By Joseph Slacian
Lutheran Health cleared one hurdle in pursuit of opening a medical office facility in Wabash. It still has several hurdles to clear before the facility becomes a reality.
The Wabash Board of Zoning Appeals granted a variance for the facility by a 4-1 vote Thursday night.
The variance was needed because part of the facility is in an area zoned General Business, while the other part – primarily the parking lot – is in an area zoned Residential.
Plans call for the facility to be located on Alber Street, immediately south of the Miller’s Merry Manor facility.
Bryan McCallen, who owns property immediately south of the proposed facility, objected to the plans, citing an existing drainage problem. His attorney, Steve Downs, also argued that granting a variance for the plan was not the way to proceed. Rather, he contended, rezoning the property should be the way to go.
Kyle Witwer of Witwer Construction/GreenStar Development, which is overseeing the proposed work, told BZA members he has a solution that won’t completely solve, but should help with McCallen’s drainage problem. However, before the work can proceed it must be approved by, among others, the city’s engineering firm, United Consulting.
For further details, see the Oct. 5 issue of The Paper of Wabash County.
