Planners Approve Center St. Construction
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Construction planned for the corner of Detroit and Center streets by First Federal Savings Bank received a favorable recommendation Monday from the Warsaw Plan Commission.
Although members unanimously approved the decision, they also wanted the site plans to go before the Traffic Commission to be analyzed for potential problems regarding ingress and egress onto two of Warsaw's busier streets.
The Indiana Department of Transportation suggested the bank create a parking lot that avoided the intersection of Center and Detroit, allowing drivers to use an adjacent back alley as an exit. But, because of train tracks that run beside the alleyway, this exit could become a dead end during peak hours.
The Traffic Commission will study the number of cars driving through the area, and will evaluate the site plan of traffic movement that the bank has planned for its parking lot.
While the previous business on the property, Pinky's Gas Station, had an open parking lot with total access to both Center and Detroit streets, members said the area developed commercially over the years and traffic has increased substantially.
"I don't think this is the same animal as when it was a gas station," commission vice-president Jeff Grose said. "The layman in me says I'm concerned, and I would be interested to hear what (the Traffic Commission) has to say."
"We're dealing with an area of downtown, and traffic is going to be traffic," member Alan Clingan said. "These are signs of a revitalized downtown, and we could have worse problems on our hands than this."
In other matters, the board made a favorable recommendation for a map amendment to its zoning ordinance, allowing property owned by Wilson Investments to be classified as commercial zoning.
The property, along CR 300N and Sheldon Street, was rezoned from commercial to residential in 2005 before Monday's request. Commercial development and high-density residential is planned for the area, which is one of many growing areas on the north side of Warsaw.
The issue now will go before the Warsaw City Council for approval.
The board also addressed various amendments to its current zoning ordinance, with City Planner Jeremy Skinner presenting the changes and fielding questions from the commission.
In the amendments, a new zoning district, rural residential-1, will be created as well as multiple changes to the requirements and restricts of R-1, R-2 and R-3 zoning.
The commission approved a favorable recommendation for the amendments, which also will be reviewed by Warsaw's Council.
Plan commission members are Grose, Clingan, Joe Thallemer, Jim Gast, Tammy Dalton, Lacy Francis and Rick Keeven. [[In-content Ad]]
Construction planned for the corner of Detroit and Center streets by First Federal Savings Bank received a favorable recommendation Monday from the Warsaw Plan Commission.
Although members unanimously approved the decision, they also wanted the site plans to go before the Traffic Commission to be analyzed for potential problems regarding ingress and egress onto two of Warsaw's busier streets.
The Indiana Department of Transportation suggested the bank create a parking lot that avoided the intersection of Center and Detroit, allowing drivers to use an adjacent back alley as an exit. But, because of train tracks that run beside the alleyway, this exit could become a dead end during peak hours.
The Traffic Commission will study the number of cars driving through the area, and will evaluate the site plan of traffic movement that the bank has planned for its parking lot.
While the previous business on the property, Pinky's Gas Station, had an open parking lot with total access to both Center and Detroit streets, members said the area developed commercially over the years and traffic has increased substantially.
"I don't think this is the same animal as when it was a gas station," commission vice-president Jeff Grose said. "The layman in me says I'm concerned, and I would be interested to hear what (the Traffic Commission) has to say."
"We're dealing with an area of downtown, and traffic is going to be traffic," member Alan Clingan said. "These are signs of a revitalized downtown, and we could have worse problems on our hands than this."
In other matters, the board made a favorable recommendation for a map amendment to its zoning ordinance, allowing property owned by Wilson Investments to be classified as commercial zoning.
The property, along CR 300N and Sheldon Street, was rezoned from commercial to residential in 2005 before Monday's request. Commercial development and high-density residential is planned for the area, which is one of many growing areas on the north side of Warsaw.
The issue now will go before the Warsaw City Council for approval.
The board also addressed various amendments to its current zoning ordinance, with City Planner Jeremy Skinner presenting the changes and fielding questions from the commission.
In the amendments, a new zoning district, rural residential-1, will be created as well as multiple changes to the requirements and restricts of R-1, R-2 and R-3 zoning.
The commission approved a favorable recommendation for the amendments, which also will be reviewed by Warsaw's Council.
Plan commission members are Grose, Clingan, Joe Thallemer, Jim Gast, Tammy Dalton, Lacy Francis and Rick Keeven. [[In-content Ad]]