Warsaw City Council approved an ordinance amendment Monday that will allow indoor recreational facilities to be permitted in industrial-zoned districts.
The ordinance amendment would allow for a cheer, tumbling and gymnastics indoor facility to be located in an industrial-zoned district in Warsaw.
After two hours of discussion, councilmen Joe Thallemer, Jeff Grose, Charlie Smith, George Clemens, Kyle Babcock and Dan Hampton voted in favor of allowing the use to be permitted.
Councilman Jerry Patterson voted to allow an indoor recreation facility to be a special exception in an industrial district as recommended to the city council by Warsaw Plan Commission.
The city council previously reviewed the request at its June meeting to allow for the facility in the industrial district. They decided to ask Warsaw Plan Commission to review indoor uses in industrial zones.
Approximately 70 cheerleaders and gymnasts and their parents attended Monday night's city council meeting at city hall to show their support for a facility at 1155 Executive Drive, Warsaw, in an industrial park.
The facility, once opened, will be west of McElroy Hill, off U.S. 30 West and one mile west of the U.S. 30 and Ind. 15 overpass on the south side of U.S. 30 across from Medtronic.
It also is adjacent to McDonald's Delivery Service, 1100 Executive Drive.
Tim Sammons, owner of Midwest Extreme, a cheer, gymnastics and tumbling facility, said he had a building constructed to accommodate the facility and was requesting it be located in the industrial-zoned district.
He said the building was completed in September, but is currently vacant without equipment.
Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals granted Sammons a use variance previously to build at another lot in the industrial zone, but Sammons said he decided not to because the area was not suitable.
He then requested another use variance at the 1155 Executive Drive property last year that was denied by the zoning board due to hardship the building would create at the facility. The building was built but has not opened.
Sammons said his daughters, as well as other local cheerleaders and gymnasts, have had to travel to places such as Fort Wayne, South Bend and Elkhart for practice.
He said having a facility in Warsaw would generate income in Warsaw and be an asset.
"I'm happy the elected officials have seen this as a good and positive thing for the community," Sammons said.
Deb Wright said she coached cheerleading 10 years ago and drove her cheerleaders out of town to places like Elkhart for them to have a practice facility.
"Not allowing this facility here denies these kids and encourages people to go elsewhere to spend their money," Wright said.
Randy Reneker, owner of Reneker's Sports Shop, said the facility would help him as a business owner because the gymnasts and cheerleaders could purchase uniforms from his business.
"The facility also would held benefit local pee wee leagues that need cheerleaders," Reneker said.
Jason Kuchmay, attorney representing Sammons and Roger Schwartz, building owner and builder, spoke in support of the facility.
"There are so many instances of kid-oriented uses in industrial zones such as the Madison Elementary School, which is under construction in an industrial district, and the Baker Youth Club in an industrial district," Kuchmay said.
He said allowing indoor recreational facilities in an industrial-zoned district is among the most desirable uses for which the land can be adapted.
Attorney Steve Snyder, representing McDonald's Delivery Service, spoke on behalf of the business. McDonald's Delivery Service was opposed to having the facility located in the industrial park.
Snyder said a cheer facility is not appropriate in an industrial-zoned district.
