Matt Sandy, left, Area Plan director, provides a map for Area Plan Commissioners to review. Seated from left are Joe Irwin, Doug Ruch, James Moyer, Lee Harman, Matt Goodnight and Kevin McSherry. Photo by Lauren Zeugner.

By Lauren Zeugner
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — A petition from Joseph and Roseline Slone to rezone 12.06 acres from Agricultural to Commercial received community support during the Area Plan Commission’s regular meeting Wednesday afternoon, May 7. The property is just outside the Etna Green corporate limits.

Carl Hochstetler, Ideal Construction, explained Slone purchased the property with the intent to expand his business. Currently Slone is leasing property in Atwood and has no room to expand. The plan is to build a 12,000 square foot building on the property.

Lee Harman, chairman of the APC, asked if the property is currently in agricultural production. Hochstetler said the western parcel has an old chicken building that is crumbling while the eastern parcel is in production. Harman asked to be reminded of the primary uses in a commercial district. He then asked Hochstetler what exactly the commercial use will be. Looking at the list provided, Hochstetler said Slone will be asking for an exception.

Those who spoke in support included the owner of Winona Powder Coating which will be located next door to Slone’s business if its able to move. He said Slone has his full support for the project and he is willing to assist Slone in accessing water and sewer.

The owner of a feedmill down the road from the property came before the APC to say Slone has been very supportive of the town even though his business in not yet part of the community.

The last speaker was a representative from Friends of Etna Green who told the APC that Slone wishes the property to be annexed into the town of Etna Green and that he as no room at his current location to expand.

“I like to see a young business owner be successful if we can help with that,” said APC member Bob Conley. The board approved anonymously on the rezoning. The matter will now go before the County Commissioners during its May 20 meeting.

The APC approved a request from Brandon and Emily Kresca to rezone ground from residential to agricultural. Emily Kresca told the commission the property had been rezoned from agricultural to residential prior to her family purchasing. They would like the zoning reverted back so they can raise some freezer beef and have room for 4-H animals in the future. The property is located in Franklin Township

David Keever petitioned the APC to rezone .22 acres from commercial to residential. The property is located in Turkey Creek Township. Matt Sandy, Area Plan director, explained the property in question is the old Sam Lehman, an architect who worked out of his home on Lake Wawasee.

Keever would like the property rezoned to residential so he can put on an addition. The commission approved his request.

The commission approved a petition from Perry Miller for preliminary plat approval for an Agricultural 2 subdivision in Jefferson Township. One lot already has a home on it. Sandy noted there was adequate space between the two lots. It was noted the current house will be torn down and replaced by another house.

SRKM came before the commission seeking to rezone 4.22 acres from agricultural to residential. The developer plans to build 40 single story full accessible apartments on the property. Sandy noted the petition would still have to go before the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals. Warsaw Mayor Jeff Grose wrote a letter of support for the project.

Megan Moody, who lives next door to the property in question,told the commission the idea of having another apartment complex in the neighborhood was not appealing. She said the area is already congested with traffic. Another resident requested in an apartment complex goes onto the property that a privacy fence be installed.

The commission approved the petition which will go before the county commissioners for consideration on May 20.

Aggie Sweeney and Rob Bishop of the Kosciusko County Park Board came before the APC to request the trail master plan be an addendum to the county’s comprehensive plan. The county commissioners have already approved the trail master plan.

Sandy reminded the commission nothing is set in stone in the comprehensive plan. “It’s a guiding document,” he said. Harman asked if having the master plan be part of the comprehensive plan help with grants. Bishop said he wasn’t sure given the current administration. The board approved adding the trail master plan to the comprehensive plan.

After all the public petitions, Sandy discussed doing an ordinance overhaul, which has not been done since 2000. He noted there are some that need to be amended or changed. Sandy also suggested the commission look at planning development especially since there have been instances where county ordinances were not compliant with state codes.

He explained planning developments are a useful tool. It’s a way to mesh different uses into one. As an example of how planned developments can be used, Sandy pointed to South Shore Ventures in Syracuse which has retail space and hopes to provide housing in the future.

Andy Hetlzel, assistant planner, told the commission planning developments are a powerful tool for creative ideas that ordinances don’t allow for or haven’t considered.

Harman said he thought reviewing the ordinances was a good idea. “Policy needs to be a bit general,” he said. “If its too specific it can be parsed by lawyers to a point it was not intended.” Conley stressed the need of having tools to back up the ordinances such as in the case of a noise ordinance, police officers would need decibel readers.

Sandy also updated the commission on state legislation. There were four specific bills that will impact area planning. Members names, appointing authority and term limits will now have to be listed on meeting agendas.

Regarding preliminary plats the state legislature has reduced the time parameters the APC and area planning staff have to approve or deny. The area plan director has 15 days to review the request for technical deficiencies. The planning office will have to be stricter with patrons on submitting data.

The Area Plan Commission will have 60 days to act on preliminary plat requests. If the APC does not act within that time frame, the request will automatically be approved.

The last change Sandy mentioned was to storm water control. he said right now it doesn’t affect APC, but it may in the future.