Putnam commissioners deny request to vacate Chimera Way after residents cite lake access and firefighting needs

The Putnam County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to deny an application to vacate a portion of Chimera Way in Interlochen Lake Estates, concluding that the road provides public lake access and is important for emergency response.

Commissioner Harvey, who opened the board’s discussion, said: "It's time to put this situation to bed. I'm tired of listening to it," and urged denial of the vacation while proposing that the county take the road into its maintenance system as a class 2 road to preserve access for residents and public safety. That motion to deny the vacation was moved by Commissioner Harvey and carried unanimously.

The hearing drew sustained public testimony from more than a dozen residents and community representatives. Mary Lynn Pianton, who lives one block from the road, told commissioners the road was deeded to the county in 1970 and said vacating it would be "devastating to our community." Attorney Joe Saviak, representing neighborhood residents, told the board the road serves as a gateway to the south end of George's Lake and said Putnam County Fire Rescue "objects to the county vacating this property" because it could impede drafting operations for firefighting.

Multiple residents presented a signed petition, copies of the recorded plat, and personal testimony about decades of public use and maintenance. Fire and safety concerns were a recurring theme: a retired firefighter explained that losing the south-end access would add roughly 20–30 minutes to round-trip drafting operations in sustained firefighting efforts, and a volunteer fire-department representative said a planned dry hydrant at the access point made preservation especially important.

Applicant Kevin Nelson acknowledged he had examined title and plat materials before purchasing his property and said his intent for the parcel was to reconfigure backyard space, not to rezone or immediately pursue commercial development. He requested clarity about definitions and replacement easements if the board required a formally defined public boat ramp, park or other recordable access. He also said that any future commercial proposal would require rezoning.

County staff and the county engineer advised the board that vacating public access to a body of water conflicts with goals and objectives in the Putnam County comprehensive plan and that public interest in drainage and emergency access weighed against vacating the right of way. Director of Public Works Mr Stout stated the department recommended the vacate not be approved.

Following public comment and staff input, commissioners expressed concern about property values, community character and emergency response. Commissioner Alexander said denying access would "deny access to a resource for your community" and raised concerns about the impact on property values; Commissioner Newbold and Commissioner Pelasier also spoke in favor of retaining access. The board asked staff to schedule a future agenda item to consider classifying Chimera Way as a class 2 county road, which would make it part of the county maintenance system with limited maintenance obligations.

The board’s action was procedural: it denied the vacation request on the record and did not at this meeting finalize any reclassification. The chair said staff should place the class 2 designation discussion on a subsequent meeting agenda for additional public input and formal action.

The public hearing portion of the meeting lasted multiple hours and concluded with the board’s unanimous vote to deny the requested vacation. The decision preserves the existing public access while leaving open a future, separate question about formal reclassification and maintenance responsibility.