’s expected the land to his south would be developed. He agreed the housing is needed but expressed concerns about drainage in the Timothy Drive area.

Chris Retz, another Timothy Drive resident, also said drainage is a problem and shared fears that the subdivision would raise his property taxes without him actually improving his lot.

A drainage tile runs diagonally from Timothy Drive homes across the subdivision property and under Webster Road. A drainage plan must be approved by the county’s drainage board.