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BZA approves variances for Walnut Grove Amish School to allow gravel parking and limited screening
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Summary
The Area Board approved four development variances for a proposed Walnut Grove Amish School, allowing a gravel drive and relaxed parking-area standards to accommodate horse-and-buggy access and existing mature windbreak trees as screening.
The St. Joseph County Area Board of Zoning Appeals voted Sept. 10, 2025, to approve four variances that will allow the Walnut Grove Amish School to use a gravel parking drive and to omit certain painted line and bumper requirements for an off-street parking area.
Adia Smith, Area Plan Commission staff, said the petitioner sought variances on a roughly 2.99-acre farm parcel in an agricultural district to accommodate a school serving the local Amish community. Smith said staff recommended approval, noting the gravel surface and relaxed parking markings are intended to accommodate horse-and-buggy traffic and that an existing 55-foot windbreak of maturing trees along the adjacent property line would provide screening where shrub plantings otherwise would be required.
Terry Lang, attorney for the petitioner, said the proposed school area is on the high ground of the parcel and that drainage and retention were planned to avoid impacts to adjoining farms. He said the variances are requested because “we don't have vehicles that need a car bump stop. We're driving a horse and buggy.”
No members of the public spoke in opposition at the hearing. After staff and petitioner testimony, Board member Dr. Lauck moved to approve all four variances as presented; the motion was seconded and the board voted 7-0 to grant the relief. The board said it would issue written findings of fact.
The approved variances include relief from required hard-surface drives, painted stall markings and parking bumpers, and from required shrub screening between the parking area and an eastern lot line where a residential use sits 750 feet away. County staff and the county engineer indicated no objections given the site layout and existing vegetation.
