Planners Recommend Approval Of Controversial Rezoning
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
In a controversial decision, the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission is sending a recommendation to approve James Evans' rezoning request.
Evans asked that an agriculturally zoned tract of land to be rezoned to residential, to allow for a residential development. The property is located on the north side of CR 1000N and 722 feet east of Ind. 13 in Turkey Creek Township.
The big issue with the rezoning is that a large section of land would be zoned residential and increase the amount of children in the area.
With the Wawasee Middle School being only a short distance from the proposed rezoning and sitting on a hill, which obstructs the vision of drivers on Ind. 13, several of the board members felt there would be a significant risk to the children.
Four members of the nine-member board voted in favor of the motion and four against it, placing board member Kevin McSherry in a difficult position.
After some "excessive discussion" relating to what could be done to fix the road and reduce the risk to children playing near the school, McSherry voted against the motion that would recommend denial to Kosciusko County commissioners.
The board then made a motion to recommend approval of the rezoning and after more discussion, the board voted 5-4 in favor of recommending approval.
Much of the discussion against the petition, which also carried on after the meeting, was brought up by board member Chuck Haffner, who was concerned about the traffic and believed there was no way to relieve the situation.
Rob Ladson, Kosciusko County Highway Department superintendent, said there were ways to reduce the hills but the cost would be significant.
The board indicated that when the land reached the plat stages, where the locations of buildings and roads are laid out, they would be very restrictive on how that was done.
The issue will come before the commissioners on June 23 at 10 a.m. for a final decision on the rezoning. [[In-content Ad]]
In a controversial decision, the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission is sending a recommendation to approve James Evans' rezoning request.
Evans asked that an agriculturally zoned tract of land to be rezoned to residential, to allow for a residential development. The property is located on the north side of CR 1000N and 722 feet east of Ind. 13 in Turkey Creek Township.
The big issue with the rezoning is that a large section of land would be zoned residential and increase the amount of children in the area.
With the Wawasee Middle School being only a short distance from the proposed rezoning and sitting on a hill, which obstructs the vision of drivers on Ind. 13, several of the board members felt there would be a significant risk to the children.
Four members of the nine-member board voted in favor of the motion and four against it, placing board member Kevin McSherry in a difficult position.
After some "excessive discussion" relating to what could be done to fix the road and reduce the risk to children playing near the school, McSherry voted against the motion that would recommend denial to Kosciusko County commissioners.
The board then made a motion to recommend approval of the rezoning and after more discussion, the board voted 5-4 in favor of recommending approval.
Much of the discussion against the petition, which also carried on after the meeting, was brought up by board member Chuck Haffner, who was concerned about the traffic and believed there was no way to relieve the situation.
Rob Ladson, Kosciusko County Highway Department superintendent, said there were ways to reduce the hills but the cost would be significant.
The board indicated that when the land reached the plat stages, where the locations of buildings and roads are laid out, they would be very restrictive on how that was done.
The issue will come before the commissioners on June 23 at 10 a.m. for a final decision on the rezoning. [[In-content Ad]]