Commissioners Continue Two Rezoning Requests
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Five rezoning requests were brought before the Kosciusko County Commissioners Tuesday.
Two of the requests were for continuances until the March 28 commissioners hearing.
The first petitioners requesting a continuance were C. Alan and Sandra Rovenstine, and Ken and Brenda Collins. They are petitioning to rezone 18.72 acres from an agricultural district to an Industrial II district. The property is on the south side of U.S. 30 and north of Old Road 30 in Etna Township.
If the petition is approved by the commissioners, the site will be used for storage and light manufacturing of roofing.
The commissioners approved the continuance.
On Feb. 3, the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission approved by a vote of 6 to 2 to recommend to the commissioners not to approve the petition.
Also approved for continuance was a petition by George Guyas to rezone a commercial district to a residential district. The property is on both sides of Warner Road, one-fourth mile north of Ind. 13 in Syracuse.
Guyas has a request before the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to fill in a part of a channel by the property. He plans to sell the property but wants it rezoned only if the DNR approves the channel to be filled in.
Three petitions were approved by the commissioners, including:
• A petition by Habitat for Humanity to rezone two 0.232- acre tracts from an industrial II district to a residential district. The property is in the county but borders on two sides the town limits of North Webster.
• A petition by Bill Warren Jr. to rezone 3.80 acres from an agricultural to a commercial district. The property is on the east side of Ind. 15 and north of Levi Lee Road in Plain Township.
• John Lewis Lloyd's petition to rezone 1.89 acres from an agricultural to a residential district. The property is on the west side of a 50-foot-wide easement and north of CR 300S in Wayne Township.
In other business:
• The commissioners approved County Treasurer Stephanie Esenwein's request for a new contract with SRI, who conducts the tax sales for the county.
Because of rising costs, SRI is increasing their fee from $40 to $50 per parcel. The county adds $25 for certified mailings. With the $10 increase, the charge per parcel will increase from $65 to $75. SRI doesn't charge a fee except on the parcels sold, and their fee is passed on to the taxpayer whose parcel is being sold.
"I never had a real problem with SRI," Esenwein said. "They've basically picked up 62 of the 92 counties" and therefore must be doing something right. SRI has worked with Kosciusko County for approximately four years.
• Sue Ann Mitchell, county auditor, will meet with Helvey and Associates regarding their contract with the county, which allows Helvey to collect personal property taxes of people who fail to pay their county tax bills.
However, because of a new state law that credits $12,500 to taxpayers on personal property, the county will have fewer delinquent payments.
"No one in the county is going to pay on a mobile home," Mitchell said, as well as travel trailers on trailer court and rented lots.
More than $2.2 million is expected to be given in tax credit in Kosciusko County. Mitchell said the state is supposed to pay the county back for the loss.
"The $12,500 is a big change (in the law)," she said.
Mitchell also said the treasurer's office is doing much of the leg work, but Helvey is collecting a 30 percent fee.
• The commissioners approved the contract with Richard Ness Excavating, Huntington, for the demolition of the buildings on the corner of Lake and Center streets for the Justice Building expansion project.
The excavating company was the lowest of five bidders, with a bid of $545,886.
• An agreement between the county and the Animal Welfare League was approved. The county will pay AWL $4,166.66 a month this year, for a total of $50,000. Last year, the county paid AWL $30,000. The agreement also covers the lease of the building to AWL for $1 a year. The county also will pay for the animal control officer and vehicle.
Kosciusko County Commissioners are Eddie Creighton, Avis Gunter and Brad Jackson. [[In-content Ad]]
Five rezoning requests were brought before the Kosciusko County Commissioners Tuesday.
Two of the requests were for continuances until the March 28 commissioners hearing.
The first petitioners requesting a continuance were C. Alan and Sandra Rovenstine, and Ken and Brenda Collins. They are petitioning to rezone 18.72 acres from an agricultural district to an Industrial II district. The property is on the south side of U.S. 30 and north of Old Road 30 in Etna Township.
If the petition is approved by the commissioners, the site will be used for storage and light manufacturing of roofing.
The commissioners approved the continuance.
On Feb. 3, the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission approved by a vote of 6 to 2 to recommend to the commissioners not to approve the petition.
Also approved for continuance was a petition by George Guyas to rezone a commercial district to a residential district. The property is on both sides of Warner Road, one-fourth mile north of Ind. 13 in Syracuse.
Guyas has a request before the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to fill in a part of a channel by the property. He plans to sell the property but wants it rezoned only if the DNR approves the channel to be filled in.
Three petitions were approved by the commissioners, including:
• A petition by Habitat for Humanity to rezone two 0.232- acre tracts from an industrial II district to a residential district. The property is in the county but borders on two sides the town limits of North Webster.
• A petition by Bill Warren Jr. to rezone 3.80 acres from an agricultural to a commercial district. The property is on the east side of Ind. 15 and north of Levi Lee Road in Plain Township.
• John Lewis Lloyd's petition to rezone 1.89 acres from an agricultural to a residential district. The property is on the west side of a 50-foot-wide easement and north of CR 300S in Wayne Township.
In other business:
• The commissioners approved County Treasurer Stephanie Esenwein's request for a new contract with SRI, who conducts the tax sales for the county.
Because of rising costs, SRI is increasing their fee from $40 to $50 per parcel. The county adds $25 for certified mailings. With the $10 increase, the charge per parcel will increase from $65 to $75. SRI doesn't charge a fee except on the parcels sold, and their fee is passed on to the taxpayer whose parcel is being sold.
"I never had a real problem with SRI," Esenwein said. "They've basically picked up 62 of the 92 counties" and therefore must be doing something right. SRI has worked with Kosciusko County for approximately four years.
• Sue Ann Mitchell, county auditor, will meet with Helvey and Associates regarding their contract with the county, which allows Helvey to collect personal property taxes of people who fail to pay their county tax bills.
However, because of a new state law that credits $12,500 to taxpayers on personal property, the county will have fewer delinquent payments.
"No one in the county is going to pay on a mobile home," Mitchell said, as well as travel trailers on trailer court and rented lots.
More than $2.2 million is expected to be given in tax credit in Kosciusko County. Mitchell said the state is supposed to pay the county back for the loss.
"The $12,500 is a big change (in the law)," she said.
Mitchell also said the treasurer's office is doing much of the leg work, but Helvey is collecting a 30 percent fee.
• The commissioners approved the contract with Richard Ness Excavating, Huntington, for the demolition of the buildings on the corner of Lake and Center streets for the Justice Building expansion project.
The excavating company was the lowest of five bidders, with a bid of $545,886.
• An agreement between the county and the Animal Welfare League was approved. The county will pay AWL $4,166.66 a month this year, for a total of $50,000. Last year, the county paid AWL $30,000. The agreement also covers the lease of the building to AWL for $1 a year. The county also will pay for the animal control officer and vehicle.
Kosciusko County Commissioners are Eddie Creighton, Avis Gunter and Brad Jackson. [[In-content Ad]]