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Board continues two variances for North St. Joseph outdoor storage yard, asks for civil/site-plan materials
Summary
The Board of Zoning Appeals continued two variance petitions for outdoor storage yards along North St. Joseph Avenue (VARDash2024Dash101 and VARDash2024Dash102) because applicants submitted a revised site plan too late for staff review; the board waived continuance fees and asked for civil-site documentation before the next hearing.
The Evansville Board of Zoning Appeals on Jan. 16 continued two related variance petitions for properties on North St. Joseph Avenue to the board’s next meeting after staff advised the applicants’ amended site plan and civil drawings had not been available for departmental review.
Petitioners sought variances to allow a multi-tenant outdoor storage yard adjacent to residential areas, including relief from the requirement for an 8-foot opaque fence, permission for gravel in lieu of pavement, and authorization to construct within the 70-foot thoroughfare setback. At the board’s Dec. 19 meeting members had asked the applicants to supply an amended site plan clearly identifying access and transit drives, gravel storage areas, and buffer locations; those materials had not completed site-review by the Jan. 16 hearing.
Petitioner representatives said they had met with a neighboring property owner and that a new site plan reflecting agreements was prepared and delivered to the board the day of the hearing, but staff and site-review teams had not had sufficient time to evaluate it. Planning staff and counsel told the board that changes involving the floodway and driveway access required a full site-review analysis before a public decision could be made.
Board members agreed that deciding without staff review would risk missed technical issues and would be unfair to neighbors; the board unanimously voted to continue both docket numbers to the next meeting and to waive any continuance filing fees. The board recorded a 7-0 vote to continue. Staff advised petitioners to submit full civil-site materials for review so departments can evaluate floodway, drainage, access, and screening concerns before the matter returns to the board.
The continuance leaves the petitions unresolved; staff emphasized that no change-of-use permits have been issued for the proposed outdoor storage activities and that final approvals require completed site-review and any necessary variances.
