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As more and more people use cellular phones, the Internet and other technologies, more communications towers will be needed.
Tuesday, the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals approved four petitions for such towers, which will be built by SBA Communications Corp. The petitions were filed by the owners of the property where the towers will be built.
Roger Miller petitioned for an exception to allow a communications tower and four accessory buildings in an agricultural district. The property is on the east side of CR 650E and north of CR 650N in Tippecanoe Township.
Jason Powell's approved petition allows for a communications tower on property on the east side of CR 900E and 320 feet south of U.S. 30 in Washington Township.
The approved petition by Julia White will allow a communication tower in an agricultural district on the north side of U.S. 30 and 1,950 feet west of Ind. 19 in Etna Township.
The fourth petition approved for a communications tower was by John Rife. Rife's tower in an agricultural district is on the north side of CR 350S and 1,540 feet west of Ind. 15 in Wayne Township.
All four towers are 250 feet tall. The zoning board did require that each tower be within 250 feet of the property line so that if they should fall, they would not land on any road or building. Nothing else is permitted on the property.
A fifth petition by Charles Zimmerman for a communications tower on the south side of CR 600N and east of CR 150W in Plain Township was dropped.
In other business:
• Kevin Sholl petitioned for an exception for a home-based business, a pet boarding kennel, in an agricultural district. The property is on the east side of CR 300E and north of Wabash County Line in Jackson Township.
There were remonstrators against the petition, but the board granted the petition for a six-month probationary period. If there are complaints during that time, the exception will be re-evaluated.
• Initially, there were 10 remonstrators against Randy Bailey's petition for an exception for a home occupation (karaoke business) in a residential district. The property is on the west side of EMS T47A Lane and 130 feet south of Waikiki Drive in Turkey Creek Township.
After the remonstrators learned exactly what the business was and that there would be no signs, they had no problems with Bailey's request. The petition was granted.
• A petition by Neal Oswald was continued for one more month. Oswald's petition is to allow a lot to be used for a parking lot in conjunction with a restaurant in a residential/commercial district. The property is on the south side of Ind. 13 and west of a private road in Turkey Creek Township.
Oswald has not notified the Area Plan Commission of his intentions. If he fails to show at the May meeting, the petition will be dropped.
• Denied was Floyd Mullet's petition for a variance to permit the construction of a garage addition 19 feet from the east side property line. The property is on the north side of CR 850N and 1,050 feet west of CR 700W in Scott Township.
• Gary Dant's petition for a variance to permit the construction of a residence addition 12 feet from the right-of-way of CR 975E was denied. The property is on the west side of CR 975E and north of Epworth Forest Road in Tippecanoe Township.
• A petition by Kenneth Slabaugh for a variance to permit the construction of an addition to an accessory building 4 feet from the road right-of-way was denied. The property is on the south side of CR 1350S and west of CR 950W in Scott Township.
• Arthur Bortz's petition for a variance to permit allowing a residence to remain 26 feet from the right-of-way of Candy Cane Lane and to allow the construction of a residence addition (deck) 21 feet from the right-of-way of Candy Cane Lane was denied.
Bortz's residence would be closer to the right-of-way than any other property in Enchanted Hills and the minimum requirement for a setback is 35 feet.
• The BZA gave Laral Turner one year to get all the vehicles on his property licensed or moved.
Turner petitioned the board for an exception for the purpose of storage warehousing (allowing the outside storage of personally owned campers and vehicles that are in usable condition but not licensed) in an agricultural district.
The property is on the north side of CR 850S and 1,000 feet west of CR 600W in Seward Township.
• Keith Harris' petition for an exception for the change and alteration of a non-conforming use by replacing a mobile home in a non-conforming mobile home park in an agricultural district was approved. The property is on the east side of High Street and east of North Street in Lake Township.
The mobile home in question must be moved back 10 feet.
The BZA heard approximately 43 petitions Tuesday. The board meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 8:30 a.m. in the former Munson Building, North Lake Street, Warsaw.
