Sacred Heart Parish Planning Addition
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Sacred Heart Parish is planning an 8,135-square-foot addition to the buildings at 125 N. Harrison St. in Warsaw.
Monday, Architectural Design Group representative William Lamie presented a variance from development standards to allow a 7.5-foot setback on the property, before the Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals, which was approved. Developmental standards in an R-1 zone call for a 15-foot side yard setback.
"The current configuration of the existing building on the lot does not allow for any additional growth to occur without encroaching into the building setbacks," said city planner Jeremy Skinner. The chapel, offices and school facilities are bordered by Harrison, Fort Wayne, Lindberg and Center streets.
Skinner recommended approval of the petition, noting the current configuration of the existing buildings does not allow for additional growth without encroaching into the building setbacks.
Lamie said the parish has had a 10 percent growth since 1998. Additions are planned in two stages. Phase one would add four new classrooms to the west and expand the chapel to the northwest. The interior of the circa 1957 school will be redesigned to have a computer, resources, science and music and art rooms.
The 2,935-square-foot chapel addition will allow for 220 more "seats."
Construction start dates will depend on funding, Lamie said. The church has just finished its capital campaign.
Plans for phase two construction include a 7,150-square-foot addition to the school.
BZA president Dan Hampton, a member of the parish, abstained from the vote.
The board discussed and made a decision on an old topic - public hearing notice signs. The signs will be posted on properties scheduled for public hearing before the BZA and the city's plan commission. Skinner presented two designs - a generic, laminated "Zoning Notice" sign and a more specific "Notice of Public Hearing" with the date, time and purpose of the hearing.
Skinner said the planning department could print their own version of the second choice, which the board approved. The signs would be affixed to wooden stakes and placed on the properties scheduled for public hearings.
The practice will be reviewed after one year.
Skinner advised the board that conversations with a Burkhart Sign representative may get billboards out of the downtown area. Signs advertising a business are allowed only on the business' property. There are several "off-premise" signs touting a business located elsewhere in the "historic district."
In exchange for the small billboard removal from the historic district, Skinner said, Burkhart will be allowed to either add new signs along U.S. 30 or Ind 15 or change existing signs to "revolving signs," which alter their message every 30 seconds.
Skinner said he sees the compromise as a positive step to enhance the characteristics of the downtown area. The current signboards were allowed to remain when the sign ordinance became more restrictive.
Skinner also advised the board a Burkhart sign agreement has been negotiated for placement on the Kohl's property. Currently it is in the right of way and will have to be moved to allow road improvements. Skinner said he recommended a Burkhart representative appear before the BZA to request the move.
BZA members are: Alan Clingan, Dan Hampton, Richard Keeven, Tom Heuer and Bruce Woodward. Bill Rhoades is the city council's representative. [[In-content Ad]]
Sacred Heart Parish is planning an 8,135-square-foot addition to the buildings at 125 N. Harrison St. in Warsaw.
Monday, Architectural Design Group representative William Lamie presented a variance from development standards to allow a 7.5-foot setback on the property, before the Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals, which was approved. Developmental standards in an R-1 zone call for a 15-foot side yard setback.
"The current configuration of the existing building on the lot does not allow for any additional growth to occur without encroaching into the building setbacks," said city planner Jeremy Skinner. The chapel, offices and school facilities are bordered by Harrison, Fort Wayne, Lindberg and Center streets.
Skinner recommended approval of the petition, noting the current configuration of the existing buildings does not allow for additional growth without encroaching into the building setbacks.
Lamie said the parish has had a 10 percent growth since 1998. Additions are planned in two stages. Phase one would add four new classrooms to the west and expand the chapel to the northwest. The interior of the circa 1957 school will be redesigned to have a computer, resources, science and music and art rooms.
The 2,935-square-foot chapel addition will allow for 220 more "seats."
Construction start dates will depend on funding, Lamie said. The church has just finished its capital campaign.
Plans for phase two construction include a 7,150-square-foot addition to the school.
BZA president Dan Hampton, a member of the parish, abstained from the vote.
The board discussed and made a decision on an old topic - public hearing notice signs. The signs will be posted on properties scheduled for public hearing before the BZA and the city's plan commission. Skinner presented two designs - a generic, laminated "Zoning Notice" sign and a more specific "Notice of Public Hearing" with the date, time and purpose of the hearing.
Skinner said the planning department could print their own version of the second choice, which the board approved. The signs would be affixed to wooden stakes and placed on the properties scheduled for public hearings.
The practice will be reviewed after one year.
Skinner advised the board that conversations with a Burkhart Sign representative may get billboards out of the downtown area. Signs advertising a business are allowed only on the business' property. There are several "off-premise" signs touting a business located elsewhere in the "historic district."
In exchange for the small billboard removal from the historic district, Skinner said, Burkhart will be allowed to either add new signs along U.S. 30 or Ind 15 or change existing signs to "revolving signs," which alter their message every 30 seconds.
Skinner said he sees the compromise as a positive step to enhance the characteristics of the downtown area. The current signboards were allowed to remain when the sign ordinance became more restrictive.
Skinner also advised the board a Burkhart sign agreement has been negotiated for placement on the Kohl's property. Currently it is in the right of way and will have to be moved to allow road improvements. Skinner said he recommended a Burkhart representative appear before the BZA to request the move.
BZA members are: Alan Clingan, Dan Hampton, Richard Keeven, Tom Heuer and Bruce Woodward. Bill Rhoades is the city council's representative. [[In-content Ad]]