Pictured, from left, are Board Member Larry Coplen, Area Plan Director Dan Richard, Board Member Jon Garber and Board Member Bob Conley.

By Maggie Kenworthy
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — The Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission denied a rezoning request during the meeting held today, June 3.

Tori Fehr petitioned to rezone 26.24 acres from a residential district to an agricultural district. The property is located on Dixie Drive, west of SR 15, in Silver Lake.

Fehr explained that she recently bought the land and plans to build a home and live there. She would like to have a few horses on the land, and occasionally invited friends and family members to camp there.

Area Plan Director Dan Richard explained that with residential zoning, agricultural animals like horses are allowed with an exemption from the Kosciusko Board of Zoning Appeals but no campsites are allowed. With agricultural zoning, animals are permitted and an exemption could be received for campsites.

Four neighbors came to the meeting to object to the request. They claimed that they did not have enough information regarding the request and questioned what the rezoning may allow for in the future. They also noted that agricultural zoning could bring harm to the lake and pond in the area.

“Rezoning that to agricultural with no clear vision of what could happen further down the road with animals, buildings, whatnot, will devalue our property,” said neighbor Cynthia Jones.

Tori noted she understood her neighbor’s concerns and had no plans to harm the lake, which was one of the reasons she bought the land in the first place.

After a lot of back and forth comments , Board Member Kevin McSherry made a motion to deny the request.

“I think we, the board, would be making a big mistake if we changed it to agriculture at this point because there is great opportunity there for further growth.”

The board voted to deny this request, with Board Member Bob Conley objecting to the motion. This recommendation will go before the Kosciusko County Board of Commissioners at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, June 23.

In other news, the board approved:

• A preliminary plat request made by Scott Anderson for a subdivision on a 4.85-acre tract of ground property on the south side of CR 700N, west of CR 300E in Syracuse. This land was recently rezoned from an Agricultural District to an Agricultural II District.
• The vacation of an undeveloped, never used roadway connecting Epworth Forest Road and Asbury Lane. The petitioners of the vacation were the only two properties affected.