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Five variances and a road vacation were approved by Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission Wednesday afternoon.
The Indiana University Foundation sought to take a 5.5-acre property on the north end of Second Street, north of Armstrong Road in Oswego, and plat it into four residential building sites. The property is bordered by Oswego Lake on the north, the Tippecanoe River on the west, private property on the south and a cemetery on the east.
Steve Snyder, an attorney representing the foundation, said the property was a gift and the intent is to develop it into four lakefront lots with a surface water retention area.
A remonstrator expressed concern that the property would be used for condominiums, but Snyder said that was not the plan as of now.
Kurt Carlson petitioned the commission to rezone property he owns on CR 550S, just east of Ind. 15, from public use to agricultural. The property has a building that used to be a church, and Carlson said the only potential buyers he’s had are interested in converting the structure into a residence.
Dave Munson, who said he lives nearby, said he doesn’t oppose the petition but someone moving in who isn’t used to living near livestock may find that to be an issue.
Rose Cotton asked the board to approve her request to sell some of her property on CR 700S, east of Claypool Elementary School, to her daughter for the purpose of building a home.
A petition from Orange Cat LLC to rezone 11.64 acres of property from public use to residential along Eastshore Drive across from Maxwelton Golf Club in Syracuse was heard. The site is a portion of the former Smith Walbridge Camp. At least one of the homes built there will be a Wawasee building-trades project.
Jeff Strombeck asked that about 17.5 acres of a property be rezoned from agricultural to commercial on the north side of East CR 500N at the intersection of Ind. 13.
Snyder, also representing Strombeck, said the county’s Board of Zoning Appeals has already approved indoor boat storage on a portion of the property. Strombeck wants to develop the southernmost part of the property. Snyder said the other three corners of the intersection are already commercial and have been developed.
A road vacation request from Jeff and Stacey Linnert was heard. They would like a “stub” of T3 Lane to become private. The board recommended entering into a covenant with an adjacent property owner to ensure each property has an easement.
All six petitions will be heard by the county commissioners at their Aug. 21 meeting.
In other business, Lynn Studebaker encouraged the board to recommend either banning outright or putting stronger regulations on industrial wind turbines. She cited declining property values, quality of life, environmental and remediation issues during her 45-plus minute presentation.
The APC will next meet at 1 p.m. Sept. 5.
