Warsaw BZA Approves R&B Lot Expansion
August 24, 2021 at 12:54 a.m.
By David [email protected]
The variance is to allow an automobile dealership in a light industrial zone (I-2) at 2105 N. Biomet Drive, lot 2, Warsaw.
To the north, south, east and west of the property is Industrial-2.
R&B operates a dealership on the adjacent lot to the east, which also is zoned I-2, according to information provided by the city. The existing dealership is considered legal nonconforming because it was annexed into the city following the establishment of its current use. This request would allow R&B to expand the existing legal nonconforming use onto the recently acquired adjacent parcel.
Community Economic and Development Director Jeremy Skinner told the BZA the city annexed the area in 2018-19. It was brought in under a I-2 zoning district and R&B was already existing.
“They have since purchased an adjacent piece of property that is also zoned I-2 and are requesting an use variance to allow automobile sales there because it is not a permitted use under our current zoning ordinance,” Skinner said. “So it’s surrounded by industrial uses and U.S. 30. I-2 zoning is all around them. I don’t see any reason why we wouldn’t approve them to expand their existing business where they’re at.”
There were no remonstrators against the petition.
Chad Laughlin, speaking on behalf of R&B, said all they were looking to do was to expand their parking lot.
“We purchased it from Zimmer Biomet. That was the plan for it. They had no problem with it as long as we didn’t put a building in front of their frontage from the highway,” Laughlin said.
He said there is a shortage of new cars and R&B is expanding.
Dan Smith, BZA member, asked if R&B had to pave the parking lot. Skinner said if they are going to park cars on it, they have to have a hard surface. “That is where the issue came. There were cars being parked in the grass. That is not allowed in the city zoning ordinance. They have to park on a hard surface. Even at your own house, you can’t park in the grass,” Skinner said.
Laughlin said R&B has been at its current location since 2004.
Smith made a motion to approve the use variance petition and it was approved 3-0.
The variance is to allow an automobile dealership in a light industrial zone (I-2) at 2105 N. Biomet Drive, lot 2, Warsaw.
To the north, south, east and west of the property is Industrial-2.
R&B operates a dealership on the adjacent lot to the east, which also is zoned I-2, according to information provided by the city. The existing dealership is considered legal nonconforming because it was annexed into the city following the establishment of its current use. This request would allow R&B to expand the existing legal nonconforming use onto the recently acquired adjacent parcel.
Community Economic and Development Director Jeremy Skinner told the BZA the city annexed the area in 2018-19. It was brought in under a I-2 zoning district and R&B was already existing.
“They have since purchased an adjacent piece of property that is also zoned I-2 and are requesting an use variance to allow automobile sales there because it is not a permitted use under our current zoning ordinance,” Skinner said. “So it’s surrounded by industrial uses and U.S. 30. I-2 zoning is all around them. I don’t see any reason why we wouldn’t approve them to expand their existing business where they’re at.”
There were no remonstrators against the petition.
Chad Laughlin, speaking on behalf of R&B, said all they were looking to do was to expand their parking lot.
“We purchased it from Zimmer Biomet. That was the plan for it. They had no problem with it as long as we didn’t put a building in front of their frontage from the highway,” Laughlin said.
He said there is a shortage of new cars and R&B is expanding.
Dan Smith, BZA member, asked if R&B had to pave the parking lot. Skinner said if they are going to park cars on it, they have to have a hard surface. “That is where the issue came. There were cars being parked in the grass. That is not allowed in the city zoning ordinance. They have to park on a hard surface. Even at your own house, you can’t park in the grass,” Skinner said.
Laughlin said R&B has been at its current location since 2004.
Smith made a motion to approve the use variance petition and it was approved 3-0.
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