During its regular monthly meeting Sept. 3 in Warsaw, Kosciusko County Area Planning Commission heard an unusual development proposal from attorney Steve Snyder. It would involve property near the Greystone housing subdivision at Chapman Lake.

Snyder asked the APC to consider approving a plat for a development on property zoned agricultural to be used for storage, whether inside in a building or outside. Snyder noted his client, Pat Higgins, wants to make available on a formal basis what essentially already occurs during the off seasons for boating and that is storage.

Snyder said asking for a rezoning to either commercial or residential would create too many obstacles and “we don’t think it is best for the surrounding neighborhood.” He added allowing the property to be sold as individual lots and having the property owners decide whether or not they want a storage building erected is “a very logical purpose for the property.” He noted detailed restrictive covenants would be put in place and if buildings are erected, they would be of the same exterior color and general appearance, they could not exceed a maximum size limit and there would likely be a minimum size limit also.

Members of the APC posed several questions to Snyder including if the access road would be wide enough for emergency vehicles to enter and exit and whether there would be any restrictions on what can be stored inside a building. Snyder said the road would be wide enough and other than what is prohibited by state law, owners would be free to store whatever they wish inside.

Since the development proposal was not advertised as a public hearing, no vote was taken by the APC. Snyder indicated, though, he will eventually present a preliminary plat proposal to the planning commission, requiring a public hearing.

In other business, Snyder asked for, and was granted, a positive recommendation to have a site near the intersection of CR 375 North and CR 400 East in Tippecanoe Township considered a group home and therefore to be a possible permitted exception under the county’s zoning ordinances. The plan is to build a residential recovery facility for adults dealing with addictions. The property is currently zoned agricultural.

Two APC members — Lee Harman and Dick Kemper — said such a facility is needed in the county. Snyder will now petition the county board of zoning appeals and the case will be heard during the regular monthly meeting of the county BZA Oct. 14 in Warsaw.

Also on the agenda, the APC approved a preliminary plat with conditions for George Buckingham. The plat will be three residential lots on Forest Glen Road, east of Cripplegate at Lake Tippecanoe in Plain Township. Dan Richard, area planning director, noted the development will cause quite a change in the topography and there are still unanswered questions such as whether a well or septic system is the best option, road access and the drainage plan.

Blake Doriot, developer of the property, said he submitted drainage calculations several weeks ago. “There have apparently been some miscommunications,” he said. Doriot noted the lots would be attached by deed as lakefront lots and would not be stand alone residential lots.

Approval for the preliminary plat was granted contingent upon the questions being answered. Doriot said he would not submit a final plat until everything has been addressed.

Other agenda items included:

• David and Teresa Kotterman’s petition for a re-plat of lot number four eliminating a drainage utility easement on that lot was approved. The property is located on Blue Spruce Court, east of Ferguson Road in Wayne Township. A previous property owner obtained a permit to build a pool, but it was later found to be too close to the easement and the Kottermans want to put a cover on the pool.

• Approval was recommended for Devon and Laura Hochstetler to rezone slightly more than 14 acres of property from agricultural to agricultural II on CR 1350N at the intersection with CR 700W in Jefferson Township. Devon Hochstetler said he has a grandson who wants to build a house and wants the acreage. County commissioners will consider the petition at their Sept. 23 meeting.

• And approval was recommended for Marilyn McDonald to have two platted residential lots rezoned from residential to commercial on Main Street, just west of Jefferson Street in Silver Lake. McDonald owns the nearby Subway restaurant and said she wants to put in a small ice cream stand open only during the summer months. Subway employees already use part of the property for parking. A remonstrator said she has no objections to an ice cream stand, but would prefer nothing else be put in. Silver Lake Town Council will consider the petition at their Sept. 10 meeting.