By MARGIE TRAX PAGE - Staff Writer - mtrax@starbeacon.com
GENEVA-ON-THE-LAKE — All of Indian Creek Campground is officially located within the village, as Village Council voted Monday night to accept the annexation of 16 acres of Geneva Township land into the municipality.
Monday’s ordinance agrees to absorb 16 acres of Geneva Township land into the village, a plan that has taken nearly a year to complete.
The agreement outlines conditions for extension of sewer and other services, including police and fire protection, from the village to the campground.
The annexation is part of the $5 million expansion of the Indian Creek Campground, which would more than double the facility’s camp sites, campground manager Ed Andrus Jr. said.
Andrus’ first step toward expansion came last year, when he asked village officials to vacate North Bend Road, which was a bitter pill for some council members to swallow because North Bend Road parallels Lake Road, which is the main approach to the village from the east.
The successful vacation of North Bend cleared the way for the geographical switch of campground’s 16 township acres to become village land, ultimately opening the door to village sewer and water services and allowing for the development of as many as 500 full-service campsites, Andrus said.
Andrus said he will begin obtaining permits to have the village’s sewers extended to the property. The Andrus family manages the Indian Creek Camping Resort for Morgan Management, which purchased the property from the Andrus family three years ago.
Village Administrator Jim Hockaday said the agreement does not give Indian Creek the green light on any project — at least not yet.
“This does not give (Andrus) license to expand carte blanche,” he said. “Council must still review and approve every project and (water or sewer) tap-in.”
Hockaday said the annexation clears up an question of police or fire service to the 16 acres.
“Having those 16 acres in the township caused some problems if there was an emergency because the sheriff’s department had to be called,” he said.
Hockaday also said village sewers will be able to handle the added stress of Indian Creek tap-ins, but the system will also be monitored closely for any problems.
