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Board denies large accessory‑building request on Townsend Drive, citing ordinance limits
Summary
The Area Board of Zoning Appeals denied a request by Michael and Elizabeth Wharton to allow a 3,136 sq ft detached accessory building after staff said the request far exceeds the ordinance allowance and neighbors flagged concerns about commercial activity, vehicles and future lot sales.
The St. Joseph County Area Board of Zoning Appeals on Nov. 13 denied a variance request from Michael and Elizabeth Wharton to increase the total detached accessory structure area on their Townsend Drive property to 3,136 square feet (the current ordinance permits 1,440 sq ft based on 1.5× the primary structure’s ground floor area).
Area Plan Commission staff (Ariel Sharif) told the board the 2.59‑acre property contains multiple parcels in common ownership, a house of about 960 sq ft ground floor area and an existing garage previously expanded under a 2009 variance. Under the current ordinance, accessory‑structure area is tied to the main floor area and…
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