Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Dave Tyler approached the Area Plan Commission Wednesday with a rather novel proposal - the establishment of a residential lake district for the Kosciusko County zoning map.
Tyler is a member of the Lake Tippecanoe Property Owners organization, a group established in 1944 to preserve the beauty and health of the Tippecanoe Lake Area.
The Tippecanoe group, along with 12 other lake-focused associations, generated the new district parameters. The zone would be established within 2,640 feet (half a mile) of the lake shore of any lake of 10 acres or larger. There are 60 county lakes 10 acres in size or larger.
The goal is to view the lakes as an environmentally sensitive area and protect them against reduced water quality and the further destruction of native plants and animals.
"In 2004," Tyler said, "the total gross assessed value of the land and improvements in Kosciusko County was $5.173 billion. Four townships, Plain, Tippecanoe, Turkey Creek and Wayne, represent 75 percent of this total value ($3.876 billion). The lakeshore property alone has a total gross assessed value of $1.438 billion. More than 37 percent of the entire property tax base for the four townships is lakeshore property.
"It is difficult to overstate the economic importance of the lakes. Recognizing and protecting the environmental sensitivity of the county's lakeshore real estate, by applying common sense limits to overdevelopment, is wise stewardship of both the local economy and our local quality of life."
Tyler asked that the commissioners read over the materials presented, including the results of a survey answered by 1,964 lake residents.
More than half of the survey respondents:
• Believe the quality of their lake is threatened by development (75.25 percent);
• Believe the quality of their lake is threatened by greater numbers of motor boats (78.72 percent);
• Indicate environmental quality is a major concern (89.87 percent); and
• The government should take action to protect lake quality (86.19 percent).
The new zoning category would limit new housing to single-family and duplex homes with minimums on lot size and lake frontage. Additional commercial development within the new lake residential would not be permitted. Existing homes and businesses would not be affected by the new zone's restrictions.
Tyler asked to be on the APC agenda next month to review and discuss the proposal for favorable recommendation to the county commissioners.
