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Only a petition for a preliminary plat approval was on the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission's agenda Wednesday.
It was approved unanimously on the condition that it meet the setbacks approved by the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals at a previous BZA meeting, the subdivision change its name and the developer provide a drainage plan for the planned subdivision.
The preliminary plat, by R.L. Morgan, is for a residential development on the north side of Hatchery Road and 1,000 feet west of Hiawatha Lane in Turkey Creek Township.
According to plan commission director Dan Richard, the BZA approved a variance for Morgan that would allow him to create the residences with less than the allowed road frontage. Instead of the 75 feet required, Morgan has to meet a front setback of only 66 feet. The BZA approval of the variance was not the final say of the plat, Richard said, but approval of the variance just "opened the door" for the plat to be presented to the plan commission Wednesday.
When asked how long the lot had been vacant, Morgan said he guessed about 20 years and he purchased it 37 years ago.
"We just felt the residential thing was the better route for us" rather than condominiums, he said.
Asked if he would be able to maintain a 10-foot setback on each side, he said he would be able to do so. "That does not impede the lot."
County surveyor and plan commission secretary Dick Kemper said his biggest concern was that the surface water run-off didn't go onto the neighbors' properties. Richard said the plat could be approved contingent on the drainage plan. Richard then presented the plan commission with two letters of remonstrance, which plan commission vice chairman Charlie Haffner read aloud.
The letters expressed their concern about the size of the lots and potential safety and road hazards.
Kemper said for traffic concerns, a multi-family dwelling or condos would be worse and the area is residential.
"Seems like a good fit to me," he said. He motioned to approve the preliminary plat with restrictions previously mentioned.
In another matter, assistant planner Matt Sandy presented a referral to the plan commission.
Olson's Casual Furnishings Inc., North Main Street, North Webster, has two lots; one is commercial and the adjacent lot is residential, where the owners live. The owners want to store and display furniture on the residential lot. To do so, they need to get an exception from the BZA. Sandy said the town of North Webster endorsed the business' plan.
The business already has been displaying the furniture outside for the past three years - in violation of county ordinances.
Haffner said he was concerned about the type of precedence approving the outside furniture display would set. "If North Webster is willing to live with it ... it looks like a junk hole," he said. If the business was outside the city limits, he said, they wouldn't even consider it, but North Webster "is so flexible. I sometimes wonder what they're thinking."
Richard said the plan commission can approve the referral to the BZA and the concerns about the business can be addressed at that hearing.
Haffner said parking in North Webster is almost nonexistent. The business is next door to the fire station. "What is there to recommend this? Zero!" said Haffner.
Richard said if the plan commission recommends that the BZA hear the exception, the town of North Webster can be asked for more guidance on it.
"I'm concerned, too," said plan commission chairman Vic Virgil, "about a garage-sale kind of look. Kind of junky."
Kemper said a fair discussion on the business' request should go before the BZA. He motioned that the BZA hear the exception request and it was approved.
The plan commission then approved the 2002 officers as follows: Virgil, chairman; Haffner, vice chairman; and Kemper, secretary.
Other members of the plan commission present included Kevin McSherry, Kelly Easterday, Norm Lovell, Barb Carwile and Don Ahrms. Not present was Hal Strong. They meet at 1 p.m. in the Kosciusko County courthouse, Warsaw, on the first Wednesday of every month. The public meeting is open to anyone.
