From the left are planning commission members Larry Coplen, Doug Ruch and Dan Richard.

By Tim Ashley
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Business is booming for Solar Energy Systems LLC near Nappanee and warehouse storage space is needed to store inventory.

During the monthly meeting of the Kosciusko County Area Planning Commission Wednesday, Dec. 1, in Warsaw a petition was presented requesting a new warehouse to be built.

Solar Energy Systems is located south of the city limits of Nappanee at the intersection of CR 1350N and SR 19. The property was originally rezoned in 2016 with a set of restrictive covenants attached. The covenants were modified with four new ones added in 2019.

Steve Snyder, attorney representing Solar Energy Systems, said the business has grown considerably after starting small and more storage space is needed. The proposed warehouse building will be 80 feet by 200 feet in size and located immediately west of the existing building. All access with the exception of farming operations will be off CR 1350N.

In order for the expansion to take place, the restrictive covenants will need to be modified again.

Mike Kissinger of the APC said he would like to see the drainage infrastructure in place before any building permit is issued, which was agreed to by the petitioner. The APC recommended approval of the petition which will now be considered by the county commissioners Dec. 7.

Also on the agenda, the APC recommended approval of a rezoning for Elkhart County Gravel on 11.3 acres on the west side of CR 200W at the intersection with CR 300N in Prairie Township. Only a portion of the 11.3 acres will actually be rezoned.

Elkhart County Gravel wants a permanent asphalt mixing plant on the property. A temporary one is operating under the approval of the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals.

Snyder said Brooks Construction would lease the plant from Elkhart County Gravel. There is a large mineral extracting operation nearby as well as a concrete plant.

Snyder noted there is a need for a local asphalt plant due to increased funding that will be available for road construction projects. The county commissioners will consider the petition at their Dec. 7 meeting.

In other business, the planning commission voted to table a rezoning petition from the Indiana Wesleyan Church that was sent back from the county commissioners. The APC had originally voted unanimously to deny the petition, but the commissioners want it reconsidered after more input was given to the Silver Lake Town Council.

The property is at the intersection of SR 15 and Dixie Drive, just north of the Silver Lake town limits, but the petitioner wants to have the property annexed into the town and asked for the petition not to be considered yet. The petition was tabled for four months to allow more time for that process to take place.

It was noted a new legal description will be needed to clarify what property will specifically be rezoned.

Also during the meeting, the APC recommended approval for Angelia Shaw to rezone the property from agricultural to agricultural II on the south side of CR 300N, west of CR 350W in Prairie Township. Sell-offs for the property have been exhausted and she wants a two-lot subdivision. The county BZA recently granted a variance to her for setbacks on the property to be 25 feet instead of the 50 feet required by ordinance.

Shaw said she wants to split the property and her children may want to build on it or live on the property.

She said she also has deeded access to the property from off CR 350N, but the county highway department questioned the two access points when the technical committee met earlier to review the petition.

A remonstrator said he is concerned about the potential of increased traffic and wants Shaw to use her own driveway. The county commissioners will consider the petition at their Dec. 7 meeting.

In other business Matt Sandy, assistant planning director, gave a brief update on the Forward Kosciusko County comprehensive plan. He said after public input plans will likely start rolling out in February 2022.

And he noted the online permits option will go into effect Jan. 1.