Board of Zoning Appeals member Tom Allen (front right) was recognized Wednesday for his leadership on the board for the last 15 years. Shown in front is Bekah Schrat, assistant city planner presenting a plaque to Allen. In back are board members Dan Smith, Jeff Johnson and Rick Keeven. Photo by Jackie Gorski, Times-Union.

By Jackie Gorski
Times-Union

WARSAW — A variance to allow smaller parking stalls in a vacant lot on West CR 300N was approved Wednesday, Dec. 28, by the Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals.

Bekah Schrag, assistant city planner, said CD PS Warsaw LLC requested a variance for parking stalls that are 162 square feet instead of the required 180 square feet. CD PS Warsaw LLC must have 50 parking stalls to meet the development requirements for the Warsaw Commons Declaration of Easements, Covenants and Restrictions. The smaller-sized parking spots conform to Indiana Department of Transportation parking stall design standards, and the business will have ample parking for customers and employees, Schrag told the board. If the board were to approve the variance, CD PS Warsaw LLC will be required to conform to all other parking lot design standards.

Petitioner Josh Allen, from Cross Development, said the preference said the request is for parking spaces to go from the required 9 feet by 20 feet to 9 feet by 18 feet. It is just a reduction in the length of the parking space, not the width.

Allen said CD PS stands for Cross Development pOpshelf. The parking lot will go along with a pOpshelf store that will go on West CR 300N near Kohl’s. He said the parent company to pOpshelf is Dollar General, but pOpshelf is completely different and is geared more towards a T.J. Max or HomeGoods type of store as a home goods type of store.

He hopes to have the store open by the fall.

Board member Rick Keevan said he was originally worried about narrower parking spaces. However, since the parking spaces will be 9 feet by 18 feet instead of 9 feet by 20 feet, he’s not as worried.

In other business, board member Tom Allen was recognized for his leadership on the board for the last 15 years of service.