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Kosciusko County is coming closer to having a revised zoning ordinance that includes new restrictions on sexually oriented businesses.
The proposed ordinance, as discussed by the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission Wednesday, allows a sexually oriented business to be located in a commercially zoned district if the sexually-oriented business complies with the following restrictions:
• It must be 1,000 feet from any church, school, public park or day care center. If it is located in an incorporated city, however, the number drops to 500 feet.
• It must be 1,000 feet from the boundary of any residentially zoned district. If it is located in an incorporated city, it must be 200 feet from any residentially zoned district.
• It must be 1,000 feet from another sexually oriented business. If it's in an incorporated city, it must be at least 500 feet from another sexually-oriented business.
A potential problem with the ordinance arose in the town of North Webster. North Webster's commercial district is bordered entirely by residential. The entire commercial district is within the 1,000-foot restriction.
The commission is looking for a solution to the problem, which may include changing the number from 1,000 feet to as low as 50 feet.
The ordinance will be changed and brought before the commission at its next meeting.
