Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
In 2003, the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission broke some of its own records.
Wednesday, Plan Commission director Dan Richard presented the Plan Commission with the county department's annual report.
The biggest record broken, according to the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission Improvement Location Permits Issued Composite Report, was in total construction dollars.
In 2003, total construction dollar amount was $210,306,807. In 2002, the amount was $82,630,846.
The 2003 total was bolstered by a large construction project at R.R. Donnelley & Sons, Inc.
The second highest year for total construction dollars was in 1999 at $98,761,981. Since 1975, total construction dollars have totaled $1,474,409,749.
Another record broken in 2003 was the number of permits for single family residence additions at 647. In 2002, there were 618 single family residence additions permits; 577 in 2001; and 511 in 2000. In 1975, there were 95.
The third record broken in 2003 was for permits for agricultural buildings - 162. That's compared to 155 in 2002; 160 in 2001; and 44 in 1975.
The last record broken was for total permits issued. In 2003, the plan commission issued 1,674 total permits; that's up from 1,664 in 2002; 1,653 in 2001; 1,508 in 2000; and 545 in 1975.
Also in 2003, there were 366 permits for single-family residences; 75 for mobile homes; 355 for residence accessory buildings; four for multi-family residences; 20 for public use buildings; 33 for commercial buildings; and 12 permits for industrial buildings.
Richard also presented the Plan Commission with the composite hearing report.
In 2003, the plan commission and county board of zoning appeals had a total of 451 hearings - that's a continued drop since the record high of 554 in 1999. In 2000, the two boards held 503 hearings; 485 in 2001; and 474 in 2002.
Of the 451 hearings, 24 were rezonings before the plan commission and 15 were for subdivisions. The highest number of rezoning hearings the plan commission ever had in a year was 54 in 1978, while the record for subdivision hearings held was 28 in 1978 and 1979.
The BZA had 270 hearings for variances in 2003 and 142 for exceptions. The last time the BZA had 270 variance hearings was in 1998. Not since 1994 had the BZA had 142 or fewer exception hearings.
