Board approves special exception for automobile-detailing shop; prior home-occupation to be rescinded

The Whitley County Board of Zoning Appeals approved a special-exception application to allow an automobile-detailing business at 1355 South 300 East in Union Township.

Staff described the property as two acres in AG zoning and explained that detailing businesses are treated like auto-repair uses requiring a special exception. The petitioner proposed a 40-by-64-foot outbuilding, continued residential use of the main house, mostly single-operator business activity and up to about six customer vehicles per week on average. Staff recommended conditions including limiting outdoor parking visibility and setting hours of operation.

The applicant who identified himself at the hearing as Nate McClain said he currently operates under a home-occupation approval at a different address and purchased the new property to put business operations in a dedicated building. “I’ve now got to the point where I’ve finally been able to outgrow that,” he said, adding he would move business activity to the new shop and keep finished vehicles inside until pickup.

Board members discussed adding a condition that would make the prior home-occupation special exception null and void once the new special exception was in place. The board approved the special exception (26 W S E 4) with staff-recommended conditions 1–9 and an additional condition that the previous home-occupation approval would be null and void by the end of 2026; the motion passed unanimously.

Notably, the meeting agenda listed petitioners as Nathaniel and Farron McLean, while the speaker who presented identified himself as Nate McClain; the transcript contains that inconsistency and the record shows the board acted on the case as announced on the agenda and as presented at the hearing.