Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Votes Roundup topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
BZA approves several variances, tables one petition and denies a Salim Court setback at Jan. 8 meeting
Summary
The St. Joseph County BZA approved variances for multiple residential accessory structures and splits, tabled one petition to February and denied a front-setback variance for a Salim Court lot; motions and vote tallies are listed.
At its Jan. 8 meeting the St. Joseph County Board of Zoning Appeals decided on a slate of petitions: several variances were approved, one petition was tabled to February, and one front-setback variance was denied.
Votes at a glance
- Petition 1 (24349 Stanton Road): Variance to reduce a 2.11-acre parcel to 1.66 acres and to create a 0.45-acre outlot where a 20-acre minimum is standard in the agricultural district. Staff recommended approval; the board granted the variance. The board recorded unanimous approval and said it will issue written findings of fact.
- Petition 2 (51073 Ash Road, Christopher Singleton): Variance to allow a detached accessory structure of 2,520 sq ft where 1,576 sq ft is permitted. Staff recommended approval because an older legal nonconforming barn already placed the lot over permitted area; the board approved the variance (vote recorded: majority approval; one board member voted no).
- Petition 3 (13260 Pokagon Street, Philip F. Haluda): Variance to allow a 2,976 sq ft accessory structure where 2,280 sq ft is permitted across two parcels under one ownership. Staff recommended approval; the board approved the requested variance.
- Petition 4 (17731 Bullo Road): See separate article. The board approved reduced north/south setbacks to 10 feet with recorded written commitments (vote 6-1).
- Petition 5 (27594 State Road 23, Timothy and Jennifer Samuels): Variance to allow a 6-foot side yard east setback where 30 feet is required for a detached accessory structure on a roughly 3-acre agricultural parcel. Staff cited topography and a large septic/reserve area; the board approved the variance (one board member opposed).
- Petition 6: Tabled to the February meeting.
- Petition 7 (14766 Salim Court, Trending Properties LLC): Request to reduce an approved subdivision front setback from 25 feet to 18.7 feet (the subdivision had an earlier 25-foot variance). Staff recommended denial because practical difficulty was not shown; the board denied the variance.
- Petition 8 (51302 Hickory Road, DBF Properties LLC): Request to allow a seven‑lot subdivision served by private streets and gated access where the code prefers frontage on dedicated public roads. Staff recommended approval given limited opportunity for connectivity and the small number of lots; the board approved the variance.
Most petitions involving detached garages or accessory buildings were approved after staff described lot- or structure-specific constraints: prior legal nonconforming buildings, septic and topography limitations, or lot configurations that limit where structures may be built. The board generally issued or said it would issue written findings of fact for each approved variance.
The board recorded votes on each petition at the meeting; in several cases one member voted against approval. Petition 6 was tabled to February. Minutes and written findings will be prepared and recorded as indicated by staff.
