Commissioners approve two rezonings and table alternate appointment to Board of Zoning Appeals

At its May 20 meeting LaPorte County commissioners approved two zoning changes recommended unanimously by the Plan Commission and deferred action on appointing an alternate to the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA).

Attorney Dave Ambers, representing Leeway IN Properties, described converting three undeveloped commercial lots near Highway 39 into residential lots (rezoning B3 to R1B) so the property owner could develop them as housing rather than commercial parcels. "My client, Mr. Lee, decided to develop those as residential lots, get a higher tax out of them and it's better for everyone in the subdivision to be residential," Ambers said. The commission approved the rezoning 3‑0.

A second rezoning (R1B to B2) near the intersection of Johnson Road and 400 North, petitioned by Jeremy and Jennifer Watson and Sandra A. Johnson, also received unanimous approval following the Plan Commission's unanimous recommendation.

Commissioners then considered appointing a proxy/alternate member to the BZA. BZA attorney Andrew Voeltz asked the board to name an alternate so that when a regular appointee must recuse or is absent the board would not be left without a quorum for decisions. The commissioners debated candidate qualifications and whether previous removals were appropriate; to allow more time for deliberation they tabled the proxy appointment until the board's June 3 meeting (motion carried 3‑0).

What happened at the meeting: Both rezoning petitions passed with no remonstrators present; the BZA alternate appointment was not decided and will return to a future agenda.