SYRACUSE — Syracuse Board of Zoning Appeals heard five variances and two exceptions at its Thursday, Nov. 16, meeting.

A new business was granted an exception and a variance. The owner and president of Travel Lite, Dustin Johns, requested an exception to allow recreational vehicle sales, service, and repair in an industrial 2 district with outside display and parking in the front of the facility.

The property is located on the east side of Technology Way, south of US 6, on lots two and three in Syracuse North Business Park. The property is located in Elkhart County.

Johns showed the four board members the plans for the new facility.
“It’s nicely designed,” said Matt Sandy, assistant planner, Kosciusko County Area Planning Commission.
Johns purchased seven lots for the new complex. He wants to build four buildings as a support facility. He already owns a complex in New Paris.

His company manufactures RVs. The new complex will feature four bays. There will be RV retail sales and repairs and outside storage with fencing.

“Repairs will be done inside,” said Johns.

His engineer, Debra Hughes of Marbach, Brady and Weaver, Elkhart said, “It will have drainage.”

Johns’ petition for a variance was also approved. Johns wants to allow employee parking in the front and side, where an ordinance requires parking to be in the rear.

The property is located on the south side of Innovation Boulevard and west of SR 13 on lots eight through 12 in Syracuse North Business Park.

A neighbor, Jim Cripe, was at the meeting and stated he wants a buffer between his property and the new complex. A 20-foot buffer is good, he said. The buffer will be trees, stressed Johns.

David Clevenger’s petition for a variance was approved. He wishes to allow the construction of a residential accessory building (a detached 22 feet-by-26 feet garage) 2 feet from the road’s right of way. The property is located at 312 E. Medusa St.
Perry Glancy’s request for a variance was approved. He wants to allow a shed to be relocated to 0’ from the north side property line and 19.7 feet from the road’s right of way.

The property is located at 806 S. Lakeside Drive. The board approved Glancy’s petition as long as he obtains a recorded maintenance easement.

Bayview Mobile Home Park’s petition for an exception was granted. It wants to allow a change and alteration to a previous case, an exception, by allowing an accessory building to be added to an approved mobile home park.
The property is located at 400 Harkless Drive.

Bayview Park’s petition for a variance was also approved. It wants to allow the construction of a commercial accessory building 10 feet from an interior road, where an ordinance requires 15 feet.

Kristie Sherburn’s petition for a variance was approved. She wishes to allow an existing second story deck to remain as placed, without a hearing or a permit, at 15 feet, 4 inches from the water’s edge. She must, however, pay a permit fee.

Her property is located 1211 S. Channel 2 Lane.

The next meeting is at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21, at Syracuse Town Hall.