The Plan Commission rejected (the library expansion) site plan approval for the project Thursday night in a 6-2 vote, saying the proposed expansion as submitted violates a vegetation preservation ordinance to maintain trees and green space, as well as two other laws.
"The site plan is a dead duck," said Plan Commissioner Phillip Poole. "The trees were an issue because they are on the land and that is the only green space in the municipal complex. The (proposed) building would take up just about everything and there would have been very little green space left."
ZIP responds: Seven Facts about zoning 11 Months, 2 Weeks ago
Patti, thank you for publishing your letter.
This reminds me of Chosen Books' moving to Hilton just north of Nine Mile in 2007. What happens when citizens don't pay attention to zoning ordinances? Even though Chosen moved into a properly-zoned location for adult-oriented businesses, the zone was still adjacent to a neighborhood.
It's odd that C3 zones (like Chosen's) aren't allowed to be within 500' of a group home, but are permitted within 500' of a private residence. Apparently, zoning laws are more sensitive to transient residents than they are the invested ones.
That was a case of zoning ordinances failing the community.
I'm sympathetic to the church's need to raise revenues to maintain its building and serve its members and missions, just as I am to school systems forced to close schools due to declining student enrollment.
But like the church, I wouldn't support the school system's leasing its buildings to companies that don't belong in residential zones.
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