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Board of Zoning Appeals Approves Variances Letting Proposed Maintenance Facility Use On-site Septic, Alternative Facade Materials and No Roof Overhang
Summary
The Board of Zoning Appeals voted 4-0 to grant variances allowing an on-site commercial septic system, alternative street-facing building materials and a waiver of a 12-inch roof overhang for proposed maintenance facilities on South County Road 300 East; one member recused for a county employment conflict.
The Board of Zoning Appeals approved three variances needed for a proposed maintenance facility on South County Road 300 East, voting 4-0 to allow an on-site commercial septic system, to permit alternative exterior materials on the street-facing facade and to waive a required 12-inch roof overhang.
Steven Kromkowski, vice president at DLZ Indiana LLC, told the board the project requires a septic contingency because "there are no public utilities in that area" and extending public wastewater would impose an undue hardship. He said the project team has designed the system to meet state and local requirements and requested the variance so construction can proceed if public wastewater is not available when they are ready to move forward.
A representative noted the West Central Conservancy might ultimately serve the site, but obtaining hookup or permits could be delayed. One speaker said the wait for a permit could be "about nine months," and the applicant wants the option to install septic now if a public connection is not available in time.
Board members pressed for details about wastewater handling. Kromkowski said the facility will include a wash bay that "would not be connected to the septic" and that wash-bay wastewater "is going into a holding tank" the county will maintain and pump out for treatment. "So they wouldn't be impacting groundwater or anything else," he said.
John Ayers, Hendricks County engineer, spoke from the county's perspective and was available to answer technical questions. Ayers did not propose additional conditions on the record beyond those reflected in the staff report.
On the facade variance, the petitioner described an industrial, low-maintenance building with insulated metal panels and brick concentrated at the main entrance; the petitioner said roughly 15% of the total exterior is brick, but that the public-facing elevation would present a larger masonry presence. For the roof eaves, the petitioner said pre-engineered industrial buildings commonly lack the additional 12-inch overhang the ordinance requires and requested the waiver for that reason.
An unidentified board member moved to approve each variance after the board verified the petition met the usual findings — that approval would not injure public health or adjacent property values and that strict application would constitute an unnecessary hardship. One member, Miss Dalton, stated she would recuse herself because of employment with Hendricks County; the motions carried on 4-0 voice and roll-call counts as announced by the chair.
The approvals were entered with the findings and conditions as adopted in the motions. Staff told the board one related application would return in February for further review. The board adjourned after approving the variances.
