WARSAW — During its regular monthly meeting Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 6, in Warsaw, Kosciusko County Area Planning Commission recommended approval to rezone the technology park at SR 13 and US 6.

Dan Richard, area planning director, noted when the technology park project began the zoning was according to Elkhart County standards because the property was in that county. But the property has since been annexed by the town of Syracuse and now needs to be zoned by Kosciusko County standards. The property had been zoned M-1 in Elkhart County, somewhat similar to industrial II, or light industrial, in Kosciusko County.

The APC recommended approval to rezone the property to industrial II and the Syracuse Town Council will consider the petition at its Tuesday, Sept. 19, meeting. A nearby property owner, though, expressed concerns. Jim Cripe said his property borders the south edge of the technology park and his house is about 100 feet from the property line.

He noted when the approval process took place in Elkhart County, he expressed concerns about noise pollution, stormwater runoff, security and a buffer zone. He said he was told there would be a security fence installed and some type of buffering put in, but he has yet to see anything happen.

Richard noted buffering is required within an industrial II district according to the Kosciusko County zoning ordinance. He said he will suggest to Henry DeJulia, Syracuse town manager, some of the apple trees should be left there as a buffer because that property can’t be built on anyway since it is part of the setbacks required.

As part of the recommendation for approval, it was noted the town of Syracuse should honor all previous commitments made.

Also for the technology park, the APC gave its approval to reestablishing an existing tax increment finance district at the request of the Syracuse Redevelopment Commission. It is one step in a process and eventually the Syracuse Town Council will have the final say on whether the TIF is approved. Reestablishing the TIF is needed because the property has been annexed into the town of Syracuse.

In other business, the APC recommended approval to rezone two properties from industrial II to public use on Chicago Street, east of Syracuse-Webster Road in Syracuse. Both properties are owned by Wawasee Community Schools. One building is being used for students to work on boat and powersports motors and equipment, while the other building, the old VFW post, is being renovated and will be used mainly for welding classes.

Both properties are 1 acre tracts and are nearly adjacent to one another, separated by only a few hundred feet. Syracuse Town Council will consider the petitions at its Sept. 19 meeting. Chuck Haffner of the APC noted there should be signs somewhere indicating students are present because there is a lot of traffic on Chicago Street.

Another rezoning petition, this one for Mike Jefferson, was recommended for approval. He wants to rezone slightly more than 2 acres from agricultural to residential at the intersection of CR 500E and Wooster Road in Washington Township. Jefferson said he doesn’t need an accessory building on the property anymore and wants to sell it and then subdivide the property into two lots.

County commissioners will consider the petition at their Sept. 19 meeting.

And the APC voted unanimously to pursue the next step of judgement against properties owned by Owen Cobbum. One property is on SR 13 just south of Armstrong Road in Tippecanoe Township, while two others are on Treasure Island Road in Enchanted Hills.

Richard noted the property on SR 13 has a substantial judgement exceeding $100,000 on it while the others exceed $37,000. He said the next step in the process is a sheriff sale.