Board approves limited campground special exception at Newman Heritage Farms with conditions

The Miami County Board of Zoning Appeals approved a special exception allowing Newman Heritage Farms, LLC to operate a campground and place mobile homes on a 12.15-acre B-3 parcel in Pipe Creek Township, but imposed several conditions including a limit of no more than 13 campsites, a five-year time limit on the exception and a waiver of the normal fencing requirement.

Applicant Gregory (Greg) Endsley told the board there are currently "7 campers, 1 mobile home, 1 dwelling" on the property and said residents include "solar workers, some are temporary tenants, some are permanent." Neighbor John Jenkins said he "does not have a problem with the campground or mobile homes" but asked that structures not be placed on farm grounds; adjoining owner Florence McKinley objected, asking "Where will the access road go when the state expands?" and said she "does not want a campground next to her property." Elaine Anderson urged the site be cleaned up if the use is permitted. Board member Corey Roser asked for conditions and noted campers and mobile homes may require separate approvals.

Planning-related clarifications were offered: Nick Couchman told the board encroachment "will not be an issue; state has purchased the property between Greg and Florence" and noted there are three 1,000-gallon septic tanks to handle wastewater. The board voted on findings-of-fact ballots; the transcript records finding 1 passed with 4 agree, 1 disagree; finding 2 passed 4–1; finding 3 was 3 agree, 2 disagree. Following tallying by Attorney Mark Frantz, the special exception was approved with the recorded findings and the stated conditions limiting sites and duration.

The board's conditions restrict expansion into tillable acreage and require cleanup of straw bales and other debris as expressed by the applicant. The special exception will be limited to the existing non-tillable acreage and carries the five-year term set by the board.