Rezoning Approved For Old Syracuse Elementary School
March 18, 2021 at 4:47 a.m.
By Denise Federow-
Marlin Miller, owner of John’s Butcher Shop and Bounthanh’s Egg Rolls in Nappanee, wants to renovate the former school’s gym, cafeteria and kitchen into a commercial food preparation area and convert classroom space into one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, reportedly with potential rents ranging from $600 to $1,400 a month.
Miller was present at the meeting held via Zoom, as was his attorney, Steve Snyder, who asked the town to accept the rezoning from public use to part commercial, part residential. Snyder said because of concerns raised at a prior meeting, Miller attached voluntary conditions on the rezoning request – no live animals on site, it would only be used for processing and packaging and no retail sales.
Snyder said some of the other concerns about traffic and water supply were more Board of Zoning Appeals issues and he reviewed Commonwealth’s plans and thought they were adequate for the proposed use. Snyder said they couldn’t move forward without the rezoning approval. The council unanimously approved the rezoning.
Two public hearings also were held by the Council and no one from the public commented on either matter.
The first hearing was regarding a de-annexation request from Candice Brown. Brown owns a home in the Fox Run subdivision and is the only home that is annexed into town limits and she wants to be de-annexed. The only comment came from Councilman Bill Musser who said, “I’m for it, I’m sorry we waited this long.”
The Council approved the request. Town attorney Vern Landis said he now needs to send the paperwork to several other government entities.
The second public hearing was for a tax abatement for Travel Star. No one spoke for or against the 10-year tax abatement.
Travel Star plans to build a $600,000 facility in the Technology and Industrial Park at 6 & 13 and is investing $1.3 million in personal property including $1,228,000 in equipment, $100,000 in research and development, $30,000 in logistics and $20,000 in IT. They plan to hire 10 new employees with total salary of $450,000 and potential for more employees. The tax abatement is for both the real and personal property.
The Council also approved a resolution approving deviations of the standards for the 6 & 13 Technology & Industrial Park for Aluminum Insights. Before voting to approve the resolution, Musser asked why these things weren’t addressed earlier.
A representative from Abonmarche was on the Zoom call representing Aluminum Insights and said it was an issue of site planning. She said when the property owner entered into an agreement with the Redevelopment Commission for a project, they didn’t have details and development of the property was fairly complicated as the building is large.
Council President Larry Siegel, who is also on the Redevelopment Commission, told Musser Aluminum Insights was trying to redesign the building to fit on the lot.
“What they’re asking for are allowable variances,” he said.
According to the resolution, they were seeking deviations to allow for up to a 13-foot fence in the front yard for a screen wall, a setback of 22 feet on Innovation Boulevard adjacent to the cul de sac for future building expansion, to allow for building mounted signage, to allow for painted building signage, to allow for the building mounted signage to exceed 10 feet in height from grade and exceed 10 feet horizontally.
The council approved the resolution.
In other business, the Council:
• Approved an updated agreement with Bose, McKinney & Evan for legal services concerning annexation of the new athletic field, Kern’s Crossing & Mike Shafer’s Farm. The updated agreement has a lower hourly rate and more details of the scope of the agreement.
• Heard the Park Department's upcoming programs, including annual Easter egg hunt on March 27 with three different age groups at three different times to keep people separated, annual Geo egg hunt from March 27 to April 11 and Princess Party on April 17.
Marlin Miller, owner of John’s Butcher Shop and Bounthanh’s Egg Rolls in Nappanee, wants to renovate the former school’s gym, cafeteria and kitchen into a commercial food preparation area and convert classroom space into one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, reportedly with potential rents ranging from $600 to $1,400 a month.
Miller was present at the meeting held via Zoom, as was his attorney, Steve Snyder, who asked the town to accept the rezoning from public use to part commercial, part residential. Snyder said because of concerns raised at a prior meeting, Miller attached voluntary conditions on the rezoning request – no live animals on site, it would only be used for processing and packaging and no retail sales.
Snyder said some of the other concerns about traffic and water supply were more Board of Zoning Appeals issues and he reviewed Commonwealth’s plans and thought they were adequate for the proposed use. Snyder said they couldn’t move forward without the rezoning approval. The council unanimously approved the rezoning.
Two public hearings also were held by the Council and no one from the public commented on either matter.
The first hearing was regarding a de-annexation request from Candice Brown. Brown owns a home in the Fox Run subdivision and is the only home that is annexed into town limits and she wants to be de-annexed. The only comment came from Councilman Bill Musser who said, “I’m for it, I’m sorry we waited this long.”
The Council approved the request. Town attorney Vern Landis said he now needs to send the paperwork to several other government entities.
The second public hearing was for a tax abatement for Travel Star. No one spoke for or against the 10-year tax abatement.
Travel Star plans to build a $600,000 facility in the Technology and Industrial Park at 6 & 13 and is investing $1.3 million in personal property including $1,228,000 in equipment, $100,000 in research and development, $30,000 in logistics and $20,000 in IT. They plan to hire 10 new employees with total salary of $450,000 and potential for more employees. The tax abatement is for both the real and personal property.
The Council also approved a resolution approving deviations of the standards for the 6 & 13 Technology & Industrial Park for Aluminum Insights. Before voting to approve the resolution, Musser asked why these things weren’t addressed earlier.
A representative from Abonmarche was on the Zoom call representing Aluminum Insights and said it was an issue of site planning. She said when the property owner entered into an agreement with the Redevelopment Commission for a project, they didn’t have details and development of the property was fairly complicated as the building is large.
Council President Larry Siegel, who is also on the Redevelopment Commission, told Musser Aluminum Insights was trying to redesign the building to fit on the lot.
“What they’re asking for are allowable variances,” he said.
According to the resolution, they were seeking deviations to allow for up to a 13-foot fence in the front yard for a screen wall, a setback of 22 feet on Innovation Boulevard adjacent to the cul de sac for future building expansion, to allow for building mounted signage, to allow for painted building signage, to allow for the building mounted signage to exceed 10 feet in height from grade and exceed 10 feet horizontally.
The council approved the resolution.
In other business, the Council:
• Approved an updated agreement with Bose, McKinney & Evan for legal services concerning annexation of the new athletic field, Kern’s Crossing & Mike Shafer’s Farm. The updated agreement has a lower hourly rate and more details of the scope of the agreement.
• Heard the Park Department's upcoming programs, including annual Easter egg hunt on March 27 with three different age groups at three different times to keep people separated, annual Geo egg hunt from March 27 to April 11 and Princess Party on April 17.
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