Third public meeting held on Portage Manor ecological study

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The third public meeting on the Portage Manor ecological study was held Wed. evening at the St. Joseph County library.

The study was done to give county officials and the public a better understanding of the ecological health of the around 120 acres of land the manor sits on.

This helps not only give officials an idea of the best way to repurpose the area, but it also allowed residents to chime in on what they think should happen.

The study shows that the 6 former agricultural fields, or a total of 67 acres, are overran with exotic invasive plant species.

Which ecologist Steve Sass says could take years to get under control, but with over 82 acres of the land undeveloped, it also serves as one of the largest remaining unprotected and undeveloped land in South Bend.

“Saint Joseph County, Indiana, has a 1900 plus acre deficit in public land,” said Sass while explaining why he thinks the Portage Manor land might be best repurposed as a public greenspace.

Sass is not the only one who hopes to see the area preserved for community use. Current Saint Joseph County commissioner, but soon to be county surveyor, Derek Dieter, has made it a personal mission to repurpose the land and said he doesn’t think it would take too much work to turn it into the greenspace.

“Other than the invasive things that need to be taken out, there’s not a lot of maintenance. The trails I have no problem doing… I don’t think it’s a huge monetary cost,” said Dieter.

However, a greenspace isn’t the only option for how the land could be repurposed. It could be developed, but Dieter said that’s not what he hopes for the area.

“[County Commissioner] President Baxmeyer talked with a couple people but there’s nothing been set or written down… Saint Joe County is going to be bringing in a lot of money from taxes from everything going on in the New Carlisle area with the development out there, so I don’t think we should wreck a couple hundred acres for something like development,” said Dieter.

He explained while he hasn’t seen much eagerness from other local leaders to do something with the area, he has gotten quite a bit of support from the community.

“County parks doesn’t want anything to do with it, which is kind of contradictive to their master plan, but we’ve talked to them. They don’t want it, it’s fine. The city people, they’re in the city, granted this property is in the city limits, but it’s owned by Saint Joe County. I’ve had more luck with people volunteering to come out and do the cleanups,” said Dieter.

However, he has been in contact with Jason Critchlow, Portage Township Trustee, who Dieter says will be taking over the portion of the land that has a cemetery.

“As soon as the paperwork is done, they’re going to take control of the cemeteries there,” explained Dieter.

He went on to say with that relationship established, Portage Township may be a possibility for who helps take control of the land.

“So, if nobody else steps up within county government… that would be a discussion,” said Dieter.

As Dieter steps out of his role as commissioner, it will be current Saint Joseph County councilman Rafael Morton who takes his seat.

Morton was at the Wed. meeting, wanting to gather as much information as he can on Portage Manor for when he serves as a commissioner.

“From my perspective, the effort should come from the city and the county and Portage Township… I just feel like it has to be a lot of collaboration… I think a viable solution has to happen, but I think the best solution will happen based upon everyone doing their due diligence and having an open mind,” said Morton.

The full ecological assessment can be found