From left are Kosciusko County BZA members Kevin McSherry, Lee Harman and Randy Cox.

By Tim Ashley
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — A parcel of land used for farming in Tippecanoe Township will not be developed with storage units.

During the regular monthly meeting of the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals Tuesday morning, Nov. 9, in Warsaw, the BZA unanimously voted to deny a petition by DT’s Rental Properties asking for an exception to allow storage warehouses on agricultural zoned land on CR 500N at the intersection with CR 675E near North Webster.

Attorney Steve Snyder, representing the petition, said the project would have been done in two phases and include eight storage units. He said the units would be used to store boats, RVs or “lake toys.”

A treeline would have provided screening and the lighting would be designed in such a way as to point down toward the storage units and not create any issues for nearby residents.

Several residents of the nearby Sawgrass subdivision attended the meeting and voiced their opposition saying the lights would still cause problems and storage units is simply not a good fit for an area dominated by agricultural and residential use. Snyder had also noted those who rent the storage units would only visit the units maybe a couple of times each year, but the remonstrators questioned how accurate that statement was.

The remonstrators also noted 675 East is already a busy road and storage units would only increase the amount of traffic.

Snyder spoke again after all the remonstrators were heard and said a housing development would have an even greater impact and really increase the traffic flow. “What I’m hearing is that this is not really about the type of project being proposed but I don’t want this in my backyard,” Snyder said.

One man did speak in favor of the petition and said he thinks it is a good idea to have storage units to the south of North Webster.

Other agenda items included:

• Todd Davis was granted a variance to allow a shed to remain as placed right at the south property line on Chapman Lake Drive, south of Greystone Drive in Plain Township. He agreed to move the shed if it becomes a problem with the neighbors.

• Gary Ulerick was granted a variance to allow an existing deck to remain as placed on EMS W30 Lane in Tippecanoe Township. The deck was rebuilt before Ulerick purchased the house.

• Marcia Bechtel was granted a variance to allow an existing building to remain with a new roof adding cubic content and overhangs on Syracuse Street, east of Main Street in Milford. Metal siding must be placed on the building no later than Sept. 1, 2022, and no outside storage will be allowed.

• Jose Herendez was granted a variance to allow a residence addition on EMS B40F Lane in Tippecanoe Township. The addition is used for tool storage and the property is located in a flood plain.

• Stephanie Davis was granted a variance to permit construction of residence additions on EMS B29B Lane in Tippecanoe Township. The footprint must stay the same when the structure is modified.

• Joe Salvo was granted a variance to allow an existing residence to remain as placed on Executive Drive, south of SR 13 in Turkey Creek Township. A septic system already in place caused a new house to be built closer to the road right of way than originally anticipated.

• Anthony and Randi Siri were granted a variance to remodel and construct residence additions on Pine Road, northwest of Black Point Road in Turkey Creek Township.

• Cindy Sills was granted a variance to allow a residence to be raised on EMS B53 Lane, south of Barbee Road in Tippecanoe Township.

• Tim and Mary Duvall were granted a variance to construct a new residence in Miller’s Landing in Tippecanoe Township near Webster Lake. An existing residence will be torn down first and when the new one is built it must have a metal roof and a drywall interior.

• Jennifer Dawson was granted a variance to allow an existing roof and truss replacement to remain as placed on EMS R4 Lane at Ridinger Lake in Washington Township.

• Angie Shaw was granted a variance to split a tract of ground into two tracts on CR 300N, west of CR 350W in Prairie Township. She will next need to petition to have a rezoning done for a two-lot subdivision.

• Stephen and Carol Reed were granted a variance to rescind a previously granted petition involving the modification of lot lines on Pine Drive, south of Walnut Drive in Turkey Creek Township.

• Howard Brown was granted a variance to permit construction of an attached garage and a sunroom on Majestic Way, west of Bayshore Drive in Turkey Creek Township. He must get approval from the property owners association and adjacent neighbors.