Planning commission grants two requests

Wanda English Burnett
Editor

The Ripley County Planning Commission at the regular meeting on Tuesday, January 3 considered a variance request for driveway width. The application also requested approval to use the existing drive.

According to Sue French of Jeff French Land Survey, representing Brian Huber, the existing drive is 30 feet wide, installed prior to the change of current code requirement of 50 feet.

French noted that the division will contain six acres and the property has direct access to Rosfeld Road in Sunman.

Neighboring property owners presented concerns to the planning commission. Jeff Sturwold was concerned how trees along the property line would be impacted by construction.

Ray Noble questioned whether the six acres could be subdivided in the future, which would result in additional homes in the area. The planning commission assured Noble that the lot could not be subdivided because any division would not meet with county requirements.

The motion to deny the variance request died for the lack of a second. The motion to grant the variance request for a driveway from 50 foot width to 30 foot width was approved with a vote of 9-2-1, with Maureen Sheets and Owen Menchhofer voting against and Jeff French abstaining. The motion to grant primary approval for the use of the existing access drive was approved 9-2-1, with Maureen Sheets and Owen Menchhofer voting against and Jeff French abstaining.

French also represented Eugene and Elene Gunter’s application for the subdivision of a nine-acre lot with the remainder to be retained by the Gunters. The motion to grant primary approval of the subdivision was unanimously approved.

Election of officers was held for the new year. Unanimously approved were Steve Youngman as president; Owen Menchhofer as vice-president and Tad Brinson as secretary.

All board members were in attendance. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 1 beginning at 7 p.m. at the courthouse annex.