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Home My WebLink About04-14-2025 Zoning & Annexation Committee MinutesOFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK BI ANCA L. TIRADO , C ITY C LERK ZONING & ANNEXATION Committee Members Present: Committee Members Absent: Other Council Present: Others Present: Presenters: Agenda: APRIL 14, 2025 5: 10 P.M . Dr. Oliver Davis , Rachel Tomas Morgan , Karen L. White , Troy Warner, Stacy Odom Henry Davis Jr. Canneth Lee Bianca L. Tirado , Matthew Neal , Margaret Gotsch , Bob Palmer Skip Morre ll , Timothy Staub Bill No . 06-25 -Special Exception at 411 Cottage Grove Avenue Bill N o. 15-25 -Special Exception at 1335 Corby Boulevard Bill No. 16-25 -Special Exception at 1253 Corby Boulevard Bill No. 18 -25 -Special Exception and Use Variance at 1701 Hickory Road Members marked with an asterisk (*) are in virtual attendance. Please note the attached link for the meeting recording: https://docs.southbendin.gov/WebLink/browse.aspx?dbid=0&mediaid=394616 Committee Chair Dr. Oliver Davis call ed to order the Zoning and Annexation Committee meeting at 5:21 p.m. Bill No. 06-25 -Special Exception at 411 Cottage Grove Avenue Committee Chair Dr. Davis requested that the petitioner(s) state their name and address and share key points before the committee. INTEGRIT Y I SERV ICE I ACCESSIBILITY Matthe w Neal D EPUfY 0TY 0.ERK / D IRECTOR OF POLICY Marga r e t G o tsc h D IRECTOR OF SPEOAL P ROJECTS EXC ELLENCE I ACCOUNTAB ILIT Y I INNOVA TION I INCLUSION EMPOWERMENT 455 County-City Building 1227 W. Jefferson Blvd . I South Bend , Indiana 46601 I p. 574 .235 .9221 I f. 574 .235 .9173 1 www .southbendin.gov @ CITY OF sourH BEND I OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK Skip Morrell, Principal Development Planner, with offices on the 14 th floor of the County-City Building, stated that Bill No. 06-25 requests a special exception for property located at 411 Cottage Grove A venue for the construction of a duplex. The site is currently a vacant lot, and the proposal is consistent with the South Bend Comprehensive Plan. Bill No . 06-25 comes with a favorable recommendation from the Board of Zoning Appeals. Walter Costa, petitioner, 411 Cottage Grove Avenue, South Bend, IN 46616 , stated that this project will hopefully be his first (1 st) of many. Committee Chair Dr. Davis held the public hearing , and nobody spoke. Committee Member Karen White moved to send Bill No . 06-25 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation, which was seconded by Committee Member Warner and carried by a vote of five (5) ayes with one (1) committee member absent. Committee Chair Dr. Oliver Davis -Aye Committee Vice Chair Rachel Tomas Morgan -Aye Committee Member Troy Warner -Ay e Committee Member Karen L. White -Aye Citizen Member Stacey Odom -Ay e Citizen Member Henry Davis Jr. -Absent Bill No. 15-25 -Special Exception at 1335 Corby Boulevard Committee Chair Dr. Davis requested that the petitioner(s) state their name and address and share key points before the committee. Timothy Staub , Zoning Specialist, with offices on the 14 th floor of the County-City Building, stated that Bill N o . 15-25 requests a special exception for a duplex located at 1335 Corby Boulevard. The lot is currently vacant and the proposal is consistent with the South Bend Comprehensiv Plan. Bill N o. 15-25 comes with a favorable recommendation from the Board of Zoning Appeals . Elissa Gunsorek, petitioner, 7821 Morse Road, New Albany, Ohio 43054, was present for questions. Committee Chair Dr. Davis held the public hearing , and nobody spoke. Committee Member Warner moved to send Bill No. 15-25 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation , which was seconded by Committee Vice Chair Rachel Tomas Morgan and carried by a vote of fi ve (5) ayes with one (1) committee member absent. Committee Chair Dr. Oliver Davis -Aye Committee Vice Chair Rachel Tomas Morgan -Aye Committee Member Troy Warner -Aye Committee Member Karen L. White -Aye Citizen Member Stace y Odom -Aye Citizen Member Henry Davis Jr. -Absent Bill No. 16-25 -Special Exception at 1253 Corby Boulevard EXC ELLE NC E I ACCO UNTA BILITY I INNOVATI ON I INC LU SION I EM POW ER M ENT 455 County-City Building 1227 W. Jefferson Blvd. I South Bend, Indiana 46601 I p. 574.235 .9221 I f. 574 .235.9173 1 www .southbendin.gov ® CITY OF SOUTH BEND I OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK Committee Chair Dr. Davis requested that the petitioner(s) state their name and address and share key points before the committee. Timothy Staub , Zoning Specialist, with offices on the 14 th floor of the County-City Building, stated that Bill No. 16-25 requests a special exception for a duplex located at 1253 Corby Boulevard. The lot is currently vacant and the proposal is consistent with the South Bend Comprehensiv Plan. Bill No. 16-25 comes with a favorable recommendation from the Board of Zoning Appeals. Elissa Gunsorek , petitioner, 7821 Morse Road , New Albany , Ohio 43054, was present for questions . Committee Vice Chair Tomas Morgan asked if the duplexes are the petitioner 's first (1 st) projects in South Bend. Elissa Gunsorek stated that they have developed similar buildings in Columbus Ohio , but these would be their first (1 st) in South Bend. Committee Vice Chair Tomas Morgan thanked the petitioner. Committee Chair Dr. Davis held the public hearing , and nobody spoke. Committee Vice Chair Tomas Morgan moved to send Bill No. 16-25 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation , which was seconded by Committee Member Warner and