Cobblestone owner Nidlinger failed to communicate

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - An on-going debate between Cobblestone Crossings (CC) and surrounding homeowners in Terre Haute continued Tuesday inside the Vigo County Commissioner’s meeting.

Neighbors said Jim Nidlinger, owner of CC, was supposed to give an answer on Monday, on his plans on building a wall to separate the neighborhoods.

Frustrated homeowners surrounding Cobblestone Crossings addressed Vigo County Commissioners on Tuesday, and pleaded for help when owner Jim Nidlinger failed to communicate with their attorney.

Mike Poinsett, a Woodgate homeowner said, "The only way Jim Nidlinger is going to listen is if they actually do issue a stop work order to force him back to the bargaining table, so that we can compromise on this issue."

Poinsett and his neighbors asked commissioners to put a stop to construction and requested an emergency meeting with area planning.

"We want an emergency meeting to address the fact that they are illegally building apartments that are clearly zoned R1,” said Poinsett.

The zoning that Poinsett mentioned to the commissioners was the same zoning that Jeremy Weir, Area Planning Commissioner, changed to R3 without bringing it back to county commissioners.

"That's not a gray area at all. If you increase intensity, or density, according to the Vigo County Ordinance, you must take it back in front of the Vigo County Commissioners. He completely bypassed that step,” said Poinsett.

Poinsett said it's hard to compromise with Nidlinger when he refuses to work with surrounding neighbors.

That's why Woodgate homeowners turned to the commissioners for help.

Poinsett said, "The only thing that it going to push him back to the negotiating table where we can compromise is, it’s going to have to cost him in the pocket book and we have asked the commissioners to look at this situation and to help us get him back to the table.”

Poinsett said he and his neighbors plan to attend Area Planning's monthly meeting on September 5th.

At that meeting the neighbors plan to ask what happened to the rezoning, and why it was never brought back in front of the commissioners for approval.

News 10 will continue to follow this ongoing story.