First zoning variance in Pinckneyville denied; county denied the same request five years ago
The Pinckneyville City Council voted four to one to uphold zoning board's denial of a variance request from zoning board member Rita Schwebel.
Schwebel requested an eight-foot variance, leaving 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. Zoning Board member Bob Brand agreed with Pabst.
Zoning Board member Jack Stone spoke in favor of allowing Schwebel to build the daycare without meeting the parking requirements.
In other business, the council:
• authorized the purchase and installation of a generator from Kuhnert Electric at the street department building for a total cost of $5,500. Commissioner Sam Fulk said that the back building cannot be opened when the power goes out, trapping equipment needed to battle inclement weather inside.
• approved the purchase of four fire hydrant upper barrel converters, two six-inch hydrants extensions and one one-foot hydrant extension from IMCO at a cost of $6,569.
• granted $7,000 to Kuhnert Electric to make improvements to their property at 610 S. Walnut Street. Dave Kuhnert said he plans to remove old concrete and install new, bringing it up to the building and out to the street to eliminate gravel and mud.
• approved the request from St. Bruno Catholic Church to close North Sullivan Street from Laurel to Clinton on Friday, Oct. 24 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. for the 12th annual Trunk or Treat.