Pictured from left are Winona Lake Board of Zoning Appeals members Bruce Schaffner, Jill Serbousek, Megan Carr, Brian Peterson and Greg Winn. Photo by Jackie Gorski, Times-Union.

By Jackie Gorski
Times-Union

WINONA LAKE — Winona Lake Board of Zoning Appeals approved Monday, June 23, to allow a property on Canal Street to go from allowing four unrelated people to rent the property to five.

Deborah Kuitse, who owns 1102 W. Canal St., said the property is a five-bedroom house and is currently utilized for Grace College students. Due to zoning, there are only four students renting the property. She said Grace College would like to use the fifth bedroom for students, so Kuitse said she’d have to ask the board to do that.

Kuitse said along with 1102, she also owns 1104 and 1106 Canal St. There are six parking spots on the street across the three properties. There is one parking spot behind 1102, but she said she doesn’t like people using that spot. There is also a two-car garage at 1106. Kuitse lives at one of the properties and uses the third property for visiting family.

Building Commissioner Gene Seiman said on West Canal Street, only property owners are allowed to park in front of the property. Since Kuitse owns the three consecutive properties, she can allow people to park there. Kuitse said a lot of the students she rents to don’t even own cars and that’s one of the lease questions she has.

Board member Greg Winn voiced concerns said he doesn’t think the island there doesn’t have enough parking there and didn’t necessarily think it was a good idea to extend the property to be rented to five unrelated people.

Kuitse said she doesn’t use any of the street parking as she uses the garage at 1106. She also said the neighbors all try to be respectful of each other as far as the parking spaces go. They all know whose parking spaces are whose. She said she’s never had issues with parking.

The board approved allowing five unrelated people to rent the property until May 2026.

In other business, the board:

• Tabled a decision for Israel Carr to rent out 503 Robson Road as a triplex due to late notice  to neighbors.

• Tabled a decision for Judy Ness, 50 Kings Highway, to build a new building on the property. The board wanted further information, including dimensions for the building, drainage plan and something from town engineer Aaron Carl.

• Approved two requests from Joel Downs to rent out 1402 Chestnut St. and 1307 Sunday Lane as single-family rentals. The Chestnut Street property was approved limiting to one vehicle at the property.

The next meeting is July 21.