More than 50 people attended the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals meeting Tuesday morning in Warsaw as Buckingham Company requested planned unit development zoning for 37 acres in Oakwood Park. After an hour and a half of testimony, the BZA unanimously granted a PUD zoning request to Buckingham LLC. for the Oakwood property.
Dan Richard, director of the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission, started the hearing by explaining to the zoning board and the audience in looking at a PUD zoning request, the board was looking at a broad idea, the hardcore details will come in future hearings as the project moves forward. What the board was looking at and ruling on was the overall concept for the property.
Richard reviewed with the zoning board what ordinances were already in place. It was also noted the BZA would not get into the issues of piers, since they fell under the jurisdiction of the Department of Natural Resources.
Attorney Zeff Weiss of Ice Miller, representing Buckingham, and Matt Griffin, project manager for the project, reviewed the master plan for Oakwood.
Griffin noted without the PUD the hotel cannot reopen. Renovations to the hotel include a new roof with the roof line changed, balconies for rooms on the lakeside of the building, new shingle style siding, the restaurant will be expanded and will offer screened in and patio dining. Lighting from the inn will be subdued at night, so it won't be a beacon or detract from the lake.
The BZA was also shown some conceptional ideas of the exterior and interior design of the hotel.
Griffin provided a time line for developing the Oakwood property showing 2011 into 2012 Buckingham would focus on renovating the inn, lakefront and grounds with plans to reopen in time for the 2012 season. From 2012 to 2013 the additional Oakwood facilities, such as the academy building and chapel would be upgraded. In 2014 the focus would be on building out the remainder of the master plan, which involves installing a road through the middle of the property to keep hotel traffic off the parameter road and building mixed use and residential homes.
Oakwood Receiver Ian Rolland provided a brief overview of his role during the past year. "It's been a complex process that brings us to this point," he said stressing the main deal now is to get the hotel and restaurant up and running. "It's a business you have to make work four to five months a year. That's one of the tough issues facing the developer."
He told the board a liquor license has been issued to the hotel and the Town of Syracuse is in the process of annexing Oakwood Park. He noted the infrastructure of Oakwood is old. "We call it a ticking time bomb. It's a risk to the property owners that the system will collapse," he said.
Rolland stated he has communicated extensively with all the parties interested in the project and has strived to manage the project in an open way. Oakwood property owners have seen the master plan, already modified through their input.
During the public comment portion of the hearing, Syracuse Town Manager Henry DeJulia told the BZA board "We support this project. We definitely want to see rezoning occur. For us, we see this as an important economic development project." He noted the project had the potential to provide several hundred jobs for residents as well as future investment.
Dennis Lomax, president of the Oakwood Property Owners Association, submitted a document to the BZA. "I think we overall support Buckingham's concept," he told board members. "We do have some areas of concern, the largest by far is the density issue. What they're proposing is 350 new homes in approximately 20 acres," he told the board. "There are areas that are sensitive to us."
BZA board member Charlie Hafner interrupted telling Lomax it was not the board's job to micro-manage Buckingham's plan.
Scott Hirschman, an Oakwood property owner and architect, told the board a PUD is a good plan if a project is starting from scratch, but this project isn't, it's dealing with 100 property owners who feel the plans do not support the Oakwood vision. He stated he felt to rezone the property at this magnitude would wipe out Oakwood's significant history.
Again Hafner interrupted, telling Hirschman, "We're looking at if the idea is good. All we're approving is to move forward and then we'll have input," he said.
Hirschman noted a PUD is for an urban setting when Oakwood is in a park. Hafner disagreed with him. Hirschman said he was opposed to the multi-use and single family residences. He also didn't think the zoning is appropriate for the existing neighborhood and property values could be negatively affected.
Cindy Quinn, a representative of the Wawasee Property Owners board of directors, stated she felt Buckingham were the best people for the project. "All the things they've done before is tasteful and appropriate. If they've done the plan and this is the best for the area, it should be done," she told the board.
George Robertson with the Kosciusko County Community Foundation, noted with the painfully slow recovery, it was good to see a company willing to make such an investment in the community. He urged the board to approve the zoning request.
Oakwood property owner Jan Hirschman told the board she felt the plan was out of character for the neighborhood and park. She said she and other property owners would like reassurances Buckingham will sit down and discuss the plan with them.
Ed Rodabaugh, another Oakwood property owner, told the board he was concerned about the proposed roadway and asphalt that could potentially surround his home. He wants to see a plan with less density and would like a more reasonable plan that would demonstrate Buckingham understands the property owners.
Rick Williams, also an Oakwood property owner, said his first knowledge of Buckingham's master plan was July 16 when it was presented to the property owners. He expressed concern about the annexation stating Buckingham should have known more residential housing would be built when a 50/50 offer on annexation costs was discussed.
Susan Zurcher thanked Rolland and Buckingham for their hard work. She also pointed out the judge's order of June 10 noted the 2004 resolution was kept in place. That resolution notes the orchard is common green space.
At the close of public input, Richard reminded the BZA members a PUD was not a waiver of the county's lake access or subdivision ordinances. "We do know they are proposing a mix. There will be future hearings on those proposals. We're not wavering a thing by looking at a PUD + this is the first step of opening the door. It isn't letting anyone through the door," Richard said.
Elements of the plan will come out in future planning and BZA hearings. "They've got a lot of work to do before anything can be done," Richard said.
Hafner noted those future hearings will be open to the public. |
