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A memory care facility is coming to Shelden Street, while a vocational/trade school is moving from Mariners Drive to Hidden Lake Park subdivision.
Both had petitions before the Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals Tuesday, which were approved unanimously.
The Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters (CMRCC) petitioned the board for a variance of use to allow a vocational/trade school in a Commercial-2 zoning district, and a second petition for a variance from development standards to allow a monument sign that exceeds the permitted size.
On the variance of use, City Planner Justin Taylor said the proposed development encompasses lots 1-7 of the Hidden Lake Park subdivision. Those lots have remained undeveloped since their platting in 1999, primarily due to unfavorable soil conditions.
“The Midwest Carpenters Union is seeking to relocate its training facilities from its current location at 1095 Mariners Drive due to insufficient space and intends to construct a new facility on Hidden Lake Road,” Taylor said. “The parcels along Hidden Lake Road are preferred by the organization due to their advantageous location in proximity to U.S. 30 and State Route 15.”
He said the proposed development aligns with the comprehensive plan’s emphasis on community vitality in the area as the facility serves the community, so the planning department recommended approval of the variance.
While the planning department did receive some questions from the Lake City Skiers and Indiana American Water, Taylor said no one remonstrated against the variance.
Chris Eberhardt, with Arkos Design, on behalf of the petitioner, said CMRCC is looking to expand and find a new place and lots 1-7 gives “very good potential, very high visibility to their demands. It would include roughly 16,000 square feet of classroom space for them to come in and train, along with office space. And then 30,000 square feet of shop space, which they would use for indoor training. This will also be 10,000 (square feet of) outdoor space so they can do their training outside in certain weather conditions.”
Jeff Gielerak, Central Midwest Carpenters, said in a typical week, they have 10-12 instructors and administrative staff. As far as apprentices, he said they’re probably looking at an average of 50, or 75 in a busy week.
“Our facility over on Mariners just does not work anymore. It’s served its purpose for over 30 years. Our training has changed, the way we do things has changed, so we just need more room,” he said.
CMRCC picked Warsaw because it’s in a good location for their apprentices. It’s a four-year program, and the Warsaw location has about 250-300 apprentices a year. Gielerak says their numbers continue to increase. CMRCC has nine training centers in Kentucky and Indiana, with six in Indiana.
Joe Sands, who owns two properties next to Hidden Lake, voiced his support for the use variance. With no remonstrators, the board approved the petition 3-0. Board members Zach Tucker and Dave Baumgartner were absent.
Sands, along with Shelby Bonner, of Indiana American Water, and Tracey Patrick, who lives on Hidden Lake, did voice concerns about the petition for a variance for a large sign.
As Taylor explained, freestanding signs are restricted to a maximum height of 8 feet and an area of 32 square feet. CMRCC requested approval for a sign measuring 50 feet in height with an area of 393 square feet.
“Historically, exceptions to signage regulations have been granted to businesses situated along U.S. 30, acknowledging the unique requirements for visibility in this area,” he said.
After about 20 minutes of discussion, the BZA approved the sign variance 3-0.
Memory Care Facility
The petition by Joseph Nawrocki, director of development for Trilogy Health Services, for a use variance for the memory care facility wasn’t heard at the board’s April meeting because not all the adjacent property owners were notified by mail in time. This time, they were.
Taylor said the petitioner was seeking a use variance to establish a memory care facility within a Commercial-3 zoning district at the Shelden Street property. Trilogy Health Services intends to expand their services to include a memory care unit on the southern portion of the property adjacent to Petro Drive. He said they have operated a transitional care facility (Paddock Springs) at 2695 Shelden St. since approval of a use variance in 2015 to do so.
“Since the existing use is very similar to what they’re proposing, the planning department doesn’t anticipate any detriment or detrimental impact to adjacent properties, so we request BZA approval for this use variance,” Taylor stated.
Board President Tammy Dalton asked if they would be enlarging their facility, and Taylor said that was correct.
“They will be extending further south,” he said. “... Between their building and Petro Drive, they’re going to expand south. There’s currently a detention basin, which they’re going to have to modify to accommodate that.”
Justin Hoffman, civil engineer with Brooks Construction, noted that the building will not be connected to the existing facility, but will be close.
“It’s technically a new separate building as opposed to an addition to the building. With that, there’s not going to be any separation of parcel lines. It’s all going to be the one property as it exists today,” Hoffman said.
Dalton asked how many beds were they going to have at the facility. Nawrocki said about 30 beds and 24 new rooms.
“It’s really its own entity, if you will, due to our patients with memory care issues and our new staff that will come in and accommodate. We’ll have offices, kitchen, dining area, etc. and so forth, and a courtyard in the middle. It’s really a beautiful facility if you look at the overall floor plan and the elevation will complement the existing facility very nice, and it’s very secure facility. This is more of a new prototype for us. These stand-alone facilities, we see the need for it, obviously, with the kind of money we’re investing to construct it, and we know there’s a need for it sadly,” Nawrocki explained.
With no remonstrators, the use variance was approved 3-0.
Decorative Fencing
The other petition before the Warsaw BZA Tuesday, which also was held over from April, was for a variance from development standards from Nicholas Feldman, 414 N. Columbia St., to allow a 4-foot decorative fence in the front yard in a Residential-3 zoning district.
Taylor pointed out that a zoning ordinance amendment recently was approved to allow decorative fences in the front yard, but are capped at a maximum height of 3.5 feet.
He said the Feldmans have unique characteristics in their backyard that make it nearly impossible to put a fence in their backyard to create a play area for their children. Given those mitigating circumstances, Taylor said the planning department feels like the board could approve their request to have a 4-foot decorative fence in the front yard.
With no remonstrators, their petition for a variance from development standards was approved 3-0.
