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ABZA approves six variances for Pi Kappa Phi’s proposed fraternity house at 330 N. Grant Street
Summary
The Tippecanoe County Area Board of Zoning Appeals on May 27 approved six variances enabling a new, taller Pi Kappa Phi fraternity house at 330 N. Grant Street. Staff had recommended denial of most requests; the board approved all six (one by 4–1) after the petitioner described safety, accessibility and habitability concerns.
The Tippecanoe County Area Board of Zoning Appeals voted May 27 to approve six variances that will allow the Omega Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi to build a new fraternity house at 330 N. Grant Street, West Lafayette.
APC staff recommended denial of five of the six variance requests, but the board approved all six. The variances grant an increase in building height from 40 feet to 72 feet 5 inches, increase lot coverage from 40% to 70%, reduce required vegetative coverage from 30% to 9.7%, reduce total parking spaces from 41 to 27, and reduce the front (west) setback to 3 feet 6 inches and the rear (east) setback to 20 feet 10 inches.
Amanda Esposito, planning staff with the Area Plan Commission, told the board staff recommended denial of variances 1 (height), 2 (building coverage), 3 (vegetative coverage), 5 (front setback) and 6 (rear setback), while recommending approval of variance 4 (parking). "Staff's opinion was that the structure had some historical significance," Esposito said in presenting the findings and recommendation.
Ryan Munden, attorney for the petitioner, said the existing house—built in 1928—faced expensive maintenance and living-condition challenges and that strict application of the zoning ordinance would “result in the status quo for the fraternity, which was not currently sustainable, and would result in an eventual demise of the fraternity.” He said the project’s goals include improved livability, ADA compliance and safety.
Matt Clark, president of the Omega Chapter Pi Kappa Phi Housing Corporation, described design choices intended to meet student expectations, including putting some parking under the building and screening mechanicals from the view of campus. "More students rushed Pi Kappa Phi than any other fraternity on campus," Clark said, and the current house could not fit all 130-plus members for events.
Chad Spitznagle, West Lafayette housing director, confirmed the City of West Lafayette had requested the variance process for similar Greek housing projects and that the proposed project had been presented to a joint Purdue/West Lafayette board.
The board recorded the following roll-call ballots collected by Attorney Eric Burns: variance 1 (height) approved 5–0 (Ed Butz, Brad Hallberg, Gary Schroeder, Steve Clevenger, Jennifer Page voting yes); variance 2 (building coverage) approved 4–1 (Butz, Hallberg, Page, Clevenger yes; Schroeder no); variances 3 (vegetative coverage), 4 (parking), 5 (front setback) and 6 (rear setback) each approved 5–0 with the same five members voting yes.
After the votes, Chair Steve Clevenger ordered that the findings provided by each majority member be recorded as the collective findings of the board.
The petitioner now has board approval for the variances; the record notes staff’s opposition to most requests and the board’s decision to authorize the project under the variance process.
