The Plan Commission offered primary plat approval for the proposed Sandy Trails subdivision, but not without some tension.

RCJJ Development Inc. plans to develop the 153-lot subdivision on 54 acres south of the 5400 block of U.S. 6.

Chris Salatas Jr. of Lotton Development outlined plans for the subdivision. Drainage would be on the west side, curving around to let water flow southward from the center of the site. On the southeast corner, a wooded wetland would remain untouched.

Plans call for a main entrance on U.S. 6. That was one of the stumbling blocks for the Plan Commission Monday night.

The commission approved the primary plat under the condition that the Indiana Department of Transportation approve the U.S. 6 entrance, that the Indiana Department of Environmental Management sign off on the drainage plans and that the developer work with the city to get a list of acceptable trees and where to place them.

Each lot will have a tree. Salatas and the city want to make sure the trees’ roots don’t harm the underground infrastructure, so the city will say what types of trees are suitable.

Commission member Victoria Vasquez, who also serves as City Council president, proposed denying the primary plat approval until all those conditions are met.

Commission attorney Scott McClure, however, reinforced Salatas’ assertion that INDOT and IDEM won’t even talk with the developer until the primary plat approval is granted.

The commission’s vote was that no dirt can be moved at the site until INDOT, IDEM and the city approve the developer’s plans. Salatas said that wouldn’t have happened before May anyway.

One resident complained about the small size of the homes, which she thought would have 550 square feet of living space, not much larger than a deluxe hotel room. Salatas said the minimum will be 900 square feet.

The homes are designed to be maintenance-free, he said, with a homeowners association whose rules will prevent backyard pools and allow only white PVC or black wrought iron fences. In addition, houses can’t be painted the same color as a neighboring house. That’s a plan to prevent monotony.

So many of the Plan Commission members were absent Monday that election of officers and other annual decisions were put off until the next meeting.

Doug Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.