Zoners OK Day Care, Retail, Manufacturing Variances
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals Monday approved a variance for a daycare center in Warsaw.
Pastor Rick Johnson, Victory Rock Church, requested a variance for the daycare center at 315 Cedar St.
The board also approved a request for a preschool on the property.The daycare center will be state licensed under a daycare ministry for approximately 40 full-time children with a few more part-time children.
Hours of operation will be from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays with no weekend hours. The building possibly will be used on weekends for church and community outreach events.
The board also approved a variance request from Mike Walton, Plank & Plywood Working, for retail sales and manufacturing at 202 S. Union St. in a residential district.
Walton said he plans to manufacture handcrafted and custom furniture and cabinetry along with retail sales of the products on site. He also said he will purchase the property.
He said he and Building Commissioner Todd Slabaugh went through the building to check for structural problems and found the building needs to be cleaned up.
Community Development Coordinator Gisele Cox said after Slabaugh looked at the building, he found it to be structurally sound. She said the property has previously been reviewed by the building code officer several times.
Cox said there used to be items laying in the right of way. The city worked with the owners to get it cleaned up according to city ordinance.
Prospect Hill Neighborhood Association members attended the meeting to voice their concerns with the property.
Evert Slone, 3435 N. Old Farm Road West, expressed concerns with the condition of the property.
"For the past 50 years people have said they would put the building up to code and they haven't," Slone said. "We want to make sure it stays up to code and don't want this to happen again."
Sheila Burner, 403 W. Winona, agreed the property must be kept up to standards.
"I'm concerned about the appearance and the danger of the building, whether it will stay up or go down," Burner said.
Bruce Woodward, board president, said the board has the power to approve or deny variances and make decisions that affect the community.
"We're looking to keep our community safe and decent where people don't have to put upon by undue stress," Woodward said.
He said all noise will be required to be contained within the brick walls of the building.
Walton will be the only employee, and hours of operation will be Mondays through Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. with no hours Sundays.
Another condition is that there must be on-site parking.
Walton will be required to bring the building up to building codes and the property up to property maintenance standards per city code before receiving an occupancy permit, Woodward said.
As part of the building permit process, a certificate of occupancy will be issued before beginning operations and prior to opening for business, Woodward said.
"I see this as an opportunity to clean up a building that has been an eyesore, and the city has fought to get the building cleaned up," Woodward said.
The board will meet again Dec.17 at 7 p.m. at city hall.
