Board approves side-yard variance for 9611 N. Washington tied to submitted site plan

The Crown Point City Board of Zoning Appeals on Jan. 26 approved a variance allowing a shared-access, zero-foot side-yard setback for a proposed two-lot development at 9611 North Washington Street, but tied the approval to the exact site plan submitted to the board and to an entrance aligned with the Macedonia church’s east driveway.

Petitioners Russ Poseen of DVG Team Inc. and Matt Rossman of ICS Rossman Partners told the board the proposed configuration — a single primary access with coordinated ingress/egress between two lots — improves circulation for large delivery and fuel trucks and is consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan objectives for shared access drives. They said a variance is needed before a final plat can be recorded to avoid creating conflicting recorded easements.

Board members expressed concern that the last presentation lacked a finalized primary plat and asked for definitive lot lines, ingress/egress locations and documentation of coordination with the nearby Macedonia church. Poseen and Rossman said they had since met with church representatives and would record use-restriction covenants for Lot 2 to address the church’s concerns.

After closing the public portion with no speakers, the board voted to approve the petition on the condition that the variance be tied to the specific site plan drawing submitted at the hearing and that the vehicle entrance align with the church’s east entrance as shown. The motion was seconded and passed on a roll call in which Jeremy Taylor, John Marshall and Nick Nocimich voted yes and two members voted no. The board noted that if the plan later changes, the variance would become invalid and the matter would return to the board.

The petitioner was directed to coordinate final plat and recording steps with city staff and legal counsel to ensure recorded covenants run with the land.