By David Slone
Times-Union

WARSAW — A local hair salon will be able to have less parking spaces than permitted after the Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals approved a variance for the business Monday night.

Applicant Bob Lyons requested a variance from development standards to allow 16 parking spaces instead of the required 27 spaces, according to Assistant City Planner Bekah Schrag. The commercial-2 parcel is located along the northwest section of Plaza Drive and is currently vacant.

The hair salon will have a maximum of six employees working at one time and eight salon chairs. Based on these figures, Schrag said, the salon is required to have 27 parking spaces.

“However, only three chairs will be occupied at one time with a maximum of six employees working at once. The petitioner has provided a site plan for a parking lot with 16 stalls, which will be ample parking for this use,” Schrag said.

Due to the shape of the parcel and the existing detention easement, the size of the required parking lot would be over half of the usable property. She said the shape of a 27-stall parking lot is not conducive to the parcel.

Runoff will be directed to the on-site detention basin. If the variance is approved, the petitioner will be required to comply with the city’s parking lot design standards, she stated.

Schrag recommended the board approve the variance. There were no remonstrators to the petition.

Christa Harman, of Infinity Salon, said they currently occupy 124 S. Buffalo St., but are planning to build at the Plaza Drive location in the spring.

The board unanimously approved the petition.

The other petition before the BZA was for a variance from development standards to allow a 4-foot side setback, instead of the permitted 5-foot setback, for an accessory structure at 602 N. Lake St.

Schrag said the petitioner — W.A. Zimmer Co., on behalf of James Stanley — plans to construct an attached carport on the side of the property over the existing driveway to provide a cover for parked vehicles. She said the proposed carport does not encroach on any easements nor the public right-of-way.

She recommended the board grant the variance. There were no remonstrators and the board granted the petition unanimously.