Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Because Winona Avenue is becoming increasingly commercial, a request by ERI Housing representative Brent Hall to build a housing unit was denied by the Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals Monday.
Hall, a construction contractor, said the property, at 910 E. Winona Avenue, was owned by Steve Reed of Terre Haute. His plans, requiring a special exception in a C-2, commercial zone, were to build a multi-family modular to the north of an existing building. The buildings would have been separated by a car port.
The board voted against the petition, 4-to-1, with Richard Keeven against denying the request.
Board member Bruce Woodward said the use would not be consistent with the neighborhood, that no other residential units have been built along that area of Winona Avenue since 1984.
Terry Connors and Tim Connors also appeared to remonstrate against the plan. The brothers said their mother, Marilyn Connors, lives to the south of the property, on Smith Street, and they were representing her interests.
Terry Connors said the surrounding area was commercial, that there was traffic through the lot now from Wood Street and Winona Avenue.
Tim Connors said there was no place to develop a yard for children to play and he imagined them coming into his mother's yard.
Upon denial of the petition, Hall withdrew two other requests pertaining to the property.
Jim Breading also appeared before the board, representing J & D Rental, owners of 116 E. Center St., formerly occupied by Breading Cigar Store. His request to install a new 24-square-foot projecting sign was denied.
The maximum size for projecting signs in the commercial, central business district zone is 8 square feet.
Breading explained his wife would move her shop, Dixieland, on Winona Avenue, to the Center Street location, offering the Merle Norman line of cosmetics. He indicated the frame holding the sign needs repair and he considers it unsafe.
Board members said if he just replaced the plastic sign inserts with a new sign he could keep the size. However, once the frame was removed, the size would have to conform to the 8-square-foot requirement.
Board president Dan Hampton said, "I think we should draw a hard line on this. If he puts a new insert in the same frame, I think he's grandfathered in."
"We've turned down several requests for projecting signs," Woodward said. "We're going to facade signage (a sign board affixed to the front of the building) and with the 8-square-foot projecting sign. Just because it's been that way for 40 years doesn't mean it will stay that way."
A petition by Stanley Berthusen, 1510 Brubaker St., for a variance from development standards was approved. Berthusen plans to build a new house with a 3-foot side yard setback on the south side. The minimum is 5-feet for a side yard setback for a R-2, residential district.
Berthusen explained the extra two feet will provide more room at the entrance on the home's north side. If he or his wife, Vivian, are ever confined to a wheelchair, the extra space will allow for more maneuverability. The property is along Pike Lake.
Board members asked city planner Jeremy Spinner to continue with the sign project approved by the board last year. Signs would be placed at properties petitioning the BZA or plan commission with requests and indicate the date of the public hearing.
BZA members are Dan Hampton, Bruce Woodward, Tom Heuer, Alan Clingan and Richard Keeven. Bill Rhoades is the city council's representative.
