Planning Commission Tables Senter Petition
WARSAW — During its first meeting of 2018, the Kosciusko County Area Planning Commission considered a petition by Shawn Senter to rezone property in Turkey Creek Township from residential to commercial. The APC meeting was held Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 3, in the county courthouse in Warsaw.
Senter owns Wawasee Boat Works where boats are repaired and serviced and noted the lease did not work out on another commercial property the company was using. Several years ago the company used a property on Trusdell Avenue, which it would like to use again, just north of SR 13 and near The Sleepy Owl. But that property had not been used for several years since then.
Dan Richard, area planning director, said after a property is not used for at least six months it loses its non-conforming status. Richard noted a marina is allowed by county ordinance as an exception on commercial property, but not on residential property unless it abuts water. This property does not abut water.
When the technical committee reviewed the petition, Richard noted the committee was not “keen” on having the property rezoned to commercial. Wawasee Property Owners Association also submitted a letter of remonstrance against the rezoning, but said leaving the property zoned residential would be acceptable.
Senter asked for a continuance of the petition, saying he has a legal document he needs the current owner of the property to sign. After discussion, the APC voted to table the petition until the March meeting to allow Senter the option of asking the county board of zoning appeals to allow an exception for a marina, even on property not abutting water, and have the property remain zoned residential.
In other business, the APC voted 6-1 to deny a road vacation petition by Gary Kline. He is asking for a portion of Bensart Drive on the north side of Beaver Dam Lake in Seward Township to be vacated. Attorney Scott Reust, representing Kline, noted some other property owners living nearby also joined the petition but they were not specifically named.
A septic system was installed in the early fall, but has not been signed off by the county health department and would need to be relocated if the roadway is not vacated due to its location. There is also a power line nearby, causing concern among some of the planning commission members who want to see proper utility access maintained. And a shed is in violation of the county ordinance because it is located too close to the roadway.
James Moyer lives near the petitioner and said he still uses the roadway to deliver firewood to his son. He asked for the vacation to not be allowed.
County commissioners will consider the petition at their Tuesday, Jan. 23, meeting.
Also on the agenda, the APC approved the final plat for a one-lot residential subdivision for Mike Jefferson in Washington Township. It will be known as Jefferson Acres.
Bob Winters was granted approval for a preliminary plat that would essentially be a re-plat of lot number eight in the second addition of Shore Acres at Sechrist Lake in Tippecanoe Township. The plat will contain two lots.
The planning commission also approved lot 31 to be split and combined with other lots in the Crestview subdivision off CR 175E, north of CR 75N in Wayne Township.
Officers for 2018 were elected and will remain the same as in 2017: Lee Harman, chairman; Chuck Haffner, vice chairman; and Mike Kissinger, secretary.