City BZA approves variances for new apartment project

Despite neighbors’ concerns for safety, traffic flow, drainage and noise being raised, the Greencastle Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) granted development standards variances for a new South Side apartment project at its May meeting.

Woodshire Place Apartments is a $7.96 million development of 13 triplexes proposed for 3.05 acres in a Multi-Family Dwelling (MD) district on property off Woodhaven Drive, adjacent to Southwood Village. Construction is scheduled to start in late summer with a summer 2023 market entry expected.

DSD Real Estate Holdings, represented at the two-hour City Hall session by Adam DeAngelo and Joy Skidmore, has purchased the property from John Wood, who platted Southwood Village in 1989 prior to current zoning code.

The site could be built upon, City Planner Scott Zimmerman noted, but could not meet development standards since it was subdivided prior to current standards for MD lot.

The site was the last portion of land zoned for residential uses between Southwood Village subdivision and the commercial lots front U.S. 231, it was noted in the variance request to reduce the required buffer yard setbacks and parking standards.

DeAngelo noted a “high demand” for more market rate housing in Greencastle, based on a study done by the developers.

Skidmore noted that the site “has always been slotted for apartments.”

The buildings, which by ordinance could be as tall as 45 feet, will be 17 feet high. Each town home unit will be 1,202 square feet with two bedrooms and 2.5 baths.

The site will also include 39 garages, 39 driveways and 8-10 guest parking spaces.

Greencastle/Putnam County Development Center Director Kristin Clary spoke on behalf of the project, noting that from a local employer standpoint, “housing is the No. 1 issue.”

“We’re in desperate need of worker housing for our manufacturing and distribution facilities,” she said.

It was noted that the two segments of the Zinc Mill Terrace apartment development were sold out before construction was ever finished.

Many of the 35-40 residents on hand at City Hall were concerned with additional traffic through their subdivision, an area they say already sees too much and too-fast traffic cutting through from U.S. 231 to the manufacturing facilities and even Sunday church traffic cutting through to get to adjacent Greencastle Christian Church or Peace Lutheran Church further south.

Speaking on behalf of his daughter, Brooke, who owns a home at 107 Woodhaven Drive, longtime BZA and Plan Commission member Wayne Lewis asked if the developers had looked into buying adjacent property to the north to provide a second entrance off South Street (the main entry is halfway up Woodhaven Drive where there is presently a vacant lot).

DeAngelo said he had a price in mind for such a deal but the adjacent owner was not agreeable.

“Keep trying for that property access to South Street,” Lewis urged later. “I think if that gets done, it makes things lot easier. I think you’re going to make this neighborhood a lot happier with you.”

City code currently prohibits stacking parking spaces in garages and driveways, however the Plan Commission and City Council recently approved a new zoning district (the Greater Eastside District) which does not prohibit stacked parking, so a variance was required to apply those standards to the property in question.

Zimmerman noted that the Fire Department had raised the issue that the new aerial truck might not be able to navigate the roads in Woodshire Place if cars were parked on the street. Thus, no-parking signs will placed on the streets within the development.

The MD District requires 25-foot building setbacks on all sides, however, the ordinance requires an additional 20-foot setback for a total 45 feet from the property line to building setback, which is to accommodate additional landscaping plants. All of which creates a practical difficulty taken care of by the buffer standards variance.

BZA President Andrew Ranck reminded the audience that: “We’re here only for the variances.”

He added that the project could be more dense (45 units could be allowed) and more intrusive. “You could have a four-story building going in rather than the two-story ones,”he pointed out during a five-minute intermission.

Board alternate John Phillips made the motion to accept the findings of fact in the variance request, which was seconded by Paul Champion and made unanimous to approve the requested variances.

Ranck also reminded the audience that the developers are not finished getting city approval. “We don’t do drainage, that’s not our bailiwick,” Ranck said, adding that the developers still “have to go through steps after us,” including further review by Zimmerman.

The project will later go before the Tech Review Committee for approval of drainage and other items to work out final details of the site. The apartment project, however, is not listed on the agenda for the May 12 Tech Review meeting, the Banner Graphic was told Monday.

Following the meeting, City Attorney Laurie Hardwick collected the names and contact numbers for those wishing to be advised when that Tech Review meeting might take place.

In other business, the BZA:

-- Learned that based on traffic warrants from a recent study, passing blisters will not be recommended at the entrance to Owl Ridge Event Center, 3327 S. U.S. 231. The study was done in October 2021, about a year after the event center opened. The concern at the time was that the event center, built by Chris and Rhonda Brotherton, might generate so much traffic exiting onto U.S. 231 when events were over that passing blisters would be necessary.

-- Approved Ranck to continue as BZA president for 2022. Doug Wokoun was nominated to remain vice president but appproval was deferred since he was absent.

Joining Ranck for the two-hour meeting were Phillips (serving as an alternate for the absent Wokoun), Champion and Jon Clark. The board is still operating a member short since the City Plan Commission appointment to the BZA remains open.

The BZA is next slated to meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 6 at City Hall.