BZA OKs use variance for contractor

The south end of South Locust Street is expected to see its first construction project in nearly 50 years after the Greencastle Board of Zoning Appeals approved a variance for a non-conforming use in the single-family dwelling district.

Petitioner Jared Grable was granted the use variance to build a 50-by-80 foot pole barn to house his construction equipment on the property at 1108 S. Locust St.

The structure was likened to a contractor’s warehouse/storage yard, City Planner Scott Zimmerman explained. Maximum height, he said, would be 25 feet.

Jessica Hartman, appearing on behalf of Grable, noted that the building will house equipment that is currently kept on site, keeping it out of the weather and away from possible thieves or vandals.

She explained it will be a continued use of what is on the property right now.

The property at 1108 S. Locust St. includes an office building with three fully occupied apartments upstairs.

The former Ensor Electric site, reportedly built in the mid 1970s, sits at the southern terminus of Locust Street, which dead-ends because of the old railroad right-of-way that became Veterans Memorial Highway.

No new signs or lighting will be necessary with the new construction, it was noted.

Access to the new building will be via the existing gravel drive between the two buildings on the property.

Grable, who is developing the Whispering Winds subdivision, now in its second phase on Greencastle’s southeast side off Zinc Mill Road and South Street, “has done nothing but improve the area down there,” BZA member Wayne Lewis said of the South Locust Street site.

John Phillips, serving as a temporary BZA member in the absence of Brian Cox and Doug Wokoun, made the motion to approve the use variance request. The favorable motion was made unanimous by fellow members Margaret Kenton, Andrew Ranck and Lewis.

The only condition added to the motion was that the current existing driveway continue to be the only access to the property.

In other business, the BZA elected Ranck as president with Kenton as vice president for the current year.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Greencastle BZA is slated for 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 7 at City Hall.