RV parking in city has become issue, BZA notes

A resident’s simple request to park an RV in his side yard doesn’t sound like much in the big picture.

But it’s the big picture that Greencastle Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) members were left to ponder after approving a development standards variance for Brad and Aubree Hiatt, 1016 Talon Ct., Tuesday night.

The Hiatts are planning to purchase a new camper after selling their old pop-up before moving to their new home on Talon Court off Houck Road on the city’s northeast side. They are making a driveway extension in order to park a camper on a concrete pad at the rear of their property.

Physical space does not allow the Hiatts room to park a camper immediately behind the home.

Because of the way the lot is laid out, “when you stand on the street, you won’t be able to see the camper,” Mrs. Hiatt told the BZA.

The Hiatts had bought their home on Talon Court, believing they would legally be able to store an RV in the side yard. However, BZA officials noted that the ordinance was misinterpreted by city officials. It turns out, the Hiatts would need a variance to park the RV there.

BZA member Doug Wokoun praised the Hiatts for their actions in coming before the BZA.

“You’re setting a very good example that there’s a proper procedure to follow,” Wokoun said.

Board member Margaret Kenton made the motion to approve the request, which was granted unanimously.

Board President Andrew Ranck seized the moment to talk about the bigger picture involving RVs.

“We don’t want to see them showing up (parked) on city streets,” he said after discussion noted that camping activities and RV purchases are blossoming amidst the COVID-19 outbreak that otherwise has people staying indoors.

“They can’t even make them fast enough,” BZA member Wayne Lewis interjected.

City Attorney Laurie Hardwick noted that the city will be taking the issue of recreational vehicles to the Plan Commission in the near future.

“There’s definitely a public interest in that going forward,” she said.

There are a number of issues, Mayor Bill Dory explained, citing size and limitation to one RV.

“Some people have a boat and an RV,” he said, noting that by definition a boat is an RV.

If an RV is licensed, it can be parked on city streets just like a car or truck. However, after 72 hours without being moved, it will be ticketed, Hardwick said.

“I just want to keep it in front of our minds,” Ranck said of the RV topic.

“It’s on our agenda,” Mayor Dory replied.

Ranck said he had been aware of a possible RV storage lot development going in out on Greencastle’s East Side, however that idea has not come to fruition.

“Sounds like it could be a business opportunity for someone,” Mayor Dory said, adding that the fairgrounds offers such storage at certain times of the year.

However, “I’ve been told people don’t want to pay for that,” the mayor noted.

In the evening’s other business, local contractor Bret Hurley was granted a special exception for a two-family dwelling in the Traditional Neighborhood (TN) for property at 609 E. Seminary St.

Hurley told the board, “I don’t have a very good arm but within a rock’s throw of the property there are a number of multi-units.”

The property has been abandoned eight or 10 years, Hurley said, adding that the building is “structurally sound.”

“I’m not changing anything outside, it’s beautiful structure,” he said, adding he will “rehab it from top to bottom.”

Saying the Seminary Street area is “a pretty nice neighborhood,” Hurley said he plans to keep the building as one of his more than 30 rental properties.

The structure has been illegally used as a duplex in the past, it was noted. Hurley shared that even the attached garage had been turned into a bedroom at some point. He plans to keep it as a garage.

BZA member Kenton, who is also an officer in the Heritage Preservation Society of Putnam County, said she “personally has reservations about the project,” suggesting she would like to see it stay a single-family home in the tradition of the neighborhood.

It was once considered “so prestigious to have a home on Seminary Street,” she noted, that orientation of the homes on the corner of Bloomington and Seminary was changed to front Seminary Street.

As for creating more multi-family units in the area, a number of duplexes already exist, even behind the home a couple doors to the east. Those duplexes were built in 1994 when the area was zoned R-3 (low-density multi-family residential).

The other multi-units in the area “have been there an extraordinarily long time,” Wokoun pointed out.

“We don’t need any more,” Kenton commented, calling it “contrary to the role of the Traditional Neighborhood” that was once “a very swanky address.”

“Mr. Hurley’s been doing good things, one property at a time,” she noted, “and I appreciate that.”

Hurley noted that his undertaking at the southwest corner of Arlington and Walnut streets is nearing completion as he awaits the start of the new project.

“There were groundhogs and raccoons in it the last time I was in there,” Hurley said of the 609 E. Seminary St. site, “so we’ve got an uphill battle.”

BZA members were most concerned with a shared driveway between 607 and 609 E. Seminary. The neighbor uses the driveway to access his garage, while Hurley said he has off-street parking for three vehicles besides one spot in the garage.

No one is supposed to park in the driveway, Hurley said of the shared entry.

That is something that needs to be specified in the lease process rather than through the special exception, board president Ranck noted.

On a motion by Lewis, Hurley was granted the special exception by a 3-1 margin with Kenton casting the lone dissenting vote.

A third item was originally on the agenda with Becky Hunsinger proposing a special exception for a home occupation for a massage therapy studio at 412 E. Walnut St. However, Hunsinger withdrew the petition prior to Tuesday’s meeting.