Kosciusko County hearing officer approves multiple variances and exceptions; some approvals conditioned on permits or DNR documentation

At a Kosciusko County hearing officer meeting, the hearing officer and planning staff approved a batch of variances and exceptions affecting properties in Plain, Tippecanoe, Turkey Creek, Harrison, Franklin and Washington townships, including shoreline setbacks, residential additions, accessory structures and fences.

The approvals included conditions in several cases: applicants were told to obtain after-the-fact permits or standard permits, some approvals required written or verbal confirmation from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources for structures over water, one approval required a letter from a campground manager, and a neighbor support letter was requested in one accessory-building expansion case.

Why this matters: these decisions modify local zoning and setback rules for individual properties and can affect shoreline protection, road visibility, stormwater and neighboring property access. Several cases involved structures already placed without permits, emergency repairs (including tornado damage in one lakeside case) or previously issued blanket approvals that influence how a variance is handled.

Most notable approvals and conditions

- Variance 2025141 (Brandon Bontrager): Approved to allow widened stairs to remain closer to the water and roadway than current ordinance allows. The hearing officer said an after-the-fact permit will be required; staff indicated an after-the-fact fee of $125 applies.

- Variance 2025144 (Deborah Grofus): Approved for an existing gazebo that at parts cantilevers over the water; the approval was conditioned on the applicant providing either a written DNR letter stating no objection or at least a verbal confirmation to county staff that the DNR has no objection. An after-the-fact permit and the standard filing fee were also discussed.

- Variance 2025145 (Thaddeus Murphy): Approved for 12-foot-wide stairs closer to the property line and road than the ordinance typically allows. The hearing officer advised the applicant to obtain the required permit before finalizing the stairs.

- Variance 2025148 (Jason Bledsoe): Approved to replace a long-standing residential fence with a 6-foot fence in a front-yard…