GOSHEN — It looks like a new location may be in store for a controversial wood recycling operation in Goshen.
Such was the news announced during a meeting of the Elkhart County Plan Commission Thursday, where commission members voted 6-0 in favor of relocating the Martin Animal Bedding operation from its current location at 21918 Ind. 119 to a new location at 65448 C.R. 17. Their recommendation will now be sent on to the Elkhart County Commissioners for final review and possible passage.
Thursday’s petition for relocation was submitted by company owner Kevin Martin, who in October 2011 had his petition for renewal of a special use permit to operate his business denied by the Elkhart County Board of Zoning Appeals.
In explaining their decision, BZA members indicated they felt Martin’s operation, which is currently located in an agricultural zone, belonged in an industrially zoned location.
Faced with the prospect of having to close or relocate his business, Martin chose to appeal the BZA’s decision through Elkhart County Superior Court III, calling the denial “arbitrary, capricious and otherwise an abuse of discretion.” A court date for that appeal is currently pending.
However, even with that ongoing appeal process, Martin had in recent weeks been very vocal about his desire to relocate his operation to a more suitable location that would get him out of the crosshairs of the BZA.
Martin put those words into action at Thursday’s Plan Commission meeting, where he submitted a petition to have his operation relocated to a nine-acre parcel on his father’s property at 65448 C.R. 17, just south of C.R. 38 in Goshen.
In addition to the location change, Martin also requested that the property be rezoned from Agricultural-1 to a Detailed Planned Unit Development-Agricultural-1.
During their presentation at the meeting, county planning staff made the recommendation that the Plan Commission send Martin’s request on to the commissioners with an unfavorable recommendation.
They cited concerns that the operation would create too much truck traffic and dust, would decrease adjacent property values, and that it should be located in an industrial rather than an agricultural zone.
However, Plan Commission members in the end chose to forgo the staff recommendation for denial. Commission members said they do in fact feel that the new location is appropriate for what they feel is an agricultural product — animal bedding — being created in an agricultural zone. It is located relatively far from any surrounding homes or businesses.
“I think we need to look at our zoning definitions,” said Plan Commission member and Elkhart County Commissioner Mike Yoder with regard to what businesses should and should not be allowed to operate in an agriculturally zoned area. “I think they have found a good site.”
With a favorable recommendation for the business relocation now granted by the Plan Commission, the petition is now set to go before the Elkhart County Commissioners during the March 19 meeting.
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Barry W. Pharis, general manager with Brads-Ko Engineering & Surveying, Goshen, gives a presentation on the proposed relocation of the Goshen wood recycling company Martin Animal Bedding during a meeting of the Elkhart County Plan Commission Thursday morning. JOHN KLINE | THE GOSHEN NEWS
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