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Compatibility is one of the factors the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission considers when voting on whether or not to approve a rezoning.
Compatibility is also the reason the plan commission denied Richard and Lois Utter's petition to rezone ground from an agricultural district to a residential district. The property is on the south side of Ind. 25 in Seward Township.
The attorney representing the Utters said the residential housing will be on property of more than 23 acres. The land is self-contained, he said, and is not taking any farm land out of production. The residential development, he said, may help with the area's drainage. Some land will be left undeveloped as a natural buffer. The homes also would be single-family residences and the subdivision would have minimal impact on the traffic in the area, he said. The drive would be a loop drive.
"I think, in looking at our proposal here, there are a number of reasons to accept our proposal," he said.
Kosciusko County Highway Superintendent and Engineer Rob Ladson said the highway department would consider the proposed drive a cul-de-sac. A cul-de-sac, by county ordinances, may be no more than 500 feet, but the one proposed is 1,100 feet.
Bonnie Hile, representing her son Chris, who owns 120 acres in the area, said her son is not happy about a residential subdivision being at that location. She said he thinks it is "a disturbance of the farming community."
Remonstrator Jeff Johnson said, "I really don't see that many houses going in a farming community like that."
"That driveway is too long," said plan commission member Hal Strong.
Plan commission member Richard Kemper said his concerns are the high water table and the compatibility of the development in the area.
Don Ahrms, plan commission member, said the development is not compatible with the area and moved to deny the petition. The plan commission voted 7 to 1 to deny the petition, with Strong opposed.
The recommendation by the plan commission to deny the rezoning will go before the Kosciusko County Commissioners Aug. 28 at 10 a.m. in the county courthouse.
In other business, the plan commission:
• Continued Bruce Cavell's petition for a preliminary plat for a residential development. The property is on the south side of CR 500N and 620 feet east of Ind. 13 in Tippecanoe Township.
Cavell was not present at the meeting. Area Plan Director Dan Richard said the office haven't heard from Cavell since last month's meeting when the petition was continued, but they are anticipating that Cavell is working on the development.
The petition was first advertised in February or March, Richard said. "We get concerned when they get this stale," he said.
He asked that if the board continue the petition and if the petition is again continued in September, that Cavell be required to readvertise. There also have been many changes to the development since the petition by Cavell was first advertised, he said.
• Continued Sycamore Fields LLC's petition for a preliminary plat for an Ag II development on 26.214 acres. The property is on the corner of CR 450S and Sullivan Road (CR 650E) in Tippecanoe Township.
• Approved Dixie Lee Liken's petition to rezone one acre from an agricultural district to a commercial district. The property is on the west side of Ind. 13 and 1,320 feet south of CR 500N in Tippecanoe Township.
• Approved Damien Carboneau's petition for a preliminary plat for a commercial development on 3.46 acres. The property is on the west side of Old Ind. 15, south of CR 400N in Plain Township.
• Approved the final plat for Habitat for Humanity's two-lot residential subdivision on the northside of Epworth Forest Road in North Webster.
• Approved the final plat for North Winds subdivision on the condition that the catch basins are improved and the Kosciusko County Highway Department signs off on the work.
• Richard announced the plan commission is going to attend a Sidney town hall meeting Saturday at 9 a.m. at the fire station. Sidney is considering joining the county area plan commission. The meeting is public.
Members of the plan commission are president Vic Virgil, Richard Kemper, Norm Lovell, Charlie Haffner, Barbara Carwile, Don Ahrms, Hal Strong, Kelly Easterday and Kevin McSherry. They meet at 1 p.m. in the county courthouse, Warsaw, on the first Wednesday of every month.
