10-28-02 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2002 Councilmember White reported that the Zoning & Annexation Committee met on this bill and sends it to the Council with a favorable recommendation. Mr. Brent Bajdek, Area Plan Commission, no address given, presented the report from the Commission. Mr. Bajdek advised that the petitioner is requesting a zone change from "A" Residential, "A" Height and Area to "C" Commercial, "A" Height and Area to allow the expansion of an existing building and additional parking for an existing commercial business. The property is currently being used for parking. Located to the north is a single - family home zoned "A" Residential, "A" Height and Area; to the east are commercial businesses zoned "C" Commercial, "A" Height and Area; to the south is an off - street parking facility associated with the commercial business to the east zoned "A" Residential, "A" Height and Area; and to the west is an office zoned "C" Commercial, "A" Height and Area. Access to the site is from Main Street. Water and sewer are available to the site. The drainage has not been addressed by the petitioner. The total site to be rezoned is sixteen thousand four hundred seventy -three (16,473) square feet. A check of the Agency's maps indicates that no public wells, wetlands, flood or environmental hazard areas are present. The site plan is preliminary. The City Engineer will require a drainage plan at the final site plan stage. Mr. Bajdek advised that the Area Plan Commission, at its Public Hearing held on October 15, 2002 sent this petition to the Council with a favorable recommendation subject to a final site development plan. The proposed rezoning of this property would allow the expansion of the existing commercial business to the east. It is the Commission's opinion that the proposed zoning and use are reasonable for this site. Mr. J. Bernard Feeney, Registered Land Surveyor, 715 South Michigan Street, South Bend, Indiana, made the presentation for this bill on behalf of C &B Optical the owners of the property under consideration. Mr. Feeney advised that the property proposed for rezoning is located on South Michigan Street between the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant and Karl King Memorials and extends from Michigan Street to Main Street. This property was purchased by C &B Optical in two (2) transactions in 1984 and 1986. The building and current parking lot occupy a majority of the property purchased at that time. However, because of the increased growth of the C &B Optical facilities not only at this location but at other locations throughout northern Indiana, the owners are faced with the necessity of expansion and they have chosen the South Michigan Street site as the site for that expansion. Mr. Feeney noted that because the zoning in this area was somewhat ambiguous, the Area Plan Commission and the Building Department advised that the most appropriate path for clarity as to zoning and expansion for the facility at this time would be this rezoning. The building expansion will consist of a proposed addition to the west side of the existing building of approximately two thousand one hundred fifty -six (2,156) square feet of space which is intended to house computer facilities as well as administrative offices for all of the optical outlets that C &B runs throughout northern Indiana. This being the time heretofore set for the Public Hearing on the above bill, proponents and opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. There being no one present wishing to speak to the Council either in favor of or in opposition to this bill, Councilmember Coleman made a motion for favorable recommendation to the full Council. Councilmember Varner seconded the motion which carried by a voice vote of nine (9) ayes. -2- C D