Kosciusko County board approves reduced easement, allows shed to remain at Deeds Creek property

At a county meeting, the Kosciusko County board approved a variance reducing a 75-foot easement to 50 feet on a Deeds Creek property and allowed the homeowner's existing shed to remain, the board recorded.

Steven Slabaugh, the applicant, told the board he sought permission to add a deck to the back of his home and to retain the existing shed. "We would like to add a 40 foot wide by 16 deep deck off the back of that home and also add a permit for that shed," Slabaugh said.

County staff member Jim recommended the easement reduction to accommodate the deck while preserving necessary access for future ditch work. "I make a recommendation to reduce the 75 foot easement to a 50 foot easement in there that will more than take care of the deck," Jim said, adding that the shed "would have to be moved if the board determined we needed to do something extra in there." The staff comment made clear that allowing the shed to remain is contingent on the county's ability to access the easement if required.

A motion and a second were made; the board approved the recommendation by voice vote. The meeting record notes only that members responded "I" and that "motion carries;" no individual mover/second or numeric tally was provided in the transcript.

The transcript places the property in the Wooster area on a branch of Deeds Creek. County staff said they will complete paperwork with staff member Sandy to memorialize the decision and will notify the owner if relocation of the shed becomes necessary for ditch work.

What happens next: staff will file the paperwork to formalize the easement change and will follow up with the property owner if future maintenance requires relocation of the shed.