Warsaw Approves Updated Comprehensive Plan
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
Warsaw City Council approved the plan during its meeting Monday night. The plan has been reviewed and recommended by Warsaw Plan Commission.
It includes planning principles to improve quality of life for residents, opportunities for businesses and industry to thrive, city services, a transportation system and housing opportunities.
Mike Klondaris, councilman, made a motion to approve the plan, seconded by Charlie Smith, councilman.
There was public input and public meetings in planning the document.
“This is a working document with guidelines that provides direction to make decisions as projects come up and new developments,” said Jeremy Skinner, city planner.
Joe Thallemer, Warsaw mayor, said the plan is good to determine where the city has been and where it is going.
It has not been updated since 1998 and will need to be updated in another five years.
“This will be a helpful living document that will help guide the public and private sectors,” Jeff Grose, plan commission member and councilman, said.
Thallemer thanked the planning department and plan commission for their work on the plan.
Thallemer said the previous plan was not relevant and said when the city goes to the Michiana Area Council Of Governments, having the plan will give transportation requests legitimacy.
Grose said the plan will be helpful.
“This will be a helpful living document that will help guide the public and private sectors,” Grose said.
Diane Quance, councilwoman, said when she ran for city council her goal was to update the plan.
The council on first reading also approved an ordinance for vision and clearance of fences and accessory structures. The council at its next meeting will review the ordinance on second reading.
The ordinance states setbacks are to be measured from the street or alley instead of the property line.
For fences, the ordinance states the city of Warsaw will not be responsible for fences removed or damaged as a result of placement in an easement; total fence height must include but not be limited to man-made mounding and support structures and not include decorative post tops; and Fences must meet vision and clearance restrictions restrictions and not be in the public right of way.
The following regulation applies to residential districts and says no fence in a front yard should exceed four feet in height. No fence in a back or side yard is allowed to exceed six feet.
These rules only apply to new fences and existing fences are grandfathered in.
For accessory structures in residential districts, the total size of all permitted structures must be limited to 18 feet; however, no structure is to be taller than the principle building.
The total size of all permitted structures is to be no larger than seven percent of the lot size. Also, structures are not to be limited to less than 720 square feet.
The ordinance states detached accessory buildings must not be located close to the front property line.
The ordinance says open frame porches, decks and patios must be located in the front yard with a setback of 10 feet from the property line if attached to the principle structure.
Jerry Frush, councilman, said he had concerns with allowing porches in front yards.
In other business Klondaris commended the street department for pavement work on Lavista Drive.
Cindy Dobbins, councilwoman, thanked the street department and cemetery employees for hanging Christmas lights downtown.
Jennifer Whitaker, human resources director, presented copies of the city employee handbook that council will review at its Dec. 15 meeting.
The council also:
• Approved transferring $800 from human resources professional services into mayor salary and $115 from human resources professional services into mayor FICA budget.
• Approved a request from the street department to transfer $10,000 from street salaries into street machinery and equipment; $14,000 from street utilities into street machinery and equipment; $15,000 from street rentals into street machinery and equipment and $15,000 from street other services to replace the 1989 semi tractor that was purchased from Gills in 1996.
• Approved Jeff Johnson and Rick Snodgrass again serving on Warsaw Redevelopment Commission and Dan Robinson serving on Warsaw Economic Development Commission.
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Warsaw City Council approved the plan during its meeting Monday night. The plan has been reviewed and recommended by Warsaw Plan Commission.
It includes planning principles to improve quality of life for residents, opportunities for businesses and industry to thrive, city services, a transportation system and housing opportunities.
Mike Klondaris, councilman, made a motion to approve the plan, seconded by Charlie Smith, councilman.
There was public input and public meetings in planning the document.
“This is a working document with guidelines that provides direction to make decisions as projects come up and new developments,” said Jeremy Skinner, city planner.
Joe Thallemer, Warsaw mayor, said the plan is good to determine where the city has been and where it is going.
It has not been updated since 1998 and will need to be updated in another five years.
“This will be a helpful living document that will help guide the public and private sectors,” Jeff Grose, plan commission member and councilman, said.
Thallemer thanked the planning department and plan commission for their work on the plan.
Thallemer said the previous plan was not relevant and said when the city goes to the Michiana Area Council Of Governments, having the plan will give transportation requests legitimacy.
Grose said the plan will be helpful.
“This will be a helpful living document that will help guide the public and private sectors,” Grose said.
Diane Quance, councilwoman, said when she ran for city council her goal was to update the plan.
The council on first reading also approved an ordinance for vision and clearance of fences and accessory structures. The council at its next meeting will review the ordinance on second reading.
The ordinance states setbacks are to be measured from the street or alley instead of the property line.
For fences, the ordinance states the city of Warsaw will not be responsible for fences removed or damaged as a result of placement in an easement; total fence height must include but not be limited to man-made mounding and support structures and not include decorative post tops; and Fences must meet vision and clearance restrictions restrictions and not be in the public right of way.
The following regulation applies to residential districts and says no fence in a front yard should exceed four feet in height. No fence in a back or side yard is allowed to exceed six feet.
These rules only apply to new fences and existing fences are grandfathered in.
For accessory structures in residential districts, the total size of all permitted structures must be limited to 18 feet; however, no structure is to be taller than the principle building.
The total size of all permitted structures is to be no larger than seven percent of the lot size. Also, structures are not to be limited to less than 720 square feet.
The ordinance states detached accessory buildings must not be located close to the front property line.
The ordinance says open frame porches, decks and patios must be located in the front yard with a setback of 10 feet from the property line if attached to the principle structure.
Jerry Frush, councilman, said he had concerns with allowing porches in front yards.
In other business Klondaris commended the street department for pavement work on Lavista Drive.
Cindy Dobbins, councilwoman, thanked the street department and cemetery employees for hanging Christmas lights downtown.
Jennifer Whitaker, human resources director, presented copies of the city employee handbook that council will review at its Dec. 15 meeting.
The council also:
• Approved transferring $800 from human resources professional services into mayor salary and $115 from human resources professional services into mayor FICA budget.
• Approved a request from the street department to transfer $10,000 from street salaries into street machinery and equipment; $14,000 from street utilities into street machinery and equipment; $15,000 from street rentals into street machinery and equipment and $15,000 from street other services to replace the 1989 semi tractor that was purchased from Gills in 1996.
• Approved Jeff Johnson and Rick Snodgrass again serving on Warsaw Redevelopment Commission and Dan Robinson serving on Warsaw Economic Development Commission.
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