BZA delays home-occupation hearing after staff misadvertised notice; waives neighbor mailings

The Clinton County Board of Zoning Appeals continued an application Sept. 23 after staff acknowledged the hearing had been advertised in the newspaper as a prohibited commercial garage rather than the correct category — a Class 2 home occupation for a vehicle-repair operation.

Planning staff told the board the error was the staff’s fault and proposed re-advertising in the newspaper, changing the notice sign at the property to the correct hearing type, and not requiring staff to resend certified letters to neighbors. Staff also said it would re-advertise at county expense and be ready to hear the item at the next meeting. A board member noted certified mail costs can be substantial and suggested ordinary mail could be used for subsequent renotices when appropriate.

The board voted to waive the local rule requiring a second neighbor mailing in this case, ordered staff to re-advertise the correct hearing type in the newspaper, directed staff to update the sign at the site, and continued application CCDash2025Dash00855, docket 30-25-SE to a future meeting. Roll call was Grant Mueller — yes; Stacy Pedigan — yes; Chester Banks — yes.

Staff said no interested neighbors were present at the meeting and recommended the re-advertisement and sign correction as the proper procedural remedy. The board’s action preserves state law’s newspaper-notice requirement while avoiding the additional certified-mail cost to the county for this second notice.