Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Votes Summary topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Votes at a glance: Board approves multiple special uses and variances, sets conditions for several items
Summary
At its Jan. 16 meeting the Evansville Board of Zoning Appeals approved a set of special uses and variances—ranging from a home-based photography studio to a church electronic sign and a dog daycare—Imposing specific conditions on some approvals and continuing or withdrawing other items as required by staff review.
The Board of Zoning Appeals handled multiple petitions at its Jan. 16 meeting. Most routine approvals carried unanimously; a handful included conditions recorded in the motions. The board also continued two petitions pending further civil/site-plan review and approved a withdrawal request with a waiver of the one-year refiling bar. Key outcomes follow.
Votes at a glance (petition identifier — location — action — key condition(s) — vote):
- S20Dash48 (2500 Keck Avenue) — Guy Stacy Walker: Special Use No. 32 (home-occupation photography studio) approved for a five-year period (board set a 5-year renewal) rather than indefinite; petitioner requested renewal to avoid biennial reappearance. Vote: 6 yes, 1 no.
- SPU-2024-013 / VAR-2024-096 (Heritage Baptist Church, 1900 Lodge Avenue / associated variance) — Special use for an electronic message sign approved with a condition requiring automatic dimming to 10% brightness during dusk-to-dawn hours; the associated variance (size/height and proximity to residences) also approved. Vote: 7 yes, 0 no.
- SPU-2024-015 (5201 Crutzville Road) — Caller Club LLC: Special Use No. 25 to allow dog daycare and boarding; board established minimum parking of 17 spaces and limited use to daycare and boarding as a condition. Vote: 7 yes, 0 no.
- SPU-2024-020 (8114 Birch Park Drive) — Storm Master Funding 2 LLC / Isaiah 117 Project Inc.: Special Use No. 5 to allow professional office space for a charitable foster-care support organization; board approved minimum parking of 8 spaces. Vote: 7 yes, 0 no.
- SPU-2024-021 (2420 Diego Drive) — Junior Achievement of Southwestern Indiana Inc.: Special Use No. 5 to allow professional offices and event space for the non-profit; board approved a minimum of 140 parking spaces and granted the special use. Vote: 7 yes, 0 no.
- VAR-2024-065 (12501 North Green River Road) — Withdrawn by petitioner; board approved the withdrawal and unanimously waived the one-year refiling restriction so a new owner may refile if needed. Vote: 7 yes, 0 no.
- VAR-2024-089 (3715 Detroit Road) — Constance Smith: Variance to allow accessory structure taller than principal structure; approved with condition that an amended site plan be submitted within 30 days showing the structure relocated behind the residence and at least 25 feet from both side property lines; permit issuance to follow staff review. Vote: 7 yes, 0 no. (Full article on this item published separately.)
- VAR-2024-101 and VAR-2024-102 (4400 & 4220 North St. Joseph Avenue) — McCullough Capital LLC and related petitioner: Continued to next meeting to allow staff/site-review time to evaluate revised civil/site-plan materials; continuance fees waived. Vote to continue: 7 yes, 0 no.
- VAR-2024-105 (949 Cedar Hill Drive) — Molly Russell: Front-yard setback relaxation to allow an in-ground pool; approved. Vote recorded as 6 yes, 0 no (one member recorded differently in the roll call sequence).
- VAR-2024-107 (2280 North Cullen Avenue) — Swap Properties LLC / Healthy Spaces: Relief for green-space and to allow gravel area for operations; variance approved to recognize the existing conditions used for material handling and equipment; vote 7-0.
- VAR-2024-108 (3105 North Saint Joseph Avenue) — Legend Motors: Variance to allow an electronic message sign within 200 feet of residences; approved subject to automatic dimming to 10% during dusk-to-dawn hours. Vote: 7 yes, 0 no.
- VAR-2024-109 (6486 Saint Pauls Drive) — Brian Rickey: Variance to allow an accessory structure larger than the principal residence (2,652 sq. ft. pole barn); petitioner said no commercial use is intended; variance approved. Vote: 7 yes, 0 no.
Several items included additional clarifications or subsequent staff responsibilities: site-plan submissions, permit hold until conditions met, and explicit limits on what the special use authorizes (for example the dog daycare motion specified daycare and boarding to avoid broader use-group approvals). The board declined to act on petitions that lacked full civil/site-plan review; staff advised that floodway, drainage and access issues require department review before rehearing.
The board’s votes and recorded motions are part of the public record kept by the Area Plan Commission.
