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BZA approves special uses and variances across multiple properties, sets parking and time‑limits
Summary
The Evansville Board of Zoning Appeals approved a slate of special‑use permissions and variances — including a church parking expansion (58 spaces), a home firearms repair shop (two‑year, four‑space limit), multiple driveway and setback variances, and temporary authorizations for gravel parking — and approved several other variance requests with conditions. Read 'Votes at a glance' for outcomes.
The Evansville Board of Zoning Appeals on its November agenda approved a range of special‑use petitions and variances affecting churches, residences and commercial properties across the city.
Among the approvals, the board granted University Heights Baptist Church a special use to expand parking and to build a small detached garage; the board set the required number of parking spaces at 58 to reflect the combined site plan and aerial counts. Petitioner Carl Montank said the garage will shelter two church vans after earlier vandalism to one vehicle’s catalytic converter.
The board also renewed a two‑year special‑use approval for a home‑based firearms repair and restoration business at 8524 Manchester Court (applicant Jason Eskridge). Staff reported no complaints during the previous term; the board limited the permit to two years, set required parking at four spaces and prohibited signage.
Other approvals included relief for existing structures and driveways installed without permits (Singh Oil Holdings at East Morgan Avenue; Kevin and Kelly Hamilton at Aspen Drive; Dennis Gates at East Columbia Street), a two‑year time‑limited legalization of multiple driveways for a property on Elmridge Drive, and a lot‑line/parking adjustment for a downtown parcel (KEB Real Estate Holdings) that reduced required parking from 31 to 24 to accommodate a lot line change.
The board also approved property‑specific variances that allow gravel parking in lieu of pavement for certain commercial/industrial sites (e.g., Altstadt Plumbing) with conditions (tree buffering in lieu of an eight‑foot opaque fence), and it approved a request to convert a duplex into six legally recognized dwelling units at 218 North Fourth Avenue by granting relief for two under‑size units and reducing required parking from nine to one to reflect on‑street parking usage and the building’s location on a bus route.
Votes at a glance (select items and outcomes): - SPU‑2024‑009 (University Heights Baptist Church, 8888 Bridal Mount Vernon Rd): special use granted; required parking = 58 (board vote: 5–0). - SPU‑2024‑010 (Jason Eskridge, 8524 Manchester Ct): home firearms repair granted for two years; required parking = 4; no signage (5–0). - SPU‑2024‑011 (Private recreational use, 8400 N Saint Joseph Ave): special use granted; required parking = 1 (5–0). - VAR‑2024‑074 (Singh Oil Holdings, 4810 E Morgan Ave): front yard setback relaxation (10 ft to 0 ft) granted (5–0). - VAR‑2024‑075 (Hamilton driveway, 3524 Aspen Dr): driveway width variance granted (30 ft allowed) (5–0). - VAR‑2024‑081 (Elmridge Dr multiple driveways): multiple variances granted with 2‑year time limit for board review (5–0). - VAR‑2024‑083 (KEB Real Estate Holdings, downtown parking reduction): approved (5–0). - VAR‑2024‑084 (218 N Fourth Ave, six‑unit conversion): unit size and parking variances approved so owner can sell (5–0). - VAR‑2024‑085 (Altstadt Plumbing / Double Dave Investments, 1401 Buchanan Rd): gravel parking, drive spacing and tree‑buffer in lieu of opaque fence approved; conditions applied (vote passed). - VAR‑2024‑086 (signage for proposed gas station, 2001 Lynch Rd): after negotiation the board approved a reduced signage package (12 signs allowed; total square footage approved by motion ~615 sq ft) and gave the applicant an expedited option to reapply within a year for additional signage if needed (5–0). - VAR‑2024‑087 (SS and K, 2 Washington Ave): gravel parking variance extended for two years (5–0). - BAR‑2024‑090 (EBSC school parking, 116 N Teacupel Ave): front yard green‑space relief granted to expand existing parking (5–0).
Most routine items passed unanimously on roll calls; several approvals were subject to conditions (parking counts, time limits, tree buffers in lieu of an opaque fence). The board used time‑limited approvals in multiple cases to preserve future oversight. Several items (notably the fence/green‑space variance adjacent to Fenway Park) were continued to allow technical review and neighborhood consultation.
Next steps: petitioners who received time limits or conditions must comply with the board's conditions (for example, tree‑buffer installation or updated site plans) and may need to return within the period specified if conditions or site changes arise.
