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BZA grants parking and vegetation variances for Nichols Apartments; debate over campus parking standards continues
Summary
The Area Board of Zoning Appeals approved a parking reduction and a vegetation‑coverage variance for Nichols Apartments at 420 South Chauncey Avenue; the parking variance passed 5–1 and the vegetation variance passed unanimously.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Tippecanoe County Area Board of Zoning Appeals on Oct. 22 voted to allow two additional dwelling units within the existing footprint of Nichols Apartments at 420 S. Chauncey Ave., approving a parking reduction and a vegetation‑coverage variance.
The board granted a variance to reduce required off‑street parking from 54 spaces to 47 (parking variance) and approved a variance reducing minimum vegetation coverage from 30% to 28%. The parking variance passed 5–1; the vegetation coverage variance passed 6–0.
Nathan McBurnett, APC staff, said the property had been rezoned earlier in the summer to R‑4W to allow the conversion of underused office and garage areas into two residential units. McBurnett told the board the on‑site parking count of 47 spaces already exists and that the request reflects a change in the parking standard rather than removal of parking. He also noted that the city previously acquired about 800 square feet of frontage along Williams Street for a roundabout expansion, which affected the property’s vegetation coverage calculation.
Drew Tharp of Gutwein Law, representing petitioner BC Cent LLC, said the development would not change the building footprint and would convert existing interior space to units. “These items are kind of just the natural steps to clean up the remaining outliers to proceed with this further development,” Tharp said.
The board’s discussion focused on parking policy near Purdue University, where a mix of student rentals and transit options affects demand. Member Robert Novak pressed staff on whether post‑approval follow‑ups are performed to measure actual parking impacts; McBurnett said staff does not routinely do post‑approval field studies for every variance but noted he visited the site and observed unused spaces. McBurnett also referenced an ongoing APC student travel survey showing less than 60% of off‑campus students drive a car to campus, which staff said supports lower parking standards in near‑campus areas.
A West Lafayette city representative identified as Chad told the board the city’s council members have raised similar questions about parking but said the city agrees with staff’s recommendation and emphasized existing transit service and periodic seasonal fluctuations in campus parking demand.
Ballots were cast: variance No. 1 (parking) — 6 ballots cast, 5 yes, 1 no; variance No. 2 (vegetation) — 6 ballots cast, 6 yes, 0 no. Both variances were recorded as granted.
Board members and staff agreed the parking standard for dense, near‑campus redevelopment is an ongoing policy issue. Staff suggested a potential targeted parking study or interjurisdictional approach to public parking to guide future rules. The APC also proposed brief educational “planning pointers” sessions for board members on topics such as parking policy.
