Council restores residential zoning for long-occupied house; owner says industrial designation blocked mortgages

The Mishawaka Common Council approved Proposed Ordinance 2026-22 on July 6, rezoning an existing, legally nonconforming single-family house at 3616 York Street from heavy industrial (I-2) to single-family residential (R-1). Council members moved the ordinance forward after a committee report and public comment from an owner of a long-occupied house who said the industrial designation was preventing mortgage financing.

A speaker identified as the owner of the house at 16490 Chandler Boulevard told the council that his property has been a residence since 1927 and asked that the council return the parcel to residential zoning. "It's been a house for 100 years," the speaker said, adding that prospective buyers face mortgage hurdles tied to industrial zoning. The council asked whether utilities—water, electric and sewer—serve the Chandler Boulevard property; the owner replied that those services are available.

The Land Use Planning Committee reported it had examined Proposed Ordinance 2026-22 and recommended adoption to resolve the nonconforming industrial designation for the occupied house at 3616 York Street. Clerk roll call responses were recorded and the transcript reads "Proposed ordinance passes 8 2 0" as the meeting’s recorded outcome for that item; the clerk’s roll call named Hazen, Volker, Benicki, Emmons, Hahn, Mamalenti, Veoli and Hixenbach among respondents.

By restoring R-1 zoning for these properties, the council removed a regulatory mismatch between long-term residential use and a heavy-industrial zoning label that has existed for decades. The council did not attach a separate funding or infrastructure action to the ordinance; utility availability for the Chandler Boulevard property was confirmed by the owner during public comment.