WARSAW — A rezoning request that would potentially turn a former daycare into an archery shop in Syracuse was tabled by the Kosciusko County Area Planning Commission during its regular monthly meeting Wednesday afternoon, June 6, in Warsaw.

Petitioner Ronald Stuckman, owner of Sawyer’s Country Edge, currently a home based archery shop, petitioned the APC to rezone the property at 1205 N. Long Drive in Syracuse from residential to commercial. It is the former Lakeland Learning Center damaged by fire last year and was not able to reopen as a daycare facility.

Stuckman noted he wants to move his business into the building and have retail sales as well as an indoor shooting range. He said the building would be a good fit for him and when he heard it was for sale, he decided to pursue moving his business into it.

Steve Hearn, a remonstrator who owns the property directly across the street but does not live there, said he is not necessarily concerned with an archery shop moving into the building, but “what happens next?” when Stuckman decides to sell the property because “it won’t be an archery shop forever.”

APC members were hesitant to recommend approval of the rezoning because the county’s ordinance allows for multiple uses if a property is zoned commercial. Asking for an exception through the county board of zoning appeals is not an option because a commercial use is not permitted on residential property.

Another option surfacing was the petitioner being willing to have restrictive covenants placed on the property deed when he sells the property and it ceases being an archery shop it would revert to being zoned residential. Dan Richard, area planning director, noted according to state law the planning commission cannot place such a restriction on the petitioner, but if the petitioner is willing to do it then it could be approved.

After discussion, it was decided to table the petition until the July 11 APC meeting to allow Stuckman time to consider his options. He was also advised to contact the town of Syracuse, which has the final authority with this petition, to see if a restrictive covenant would even be a viable option.

In other business, the APC approved a preliminary plat for a commercial subdivision for Growing Kids Management Group. The property is located on the north side of CR 200N, east of Biomet Drive in Plain Township. Richard noted this property is part of an annexation being considered by the city of Warsaw and which may be finalized by this fall at the latest.

Growing Kids wants to divide the plat into two lots and one lot would be a child care facility. The other lot would be green space and have a drainage easement. It was noted the developer does not intend to develop the second lot at this time.

There were questions raised about why a septic system will be used at the site. It will only be temporary pending the city putting in a new sewer line.

Also on the agenda, the APC tabled a final plat petition for the Candlewood Estates housing subdivision in Wayne Township until March 2019 to allow time for a cul-de-sac to be finished, drainage improvements and the removal of a temporary road. A bond covering the improvements expires in March 2019.

And a road vacation request by Clark Shepherd near CR 800S in Packerton was tabled because neither Shepherd or a representative appeared at the meeting.