By David Slone
Times-Union
WARSAW — Thanks to Crouse Body Shop and the Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals, Enterprise Rent-A-Car now has a temporary new location for vehicle leasing while still looking for a permanent location.
At Monday’s BZA meeting, attorney Steve Snyder, on behalf of Enterprise Leasing Company of Indianapolis LLC, petitioned for a use variance to allow an automotive rental facility temporarily in an Industrial-2 zoning district at 279 and 283 E. CR 250N.
In introducing the case, Assistant City Planner Jackson Longenbaugh said Enterprise Rent-A-Car asked for a variance to operate temporarily at Crouse Body Shop on CR 250N.
“They have been relocating, looking for a permanent spot in the city, and Crouse has offered that option,” he said.
An automotive rental facility is not permitted in an I-2 zoning district.
Enterprise was located at 215 N. Lake St., but aren’t operating there now, Longenbaugh informed the board.
Snyder said, “The county essentially booted Enterprise because they’re going to expand their parking lot. That meant, very quickly — because they’re out of there now as of June 16 — they needed another spot to go. They have negotiated a lease with Crouse Body Shop to utilize a portion of their property. They need to make improvements to it, including some additional parking space, moving in a modular unit to use as office space and they need to do it quickly.”
He said the site plan shows a 44-foot by 10-foot modular unit to serve as the temporary office. There will be approximately a total of 40 parking spaces so there’s space for the rental vehicles and for customers. An already-existing wash bay will be shared by Enterprise and Crouse.
The lease is in effect now, subject to the BZA’s approval, Snyder stated.
“It’s temporary while they’re relocating, or finding a location, and we all know what problems can be encountered there, suggesting that it will probably take up to two years by the time a new location is found, the facility is improved and it’s ready for occupancy,” he continued, adding that he couldn’t think of a better place to put a car rental business than with a car repair business.
The site is back off the road “reasonably so” and well-maintained by Crouse, and there’s space to do what Enterprise needs to do on a temporary basis, Snyder said. “There’s nothing dangerous about it. There may be a little more traffic in and out on the 250, but that’s a wide-open space right there, so that’s not going to create a problem.”
It won’t have any negative effects on anyone’s property values there, he continued. The hardship is that Enterprise needs to move and find a place very quickly and the site at Crouse’s is what’s available to them.
Board Vice President Rick Keeven said Enterprise’s office being downtown Warsaw was really convenient.
Jeff Goudy, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Indianapolis, asked for the board’s support to be able to operate the business on a temporary basis. He was joined by Justin Crouse, of Crouse Body Shop.
“The county’s order to vacate our current facility came as somewhat of a surprise, and so, ultimately, looking at one of our strongest business partners, we thought that operating on-site at a body shop would be a very complimentary use, not recognizing or understanding at the time that our use is permitted in I-1 but not in I-2. And so we’re asking for your permission to operate on a temporary basis at Crouse Body Shop,” Goudy said.
There were no remonstrators to the request.
City attorney Scott Reust recommended that if the board approve the petition, that instead of approving it on a temporary basis, they set a “not-to-exceed” specific time on the approval.
The board approved the request not to exceed two years.
In other business, the board approved:
• A petition presented by Snyder, on behalf of Frauhiger Realty Co. LLC, for a use variance to allow a storage unit facility in a Commercial-2 zoning district at 600 E. Winona Ave.
The proposed building is an 80-foot by 100-foot structure that includes multiple sizes of storage facilities available for rent. There are 16 total units available, including eight 20-foot by 40-foot units and eight 10-foot by 20-foot units.
An ordinance amendment approved March 4 only permits storage unit facilities in Industrial-1, I-2 and I-3 zoning districts.
The Building and Planning Department recommended that the BZA not approve the request, and Bruce Woodward, Warsaw citizen and business owner, remonstrated against the petition, saying there are plans for the future development of Winona Avenue.
“To me this kind of reminds me of the old Marsh supermarket. The city desperately wanted another grocery store there, but nobody’s buying. So what the city wants is one thing, but the reality is something else,” Keeven said.
He agreed with Snyder that revival of East Winona Avenue is something that he won’t be around to see.
“I rather see it maximized now with what’s realistic, as opposed to — certainly, if they’ve got money for sidewalks like they did on Market Street, that would certainly help, but I just don’t see this city planning being realistic any time soon. I see that lot just sitting empty, in my opinion, just sitting empty forever just because nobody’s going to put some nice boutique shop in there. That’s just not (going to happen). So I’d rather see it get used for something now,” Keeven said.
Board member Dan Smith agreed, saying he didn’t see anything going in there the next five years.
Board President Tammy Dalton agreed with them.
• Petitioner Josh Bailey’s request for a variance from development standards to allow a fence in front of his home at 811 E. Smith St. Bailey is looking to build a 6-foot-tall privacy fence in the front of his home.
• The Baldus Co.’s request, on behalf of The Bowen Center, for a variance from development standards to allow a larger-than-permitted sign in a Commercial-3 zoning district at 901 Anchorage Point Drive. The proposed sign would be 27 feet all and 494 square feet. The Bowen Center is looking to maximize their messaging along the US 30 corridor with adequate signage.
• Leo Tatro’s request for a use variance to allow the selling of small dogs in a PUD (Planned Unit Development) zoning district at 2584 Walton Blvd. This variance is not for the approval of kenneling, breeding or boarding at this location.
• Raj Patel’s request for a use variance to allow the outside storage of two shipping containers in a Commercial-3 zoning district at 2575 E. Center St. The petitioner uses these containers for storage for the hotel, according to information provided. The containers sit at the north end of the property.
The petitioner also has requested a temporary variance as he plans to remove the containers from the property soon. He asked for six to eight months time.
Patel was not present and Longenbaugh did not have the proof of mailings, but the board approved the request for eight months.
