From left are Dan Richard, Charlotte Siegfried, Lee Harman, Randy Cox and Ron Robinson.

By Tim Ashley
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Tuesday’s regular monthly meeting of the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals in Warsaw was prefaced with cautionary remarks by Dan Richard, area planning director.

Richard noted the start time of the meeting was inadvertently published incorrectly as 9 p.m., not 9 a.m., in the legal notice.

However, the advertisements for the individual petitions did have the correct start time of 9 a.m. He noted if any remonstrators were to show up at 9 p.m., it could mean the petitions affected would be tabled until the January meeting because the public must be allowed to speak.

On the agenda, the BZA approved a petition by Loren Borkholder to have commercial recreation, in this case an archery shop and shooting ranges, on property zoned agricultural on the north side of CR 1350N, east of CR 200W in Van Buren Township, west of Milford. Borkholder owns Borkholder Archery in Elkhart County and his business is growing so he is looking to expand, said Steve Snyder, attorney representing Borkholder.

Snyder said about 80 percent of Borkholder’s sales are done online and the biggest generator of activity on site would be two nationally sanctioned archery tournaments and people using the shooting ranges. The site plan includes an outdoor archery range approximately 300 feet long and also indoor ranges. There would be 60 to 70 parking spaces and a dirt mounded backstop on the northwest corner of the property to catch errant arrows.

“This area was specifically chosen because it is mostly isolated,” Snyder said, noting the intent is not to pose any dangers to nearby property owners. He said the nearest house is about 500 feet to the west.

Lee Harman of the BZA and Richard questioned why the site plan did not include a backstop on the north side of the property. Borkholder said it is possible arrows could fly over into a neighbor’s property but the archers are mostly experienced and typically hit the targets.

But eventually, approval was only given for the petition contingent upon a 6-8 foot berm for a backstop being located along the north side of the property.

In other business, approval was also given for a petition by LJR Investments to allow an 11 x 35 camper to remain as placed in a seasonal mobile home park at the intersection of Myrtle Glen Road and School Avenue in Silver Lake. The owners of the mobile home park said they sometimes lose tenants due to poor upkeep of their property and want to retain their income.

A variance was also granted to allow the camper to be placed closer to the right of way of Myrtle Glen Road than what the county ordinance requires.

Since the property is located within the town limits of Silver Lake, the Silver Lake Town Council must approve the petition as well. Tonya Conley, town clerk-treasurer, said the town would require the camper to permanently be hooked up to sewer and water. The camper will also need to be skirted or dressed up, to look more permanent.

Two remonstrators spoke against the petition and questioned if a camper is the right fit for the property. They also didn’t want to see any negative trends start since it is a seasonal mobile home park. Richard noted any changes made in the mobile home park in the future will require approval by the BZA.

Another remonstrator spoke in favor of the petition and said the owner of the camper takes care of his property and “always enhances community property values.” He lives half of the year in Silver Lake and the rest of the year in Florida.

Other agenda items included:

• Linda and Robert Blair were granted an exception to allow a pond to remain as expanded on CR 350S, west of CR 575E in Washington Township. The pond expanded when it was being dug out for cleaning. The Blairs must get the consent of the two adjacent property owners.

• Steven Ross was granted an exception and a variance to allow an addition to an oversized accessory building on EMS T46 Lane, south of CR 650N in Tippecanoe Township at Tippecanoe Lake.

• Lamar Mullet was granted a variance to allow two residences to remain on a single tract of ground on CR 1300N, east of CR 700W in Jefferson Township. Mullet had a new house built and there was already a building with living quarters in it when he purchased the property.

• Justin Hurt was granted a variance to build a new residence 10.8 feet from a road right of way on the south side of Dustys Road, south of CR 850S in Seward Township at Yellow Creek Lake.

• Robert and Mary Jubak were granted a variance to build a residence addition above an existing garage on Waco Drive, southeast of Waco Point Drive in Turkey Creek Township.

As noted earlier, these approvals are tentative pending any remonstrance showing up at 9 p.m.