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Board grants variance for tree‑trimming business at 12701 S. County Road 300 E with conditions on heavy equipment and advertising
Summary
The board granted a use variance allowing a tree-trimming business to store vehicles and sell firewood from a Monroe Township residential property, imposing restrictions on hours for heavy equipment, advertising, and making the variance non-transferable.
The Delaware County Board of Zoning Appeals on Sept. 24 approved a variance of use allowing Damon Goodman’s tree-trimming business to store work trucks, allow employees to park personal vehicles on-site and to occasionally sell firewood at 12701 South County Road 300 East in Monroe Township, subject to conditions.
Applicant Ashley Goodman told the board the firm moved trucks to the property after repeated break-ins at a commercial location and that tree debris stored on site had been used for home heating or sold seasonally. She said she stopped open‑burning after contact with the fire marshal and that mulched debris remains on the property.
Several neighbors testified in opposition. Lynn Cooper and another speaker said smoke from previous burning made life difficult and that fire and police were called; other neighbors argued the site had brought frequent, unsupervised burning, semi‑loads of brush and rodent/debris concerns. A Delaware County commissioner who lives near the site spoke in favor; staff cited correspondence from residents and Indiana Department of Environmental Management rules that restrict open burning of vegetative debris and that businesses may not open-burn such materials.
The board approved the variance 5 yes, 1 no, with conditions recorded in the motion: the variance applies only to the applicant (nontransferable), no business advertising at the site, and heavy machinery for business use may only operate during restricted hours (the board set 9 a.m.–5 p.m. in the motion).
Why it matters: The decision permits a commercial activity in a farm zone under tightly defined conditions after neighbors reported safety and nuisance concerns about burning, traffic and debris management.
