A Kosciusko County zoning hearing recommended approval of a petition to rezone a split-zoned property on the east side of Chatham Lake Drive to a residential district, a staff member said during the meeting. The petition, filed as case Z20261 on behalf of owner Mark Jones, was presented by attorney Steve Snyder.

Snyder told the panel the property contains structures once used for marina purposes and that the owner intends to convert the parcels to residential use. “We just want that back portion rezoned to residential so we can finish the construction,” Snyder said, explaining that a portion of the parcel remains commercially zoned and must be rezoned before building permits can be issued.

Staff confirmed that a legal ad ran in the newspaper and surrounding owners were notified. Board members and staff discussed parcel combination and noted that rezoning was the cleaner route rather than seeking an exception or variance.

An unidentified member moved to approve the rezoning “as presented”; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. The chair announced the petition was approved and staff will forward a favorable recommendation to the Kosciusko County commissioners at their Jan. 27 meeting. The meeting record did not include an exact numeric vote tally on the transcript.

The next step for Z20261 is the county commissioners’ consideration of the planning panel’s recommendation at the Jan. 27 meeting in the same room.