Warsaw City Council Monday approved a rezoning ordinance for a proposed Martin's Super Market in Warsaw.
The request was for 0.65 acres to be rezoned from residential to commercial to allow for the proposed supermarket.
Warsaw Plan Commission, at its May 11, meeting approved sending a favorable recommendation to the city for the rezoning.
Monday's vote was 4-2 with councilmen Kyle Babcock, Joe Thallemer, George Clemens, and Jerry Patterson voting in favor of the rezoning.Councilmen and Plan Commission members Jeff Grose and Dan Hampton voted against the rezoning. Councilman Charlie Smith abstained from the vote because his son Scott Smith was hired by the supermarket to serve as its attorney.
The supermarket is being proposed approximately a quarter mile northwest of the Husky Trial/Parker Street intersection in Warsaw.
It is being proposed in the northwest corner of the Menards subdivision development. The development plan proposes a supermarket and bank.
Warsaw City Planner Jeremy Skinner said the supermarket site plan still needs to be reviewed and approved by Warsaw Plan Commission and Warsaw Traffic Safety Commission.
"The rezoning will better facilitate the proposed development," Skinner said.
Grose said he had concerns with the proposed road configuration for the proposed supermarket.
Martin's Super Market is requesting ingress and egress on Husky Trail to accommodate the proposed supermarket.
Grose said his main concern is that two years ago Menards requested 21 acres to be rezoned from residential to commercial and now 0.65 acres are needed for the proposed supermarket.
Grose said he did not have a problem with Martin's coming to Warsaw, but had traffic concerns with building the supermarket on an arterial road.
Thallemer, who voted against the rezoning two years ago, said the area is now a commercial development and he supports the proposed supermarket being in the location.
"The city council and plan commission decided two years ago this is where the community wants to shop," Thallemer said.
"If the rezoning improves the efficiency of the site plan I am for it."
Thallemer said he still thinks there needs to be work done on the site plan to accommodate access to the development.
Patterson said he also supports the Martin's.
"I think we are at the point where we need to take what we've got and make it work," Patterson said.
Rob Bartels, Martin's CEO, South Bend, spoke during the meeting.
"Our job is to serve our communities in the best way possible and our desire and goal is to have a Martin's in Warsaw," Bartels said.
Also during the meeting, the council approved a vacation of a public right of way for Menards.
Petitioners Dale and Joan Hermann requested the vacation of Husky Trail south of Mariner Drive.
The council also approvedcontinuing a six-year tax abatement for Wildman Uniform, 800 S. Buffalo St.
The council approved the Warsaw City Fire Protection Territory committee meeting with the Local Government Tax Control Board June 25.
The meeting will be to discuss the committee seeking approval to levy property taxes beginning with taxes payable in 2010 for the fire territory operating fund and equipment replacement fund for the fire protection territory.
