The Decatur County Board of Zoning Appeals approved a special exception to allow a detached private guest house (commonly called a mother-in-law quarters) on a residential parcel at 2476 South County Road 60 East in Greensburg, Washington Township.

The petition, listed on the agenda as BZA petition 2025-2 and described in the meeting materials as a request under Decatur County zoning ordinance section 925-8, would permit a secondary dwelling on the same parcel as the primary residence. Christie Bumbala, the petitioner, described the proposal as a structure roughly “20 or 30 by 50 or 30 by 60” with a two-car garage and a small living area attached. “We just, like, where they live, what you see there where they're wanting to—she's wanting to put it,” Bumbala said during the hearing.

County staff and the petitioner said the site already has a roofed carport at the proposed location and that the proposed building would be placed just to the side of that pad. Staff confirmed that a new septic system permit has been obtained and that a licensed contractor will install the system; the petitioner said “we've already had the soil test and all that done, and they've come out and done the layout of where it will be…and we have the permit.” The petitioner identified Andy Swearing as the contractor expected to install the septic system.

Board members asked about driveway access and potential land-locking of an adjacent parcel. A staff member noted a 40-foot ingress/egress easement attached to the petition and recommended that a recorded easement remain in place if ownership changes in the future. “As long as there's an easement, I think that's great,” a board member said, adding that the easement should prevent access problems if the neighboring parcel is sold.

Neighbors Jim and Nancy Schutte were identified on the site map; no objections from adjacent property owners were recorded in the transcript. A board member moved to vote on the petition and another member seconded; when the motion was put to a voice vote the board recorded “aye” and then “That’s approved.” The transcript does not record a roll-call tally.

The board did not attach conditions beyond confirming the septic permit and the recorded 40-foot ingress/egress easement noted in the petition materials. With the approval complete, the petitioner thanked the members and left.

No other BZA items were on the agenda that evening, and the board adjourned shortly after the vote.