HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009 Annual Report - Zoning & Annexation Committee4
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2009 Zoning & Annexation Annual Report
Date: November 25, 2009
To: The South Bend Common Council
The Office of the City Clerk ~/~ ,/~SG~~,~ ,~ „
From: Council Member at Large Al "Buddy" Kirsits, Chairperson
Zoning and Annexation Committee
Introduction:
Pursuant to § 2-10 (i) of the South Bend Municipal Code which requires an annual report summarizing
committee activities by the 2nd Monday of December, I am pleased to file this 2009 Annual Report of the
Zoning and Annexation Committee. It highlights some of the activities of this calendar year, and makes
some recommendations for consideration to improve the overall operations which affect land use decisions
and enforcement of zoning regulations in the City of South Bend.
Committee Membership:
This year's Committee members included:
Council Member at Large Oliver Davis, Vice-Chairperson ~i1~d 111 ~~£;;'~'~ ~Offi~e
3rd District Council Member Tom LaFountain, Member
Sa' District Council Member Dr. David Varner, Member (~iOV 2 5 20C9
Council Member at Large Al "Buddy" Kirsits, Chairperson
We had no citizen member serving on the Committee this year. Jo~r~ voo~DE
CITY CLEriiC, SD. BEND, IN.
Duties and Responsibilities:
As noted in the South Bend Municipal Code, the Zoning and Annexation Committee is charged with the
following duties:
"Oversees the activities related to the Board of Zoning Appeals, recommendations from
the Area Plan Commission and the Historic Preservation Commission, as well as all
related matters addressing annexation and zoning".
Committee Meetings:
If we count the upcoming Zoning and Annexation Committee meeting scheduled for December 14, 2009, the
Z & A Committee will have met seventeen (17) times to date this year, compared to meeting twelve (12)
times in calendar year 2008. Rezoning requests, special exceptions, fiscal plans and related annexations were
again the bulk of the reviews conducted by the committee members.
.i ` ~1
2009 Annual Report of the Zoning and Annexation Committee
November 25, 2009
Page 2
Zoning and Annexation Brochure:
This year I approved an upgraded 4-page brochure entitled Zoning & Planning Procedures This brochure is
available from the Office of the City Clerk, the Area Plan Commission Office, and the Historic Preservation
Office; and can also be downloaded from the Common Council's website. The brochure briefly summarizes
procedures addressing:
• City Plan, a 25-year Comprehensive Plan for the City of South Bend
• Duties and responsibilities of the Council's Zoning and Annexation Committee
• Rezoning criteria
• Special exception criteria
• Written Fiscal Plans for Annexations (There were no annexations this year in light of the upcoming
federal census)
• Historic Landmarks and District criteria
References to Chapter 21 of the South Bend Municipal Code are given, in addition to references to the
Indiana Code whisk sets forth the governing state law criteria. Making the brochure available has continued
to foster a better understanding of the process required to be followed for each type of zoning request.
2010 Priorities:
As noted in my 2008 and 2009 Zoning and Annexation Annual Reports, concerns which involve zoning
continue to include:
• Over-occupancy of residential homes by non-related individuals
• Illegal grandfathering of residential homes
• Costs for public safety services for proposed new annexation areas
• Improved enforcement, especially on weekends
If current zoning regulations are unenforceable, then we must develop ones that are. I believe that we must
be more pro-active in addressing each of these zoning concerns, which appear to be growing in numbers.
Perhaps a "Zoning Summit" should be held where we invite representatives from ICJ South Bend, Bethel
College, St. Mary's College, Holy Cross College, and the University of Notre Dame to offer their
recommendations, along with hearing perspectives from our residents and business owners, neighborhood
associations, and all interested persons. From that Summit, we could develop an "Action Plan" which
identifies:
-~ Goals and Objectives ~ Projected costs and fees
-~ Required Staff Training for Enforcement ~ Timetable for Implementation
It has been a pleasure to serve as the Zoning and Annexation Chairperson this year. Thank you.
cc: John Byorni, Area Plan Executive Director
Catherine Toppel, Code Enforcement Director
Charles Bulot, Building Commissioner