Two petitions before the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission Wednesday were for properties near one another but brought by different petitioners.

Debra Thompson requested a preliminary plat approval for a commercial subdivision on 9.461 acres. The property is on the west side of Ind. 13 in Tippecanoe Township. Her petition was approved.

Bruce Cavell petitioned to rezone ground from a residential district to a commercial district. The property is on the south side of CR 500N and 490 feet east of Ind. 13 in Tippecanoe Township.

According to Dan Richard, Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission director, Thompson's petition was continued from January so the petitioner could address concerns by the plan commission of land configuration, frontage and easements. The plat has since been scaled down from five lots to two lots.

Attorney Steve Snyder, representing Thompson, said when it was brought before the commission previously, the concern was bringing the roads up to county standards. Thompson, Snyder said, decided that didn't make any sense, so the plan was scaled back. The other concerns about drainage, curb cuts and easements also were addressed, he said.

Kosciusko County Highway Superintendent and Engineer Rob Ladson said with the changes made, he saw no problem with recommending the plat as long as he could review the final storm sewer plans, but that shouldn't hold up the preliminary plat approval.

Cavell said his only concern was the easement to his property to the east. Ladson said with the new plan, that easement could be extended in the future if Cavell and Thompson reach some kind of agreement.

Cavell, when presenting his petition for the rezoning of his property, said part of his reasoning was based on the activity at the nearby marina and Thompson's plans. Rezoning his property from residential to commercial just makes sense, he said. He had no plans for what kind of commercial business will go on the property, but said storage units are a possibility.

Before the plan commission considers changing the zoning, board member Kevin McSherry said, it is probably better for everyone to see if Thompson and Cavell can work out some kind of agreement regarding the easement.

The plan commission tabled Cavell's petition for 30 days to allow him to see if he and Thompson can reach some agreement. If they don't hear from him at the next meeting, the petition will be automatically withdrawn.

Of the three other petitions brought before the board, one was dropped and two were approved.

Dropped was Gary and Mary Baker's petition to rezone ground from an agricultural to a residential district. The property is on the north side of CR 500N and 480 feet east of Ind. 13 in Tippecanoe Township.

Approved was Gale and Gordon Nash's petition to rezone ground from an agricultural district to a residential district. The property is on the south side of Rozella Road and zero feet east of Ferguson Road in Wayne Township. For rezonings, the plan commission is only a recommending board to the Kosciusko County Commissioners, who have final approval. The commissioners will hear the petition Feb. 25 at 9:30 a.m.

Kingfisher Properties' petition for a site plan for a planned unit development was approved. The property is on the north side of Smith Drive and zero feet north of Pine Drive in Turkey Creek Township. The planned unit development is for condominiums, storage units and piers.

Three final plats also were approved, including:

• Redneck Run, a two-lot residential subdivision off T26B Lane, Tippecanoe Township.

• Scenic Acres East, a one-acre lot off Old U.S. 30E, on the north side.

• A two-lot residential plat in the far northeast corner of the county, Wawasee Lake area.

Members of the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission are Vic Virgil, Charlie Haffner, Barbara Carwile, Kevin McSherry, Kelly Easterday, Hal Strong, Norm Lovell, Dick Kemper and Don Arms. They meet at 1 p.m. in the county courthouse, Warsaw, on the first Wednesday of every month. [[In-content Ad]]