Service Station Request Put On Hold In Syracuse
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SYRACUSE -ÊA decision on a controversial petition to the Syracuse Board of Zoning Appeals was continued for another month Thursday while the petitioner waits for a response from the Indiana Department of Transportation.
Casey's General Store petitioned to put a service station and retail store in a commercial district. They also asked for a variance to permit the construction of a service station and retail store 5.3 feet from a rear (east) line and 17 feet from the road right-of-way.
The property is on the east side of Ind. 13 and 67 feet north of High Street in Syracuse.
At the April 7 meeting of the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission, the commission voted to send Casey's petition to rezone the ground from a residential district to a commercial district to the Syracuse plan commission without a recommendation. The rezoning was approved by the Syracuse Plan Commission.
In April, the Syracuse BZA heard from numerous remonstrators, who opposed the petition because of traffic concerns.
Attorney Steve Snyder, representing Casey's General Store, said they asked for a continuance Thursday because they have not yet received word from the Indiana Department of Transportation as to what plans they will approve or requirements they will have to meet. Snyder said they hope to receive the statement from INDOT by the June 17 meeting.
BZA chairman Michael Brower read a letter from Syracuse Police Chief Bill Endler which indicated that, based on the site plan as well as on the curve and incline of the road, approving the petitions would create traffic hazards.
In response, Snyder said, "The only reason we're here is to sell gasoline. We don't have to be here to put a convenience store in." Ultimately, he said, the final decision belongs to INDOT.
After the final two petitions of the evening were heard, the BZA again discussed Casey's General Store's petition. Snyder had already left the meeting.
Brower said, "The first continuance was at our request. This one was at their request. If INDOT doesn't come through with what they need to do, we don't need to continue it any further."
Syracuse resident George Keck said from a motorcycle rider's point of view, allowing Casey's General Store to be built at that location would be hazardous.
"If people are making a left-hand turn on (Ind.) 13, are people going to see us on motorcycles?" he asked the board.
Matt Sandy, of the county plan commission, said discussion should wait until June's meeting because of protocol.
In other business, Rodney Beer petitioned the BZA to build a a 40-foot by 70-foot accessory building on a lot without a principle structure in a residential district. The property is on the south side of Medusa Street and feet east of Seventh Street in Syracuse.
Beer said the building would be used for personal storage and will have a shingle roof to make it look more like a residence. Beer also said he owns all the houses around the property.
Sandy said the accessory building does meet all setbacks.
"Normally," Brower said, "when we allow an accessory building to be built without a principle building, we require it to be deeded with the residence and sold together."
Beer said he would have no problem with deeding the accessory building to a residence.
"We have granted oversized accessory buildings on the south side of Medusa Street. No one has ever voiced opposition to an accessory building on the south side," said Brower.
The petition was approved with the condition the accessory building be deeded with Beer's permanent resident on the north side of Medusa Street.
Hulda Thornburg's petition was for an exception to build an accessory building on a lot without a principle structure in a residential district. The property is on the south side of Lakeview Drive and north of Northshore Drive, 800 feet west of W.E. Long Drive in Syracuse.
"The principle reason I want this is convenience and to keep me off the road when I'm on my tractor," Thornburg said.
She said she will be 80 years old on her next birthday and she is getting "touchy" about driving her tractor on the road to the property to mow the lawn.
There were no remonstrators.
Her petition was unanimously approved.
SBZA members include Brower, Sharp, Stan Insley, John Brookmyer and Barbara Carwile. They meet the third Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. in the town hall meeting room. [[In-content Ad]]
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SYRACUSE -ÊA decision on a controversial petition to the Syracuse Board of Zoning Appeals was continued for another month Thursday while the petitioner waits for a response from the Indiana Department of Transportation.
Casey's General Store petitioned to put a service station and retail store in a commercial district. They also asked for a variance to permit the construction of a service station and retail store 5.3 feet from a rear (east) line and 17 feet from the road right-of-way.
The property is on the east side of Ind. 13 and 67 feet north of High Street in Syracuse.
At the April 7 meeting of the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission, the commission voted to send Casey's petition to rezone the ground from a residential district to a commercial district to the Syracuse plan commission without a recommendation. The rezoning was approved by the Syracuse Plan Commission.
In April, the Syracuse BZA heard from numerous remonstrators, who opposed the petition because of traffic concerns.
Attorney Steve Snyder, representing Casey's General Store, said they asked for a continuance Thursday because they have not yet received word from the Indiana Department of Transportation as to what plans they will approve or requirements they will have to meet. Snyder said they hope to receive the statement from INDOT by the June 17 meeting.
BZA chairman Michael Brower read a letter from Syracuse Police Chief Bill Endler which indicated that, based on the site plan as well as on the curve and incline of the road, approving the petitions would create traffic hazards.
In response, Snyder said, "The only reason we're here is to sell gasoline. We don't have to be here to put a convenience store in." Ultimately, he said, the final decision belongs to INDOT.
After the final two petitions of the evening were heard, the BZA again discussed Casey's General Store's petition. Snyder had already left the meeting.
Brower said, "The first continuance was at our request. This one was at their request. If INDOT doesn't come through with what they need to do, we don't need to continue it any further."
Syracuse resident George Keck said from a motorcycle rider's point of view, allowing Casey's General Store to be built at that location would be hazardous.
"If people are making a left-hand turn on (Ind.) 13, are people going to see us on motorcycles?" he asked the board.
Matt Sandy, of the county plan commission, said discussion should wait until June's meeting because of protocol.
In other business, Rodney Beer petitioned the BZA to build a a 40-foot by 70-foot accessory building on a lot without a principle structure in a residential district. The property is on the south side of Medusa Street and feet east of Seventh Street in Syracuse.
Beer said the building would be used for personal storage and will have a shingle roof to make it look more like a residence. Beer also said he owns all the houses around the property.
Sandy said the accessory building does meet all setbacks.
"Normally," Brower said, "when we allow an accessory building to be built without a principle building, we require it to be deeded with the residence and sold together."
Beer said he would have no problem with deeding the accessory building to a residence.
"We have granted oversized accessory buildings on the south side of Medusa Street. No one has ever voiced opposition to an accessory building on the south side," said Brower.
The petition was approved with the condition the accessory building be deeded with Beer's permanent resident on the north side of Medusa Street.
Hulda Thornburg's petition was for an exception to build an accessory building on a lot without a principle structure in a residential district. The property is on the south side of Lakeview Drive and north of Northshore Drive, 800 feet west of W.E. Long Drive in Syracuse.
"The principle reason I want this is convenience and to keep me off the road when I'm on my tractor," Thornburg said.
She said she will be 80 years old on her next birthday and she is getting "touchy" about driving her tractor on the road to the property to mow the lawn.
There were no remonstrators.
Her petition was unanimously approved.
SBZA members include Brower, Sharp, Stan Insley, John Brookmyer and Barbara Carwile. They meet the third Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. in the town hall meeting room. [[In-content Ad]]