Winona Planners Discuss Occupancy Ordinance
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
WINONA LAKE - Winona Lake families could see a limit in the number of non-related occupants allowed to live in their households if a zoning ordinance is approved.
The Winona Lake Plan Commission met Tuesday night to discuss how to identify unrelated individuals who live in homes together.
The commission approved a definition of a family at its Sept. 12 meeting and continued to discuss a proposed ordinance at Tuesday's meeting that would limit the number of non-related family members living in homes in Winona Lake.
A family is defined as one person or two or more persons each related by the other by blood, marriage, or legal adoption or a group of not more than four persons maintaining a common household in a dwelling unit.
Adopting the definition would limit the status of unrelated individuals allowed to live in a home occupied by a family to four instead of six.
Dick Leaf, town building commissioner, told the commission he would like to know if he would have the authority to ask residents if they are related when he goes into homes to conduct building inspections.
"I want to know if I have the authority to check if residents are related, or if that would be the police department's responsibility," Leaf said.
Leaf said the only time he goes into a home for a building inspection is if there is a complaint or ownership change.
He said a couple of weeks ago he inspected a home with mold and found 12 other violations, and was questioned by the resident for his authority to inspect the entire house.
Leaf suggested when he enters a home to conduct an inspection he could ask for identification of residents if the occupancy ordinance is approved.
Clerk-Treasurer Retha Hicks recommended Leaf speak with Town Attorney Jim Walmer to determine if Leaf has the authority to check for resident identification.
Leaf also presented some ideas for parking spaces at community centers in Winona Lake. He said required parking spaces currently are one for every six visitors and he suggested changing the requirement to one for every three or four.
"There are twice as many automobiles as there were in 1966 and this proposed parking requirement would allow for twice as many parking spots," Leaf said.
He said Warsaw currently requires one parking space for every three visitors.
Town Council President Rolly Ortega expressed his concern with more parking spaces taking away from the visual appearance of the town.
"I don't want asphalt areas to be laid that will never be used and take away from our green area by making more parking spaces," Ortega said.
Ortega said he did not see a problem with the current one-to-six parking requirement.
The commission will continue to discuss the parking proposal and occupancy ordinance at its next meeting, Nov. 14 at 4:30 p.m. at Winona Lake Town Hall.
Commission members include Mark Workman, Jeff Carroll, Craig Allebach, Lynette Dick and Rolly Ortega. [[In-content Ad]]
WINONA LAKE - Winona Lake families could see a limit in the number of non-related occupants allowed to live in their households if a zoning ordinance is approved.
The Winona Lake Plan Commission met Tuesday night to discuss how to identify unrelated individuals who live in homes together.
The commission approved a definition of a family at its Sept. 12 meeting and continued to discuss a proposed ordinance at Tuesday's meeting that would limit the number of non-related family members living in homes in Winona Lake.
A family is defined as one person or two or more persons each related by the other by blood, marriage, or legal adoption or a group of not more than four persons maintaining a common household in a dwelling unit.
Adopting the definition would limit the status of unrelated individuals allowed to live in a home occupied by a family to four instead of six.
Dick Leaf, town building commissioner, told the commission he would like to know if he would have the authority to ask residents if they are related when he goes into homes to conduct building inspections.
"I want to know if I have the authority to check if residents are related, or if that would be the police department's responsibility," Leaf said.
Leaf said the only time he goes into a home for a building inspection is if there is a complaint or ownership change.
He said a couple of weeks ago he inspected a home with mold and found 12 other violations, and was questioned by the resident for his authority to inspect the entire house.
Leaf suggested when he enters a home to conduct an inspection he could ask for identification of residents if the occupancy ordinance is approved.
Clerk-Treasurer Retha Hicks recommended Leaf speak with Town Attorney Jim Walmer to determine if Leaf has the authority to check for resident identification.
Leaf also presented some ideas for parking spaces at community centers in Winona Lake. He said required parking spaces currently are one for every six visitors and he suggested changing the requirement to one for every three or four.
"There are twice as many automobiles as there were in 1966 and this proposed parking requirement would allow for twice as many parking spots," Leaf said.
He said Warsaw currently requires one parking space for every three visitors.
Town Council President Rolly Ortega expressed his concern with more parking spaces taking away from the visual appearance of the town.
"I don't want asphalt areas to be laid that will never be used and take away from our green area by making more parking spaces," Ortega said.
Ortega said he did not see a problem with the current one-to-six parking requirement.
The commission will continue to discuss the parking proposal and occupancy ordinance at its next meeting, Nov. 14 at 4:30 p.m. at Winona Lake Town Hall.
Commission members include Mark Workman, Jeff Carroll, Craig Allebach, Lynette Dick and Rolly Ortega. [[In-content Ad]]