Jan. 25 - Allen County commissioners get BZA delay on jail

County staff and elected officials held a community information meeting Jan. 10 at the New Haven Community Center. During that meeting, county staff and the architect and engineering team gathered valuable feedback from neighbors and other local stakeholders, according to a notice from the commissioners.

Several requests were universally shared by those in attendance. Additionally, a Department of Planning Services staff report released on Jan. 13 outlined further site plan considerations.

The Commissioners want enough time to consider the new information shared at the Jan. 10 meeting and to incorporate portions of it into revised site plans, building images and drainage plans.

Commissioner Therese Brown asked Cory Miller of Elevatus, the company designing the new jail, to talk about some of the changes. He said residents were concerned about the berm on the north side, especially how long it will be. They also were concerned about fencing.separating the jail property from the surrounding area.

Miller said those seem like small items, but the biggest issue involves the location of the vehicle “sally port,” where all traffic comes in and out. Originally it was planned for the north side of the building. “It wasn’t a concern of ours, but the neighbors didn’t really like it there, Miller said.

The neighbors talked to the sheriff, too, who said the building could be flipped, Miller said.

“So when we flipped the building, all of a sudden we have different functions on different sides, and now we have to deal with parking, and the parking’s different,” Miller said.

Plus the additional acreage the county bought for future expansion also “throws a wrinkle” into the plans, he said.

But Elevatus is “massaging” the plan. Miller thinks they’ll have a plan to show the commissioners and sheriff in about a week, and should be ready for the February BZA meeting.