Warsaw BZA Approves 6 Variances For KCH
April 26, 2022 at 1:58 a.m.
Warsaw BZA Approves 6 Variances For KCH
By David [email protected]
The BZA heard five of KCH’s six petitions together.
The first petition from Warsaw Health System LLC, doing business as KCH, was for a variance from development standards at 1205 Provident Drive. Warsaw Assistant City Planner Bekah Schrag said the variance was to construct three signs at a maximum height of 9-1/3 feet with 74 square feet of display area.
KCH’s second petition was for a variance from development standards at 2229 Dubois Drive to allow one sign with an increase in height and display area. The proposed sign is 13.6 feet in height and contains 87.75 square feet in display area.
The third petition from KCH for 2101 Dubois Drive was for a variance to allow a total of four signs on a single parcel with a maximum height of 13.5 feet with 87.75 square feet of display area.
The fourth variance petition from KCH was for 1540 Provident Drive and was to allow a total of two signs on a single parcel with a maximum height of 13.5 feet with 84.38 square feet of display area.
Finally, the fifth variance from development standards was for 1500 Provident Drive and was for one sign to be 9 feet tall with a display area of 49.5 square feet.
“They’re upgrading their signs,” Schrag said.
Based on the nature of the hospital campus and the information provided, she also said it was the recommendation of the Warsaw Planning Department that the Board review the requests favorably.
Thomas B. Trent, attorney with Rothberg Logan & Warsco LLP, Fort Wayne, representing KCH Monday, also had represented the hospital at the BZA’s March meeting. At that meeting, KCH petitioned for a variance from development standards to allow an increase in sign height and display area for the parcel at the intersection of Springhill Drive and U.S. 30 that would be directly east from 1540 Provident Drive. That proposed sign was 31 feet tall with 532 square feet of display area, of which 392 square feet would be an electronic messaging center. With no remonstrators, that petition was approved.
On Monday, Trent told the BZA, “As you, I think, all know, the hospital is a real asset to the community and yet its wayfinding signage is way behind the times. The intent tonight is part of a broader initiative to modernize the campus, and so we put forth a number of development standard requests to enhance the quality of signage.”
The lion’s share of property in vicinity to the hospital is owned by the hospital, Trent said. “The proposed signage are such a substantial upgrade that if there’s any effect on value, it would be a positive.”
Board President Tom Allen asked about the illumination of the signs.
“It would be sharp cut-off lights to the extent they’re downward facing,” Trent said.
Allen said he wanted to make sure everyone could read the signs. Trent said the emergency room sign right now is in need of a substantial upgrade and, looking at what’s proposed, “I would say ‘mission accomplished.’”
Jack Wilhite, the Warsaw Common Council representative to the BZA, said he agreed the signage needed upgrading.
There were no remonstrators to any of the petitions. Allen said, “I think it’s wonderful. This is well needed and I live about five houses from where you’re going to put all these things, and I think it’s great.”
The Board approved the five variances and then moved on to the sixth.
The sixth was for 1210 Provident Drive and 2101 Dubois Drive and the variance from development standards is to allow larger-than-permitted directional signs on two parcels of their campus. The directional signs are 5 feet tall with 15 square feet of display area. These parcels are part of the KCH campus and are surrounded on most sides by other medical zoning and U.S. 30.
Schrag said, “Due to the nature of medical campuses, larger signs are typically necessary to help with wayfinding and directions. Based on the nature of the hospital campus and the information provided, it is the opinion of the Planning Department that the Board view this request favorably.”
With no remonstrators, the BZA unanimously approved the sixth petition as well.
The other two petitions before BZA Monday were from Three JM LLC, represented by attorney Steve Snyder.
The first petition for a variance from development standards at 3690 Commerce Drive sought to use gravel as a parking surface when parking areas in the city are to be a finished hard surface.
The property is surrounded by commercial and residential uses, including large retailers and a mobile home park. The parcel is tucked behind other commercial businesses and is not visible from the main arterial roads, Schrag told the BZA.
“This property is unique in that it contains steep slopes that grade into wetlands. If this request is approved, the petitioner will need to contact the state of Indiana to comply with any guidelines if the wetland is regulated by the state. After checking with Warsaw Stormwater, there are no other concerns regarding a gravel parking area near these wetlands,” Schrag said.
Due to the parcel being tucked behind other commercial uses, the Planning Department suggested the Board look favorably upon the request.
Snyder said there’s a large retention off to the southeast of the proposed storage buildings. The entire project is more than 200 feet from the wetland area. That wetland area has been delineated by an expert “so we know exactly what its boundaries are and this project is located far enough away to avoid any effect on those wetlands.”
He said they wanted gravel to be similar to their competitors and to reduce costs.
With no remonstrators, the BZA approved the request.
The follow-up variance petition was to allow storage warehousing in the Commercial-5 district. Three JM LLC plans to build seven separate buildings for indoor rental storage on the parcel.
