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Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission approved two rezoning petitions and a vacation during a meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 7.
Fredrick Hershberger petitioned to rezone 31.12 acres from an Industrial-2 District to an Agricultural-2 District. The property is at 12818 N. CR 300E, Syracuse.
Hershberger told the commission he plans on having a house and a hobby farm at the location, and if the land allows for it to also place a pond on the property. He noted his family “doesn’t intend to farm,” but wants to use it for personal use.
Matt Sandy, Area Plan director, let the commission know the technical committee had noted Hershberger would have to work with the Health Department “at whether or not sewer is feasible” at that location.
“Sewer does run along the south end … there is a chance it may have to hook into sewer, but that’s something (Hershberger) will have to work with the Health Department on,” said Sandy.
Matt Goodnight, commission member, asked if there was any comment from the town, to which Sandy responded they are in favor of the petition. The commission approved.
Steve Snyder, local attorney, spoke on behalf of Glennell Webb. Webb had petitioned for preliminary plat approval for a residential development on a 4.5-acre tract of ground off of Pickwick Drive, Syracuse. Snyder explained the property would be subdivided into five lots, with the last lot being unusable because of it sitting in the swamp.
There was a letter of concern from the Wawasee Conservatory District. The letter asked about setbacks, protection of the wetlands and erosion control for any new building placed in those subdivision lots. Sandy noted after talking to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and local soil and water “that each individual owner will have to do a storm water pollution plan for any development on the site.”
The petition was approved with the addition of the entirety of the fifth lot being labeled as “not buildable.”
Lastly, Snyder presented on behalf of Charles Baker a vacation of a 12-foot plated right-of-way alley off of North Barbee Road and EMS B62 Lane, Warsaw. Snyder told the commission there was nothing in the alley, nor was it used for anything of importance. None of Baker’s neighbors near the right-of-way would be landlocked if the vacation was approved, as they would be able to get out onto either EMS B62 Lane or onto North Barbee Road.
This was approved.
In other business:
• Mark Bergman came to the commission in September, petitioning to rezone 13.55 acres of property located at the corner of Ind. 13 and Ind. 14 in Claypool, but withdrew the petition until a later date.
• The State of the County will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20 at Lincoln Elementary School. This is open to the public, and is to “pat the community on the back” for helping “our county to prosper,” as stated by Commissioner Bob Conley.
• At 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 6, there will be a housing meeting to look at the regulations in regards to housing. This meeting will be in the Justice Building and is open to the public.
The next meeting of the Kosciusko APC will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4.
