Pinckneyville approves variance for Rita Schwebel
The City Council unanimously approved a four-foot variance for zoning board member Rita Schwebel to build a day care center at her home.
Zoning Board Chairman Mike Kovic said the variance is four feet to the north and two feet to the east. The zoning board voted four to one to approve the amended variance.
The vote brings to a close a years long quest by Schwebel to get a variance.
On Sept. 22 of this year, the city council voted four to one to uphold zoning board's denial of an eight-foot variance request from Schwebel. The eight-foot variance would have left a 12-foot setback between the front of a proposed garage and the street. The requirement is 20 feet between the garage and the street.
Schwebel began the project in 2009 while still under the county's zoning ordinance. However, after tearing down a carport and pouring concrete, she found that her plans to build a daycare did not meet the ordinance requirements. At that time, the Perry County Zoning Board denied a variance request. An engineer was hired to alter the plans.
She was never able to obtain a building permit because the county's zoning board would not grant a variance.
Fred Pabst of the Pinckneyville Zoning Board said the board reviewed the engineer's plans at their Sept. 15 meeting and agreed that a four-foot variance was acceptable. However, Schwebel refuses to alter her plans at that time.
Kovic asked the council to decide how they would like to proceed in amending the zoning ordinance. Either to serve as the zoning board of appeals or to have appeals of the zoning board's decisions go directly to court. He was in favor of the council hearing appeals.
Commissioner Leonard Heisner suggested the council think about it then discuss the issue at the next meeting.
In other business, the council:
• accepted the audit presented by Harold Emling. Emling and Hoffman issued a standard clean opinion for the city's accounts as of April 30, 2014. The best news is that the principal on the city's debt service is expected to decrease from $862,000 in 2015 to $123,000 in 2019.
• heard from Treasurer Rick Reese that the next bond payment of $718,806 is due Dec. 1. There is $754,000 in the bond account. Reese also reported that the city has $1,580,201 in unrestricted bank balances as of Oct. 31.
• placed on file for public inspection an amendment to the city square lighting project raising engineering fees from $30,000 to $49,000. The engineering fees increased because the design had to be revised to include additional sidewalks per IDOT's specifications.
• heard from Commissioner Kevin Hicks that Santa Claus is scheduled to visit Pinckneyville on Saturday, Dec. 13.
• approved a business district grant for up to $25,000 for Kellerman Feed and Supply to remove their old building to create more space for parking. Doug Kellerman said the project cost is estimated at $55,000. However, two individuals have expressed interest in removing the wood and tin from the building to reuse in other projects. That could lower the cost. Business district grants may be given for up to 50 percent of a project with a maximum expenditure of $25,000. Kellerman said several times this year he has run out of parking spaces. "It's a good problem to have," he stated. Removing the old building would make the lumber area more visible, as well.
• approved a $2,500 grant from the hotel/motel tax fund to Pinckneyville Community High School for the 2014 Duster Thomas Hoops Classic.