Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Clinton County BZA approves multiple variances and special exceptions, continues two matters
Loading...
Summary
At its March meeting the Clinton County Area Board of Zoning Appeals approved three related Mulligan applications (residence, accessory apartment, setback variance) and three other variances, and continued a Verizon tower matter and an accessory‑apartment case to April 28 for further review of road or health‑department issues.
The Clinton County Area Board of Zoning Appeals approved a slate of land‑use requests at its meeting, voting 4‑0 on several special exceptions and variances while continuing two items for further review.
The board approved a special exception allowing Steve and Deborah Mulligan to split a roughly 10‑acre lot from a larger parent tract in Ross Township and build a single‑family home, provided conditions in the staff report are met. Staff told the board that the Clinton County Health Department had verified soil suitability for a septic system. The Mulligans also received approval for an accessory apartment in a detached pole‑barn accessory structure and for a variance to place a dwelling and accessory building closer than the ordinance’s quarter‑mile (1,320‑foot) setback from a nearby confined‑feeding operation (CAFO). Staff recommended, and the board included, a condition that the petitioners record a covenant requiring current and future owners to forego objections to the existing CAFO’s operations as part of the subdivision covenants.
Petitioner Steve Mulligan told the board the apartment would provide a home for a family member with medical and learning needs and allow the family to stay on the land they farm. "We get our granddaughter is, has, medical conditions and some learning disabilities... she'll probably... be living... with us," Mulligan said, describing why the couple seeks a larger lot and an accessory apartment.
Other approved items included a variance to allow David Virju to rebuild a detached garage on a small Rossville lot in the same footprint as a pre‑existing garage destroyed by fire; the board approved the variance with a condition that survey stakes remain in place until construction and permit finalization. The board also approved a variance for Christopher and Wendy Gordon to site an accessory structure near State Road 39, consistent with staff and INDOT input that no state setback requirement applied because there is no state‑road access from the lot.
The board continued two matters to the April 28 meeting. Staff and applicants asked for an additional continuance on two Verizon applications related to a proposed vertical structure while the applicants await answers on road concerns. A separate accessory‑apartment petition for Christy Naparella was continued after staff reported unresolved health‑department/septic details and after neighbors raised concerns about parking access, easement use and the potential for short‑term rentals.
Votes at a glance • CCDash2026Dash00076 (residence special exception) — Approved 4‑0; conditions per staff report (lot ≤10 acres; contiguity to existing lot; compliance with septic and subdivision processes). • CCDash2026Dash00077 (accessory apartment) — Approved 4‑0; findings and staff recommendations incorporated. • CCDash2026Dash00078 (variance from CAFO setback) — Approved 4‑0; condition that petitioners and future owners forego objections to existing CAFO and recording of covenants; board recommended tying variance to permit issuance for certainty. • CCDash2026Dash00082 (Virju garage replacement variance) — Approved 4‑0; condition that survey stakes remain until permit finalization. • CCDash2026Dash00085 (Gordon accessory structure variance) — Approved 4‑0; staff conditions and ordinance height limitation noted. • CCDash2026Dash00094 (Naparella accessory apartment) — Continued to April 28 for the applicant to resolve septic/health‑department issues and for staff to propose potential conditions addressing neighbor concerns. • CCDash2026Dash00055 & CCDash2026Dash00056 (Verizon special exception/variance) — Continued to April 28 at applicants’ request pending road/commissioner input.
Next steps and context Staff will prepare the subdivision and covenant language for recording where required and will continue to work with applicants and the health department on septic plans. Continued items are scheduled for the board’s April 28 meeting at 6 p.m.