With no remonstrators, the Board eventually approved the petition after hearing from Snyder about lighting, security and traffic.
The BZA heard five of KCH’s six petitions together.
The first petition from Warsaw Health System LLC, doing business as KCH, was for a variance from development standards at 1205 Provident Drive. Warsaw Assistant City Planner Bekah Schrag said the variance was to construct three signs at a maximum height of 9-1/3 feet with 74 square feet of display area.
KCH’s second petition was for a variance from development standards at 2229 Dubois Drive to allow one sign with an increase in height and display area. The proposed sign is 13.6 feet in height and contains 87.75 square feet in display area.
The third petition from KCH for 2101 Dubois Drive was for a variance to allow a total of four signs on a single parcel with a maximum height of 13.5 feet with 87.75 square feet of display area.
The fourth variance petition from KCH was for 1540 Provident Drive and was to allow a total of two signs on a single parcel with a maximum height of 13.5 feet with 84.38 square feet of display area.
Finally, the fifth variance from development standards was for 1500 Provident Drive and was for one sign to be 9 feet tall with a display area of 49.5 square feet.
“They’re upgrading their signs,” Schrag said.
Based on the nature of the hospital campus and the information provided, she also said it was the recommendation of the Warsaw Planning Department that the Board review the requests favorably.
Thomas B. Trent, attorney with Rothberg Logan & Warsco LLP, Fort Wayne, representing KCH Monday, also had represented the hospital at the BZA’s March meeting. At that meeting, KCH petitioned for a variance from development standards to allow an increase in sign height and display area for the parcel at the intersection of Springhill Drive and U.S. 30 that would be directly east from 1540 Provident Drive. That proposed sign was 31 feet tall with 532 square feet of display area, of which 392 square feet would be an electronic messaging center. With no remonstrators, that petition was approved.
On Monday, Trent told the BZA, “As you, I think, all know, the hospital is a real asset to the community and yet its wayfinding signage is way behind the times. The intent tonight is part of a broader initiative to modernize the campus, and so we put forth a number of development standard requests to enhance the quality of signage.”
The lion’s share of property in vicinity to the hospital is owned by the hospital, Trent said. “The proposed signage are such a substantial upgrade that if there’s any effect on value, it would be a positive.”
Board President Tom Allen asked about the illumination of the signs.
“It would be sharp cut-off lights to the extent they’re downward facing,” Trent said.
Allen said he wanted to make sure everyone could read the signs. Trent said the emergency room sign right now is in need of a substantial upgrade and, looking at what’s proposed, “I would say ‘mission accomplished.’”
Jack Wilhite, the Warsaw Common Council representative to the BZA, said he agreed the signage needed upgrading.
There were no remonstrators to any of the petitions. Allen said, “I think it’s wonderful. This is well needed and I live about five houses from where you’re going to put all these things, and I think it’s great.”
The Board approved the five variances and then moved on to the sixth.
The sixth was for 1210 Provident Drive and 2101 Dubois Drive and the variance from development standards is to allow larger-than-permitted directional signs on two parcels of their campus. The directional signs are 5 feet tall with 15 square feet of display area. These parcels are part of the KCH campus and are surrounded on most sides by other medical zoning and U.S. 30.
Schrag said, “Due to the nature of medical campuses, larger signs are typically necessary to help with wayfinding and directions. Based on the nature of the hospital campus and the information provided, it is the opinion of the Planning Department that the Board view this request favorably.”
With no remonstrators, the BZA unanimously approved the sixth petition as well.
The other two petitions before BZA Monday were from Three JM LLC, represented by attorney Steve Snyder.
The first petition for a variance from development standards at 3690 Commerce Drive sought to use gravel as a parking surface when parking areas in the city are to be a finished hard surface.
The property is surrounded by commercial and residential uses, including large retailers and a mobile home park. The parcel is tucked behind other commercial businesses and is not visible from the main arterial roads, Schrag told the BZA.
“This property is unique in that it contains steep slopes that grade into wetlands. If this request is approved, the petitioner will need to contact the state of Indiana to comply with any guidelines if the wetland is regulated by the state. After checking with Warsaw Stormwater, there are no other concerns regarding a gravel parking area near these wetlands,” Schrag said.
Due to the parcel being tucked behind other commercial uses, the Planning Department suggested the Board look favorably upon the request.
Snyder said there’s a large retention off to the southeast of the proposed storage buildings. The entire project is more than 200 feet from the wetland area. That wetland area has been delineated by an expert “so we know exactly what its boundaries are and this project is located far enough away to avoid any effect on those wetlands.”
He said they wanted gravel to be similar to their competitors and to reduce costs.
With no remonstrators, the BZA approved the request.
The follow-up variance petition was to allow storage warehousing in the Commercial-5 district. Three JM LLC plans to build seven separate buildings for indoor rental storage on the parcel.
With no remonstrators, the Board eventually approved the petition after hearing from Snyder about lighting, security and traffic.
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