Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals Monday approved a variance that will allow for a recovery home for women battling drug and alcohol abuse. Serenity House requested the use variance to allow a men’s recovery home at a new location at 321 High St. The home at 2016 E. Market St. will be turned into a women’s home, and the facility at 622 E. Fort Wayne St. will remain a men’s home. The board previously reviewed a request during its March 23 meeting for a men’s home at 604 E. Fort Wayne St., but denied it because the city felt the location would have increased traffic with locating two homes on one street. During Monday night’s meeting, board member Rick Keeven made the motion to approve the variance for the High Street home, seconded by Board President Tom Allen. Jack Wilhite also voted in favor of the ordinance. Ron Shoemaker voted against the variance, saying he felt the Warsaw Plan Commission should review the request. Board member Tammy Dalton was absent. Hoss Smith, Serenity House director, said property values will not decrease because of the home. He said there will be 10 beds at the Market Street home to accommodate women; there are 16 beds with two emergency beds at the East Fort Wayne Street home; and 16 beds with two emergency beds at the High Street home. “We help people, that’s what we do. We’re not trying to create controversy in neighborhoods and my men are respectful of neighbors around them,” Smith said. Rene Osborn, Kosciusko County probation officer and drug court probation officer, said she believes in what Serenity House does and said there is a need for a recovery home for women. “We’ve had to turn down women for drug court because we had no place for them to go,” Osborn said. The board heard concerns from neighbors and city council members with allowing a third home in Warsaw. Daren Maierle, 310 E. Winona Ave., said he has traffic and property value concerns and concern for the safety of children who live in the neighborhood. The board also reviewed a letter from Steve Frecker, who owns property across High Street and Winona Avenue at 404 S. High St. He said he realizes the property at 321 High St. has been vacant for several years, but he is unsure a woman’s recovery home is an appropriate use. He said he is concerned about the number of people living in the house and said it is a three-bedroom single-family home and he felt that an appropriate maximum-allowed occupancy should be two people per bedroom. “We are concerned for our apartment residents and the possible busyness and commotion surrounding this proposed home. We do not want to lose our renters over this,” Frecker said in his letter. Charlie Smith, city councilman, said he has heard numerous concerns from constituents with the amount of people living at the East Fort Wayne Street location. He suggested the board table the request for the High Street use variance and allow Warsaw Plan Commission to review the request. “No one objects to people getting help who need it for alcohol or drugs or whatever it might be, but I’m not sure this belongs in the neighborhood,” Smith said. Mike Klondaris, councilman, said he owns a business on High Street and he has reservations about the location for a men’s shelter on High Street. “There already is a Bowen Center location on South High Street and a preschool across the street from this busy intersection,” Klondaris said. Cindy Dobbins, councilwoman, also had concerns with placing a recovery home on High Street with the amount of traffic that would be created. Tim Dombrosky, assistant city planner, said a commercial C-4 district allows for higher densities which would accommodate the recovery home. Keeven said he supported the location. “I like the idea of a home, not an institutional home with grey cinder blocks, but a home that is a transition to a released life,” Keeven said. Hoss said Serenity House still needs to purchase the home, with plans to open in July. The board also approved a use variance request from Splendor Boats to permit boat sales at 650 E. Winona Ave. The property was previously used for automobile sales.
