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Home My WebLink About02-09-2026 Zoning and Annexation Committee MinutesOFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK BIANCA L. TIRADO, CITY CLERK ZONING AND ANNEXATION Committee Members Present: Committee Members Absent: Other Council Present: Others Present: Presenters: Agenda: FEBRUARY 9, 2026, 5 :00 P.M. Karen L. White, Rachel Tomas Morgan, Dr. Oliver Davis Troy Warner Ophelia Gooden-Rodgers, Sherry Bolden- Simpson, Canneth Lee, Sheila Niezgodski, Sharon McBride Bianca L. Tirado, Matthew Neal, Jasmine Jackson, Veronica Pitt-Payne, Bob Palmer Brian Killen, Elissa Gunsorek Organizational Meeting Bill No. 02-26 -Special Exception at 1114 Mayflower Road Bill No. 03-26 -Special Exception at 1307 Corby Boulevard Bill No. 04-26 -Special Exception at 1301 Corby Boulevard 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=0,0,0,0,0,0&mediaid=404640 Committee Chair Dr. Oliver Davis called to order the Zoning and Annexation Committee meeting at 5:03 P.M. Organizational Meeting Committee Chair Dr. Davis announced that he will appoint Stacey Odom and Danny B. Koontz INTEGRITY I SERVICE I ACCESSIBILITY Jasmine Jackson 0 mT Di-:PlTY CnY CL.ERK/ C:1 IIFF or ST \ff Matthew N cal DLPLTY C:!TY Cl.ERK/ D11u":crcm 0 1' POI.IC\ Veronica Pitt-Payne DIRECTOR OF SPECL\L PROJH:T~ EXCELLENCE I ACCOUNTABILITY I INNOVATION I INCLUSION I EMPOWERMENT 300 City Hall I215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. I South Bend, Indiana 46601 Ip. 574.235.9221 If. 574.235.91731 www.southbendin.gov ~ ~ CTTY OF SOITTH BEND I OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK to serve on the Committee as Citizen Members for 2026. He reviewed the Committee's 2025 Annual Report. He spoke about the recent package of amendments to the zoning ordinance and noted that there will be smaller updates on a more regular basis going forward. Bill No. 02-26 -Special Exception at 1114 Mayflower Road Brian Killen, Zoning Administrator, with offices on the fifth (5th) floor of City Hall, South Bend, IN 46601, presented the bill. He said the petitioner is seeking a special exception for a daycare center in the suburban one (S l) zoning district. The building was previously a daycare and has been vacant for several years. Committee Chair Dr. Davis asked if the petitioner is online. City Clerk Banca Tirado stated that the petitioner is not online. Committee Chair Dr. Davis asked Council Attorney Bob Palmer how to proceed. Attorney Bob Palmer said the Committee may move the bill forward with no recommendation since the petitioner is not present. Committee Chair Dr. Davis held the public hearing, and nobody spoke. Councilmember Sheila Niezgodski said residents of the neighborhood need a childcare facility. She expressed support for the project. Committee Vice Chair Rachel Tomas Morgan moved to send Bill No. 02-26 to the Committee of the Whole with no recommendation, which was seconded by Committee Member Karen L. White and carried via a vote by voice. Bill No. 03-26 -Special Exception at 1307 Corby Boulevard Brian Killen presented the bill. He said the petitioner is requesting special exceptions to build duplexes on two (2) parcels of Corby Boulevard, including this parcel and the parcel in Bill No. 04-26. He showed images of the property and design renderings. Elissa Gunsorek, Petitioner, 7821 Morse Road, New Albany, OH 43054, spoke about the project. She said the two (2)-unit dwellings were designed to blend seamlessly with the single-family homes in the neighborhood. Committee Vice Chair Tomas Morgan asked if the properties from Bill No. 03-26 and Bill No. 04-26 are owned by the same person. Brian Killen said the properties have different owners. Elissa Gunsorek said she owns the property from Bill No. 04-26, and she is presenting this bill on behalf of the other owner. Committee Vice Chair Tomas Morgan asked if the units will be marketed as longer-term rentals. Elissa Gunsorek said they are not marketing to any particular group. She said they currently have an applicant who plans to use one ( l) side of the duplex as a primary residence and rent out the other side. EXCELLENCE I ACCOUNTABILITY I INNOVATION ! INCLUSION I EMPOWERMENT 300 City Hall I215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. I South Bend, Indiana 46601 Ip. 574.235.9221 If. 574.235.91731 www.southbendin.gov @ CrfY OF SOlITH BEND I OFFICE OF nm CITY CLERK Committee Vice Chair Tomas Morgan asked if they are developing the property to sell it. Elissa Gunsorek confirmed that is correct. Councilmember Ophelia Gooden-Rodgers asked about the opinions of neighbors. Elissa Gunsorek said there has not been any opposition from neighbors. She said the building was carefully designed to look like a single-family home and fit within the neighborhood. Councilmember Sherry Bolden-Simpson asked if different owners could purchase each side of the duplex. Elissa Gunsorek confirmed that is correct. Committee Chair Dr. Davis held the public hearing, and nobody spoke. Brian Killen noted that they received one (1) concerned comment from a resident. He said this resident is from a different neighborhood and expressed concern about short-term rentals. Committee Chair Dr. Davis asked how this concern was addressed. Brian Killen said the zoning staff support adding housing to the neighborhood, especially on vacant lots. He said the resident was not opposed to a duplex but requested a deed restriction. Committee Vice Chair Tomas Morgan said she has heard the short-term rental concern from other residents. She said she believes duplexes should continue to come before Council for special exceptions for this reason. Councilmember Bolden-Simpson said this neighborhood has a strong neighborhood association, and they would speak against the bill if they were opposed to the duplex. She added that she drove past this particular duplex, and it resembles a single-family home. She asked if the potential owners would be able to make the units short-term rentals. Brian Killen confirmed that is a possibility. Committee Vice Chair Tomas Morgan moved to send Bill No. 03-26 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation, which was seconded by Committee Member White and carried via a vote by voice. Bill No. 04-26 -Special Exception at 1301 Corby Boulevard Brian Killen presented the bill pertaining to the special exception for the second (2nd) parcel on Corby Boulevard. He showed images of the property and design renderings. Elissa Gunsorek reiterated that the duplex is designed to blend seamlessly with the single-family homes in the neighborhood. Council Vice President Sheila Niezgodski asked about the total frontage of the lot. Elissa Gunsorek said there is an eighteen ( 18)-foot setback from the property line. She said the property is forty ( 40) feet wide, and the building will be thirty (30) feet wide. Committee Chair Dr. Davis held the public hearing, and nobody spoke. EXCELLENCE I ACCOUNTABILITY I INNOVATION I INCLUSION I EMPOWERMENT 300 City Hall! 215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. I South Bend, Indiana 46601 Ip. 574.235.9221 If. 574.235.9173 1 www.southbendin.gov @ CITY OF SOUTH BF_.ND I OFFICF_. OF THE CITY CliRK Committee Member White moved to send Bill No. 04-26 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation, which was seconded by Committee Vice Chair Tomas Morgan and carried via a vote by voice. With no further business, Committee Chair Dr. Davis adjourned the Zoning and Annexation eeting at 5 :32 P.M. EXCELLENCE I ACCOUNTABILITY I INNOVATION I INCLUSION I EMPOWERMENT 300 City Hall I215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. I South Bend, Indiana 46601 Ip. 574.235.9221 If. 574.235.9173 1 www.southbendin.gov