The Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals heard only from supporters of petitioners during its regular meeting Tuesday. There were no remonstrators in the audience.
There was a slight delay at the start of the meeting as Matt Sandy, Area Plan director, quickly took roll call of those with hearings. Around 8:30 a.m. the Justice Building was evacuated due to a fire alarm going off. Warsaw-Wayne Township Fire Territory gave the all-clear at approximately 8:50 a.m., letting people back in the building.
The board heard an appeal in a case heard by the hearing officer two months ago. Attorney Steven Snyder, representing Gregory Adams, requested a variance to leave a 10-foot by 20-feet shed 16.4 feet from the right-of-way of the road.
Snyder explained Adams measured 28 feet from the road, not realizing the road right-of-way is different. He pointed out the lot is nonconforming to today’s standards and that the shed is set in such a way a car can still be driven into the home’s two-car garage.
Several neighbors spoke in favor of leaving the shed where it’s at. Adams’ next door neighbor told the board Adams and his wife had done a lot to improve the property in the last decade. Another neighbor reported fiber optic work, sewer work and new home construction had been done in the neighborhood and Adams’ shed had not hindered traffic in anyway. The Adams property is in Tippecanoe Township.
The board voted 3-1 to approve the variance. Randy Cox voted against it and John Beer was absent from the meeting.
Joanna McDowell came before the board asking for an exception to construct a 1,608-square-foot residential accessory building were 1,200 square feet is the maximum size allowed. McDowell also asked to place the building 5 feet from an east access easement. The property is in Tippecanoe Township.
McDowell explained she recently inherited the property from her grandmother. It has been in her family for a half century. McDowell and her husband would like to build a permanent home, but would like to build the accessory building first to have a place to store things.
The lot has a slope which limits where the home can be placed. When asked for a timeline of when the home project would start, McDowell said it would depend since there is discussion of sewer coming to the area. She doesn’t want to install a septic system and then a year later have to tap onto sewer.
After some discussion, her requests were approved with the stipulation she come back in two years to update the board if a building permit for the house had not been issued by then.
Nathan Brown requested a variance to construct a 12-foot by 27-foot open deck in line with the residence 0 feet from the side property line. The property is in Tippecanoe Township.
Brown explained the house had been vacant for a number of years and he and his wife are working on fixing it up. The neighbors are OK with the proposed deck. The board approved the request, provided the neighbor provide a letter of support.
Ida Wallen requested a variance allowing an existing covered porch to remain as placed 22.2 feet from the right-of-way and allow increased cubic content on a garage 20.25 feet from the right-of-way. The property is in Turkey Creek Township.
The board quickly approved the garage and porch to remain on the condition a semi trailer being used for storage be removed from the property within 90 days. Wallen does have the option of requesting an extension should she need it.
Chris Francis, Tippecanoe Township trustee, came before the board seeking a variance to construct a new fire department building 42 feet from the west road right-of-way and 10 feet from the south alley. The property is in North Webster.
Francis explained a new five-bay pole barn will be constructed to house fire equipment. Bids will be open soon with construction expected to begin in early September. The request was approved as presented.
The board approved the following petitions:
• A request from Michael Kohl to allow a shed to remain 1.9 feet from the road right-of-way and 3.2 feet from the east property line. The property is in Harrison Township.
• A request from Edward Boyts to construct a residence 30 feet from the water’s edge and 13 feet from the right-of-way of the road. The property is in Plain Township.
• A request from Louis Dreyfus for allowing agriculture additions to a boiler room, liquid truck load out, canola and glycerin filter building, enclose a 5-foot-by-10-foot filter building, extend Mezzanine to 18 feet by 24 feet and two possible future buildings. The property is in Clay Township.
• A request from Keystone Cooperative, formerly North Central Cooperative, for an exception to allow the construction of two new towers in an agricultural district. The towers mix and weigh dry fertilizer before distributing it into semi trucks. The property is in Franklin Township.
• A petition from Keith Harris to allow for mobile residences to be replaced in a residential district. The BZA board approved with the stipulation the town has input on the units being replaced. The property is in Lake Township
• A request from Tim and Amy Goon to build an accessory building 1 foot, 4 inches from the east sideline and 2 feet from the south sideline. The board approved with the stipulation the owner of the neighboring farm signs a negative easement. The property is in Plain Township.
• A request from Robert and Cheryl Hill for a non-conforming use to allow an antique business and living quarters.
The board elected to continue the hearing of Byron Miller who requested a variance to place a new 8-foot-by-12-foot shed 1 foot north of the property line. After a motion to deny didn’t pass, the case was continued for another month. The property is in Turkey Creek Township.