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Square pegs do not fit into round holes.
But residents seeking approval of their petitions by the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals Tuesday tried to make them fit anyway.
The first "square peg" that the BZA said wouldn't fit was a petition by Sam Bowman for a variance to allow a mobile home to be located 34 feet from the east right of way (Ind. 13), 4 feet from the south right of way and 8 feet from the north right of way. The property is on the west side of Ind. 13 and south of Sunset Lane in Tippecanoe Township.
Bowman wants to replace the current mobile home on the lot with a larger mobile home.
Plan Commission Director Dan Richard said Bowman needs to get the land surveyed because he believes the setbacks are closer than 4 feet. The trailer is also too close to the rights of way, he said.
BZA members approved continuing the case for Bowman to obtain a survey of the property and get a site plan with a smaller trailer.
Daniel Burns' petition also concerned a mobile home.
Burns petitioned for a variance to permit the placement of a mobile home 10 feet off the right of way. The property is on the east side of EMS T41 Lane and 120 feet south of CR 650N in Tippecanoe Township.
He wants to replace an existing mobile home with a 16-foot by 60-foot trailer. Several neighbors were on hand to support him.
Richard asked Burns if it was possible to put a smaller trailer on the lot or to acquire more land. Burns said he tried to acquire more land, but a neighbor did not want to sell.
Richard then said Burns' should try to build a house to fit the lot, not make the lot fit the house.
BZA denied the petition.
Also denied was John Lantz's petition for a variance to build a residence and attached garage 13 feet from the right of way on CR 1000N. The property is on the north side of Ind. 8 and 640 feet east of Ind. 13 in Turkey Creek Township.
Lantz wants to build a new single family residence. He said all the neighbors are very close to the road so it should be OK for him to be as close. Richard said the other properties were placed where they are before the zoning ordinances went into effect during the 1970s.
Richard later said, "What you're saying is, 'This is my house. Lot, fit my house.'"
BZA heard 51 petitions for variances and exemptions. There were 37 approvals, eight denials, one petition dropped and five continuances.
