Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
If someone is seeking quiet and solitude, a residential area may not be the best place to find it, according to an opponent of a zoning request.
Tuesday, Camp Mack petitioned the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals for an exception to allow a spiritual retreat center with day and some overnight stay in a residential district. The property is on the south side of Shady Banks Lane in Van Buren Township. The petition was denied.
According to the camp's facility manager, the camp purchased the residence this year and wants to move its center from the current location on CR 1150. There would be approximately 13 people per month, three to four people a week with a maximum of two cars at the site.
Camp executive director Rex Miller said they found the center to be a very valuable tool in supporting pastors. Eighty-five percent of the people who use the quiet centers are pastors, with the rest being lay leaders. Fees charged cover food and personnel.
A remonstrator, however, said he didn't think the location was suitable for a quiet retreat. Being in a residential neighborhood, he said, he didn't think the location was "an appropriate place" for a quiet retreat. If he was mowing his lawn or having visitors, he didn't want to be told by the center to quiet down. Also, he said, Camp Mack never communicates with its neighbors and he's had many problems with the camp over the years.
Miller responded by saying he's working on solving some of the issues with the neighbors. "My goal," he said, "is to continue to be good neighbors."
Walter Church, BZA member, said he can't imagine the area is much of a quiet place in the summertime. Ron Sharp, BZA member, then made a motion to deny the petition, saying he thought the camp could find a more suitable place for the retreat somewhere in their own park area. Seconding the motion was Vic Virgil, who said he thought the camp was asking for something out of line with what's there. Also voting to deny the petition was Bob Beer. Abstaining were Charlie Haffner and Walter Church.
In other business, the BZA:
• Continued until Jan. 14 Jeffrey Johnson's petitions for an exception and for a variance. Johnson failed to notify adjacent property owners of the request by certified mail. The exception is to allow retail nursery in an agricultural district, with the variance to permit allowing the construction of an accessory building 35 feet from the road right of way. The property is on the east side of Ind. 15 and zero feet north of CR 300S, Wayne Township.
Several remonstrators complained Johnson's property is a traffic hazard, there isn't enough parking for a retail business and trash blows from his property onto theirs. Johnson said it isn't a traffic hazard.
• Approved Dennis and Chris Bruno's petitions for an exception and for a variance. The exception is to allow a mini-golf course in a commercial district and the variance will permit two uses on a tract of ground, the mini-golf course and the laundromat. The property is on the west side of Main Street and 450 feet north of Crystal Flash Road, Tippecanoe Township.
• Denied Robert Niles' petition for a variance to allow covering half of an existing detached deck 4 feet from the water's edge and 3 feet, 7 inches from the north property line. The property is on the east side of CR 800E and 500 feet north of Hess Avenue, Turkey Creek Township. The Niles have until May 1 to remove the structure. The Niles built the structure before getting a permit.
• Continued the variance and exception petitions by The Car Co. to the BZA's February meeting so the petitioner can work out a few details, including the relocation of a roadway. The exception is for the modification of prior exceptions granted by allowing a second story addition and adding a second story to an existing structure in a commercial district. The variance is to permit the construction of a second-story addition 15.5 feet from the south 50-foot right of way and 22 feet from the east right of way. The property is on the east side of a 50-foot right of way and zero feet north of U.S. 30E in Wayne Township.
• Continued until the March meeting Richard Rohr's petition for an exception to allow three horses in a residential district. The property is on the north side of Adams Road and 356 feet west of EMS R3E Lane, Washington Township.
• Denied John Hidy's petition for a variance to allow a gazebo to remain as placed zero feet on a platted road right of way and 15 feet from the water's edge. The property is on the south side of Sullivan Road and 218 feet east of EMS B46 Lane, Tippecanoe Township.
• Modified Hazel Charlton's petition for an exception to construct an oversized accessory building at 1,536 square feet down to 720 square feet, the maximum allowed, in a residential district. The property is on the north side of Chapman Lake Drive and 80 feet east of EMS C6 Lane, Plain Township.
The BZA had a total of 28 petitions before them Tuesday. Members of the BZA are Vic Virgil, Walter Church, Bob Beer, Charlie Haffner and Ron Sharp. Sharp is retiring from the board as of the end of this year and is being replaced by John Conley.
The BZA meets at 8:30 a.m. on the second Tuesday of every month.
