Commission approves insurance brokerage office at 477 Industrial Parkway with amended project description

The South Russell Planning Commission voted Oct. 16 to approve an application for an insurance brokerage office at 477 Industrial Parkway, Suite C, presented by Derek Koch of DMH Ventures LLC, contingent on an amended project description clarifying the use.

Koch told the commission he will occupy Suite C for his insurance brokerage and that the fitness studio described in the packet is for his personal use only and not open to outside clients. “It's an insurance office with my own personal gym that I will have access to and my family will have access to. Period,” Koch said during the hearing.

Commissioners and staff discussed the discrepancy between the project description in the packet, which listed “personal fitness training,” and the applicant’s statement that the intended use is an insurance brokerage office with a private gym. Planning staff advised Koch to amend the business-registration/project-description pages so the record reflects the insurance-office use; Koch initialed and dated the changes during the meeting so they could be part of the approval record.

Commissioners asked about parking and equipment. Koch said the office will primarily be used by him and occasional family members or clients by appointment and that parking demand will be minimal. He said equipment will be standard gym items (dumbbells, benches, squat rack), and he described plans for rubber flooring in the small private gym portion so weights can be used without excessive noise or impact.

A motion to approve the application as amended (project description corrected to “insurance brokerage office”) was made and seconded and carried on roll call. Staff noted the approval will be recorded using the corrected project description on pages 1–3 of the application packet.