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LaPorte County BZA denies frontage shipping-container request, approves several small variances; one petition tabled
Summary
At the Aug. 19 LaPorte County Board of Zoning Appeals meeting the board denied a request to place a shipping container at 3934 North Frontage Road, approved accessory-structure and RV-storage variances, approved living-space conversion for elderly parents with a 'no future rental' condition, and tabled a modular/second-home petition pending clarification.
The LaPorte County Board of Zoning Appeals handled multiple petitions after approving a high-profile variance for an automotive business.
Petition 2: shipping container denied — Kalpesh Kumar Patel asked to place a Conex (shipping) container at 3934 North Frontage Road to provide supplemental storage for a motel that cannot use under-stairs space for code reasons. Nearby venue operators, including John Richmond and Robert Guthrie of Orecch Shrine, opposed the container for aesthetic and maintenance concerns and warned that containers can multiply and attract loitering. A board member moved to deny the request and the motion carried by voice vote.
Petition 3: Fogarty shed approved — Michael J. Fogarty received a variance to place a 12×20 accessory storage shed; no remonstrators appeared and the board approved the variance as presented.
Petition 4: pole-barn conversion for elderly parents approved with condition — Tara Nims asked to convert part of a pole barn to living quarters for her aging parents (one recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s). The board approved the request after adding a condition that the space not be rented in the future.
Sunset Companies / Sonia Terek: second-home/modular petition tabled — Sonia Terek, proposing to replace an old mobile home with a modular structure, did not clarify whether the existing unit would be removed or rehabbed for storage. The board voted to table the petition until the applicant provides clarity to the building department.
Kelso RV-storage pole barn approved — Stephanie and Sean Kelso were granted a height variance (23 feet allowed instead of the 18-foot maximum) for a pole barn intended to store an RV; no remonstrators appeared and the board approved the request.
Adjournment: the board adjourned after completing the agenda.
Records: the meeting record contains each petition’s presentation, remonstrance (if any), and the board’s votes as read into the record. For petitions denied or approved by voice vote the transcript does not include a roll-call tally for each board member.
