La Porte City’s Board of Zoning Appeals on Sept. 9 approved a combined use variance and variance of development standards allowing La Porte Community Federal Credit Union to demolish and rebuild its branch at 1304 Jefferson Street and retain drive‑through and ATM operations.

The vote approved use variance 25-02 to legalize the credit union’s existing nonconforming commercial use in an R1C single‑family residential district and variance 25-08 to reduce a front setback, waive a required buffer and allow a refuse enclosure closer than code normally permits. James Suss of the DVG team, representing the petitioner, told the board the variances would keep “the same operations, drive thru access, [and] ATM access that they do today.”

City staff recommended approval after a site review, with staff member David noting the application and site plan and saying staff finds the petitions meet the countywide land‑use plan and zoning ordinance goals. The staff report and Suss’s submission say the proposed building and landscaping would be an improvement over the current condition, which the petitioner described as asphalt “wall to wall.”

Key variances and project details discussed at the meeting include: a required 25‑foot front yard setback in R1C reduced to a proposed 9.4 feet along Tyler Street; a reduction of the adjacent residential buffer from the code‑specified 10 feet to 0 feet with the petitioner proposing to keep an existing metal fence that was installed around 2009; and allowing the refuse enclosure roughly 2 feet from the property line rather than the usual minimum separation of 20 feet. The petitioner said the site is about a half‑acre, and limited acreage constrains placement of parking, circulation and the dumpster enclosure.

Bert Cook, executive director of the La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership, spoke in support and praised the project team’s engagement with city staff during the site review. No other public comments were offered.

A motion to approve both petitions was made and seconded; the board recorded the vote by voice and declared the motion passed. The board did not record individual roll‑call votes in the transcript. The petitioner and project team stated that construction would proceed pending required permits and contractor scheduling.

The project materials submitted to the board included site plans, landscaping illustrations and a findings‑of‑fact document. City staff and the petitioner said those materials show increased landscaping areas versus the existing condition and orientation of the new building to improve site aesthetics along Tyler Street.

The decision resolves the credit union’s legal‑nonconforming status at the site and allows the applicant to move forward with demolition and reconstruction under the approved variances; further building permits and inspections will be required before work begins.