The pole barn on Owen Cobbum’s property, located on SR 13 south of North Webster, has been finished and the items previously stored outside have been removed or moved inside the barn. The county has requested $72,300 in fines be reduced to judgement, and the property be sold to pay the judgment. Trial is set for Nov. 5.

NORTH WEBSTER — Owen Cobbum finally did what the county asked.

The problem is, he did it without a valid permit, and after $70,000 in fines had accrued.

According to court records, Cobbum and KPB&B Trust own a parcel of land on the east side of SR 13 just south of North Webster.

On May 6, 2013, he was issued an improvement location permit for a 70 feet by 96 feet pole barn for personal use. The permit stated “no business, no outside storage.”

Cobbum started construction, but loaded the property with various items purportedly of a nature suggesting he was using the parcel for outside business storage. He claimed the items were to be used for building the pole barn.

Not good enough, according to the county, who sued Cobbum and requested daily fines for violation of the Kosciusko County zoning ordinance.

The court entered summary judgment for the county Sept. 22, 2014, for $3,650 and authorized continuing daily fines of $10 per day until Oct. 31, 2014, and $300 per day thereafter.

The location permit expired June 15, 2015, and the county sought an injunction against further construction.

Cobbum nevertheless finished the barn and removed all items stored outside, thus rendering moot the injunction request.

Collection of the accrued fines, which the county alleges amounts to $72,300 as of June 30, 2015, remains the sole issue between the parties.

The county has requested the property be sold and proceeds applied to pay the fines.

The court has scheduled a 1/2-day bench trial at 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, to determine the amount of the penalties and to rule on the disposition of the property.