Matt Sandy, left, area plan director, presents a final plat to the Area Plan Commission during it’s regular meeting Wednesday afternoon. Shown from left are Joe Irwin, Doug Ruch, Jim Moyer, Lee Harman and Matt Goodnight. Photo by Lauren Zeugner.
WARSAW — Two final plats were approved during the Area Plan Commission’s regular meeting Wednesday afternoon, June 4.
The Miller-Yoder subdivision, located on 1150 N., is just over 11 acres. As the two lot subdivision has remained the same since the preliminary plat was submitted to the APC, it approved the plat with no opposition. According to attorney Steve Snyder, who was representing the owners, construction of the homes on the lot is scheduled to begin in July.
The commission also approved the final plat for a 41 lot subdivision on property owned by Ransbottom Family Farms. Matt Sandy, area plan director, said there were a few issues the planning office was discussing with the developer. One was an easement on one lot, where a potential buyer would need to be informed the easement would mean a larger setback from the property line.
Deric Ransbottom told the commission a lot of the delay was due to the new sewer being installed. Lee Harman, chairman of the commission, asked if he was comfortable with what needed to be addressed.
Ransbottom said he’s been in communication with Sandy, about what needs to be done. The motion to approve was contingent on approval by the area plan director regarding the issues being addressed.
“We’ve worked this project a long time,” said Kevin McSherry, commission member. “This is where they (the Ransbottom family) has landed and they’ve been diligent about the rules.” Commission member Bob Conley agreed.
A petition to rezone 2.02 acres from Agricultural District to Agricultural District II has been continued at the request of Teri Rink, the petitioner. Sandy explained when the technical committee looked at the situation, rezoning to Ag. II means the lots would be have to be a minimum of 1 acre.
Issues with how the lots are configured and where the petitioner wants to put her home resulted in her asking for a continuance. Her petition will be heard on the July 2 meeting.
Snyder came before the commission representing the Bogart family which requested a 600 foot vacation of an easement in the Thornburg subdivision. Snyder explained the request is a family affair as members of the same family own the lots. By vacating the easement, no lots are land-locked and it solves potential future problems if someone wants to build.
The commission approved the request which will now be heard by the County Commissioners at their June 17 meeting.
The commission spent the next hour discussing amending ordinances. Sandy reminded commission members last month they discussed going through the ordinances to see which ones needed to be updated or eliminated completely. The planning office decided the best way to tackle the issue was in small bites.
Starting with Agriculture, the planning staff recommended adding confined feeding operations and equine stables and training as permitted uses. Sandy explained the Creighton Brothers want to come in and discuss confined feeding operations with the planning staff.
Harman expressed concern about the public having input on a confined feeding or confined animal operation. Sandy said these operations must get state approval through the Indiana Department of Environmental Management before the county planning office issues any type of permit. Through the IDEM process the public has an opportunity to provide input.
“The public needs the right to state their case,” Harman stated. Sandy explained the public has been given an opportunity to speak through IDEM’s process. IDEM’s requirement is for confined feeding and confined animal operations is for those within a specified radius to be notified. They are then given approximately 30 days to send comments via the US Mail or email.
Snyder weighed in having represented clients through the IDEM permitting process. He told the commission IDEM only looks at the environmental impact, not the zoning. As a tax payer, he recommended making both exceptions to the permitted use under agriculture saying industrialized farming should be scrutinized like any other industry.
Under exceptions for Agricultural districts the planning office added community venues such as wedding venues in an agricultural area. Currently they are treated as community recreation and it’s not a good fit.
Other exceptions suggested were public or private shooting clubs.
Under Commercial, the planning staff recommended adding commercial venues which means someone seeking a permit for a wedding venue in a commercial area would not need a hearing. Exceptions were gasoline and gas stations and shooting ranges
Under light industrial the planning office recommended added motorized vehicle service and repairs.
While discussing Industrial 1 -2 Harman asked what the planning staff meant by agricultural product processing. He saw that as possibly allowing rending plants which we weren’t sure about. McSherry noted manure digesters in another county aren’t working out as well “smell wise.” Sandy admitted that may be better as an exception.
Shooting ranges appeared again in Heavy Industry when the question was raised if such operations required state or federal permits. It was suggested moving those to an excepted use.
The discussion turned to ordinances regarding cargo trailers, fences and occupancy permits with commissioners asking questions and making recommendations.
At the end of the meeting, Sandy reminded the commission they weren’t adopting anything today, but starting the process of reviewing current ordinances to see what needed to be tweaked or eliminated.
The Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission will meet at 1 p.m. July 2 in the Courthouse in Warsaw.
