Commissioners Approve Bait Shop Rezoning
March 18, 2017 at 3:31 a.m.
By Dan [email protected]
The owner of No. 1 Stop Bait and Tackle, located south of North Webster at the northeast corner of Ind. 13 and CR 350N, intends to expand to the east with a much bigger store and more room for parking and consignment vehicle sales.
The property the store sits formerly included residential space where the owners lived and is zoned residential. Mark Dillon, who purchased the business about seven years ago, bought land to the east, which is zoned agriculture.
On Friday, the commissioners accepted a recommendation from the area plan commission supporting Dillon’s request to rezone the ag and residential portions to commercial.
Dillon has said he still faces several other hurdles including the establishment of sewer service. He said it could be a year or two before expansion begins.
Dillon has been selling various items on consignment inside and outside of the store.
The switch to commercial included some self-imposed restrictions on the type of consignment sales that can happen outside of the store. Those focus on the types of vehicles and where they can be located on the lot.
He’s hoping to begin selling boats, RVs and cars on the lot.
The vote was 2-0. Commissioner Brad Jackson was absent.
Afterward, Dillon approached the commissioners with a list of concerns with how the plan commission and the area plan office operates.
He said he believed talk about the restrictions could have been taken care of in one meeting rather than two. The extra meeting cost him more money for his attorney and took him away from his business, he said.
Among other things, he said he thought staff at the plan office should have had a more accommodating outlook in working with him and that he noticed a plan commission member “dozing off” during one of the meetings.
He asked the commissioners to look into the matter.
Plan director Dan Richard said he was taken aback by Dillon’s comments and said he would reach out to Dillon later and discuss the matters.
County attorney Chad Miner told Dillon that those concerns should be directed to the plan office.
Nonetheless, Commissioner Bob Conley expressed appreciation for Dillon in expressing concerns.
He said he thought most of the concerns had to do with personalities rather than procedures.
As for the unidentified plan commission member who was allegedly dozing off, Conley said they are aware of the situation and that it is connected to a medical condition.
[[In-content Ad]]
The owner of No. 1 Stop Bait and Tackle, located south of North Webster at the northeast corner of Ind. 13 and CR 350N, intends to expand to the east with a much bigger store and more room for parking and consignment vehicle sales.
The property the store sits formerly included residential space where the owners lived and is zoned residential. Mark Dillon, who purchased the business about seven years ago, bought land to the east, which is zoned agriculture.
On Friday, the commissioners accepted a recommendation from the area plan commission supporting Dillon’s request to rezone the ag and residential portions to commercial.
Dillon has said he still faces several other hurdles including the establishment of sewer service. He said it could be a year or two before expansion begins.
Dillon has been selling various items on consignment inside and outside of the store.
The switch to commercial included some self-imposed restrictions on the type of consignment sales that can happen outside of the store. Those focus on the types of vehicles and where they can be located on the lot.
He’s hoping to begin selling boats, RVs and cars on the lot.
The vote was 2-0. Commissioner Brad Jackson was absent.
Afterward, Dillon approached the commissioners with a list of concerns with how the plan commission and the area plan office operates.
He said he believed talk about the restrictions could have been taken care of in one meeting rather than two. The extra meeting cost him more money for his attorney and took him away from his business, he said.
Among other things, he said he thought staff at the plan office should have had a more accommodating outlook in working with him and that he noticed a plan commission member “dozing off” during one of the meetings.
He asked the commissioners to look into the matter.
Plan director Dan Richard said he was taken aback by Dillon’s comments and said he would reach out to Dillon later and discuss the matters.
County attorney Chad Miner told Dillon that those concerns should be directed to the plan office.
Nonetheless, Commissioner Bob Conley expressed appreciation for Dillon in expressing concerns.
He said he thought most of the concerns had to do with personalities rather than procedures.
As for the unidentified plan commission member who was allegedly dozing off, Conley said they are aware of the situation and that it is connected to a medical condition.
[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092