Chicken coops in Schererville apparently aren’t going to fly so long as the Town Council’s 3-2 Democratic majority stays in place.
That steadiness of energy was assured for the subsequent 4 years on Tuesday when Councilwoman Robin Arvanitis, D-1st, Councilman Rob Guetzloff, D-Third, and Councilman Caleb Johnson, R-Fifth, received reelection.
Their variations of opinion manifested at Wednesday’s Schererville Town Council assembly when Johnson and Councilman Kevin Connelly, R-2nd, sought to reverse an unfavorable suggestion from the Board of Zoning Appeals for a variance to permit David Parks to boost 6-10 hens on his property at 7529 W. 77th Ave.
Accordingly, Arvanitis, Guetzloff and Council President Tom Schmitt, D-4th, handed a movement upholding the BZA’s 3-1 rejection of Parks’ petition.
It is in opposition to city ordinance to boost chickens on residential property wherever in Schererville. Yet, Parks stated he has been doing simply that on his property for the previous seven years. He contended that his hens don’t pose a well being hazard and that he and his household clear their rooster coop every day. He stated he has by no means had a criticism and didn’t perceive how the city even came upon about them, noting that his two acres of land abuts roughly 10 acres of vacant land in a low-density space.
Johnson, for 14 years, had been maintaining hens till city officers came upon and a code enforcement officer ended up at his doorstep in 8200 Block of Durbin Street not too long ago — a transfer on the time he referred to as “politically motivated.”
Johnson, who described his hens as “family pets” that his youngsters performed with and helped take care of, stated after the assembly that the animals have been eliminated and now reside on his brother’s property in an unincorporated space close to Cedar Lake.
Connelly defined that he didn’t suppose granting a variance for one resident to boost chickens, particularly given the traits of Parks’ property, would set a incorrect precedent or open the floodgates to individuals searching for variances. Schmitt stated he disagreed with that assumption and has talked to sufficient residents to know the bulk don’t need their neighbors to boost chickens.
Johnson was clearly irked by the council Democrats shutting the door on Parks’ petition.
“I think the decision of the council is very close-minded and disappointing,” Johnson stated. “My kids are very upset about losing our chickens and have twice gone to visit them since they’ve been gone.”
Johnson beforehand indicated he hoped to introduce an ordinance that might regulate elevating chickens however believes there’s inadequate help for such a measure.
Describing the bulk vote as a “political decision,” Johnson acknowledged, “Clearly, it’s not gonna go anywhere, not with this council. It sure went down party lines.”
Johnson and Connelly have been additionally on the shedding finish of a vote to permit a police canine coaching facility in a residential space. The request for a variance to permit the business got here with a good BZA suggestion together with a wide range of situations on working procedures and landscaping enhancements.
The BZA’s situations mandated no out of doors kennels, no in a single day stays for dogs, a restrict of 4 dogs on the property at anyone time, plus the planting of 30 bushes on the property and different necessities, however these apparently weren’t ample protections for Johnson and Connelly. They additionally wished the petitioners, Elad and Julie Bachar, to erect a fence on the property at 510 77th Ave., which might cost them $15,000.
Two Schererville attorneys, Jim Wieser, representing the Bachars, and Johnson, debated the sufficiency of the situations placed on the variance. Johnson and Connelly pressed Wieser to conform to the fencing, however he was a agency no for his shoppers.
Wieser, who can also be the Lake County Democratic Party Chairman, noticed three fellow Democrats voting in favor of the Bachars’ variance, which is able to enable them to function their business.
Jim Masters is a contract reporter for the Post-Tribune.
