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Of five rezoning petitions brought before the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission Wednesday, three were recommended for approval, one was dropped and one was continued.
The plan commission is only a recommending board to the Kosciusko County Commissioners. The commissioners have final say on the approval or denial of petitions.
Lance Wilhite's petition to rezone one-half acre from agricultural to a residential district was continued to the Sept. 6 meeting. The property is on the north side of Wilcox Road and 1,020 feet east of CR 275E in Wayne Township.
Dan Richard, plan commission director, said the attorney representing Wilhite asked the petition to be continued because he was unable to attend the meeting.
Attorney Steve Snyder, representing a remonstrator against Wilhite's petition, said, "I don't have a problem with the continuance because I think it's a moot point now."
Previously, Wilhite petitioned the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals for a variance to allow a 10-foot side setback in an agricultural zone, where a 20-foot side setback is required. The BZA approved the variance, but a remonstrator, represented by Snyder, appealed the decision.
Kosciusko County Judge Duane Huffer recently reaffirmed the BZA's decision, Snyder told the plan commission. Unless Snyder's client decides to further appeal the ruling, there isn't too much Snyder's client can do.
In another petition, James Shepherd sought to rezone 12.83 acres from an agricultural district to an agricultural II district. The property is on the south side of CR 100S and 550 feet west of CR 550W in Harrison Township.
He had his first hearing before the plan commission two months ago. The plan commission referred it to the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals to be heard as a variance. The BZA approved the variance.
Since the variance was approved, Shepherd's rezoning petition need not be heard by the plan commission; they unanimously voted to drop the petition.
The three approved petitions include:
• Steve and Carol Burnworth's petition to rezone 1.228 acres from a public use district to a residential district. The property is on the south side of Myrtle Glen Road and 870 feet west of Ind. 15 in Lake Township.
• Shirley and Larry Polk's petition to rezone 2.387 acres from an environmental district to an agricultural district. The property is on the south side of CR 675N and 2,420 feet west of Ind. 15 in Plain Township.
• Habitat for Humanity's petition to rezone ground from Industrial II district to a residential district. The property is just off Epworth Forest Road in North Webster.
The nine members of the plan commission are Vic Virgil, Don Ahrms, Charlie Haffner, Norm Lovell, Kelly Easterday, Kevin McSherry, Hal Strong, Dick Kemper and Barb Carwile. They meet on the first Wednesday of every month at 1 p.m.
