BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS
CLAY TOWNSHIP
January 10, 2008
I. OPENING OF MEETING
Eric Dolan opened the meeting at
7:00 p.m.
II. ATTENDANCE
Members Present: Lori Tahmassebi, Stephan
Bridenbaugh, Steve Richardson, Eric Dolan and William C. Watt, Zoning
Administrator.
Guests Present:
Bill Blumenstock, LeRoy Blumenstock, Jeff Sexton, Paul, Kenda, and Emily
Henson, and Michele Williams, Recording Secretary.
III. MINUTES
Stephan Bridenbaugh moved to approve
the minutes of the November 8, 2007 meeting; seconded by Lori Tahmassebi.
Roll call. MOTION CARRIED unanimously.
IV. CASE A-01-08
Eric Dolan read the procedure for a
public hearing, along with the ground rules for presenting public
testimony and opened Case A-01-08, filed by Paul and Kenda Henson.
The oath was administered to Bill
Blumenstock, LeRoy Blumenstock, Jeff Sexton, Kenda Henson, and the
Zoning Administrator.
Bill Watt stated the application had
been filed December 13, 2007, with fee paid. The legal notice was
advertised in the Brookville Star on December 26, 2007; letters were
sent to surrounding property owners on December 28, 2007, with none
returned. The zoning standards in this case are Article 4, Section
406.05. Bill Watt read the legal notice, and after reviewing the case,
stated the property is zoned RA. Mr. Watt stated the applicant is
planning to create a 3.0-acre lot split with the existing house and
barns for a single residential tract, while leaving the remainder of the
farm in agricultural use.
V. PROPONENTS
Kenda Henson, owner of property in question,
stated they had purchased the property but did not need the house, since
they own a house next door and have a potential buyer.
Mrs. Henson stated they intend to lease the
remaining acreage for agricultural use.
VI.
OPPONENTS
Bill Blumenstock stated he is not an opponent,
but had some questions. He stated that he would rather trees be planted
on the acreage rather than houses, and his property is currently
surrounded by Brown’s Nursery acreage. Mr. Blumenstock stated that with
the irrigating done by the nursery he was concerned with it affecting
the quality of the ground water. Mr. Blumenstock asked Mrs. Henson if
they planned on putting a pond in, and Mrs. Henson stated in the
affirmative.
Jeff Sexton stated he did not oppose the lot
split for the house and barns, but he agreed with Bill Blumenstock, he
was concerned about the quality of the groundwater, he had noticed this
summer, the smell of sulphur in his drinking water.
Stephan Bridenbaugh
questioned if the Hensons planned to tile the area and run the water
back to the pond. Kenda Henson answered yes, the plan was to conserve
water and her father was planning a catch basin, and tiling would keep
the land moister. Mrs. Henson stated that the their drinking water also
had a sulphur smell and iron in the water.
Eric Dolan closed the public portion of the
hearing.
VII. BOARD DISCUSSION
Stephan Bridenbaugh
stated the property had a deep ditch in the front and he had dug test
holes for a pond on the property and the whole area has a high water
table, but hasn’t seen that affect this property in a negative way. He
stated he lives in the area and knows there is a lot of concern about
the ground water and knows from looking at the aquifer maps in the area
the water table will support wells. He stated he felt that Brown’s
Nursery water management was very good.
Eric Dolan read the
Standards for Conditional Use.
Stefan Bridenbaugh made a motion to approve the
Conditional Use. Lori Tahmassebi seconded.
MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
Eric Dolan stated that Case A-01-08 had been
approved because it meets the standards for a Conditional Use.
VIII. NEW BUSINESS
Bill Watt requested nominees for election of
Chairpersons for the 2008 year.
Gloria Ramsey was
nominated Chairperson, with Cliff Deitering as Vice-Chairperson for
2008.
Stephan Bridenbaugh moved that the selections be
approved, with Steve Richardson seconding. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
IX.
END OF MEETING
Eric Dolan declared the meeting
adjourned at 7:35 pm.
______________________________
_________________________________
Chairman, Gloria Ramsey
Secretary William C. Watt
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