carried by a vote of five (5) ayes with one (1) committee member absent. Committee C hair Dr. Oliver Davis -Aye Committee Vice Chair Rachel Tomas Morgan -Aye Committee Member Troy Warner -Aye Committee Member Karen L. White -Aye Citizen Member Stacey Odom -Aye Citizen Member Henry Davis Jr. -Absent Bill No. 18-25 -Special Exception and Use Variance at 1701 Hickory Road Committee Chair Dr. Davis requested that the petitioner(s) state their name and address and share key points before the committee. Skip Morrell , Principal Development Planner, with offices on the 14 th floor of the County-City Building, stated that Bill No. 18-25 requests two (2) special exceptions for property located at 170 l Hickory Road . One (1) special exception is to allow for the use of the property as a park , and the other special exception is a use variance to allow for an indoor entertainment and recreation facility in a parcel zoned Suburban Neighborhood One (S l ). The property is currently used for park space and outdoor baseball fields . The special exceptions would formalize that use and allow for the development of an indoor baseball field. The development would be consistent with the use and design of the surrounding area. Bill No. 18-25 comes from the Board of Zoning Appeals with a favorable recommendation. Angela Smith, Danch Hamer and Associates , with offices located at 1643 Commerce Drive , South Bend, IN 46628 , stated that the East Side Baseball and Softball Association has had a lease with the Parks Department for a while , and now is seeking to improve their current outdoor EXC ELLENCE I ACCO UNTABILI TY I INNOVA TI ON INCLUS ION EMPOW ER MENT 455 County -City Building 1227 W. Jefferson Blvd. I South Bend, Indiana 46601 I p . 574 .2 35 .9221 If. 574.235.91731 www.sou thbendin .gov (!} CITY OF SOUTH BEND I OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK baseball fields. The indoor facility will allow for year-round training . The developers have taken into consideration the concerns of neighbors regarding street access , additional parking, lighting, and drainage. The development will also include new sidewalks and new landscaping. Councilmember Warner requested a response to the concerns raised by residents regarding traffic, lighting, noise , and green space. Angela Smith stated that the developers sought to make sure traffic would come from Hickory Road , so the main entrance to the park is on Schreiner Way. There will be an addition of one hundred and eighty-three ( 183) parking spaces to also help with increased traffic. There are many City restrictions limiting the lighting on the property , which helps to reduce the possibility of excess lighting. The addition o f more baseball diamonds will hopefully allow for games to finish earlier in the day ; therefore , preventing unwanted noise and light later in the evening. There are also new technologies that help to direct and reduce the sound from the fields. Committee Member Warner asked if any of the new fields to the west by the adjacent neighborhood would be lighted fields . Angela Smith stated that they are still working on the plans , and their intention is to not have lighted fields facing the adjacent neighborhood . Angela Smith stated that if the fields were to be lit , they would need to have proper shielding and comply with dark sky regulations. Committee Member Warner requested information regarding a construction timeline . Angela Smith stated that the first (1 st ) stage of the process will be the indoor facility and that will not be done this year, as they are still waiting to full y engage the fundraising process . Committee Member Warner requested information regarding community feedback. Angela Smith stated that they held a neighborhood meeting at Howard Park, attended several Venues , Parks and Arts (VP A) meetings , and met with the Board of Zoning Appeals . There was discussion regarding the cutting down of trees previously , which was found to have been done by American Electric Power (AEP). Committee Vice Chair Tomas Morgan reque sted information regarding the timeline. Angela Smith stated that ground clearin g may occur this fall , but the earliest an y groundbreaking would occur would be mid to late spring of 2026. Committee Chair Dr. Davis held the public hearing , and nobod y spoke. Committee Member White moved to send Bill N o. 18 -25 to the Committee of the Whole with a fa vorable recommendation , which was seconded by Committee Vice Chair Tomas Morgan and carried by a vote of five (5) ay es with one (1) committee member absent. Committee Chair Dr. Oliver Davis -Aye Committee Vice Chair Rachel Tomas Morgan -Aye Committee Member Tro y Warner -Aye Committee Member Karen L. White -Aye Citizen Member Stacey Odom -Aye Citizen Member Henry Davis Jr. -A bse nt EXC ELLENCE ACCOUNTABILITY INNO VATION INCLUSION EM PO W ERMENT 455 County-C it y Building 1227 W. Jefferson Blvd . I South Bend, Indiana 46601 I p. 574 .235 .9221 I f. 574 .235 .9173 1 www.southbendin .gov CITY OF SOlITH BEND I OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK With no further business, Committee Chair Dr. Oliver Davis adjourned the Zoning and Annexation Committee meeting at 5:49 p.m. NOT ICE FOR HEAR ING AND SIGHT IMPAIRED PERSONS Auxi liary Aid or Other Services may be Available upon Rc<1ucst at No Charge. Please give Reasonable Advance Request wMn Possibl e EXC ELLE NC E I ACCO UNTA BILIT Y I INNOVA TI ON I INC LU SION I EMPOW ER MENT 455 County-City Building 1227 W. Jefferson Blvd . I South Bend, Indiana 46601 I p. 574.235.9221 If. 574.235.9173 1 www.southbendin.gov