Kokomo planning commission recommends rezoning of nine lots on East Jefferson for multifamily development, contingent on street/alley vacation

The Kokomo City Planning Commission voted to recommend rezoning roughly 1.3 acres made up of nine lots on East Jefferson Street from R-4 (medium-density urban residential) to M-2 (general multifamily residential), with the commission making its recommendation contingent on City Council approval of a proposed vacation of part of Morgan Street and an alley.

The recommendation was made after a presentation by Paul Wyman, who said he was representing property owner Jason Irvin and distributed an aerial showing the nine lots that the owner hopes to consolidate for multifamily development. Wyman said the owner’s plan would allow duplexes or townhome-style units and that, based on the lot configuration, a future site plan would likely yield “3 to 5” dwelling structures but could vary.

The rezoning matter drew lengthy public comment from neighbors who live adjacent to or near the property. Bernice Fisher, 1251 East Jefferson Street, asked, “I wanna know when you make this change as far as the zoning, how is that gonna affect our taxes?” Commissioner and staff responses said taxes are assessed on individual property improvements and will reflect what is ultimately built, not the zoning change itself. Several speakers said they were worried about privacy, traffic, parking, and the character of the neighborhood.

Neighbors also sought clarity about how dense future development could be. Planning staff and commissioners said the M-2 zoning classification sets a cap (15 units maximum under the classification discussed for this site), but multiple speakers and staff noted that meeting setback, parking and other ordinance requirements could make reaching that cap infeasible. One resident asked whether rezoning would permit a vertical increase in units; a staff member answered that “15 is the max you can do” under the requested classification but that any final number would be determined by later site-plan review.

Commissioners and the applicant discussed related approvals needed to make the redevelopment feasible: specifically a petition to vacate part of Morgan Street and an alley that currently divides the lots. The applicant asked the commission to make its recommendation to the Common Council conditional on the council approving those road/ alley vacations. A commissioner amended the motion and the commission’s recommendation was made contingent on City Council approval of those vacations.

The commission vote forwarded the rezoning to the Kokomo Common Council; Councilman Greenview (referred to during the meeting) will represent the matter at the council hearing. Commissioners and staff told residents that, if the council approves rezoning, the petitioner must return with a site plan showing access, parking and exact unit counts; that development plan will trigger further public notice and at least one additional public meeting.

Several neighbors said they fear short-term impacts on property values and longer-term changes in neighborhood composition. Others said removing the existing dilapidated house and replacing it with new housing could stabilize and raise local property values. Commissioners repeatedly emphasized that rezoning is only the first step in a multistage process.

The planning commission’s formal action was to forward a favorable recommendation for case P25Z25 (rezoning to M-2) to the Kokomo Common Council, with the recommendation explicitly contingent on City Council approval of the proposed vacations of Morgan Street and the alley.