County Planners Talk Oakwood, CAFOs
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Daniel [email protected]
The plan commission, after some discussion, approved a resolution stating that the area where the former Oakwood Inn and conference center is located is properly zoned.
Andy Klineman, from Buckingham Properties out of Indianapolis, was on hand to give the plan commission a presentation and answer any questions.
Buckingham Properties is the company managing the Oakwood property.
Klineman said his company is in the process of redeveloping the area and becoming a Tax Increment Finance district.
“It’s all about revitalizing it and bringing it back to life,” said Klineman.
In August, Buckingham Properties went through the Syracuse Board of Zoning Appeals to receive a special exception.
The property also has received a liquor license, something previously never possessed by the Oakwood property.
Buckingham Properties is planning on re-branding the hotel and other buildings on the property.
The name of the hotel will most likely be changed as well.
Dolce Hotels is working with Buckingham Properties to rebrand the hotel.
The property also will have uses for senior living and condos.
Some plan commission members had questions about the process of Oakwood becoming a TIF district.
“What these folks are seeking from us is a resolution,” said Area Plan Director Dan Richard. “That we looked at the project and it conforms to the planning we have anticipated. Is the zoning right for this district? That’s what this simply is.”
Representatives from Buckingham Properties will next appear before the Syracuse Town Council Dec. 20.
The plan commission approved the resolution unanimously.
The county planning department put together a spreadsheet to look at what surrounding counties have done, above and beyond state and federal regulations, to address CAFOS in their county.
Richard also pointed out that the Indiana Department of Environmental Management is looking at new regulations for 2012 and the state legislature may also adopt new rules.
Of the nearest counties, St. Joseph County has the most restrictive ordinances concerning CAFOs.
Plan Commission member and county commissioner Bob Conley said he was at a recent statewide convention for county commissioners and talked to St. Joseph County Commissioners about CAFOS.
“I asked them how they deal with CAFOs,” said Conley. “And they say they don’t. They’ve basically legislated them out of the county.”
“Obviously, we don’t want to be like St. Joe County where we basically eliminate them,” said plan commission member and County Surveyor Dick Kemper.
Several of the ordinances from St. Joseph County involve the county’s health department.
Neal Brown, from the Kosciusko County Health Department, said the health department considers issues with CAFOs to be under IDEM’s purview.
Brown said that the health department gets a few phone calls a year about someone not laying manure correctly or a lagoon being broke, but said that when investigated none of them have been immediate problems.
The plan commission decided to look at maps for next month’s meeting showing where corporate limits, overlay districts and schools are in the county.
The idea is to see what areas would be excluded from CAFOs should the plan commission pass any ordinances involving setbacks.
Plan commission president Chuck Haffner reiterated on several occasions that the job of the plan commission is to make sure agriculture, residential and commercial aren’t intruding on each other.
Haffner said the plan commission wouldn’t develop a perfect plan overnight, but that work needed to be started as to move toward a plan.
Kemper suggested creating a committee of people on both sides of the CAFO argument to reach a consensus.
Plan commission member Kevin McSherry said that if the commission was going to develop setbacks, it also had to look at reverse setbacks where schools, churches and residential areas couldn’t build where a CAFO was already established.
“One of our main objectives should be do no harm,” said plan commission member Dr. Lee Harman. “There is also an element of looking out for the common good. When I look at IDEM, they have no restrictions on setbacks from a school. I’m not sure if that’s a common sense approach.”
The plan commission also voted 6-1-2 to treat hot tubs as portable sheds in term of zoning.
Plan commission member Jerry Kreger was recognized as Wednesday was his last meeting.
Kreger represented Pierceton on the plan commission, but since he lost his seat as town councilmen in the November general election, he can no longer serve on the plan commission.
The plan commission also discussed increasing lot sizes for septic systems. No action was taken at Wednesday’s meeting.[[In-content Ad]]
Latest News
E-Editions
The plan commission, after some discussion, approved a resolution stating that the area where the former Oakwood Inn and conference center is located is properly zoned.
Andy Klineman, from Buckingham Properties out of Indianapolis, was on hand to give the plan commission a presentation and answer any questions.
Buckingham Properties is the company managing the Oakwood property.
Klineman said his company is in the process of redeveloping the area and becoming a Tax Increment Finance district.
“It’s all about revitalizing it and bringing it back to life,” said Klineman.
In August, Buckingham Properties went through the Syracuse Board of Zoning Appeals to receive a special exception.
The property also has received a liquor license, something previously never possessed by the Oakwood property.
Buckingham Properties is planning on re-branding the hotel and other buildings on the property.
The name of the hotel will most likely be changed as well.
Dolce Hotels is working with Buckingham Properties to rebrand the hotel.
The property also will have uses for senior living and condos.
Some plan commission members had questions about the process of Oakwood becoming a TIF district.
“What these folks are seeking from us is a resolution,” said Area Plan Director Dan Richard. “That we looked at the project and it conforms to the planning we have anticipated. Is the zoning right for this district? That’s what this simply is.”
Representatives from Buckingham Properties will next appear before the Syracuse Town Council Dec. 20.
The plan commission approved the resolution unanimously.
The county planning department put together a spreadsheet to look at what surrounding counties have done, above and beyond state and federal regulations, to address CAFOS in their county.
Richard also pointed out that the Indiana Department of Environmental Management is looking at new regulations for 2012 and the state legislature may also adopt new rules.
Of the nearest counties, St. Joseph County has the most restrictive ordinances concerning CAFOs.
Plan Commission member and county commissioner Bob Conley said he was at a recent statewide convention for county commissioners and talked to St. Joseph County Commissioners about CAFOS.
“I asked them how they deal with CAFOs,” said Conley. “And they say they don’t. They’ve basically legislated them out of the county.”
“Obviously, we don’t want to be like St. Joe County where we basically eliminate them,” said plan commission member and County Surveyor Dick Kemper.
Several of the ordinances from St. Joseph County involve the county’s health department.
Neal Brown, from the Kosciusko County Health Department, said the health department considers issues with CAFOs to be under IDEM’s purview.
Brown said that the health department gets a few phone calls a year about someone not laying manure correctly or a lagoon being broke, but said that when investigated none of them have been immediate problems.
The plan commission decided to look at maps for next month’s meeting showing where corporate limits, overlay districts and schools are in the county.
The idea is to see what areas would be excluded from CAFOs should the plan commission pass any ordinances involving setbacks.
Plan commission president Chuck Haffner reiterated on several occasions that the job of the plan commission is to make sure agriculture, residential and commercial aren’t intruding on each other.
Haffner said the plan commission wouldn’t develop a perfect plan overnight, but that work needed to be started as to move toward a plan.
Kemper suggested creating a committee of people on both sides of the CAFO argument to reach a consensus.
Plan commission member Kevin McSherry said that if the commission was going to develop setbacks, it also had to look at reverse setbacks where schools, churches and residential areas couldn’t build where a CAFO was already established.
“One of our main objectives should be do no harm,” said plan commission member Dr. Lee Harman. “There is also an element of looking out for the common good. When I look at IDEM, they have no restrictions on setbacks from a school. I’m not sure if that’s a common sense approach.”
The plan commission also voted 6-1-2 to treat hot tubs as portable sheds in term of zoning.
Plan commission member Jerry Kreger was recognized as Wednesday was his last meeting.
Kreger represented Pierceton on the plan commission, but since he lost his seat as town councilmen in the November general election, he can no longer serve on the plan commission.
The plan commission also discussed increasing lot sizes for septic systems. No action was taken at Wednesday’s meeting.[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092