Kokomo Common Council approves five zoning ordinances including rezonings for sober-living, apartments and industrial expansion

The Kokomo Common Council passed five zoning measures at its meeting, approving ordinance 71-94, 71-95, 71-96, 71-97 and 71-98 related to property uses and a planned development setback amendment.

The measures included: ordinance 71-94 (case P-10-Z-25), a rezoning request by GDR Holdings LLC to change 702 West Alta Road from C-1 (small- to medium-scale general commercial) to IS (institutional) to allow use as a sober-living facility; ordinance 71-95 (case P-11-Z-25), a petition from Kokomo White Barn LLC to change 306 East Walnut Street from R-5 (urban residential) to M-1 (low-density multifamily residential) to allow the addition of a fifth apartment unit to an existing building, which the council passed on first and second reading after suspending the rules; ordinance 71-96 (case P-12-C-25), a rezoning request from Dale Bliss to change 514 West Park Avenue from C-1 (small- to medium-scale general commercial) to R-4 (urban residential) for use as a sober-living facility; ordinance 71-97 (case P-13-25), a petition by Victor Devore and William Devore to change 144 East 400 North from AG (agricultural within the US-31 Office/Industrial/Agricultural overlay) to HI (high-intensity industrial/heavy manufacturing within the US-31 overlay) to allow expansion of an existing shell building to meet tenant needs; and ordinance 71-98 (case P-15-Z-25), an amendment to a PDM-2 planned development generally bounded by State Road 931 and East Sycamore Road that restores previously held setbacks within that development.

Councilman Grieco moved for passage of ordinances 71-94, 71-95, 71-96 and 71-97; Councilman Greenfield moved for passage of ordinance 71-98. In multiple cases the council suspended the rules to consider items on first and second reading the same evening; where recorded the motions passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition. The clerk read each ordinance by title before the motions were made.

Councilman Grieco described ordinance 71-95 as a request by Kokomo White Barn LLC to add a fifth unit to an apartment building at 306 East Walnut Street after significant renovation to that property. For ordinances 71-94 and 71-96, the petitions indicated the intended use of the rezoned properties would be for sober-living facilities. For ordinance 71-97, the petitioners told the council the zoning change was intended to allow a tenant-driven expansion of an existing industrial shell building.

There was no extended public comment or recorded opposition in the transcript for these items; each motion was followed by a voice vote in which the president called for "aye" and declared the motion carried when no opposition was voiced.

The council adjourned after completing the business; the clerk announced the next council meeting will be held June 9 with an informational meeting starting at 5:30 p.m.