The Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals Monday approved the building of a detached garage and allowed a church to keep a light on longer.
The board approved a petition for KT and Anita Kishan, of 903 Glee Miner Drive, to build a detached garage on their property in a 3-2 decision. Board Vice President Rick Keeven and board members Dan Smith and Tammy Dalton voted to approve the petition. Board President Tom Allen and board member Jeff Johnson voted against the petition.
The board heard both sides of the issue during the meeting.
City Senior Planner Justin Taylor said the garage will be about 95 feet from the road and will not negatively affect neighbors from coming and going to their property.
Josh Salsgiver, of Widman Builders, spoke on behalf of the homeowners. He said the garage will blend with the house. He also said it will not increase the risk of things like floods and will not decrease the value of the neighborhood. Since it will increase the value of the property, it will have a positive affect overall, he said.
Attorney Steve Snyder, representing a neighboring homeowner, said he did not believe it met the requirements to get a variance request approved.
“It looks like a garage and it looks like a garage that’s in the middle of a roadside yard,” said Snyder. “Without the showing of some hardship, there’s no way to approve what’s proposed.”
Snyder also said it will have a negative impact on the neighborhood and will change the character of the neighborhood.
The board unanimously approved a petition to allow First Brethren Church, 1318 E. Center St., to light an internally-illuminated monument sign within an R-2 zoning district until 11 p.m. or midnight.
Taylor said the light is not supposed to spill out off the property, and it’s just when the light goes onto another property when it becomes an issue.
Pastor Howard Immel appeared before the board on behalf of the church. He stated the church’s next door neighbor is a health food store and he believes their sign is on 24/7.
