An excavating business may operate out of an agriculture district north of Etna Green, thanks to the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals Tuesday.
Attorney Steve Snyder went before the BZA to request the exception on behalf of John Beechy, who co-owns EXC Properties. The land in question is south of CR 800N and north of CR 750N in Etna Township.
"Right now, they're operating as a home-based business at a totally different location," said Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission Director Matt Sandy.
Snyder said Beechy installs septic systems and obviously no excavation would actually be done at the Etna Township site.
He noted, if allowed, the site would have "a 70-by-80-foot building with an open lean-to for storage, 10-foot overhang on one side and parking for equipment and attachments to the south side of that building."
Snyder said the area was wide-open and had driveways "to handle any customers as well as more than adequate to handle the equipment."
The BZA unanimously approved the request.
At the meeting, the board also:
• Heard that two variance requests from Beulah Onstott had been dropped. Sandy noted he thought Onstott hadn't even done public notifications. She was seeking to create two tracts of ground at 310 W. Center St., Burket, that were 5,864 square feet and 15,126 square feet and allow a home at that location to be 5.8 feet from the new property line.
• Approved an exception requested by Jason Fry to have an 80-foot-by-80-foot accessory building for his business in an agricultural district at 5190 W. 1350N, Nappanee. He needs to abide by any required setbacks.
• Approved a variance request from Dennis Martin to have a rebuilt garage located 3.4 feet from the west side property line and 12.8 feet from the right-of-way of Northshore Drive at 861 E. Northshore Drive, Syracuse.
• Approved a variance request from the Tippecanoe Lake Country Club to keep a 6-foot-tall fence 3 feet from the right-of-way of CR 750N. The property is at 3905 E. 750N, Leesburg.
• Continued a variance request brought by Kristi Harkenrider to its next meeting set for 9 a.m. May 13 in the Kosciusko County Justice Building's basement. She wants to put a residence addition 15 feet from the right-of-way of the road at 10294 N. Beach Road, Syracuse. The continuance is so Harkenrider can try to redesign her building plan to allow for a greater setback.
• Denied a variance request brought by Bryan Garlotte for an attached garage to be built 1 foot, 11 inches from the road right-of-way and 6 inches from the side property line at 109 N. Mulberry St., North Webster. The board wanted Garlotte to make the garage a side-load one.
• Approved a variance request brought by Bradley Potulney to allow a residence to be 13.4 feet from the water's edge at 64 EMS W23 Lane, North Webster.
• Continued a variance request brought by Mike Baur to its next meeting on May 13 as it asked him to get a survey done. He wants to put a residence addition 3 feet from the north and south property lines and 23 feet from the water's edge at 8665 E. Wesley Lane, North Webster.
• Denied a variance request brought by Mark Abel for a home to be built 3.6 feet from the property lines at 3 EMS T38 Lane, Leesburg. The board wanted a greater setback.
• Approved a variance request brought by Nancy Tynan for an air conditioning unit to be 2.7 feet from property lines at 6687 N. Kalorama Road, Leesburg. The board also insisted that the north side of the property remain open.