Area Plan Commission Meeting
The Area Plan Commission meeting began with the approval of the March meeting minutes.
APC Petition 2025-6 – Amend Survey Ordinance – Second Reading was sent to the commissioners with favorable vote from the APC with a small change of wording to the ordinance since the first reading.
APC Petition 2025-7 – Repeal Zoning Ordinance Article 9, Section940-3 (b)(c). – Second Reading was sent to the commissioners with favorable vote from the APC with no changes made since the first reading of the ordinance.
APC Petition 2025-8 – Gene Hastings received approval to rezone approx. 2.74 acres from an A-1 zoning classification to an A-2 zoning classification to build a single family detached dwelling. This request falls under Decatur County Ordinance Section Number 915 & 920(7). The property is owned by Hastings Farms, LLC and is located at Just North of 4954 S CR 700 W, Greensburg, in Clay Township. Mr. Hastings was in attendance to discuss this petition. No questions or concerns were presented by board members or adjoining property owners.
APC Petition 2025-9 – John Marcelletti for Richard & Kimberly Redelman is requesting to rezone approx. 100’x100’ from an A-1 zoning classification to an A-2 zoning classification to build a Communications Tower. This request falls under Decatur County Ordinance Section Number 920 (3). Said real estate is currently owned by Richard Charles Redelman, and Kimberly Mae Redelman and is located just West of 247 E Co Rd 500 S, Greensburg, in Marion Township. John Marcelletti represented Verizon Wireless, and the project will be construction of a 299 ft cell tower which has been approved by the FAA. This tower will be usable by several cell phone carriers. Board members asked questions to fully understand the petition and plans for the tower. A property owner that is located across the street of the proposed cell tower stood to speak stating that he is concerned with the medical implications including cancer causing exposure due to the radiation that could be caused by the closeness of the cell tower to their home. He stated that he doesn’t allow his children to have cell phones due to the exposure and asked that they possibly look at moving the cell tower further back on the petitioner’s property which would be further from his home. He did provide documentation and information that supports his concerns.
During the time that the neighbor was speaking Doug Westerfeld requested a recess so that he could step out of the room and call the Area Plan Commission’s attorney to discuss something. The commission agreed to recess.
Upon Doug’s return to the meeting he stated that the public advertisement was not correct because the ordinance section number was advertised as 920 (3) and it should have been 925 (5) and the variance request for the cell tower height should have been 30 feet to 299 feet. Doug states that they must table this and re-advertise correctly and said that maybe they should discuss the distance of the tower that was presented, and the discussion tonight spoke about the distance to the tower can be brought up at the next Technical Review Meeting which is Monday. The commission voted to table this petition until the May meeting so that the correct advertisements can be utilized.
Board of Zoning Appeals Meeting
The Board of Zoning Appeals meeting began with the approval of the November 6, 2024, meeting minutes.
BZA 2025-2 has been tabled and will be on the May meeting agenda. BZA 2025-2 was John Marcelletti for Richard Charles Redelman will present BZA Petition 2025-2 requesting a “Permanent Special Exception” as provided in the Decatur County Zoning Ordinance Section 925 (9) to place a wireless communication tower and a “Variance” as provided in the Decatur County Ordinance Section 945 (5) to the required maximum height of 60’ to 299’ for a communications tower. The property is currently owned by Richard Charles & Kimberly Mae Redelman and is located just West of 247 E County Road 500 S, Greensburg in Marion Township.
NOTE: BZA Petition 2024-8 – Geenex Solar / Cobia Solar will be continued to a later date.
