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Instead of just approving or denying rezonings, sometimes the Kosciusko County commissioners work with petitioners and remonstrators to find a happy medium.
A case Tuesday was an example.
Bruce Cavell, of Four Seas Resources, represented by attorney Steve Snyder, petitioned the commissioners to rezone ground from residential to commercial. The property is between CR 500N and Ind. 13 in Tippecanoe Township.
At the Nov. 5 Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission meeting, by a vote of five to three, the plan commission voted to recommend to the county commissioners that they not rezone the property. On rezonings, the plan commission is only a recommending body to the commissioners.
Remonstrators - neighbors adjacent to the property - said Tuesday they opposed the rezoning. Among other concerns, they didn't want the increase in traffic or to have commercial property in their backyards.
"We have children, grandchildren that come. We don't want to see this. We don't want to see this," said Lewis Hine.
After about an hour of discussion, Cavel and the neighbors came up with an agreement regarding the rezoning.
The commissioners continued the matter to their Dec. 16 meeting so Snyder can draw up a written covenant according to the agreement.
Under the agreement, Cavell will deed away the northern 25 feet of his property to the adjacent property owners as a buffer between them and the commercial property. In addition, subject to plan commission approval, Cavell will make the northern entrance to the propery an emergency entrance only.
After the covenant is written, Snyder will let county attorney Mike Miner review it before the commissioners vote on it at their next meeting. The covenant, if approved, will be enforceable by the plan commission, Snyder said.
