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Zoning and Annexation Annual Committee Report for 2003
Date: December 4, 2003
To: The South Bend Common Council
Office of the City Clerk
From: Council Member Ervin Kuspa, Chairperson
Zoning and Annexation Committee
Pursuant to Section 2-10 (i) of the South Bend Municipal Code, I am pleased to file this Zoning
and Annexation Annual Committee Report for 2003 which will highlight activities during the
calendar year and set forth recommendations for discussion to improve the overall operations which
affect land use decisions in the City of South Bend.
The 2003 Zoning and Annexation Committee is composed of Council Members Roland Kelly who
is the Vice-Chairperson, Council Member David Varner, Council Member Sean Coleman, and
myself as Chairperson. This Committee is one of eleven standing committees of the South Bend
Common Council which is charged with:
"Overseeing the various activities related to the Board of Zoning
Appeals, Area Plan Commission and the Historic Preservation
Commission as well as all related matters addressing annexation
and zoning".
This year the Zoning and Annexation Committee met over twenty times, with all of the meeting
minutes required under Indiana's Open Door Law being on file in the Office of the City Clerk. The
majority of the items referred to Committee for review and recommendation to the full Council
included proposed zoning use changes, annexations, and special exceptions.
One of the primary activities of the Committee has been to oversee the proposed new zoning
ordinance which is currently set for public hearing at the 2'regular Council meeting in January
2004. At the December 27, 2002 Zoning and Annexation Committee, Mr. Robert Sante,the Area.
Plan Executive Director made the first presentation to the committee on the Steering Committee
which began meeting in September of 2002. He noted that the Steering Committee would be
addressing "policy issues" with the entire draft zoning ordinance being available on line at
http://www.bakerdaniels.com/southbend.htm.
Areas which I believe should be highlighted for improvement include:
1. Receiving an overview from Community and Economic Development,perhaps at the
first meeting in February of each year of the anticipated annexations for the ensuing calendar year.
2. Working with the Area Plan Commission so that the Council and City Clerk's Office
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Zoning and Annexation Annual Committee Report for 2003
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receives the Area Plan Commission meeting minutes prior to the date when an item is scheduled for
public hearing before the South Bend Common Council.
3. Working more closely with
the Zoning Administrator so the Zoning and Annexation
Committee would receive quarterly updates on alleged zoning violations and their status.
4. Requesting the Chairperson of the Board of Zoning Appeals and the Area Plan
Commission to report annually to the Zoning and Annexation Committee, perhaps at the first
meeting in February, with regard to the training which each entity has in place for their new
members and to receive their by-laws and procedures at that time with highlights of any changes
from the prior year.
5. Requesting the Director of the Area Plan Commission to give an annual report to the
Zoning and Annexation Committee, perhaps at the 4th Monday in November, of any proposed
changes which may be under consideration to the South Bend Zoning Ordinance, along with a
summary of all Written Commitments entered into for that calendar year and their compliance
efforts.
6. Working on proposed amendments to Bill No. 81-03 which is the proposed South Bend
Zoning Ordinance which may further enhance this very comprehensive document even more. An
example of one such proposal would be to add a provision in the ordinance which would require the
petitioner to provide written notice of a proposed ordinance to any neighborhood partnership
centers and/or the thirty (30) neighborhood organizations which operate in the area where the
subject property is located and the date,time and location of the proposed action being considered
by the BZA, APC, and/or SBCC.
7. To seek a citizen member to serve on the Zoning and Annexation Committee.
It has been a pleasure to serve as Chairperson of the Zoning and Annexation Committee during the
2003 calendar year. Thank you.
cc: Robert Sante, Area Plan Executive Director
Don Fozo, Building Commissioner
Larry Magliozzi, Division of Community Development Assistant Director
Fated h h IWrk ilc
DEC 0 4 2003
LORETTA J. DTA
CITY CLERK,80.BEND.99d,