FORTVILLE — Huck’s convenience store and gas station went before the Fortville plan commission for a request of a positive recommendation to the town council for a rezone from residential (R 3.5) to Commercial Community (CC) with plans for expansion at the Dec. 26 meeting.
The only item on the agenda for the night was Huck’s request, located on the west side of Walnut Street and south of Broadway Street. The rezone is approximately 0.33 acres and would aim to allow expansion specially for the convenience store and the parking lot.
Adam Zaklikowski, Fortville’s planning and building director, presented the details of the request, which includes exhibits of the plans for expansion, and said that Huck’s is purchasing all of 426 Walnut Street, right behind the current location. The home that is currently on the land would remain and then be resold.
Zaklikowski said that a lot line adjustment or replat would be done as well.
Currently, the convenience store is sitting on a portion of R 3.5 from the zoning ordinance that was inherited by Hancock County according to Zaklikowski, but by doing this rezone for the expansion, it will also take care of that portion.
“Obviously this rezone would take care of that as well as the expansion area,” said Zaklikowski at the meeting.
The presentation also showed proposed exterior elevations which would be a refurbished Huck’s store and include a door on the south side of the building that the public could use.
The original request included a rezone all the way to High Street and demolition of the house was thought about, however the staff felt it was “prudent to keep the well maintained mid-century modern home from 1946,” especially since they didn’t see a need to tear it down for the expansion, Zaklikowski said.
Zaklikowski said this home will also act as a buffer to the other residential homes nearby.
Zaklikowski said that the staff is supportive of the expansion and believes it will be an investment and improvement to the current store and is appreciative of Huck’s willingness to work with the town.
He also said that even if the rezone is ultimately approved by the town council, Huck’s will still need approval from the BZA of a use variance, which would be to allow expansion of a non-conforming gas station use in the old town overlay.
The introductory reading of the ordinance went to town council on Dec. 18 where council appeared to be supportive of the request, including the reduced rezone boundaries to keep the home.
Between the new property line and the house would be a six-foot setback, the minimum setback that is allowed in that zoning district. There would also be an approximately 11-foot landscape buffer with a fence where the height has yet to be determined.
Troy Deitz with Huck’s, explained via Zoom during the meeting that he had mentioned at the first reading he didn’t realize they could rezone part of a parcel, and that even though site plans aren’t approved at the Dec. 26 meeting, they were included to show their intentions — along with the fence and buffer.
One person spoke in favor at the public hearing and none opposed. There has been no remonstrance for the expansion as of the meeting.
To keep the topic moving, Zaklikowski said the variances will be presented at the BZA meeting on Dec. 28 and the rezone would be finalized in January. Site plan approvals would also come at a later date.
Zaklikowski suggested a favorable recommendation to the town council for the rezone, in which the plan commission motioned and passed, 4-0.
