Board of Zoning Appeals - Regular Meeting

our phones if you would. And you said Kyle is ready. Okay.

Okay. Good evening. Um, welcome to the February month regularly monthly meeting of the Delaware Muny Metropolitan Board of Zoning Appeals. Um, we will first begin with the pledge of allegiance. If you can please stand and Kylen will lead us if you would please. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Roll call, please.

Matt Billington, present. Delaney Bridge, present. Richard [clears throat] Ivy, present. Sue Kaiser. Christy Knap, present. Leslie Matthew,

present. So we have five members present. So we do have a quorum. So the next matter on our agenda is the consideration. I guess we'll take them separately as some people may have not been here for one meeting versus the other. Um in consideration of the December 2025 record monthly meeting minutes. The chair would entertain a motion with regard to that. I would make a motion to approve the December minutes as presented. Second. [clears throat] We have a motion and a second. Roll call, please.

Billington, yes. Rich, yes. Ivy, yes. Knap, yes. Matthew, yes. Five yeses. So, that is approval of the December minutes. Okay. [laughter] Then we will then also [clears throat] take into consideration the meeting minutes for the January 2026 monthly meeting. I would make a motion to approve the January meeting meeting minutes as presented. Ben.

Okay, we have a a motion and a second. Roll call, please. Billington, yes. Britch, yes. Ivy, yes. Nap, yes. Matthew, yes. Five yeses. So that is approval of the January minutes.

So before we get started with our um hearings on the matters, I'd like to address some of the rules that we have here. So first of all, we would ask that um if you have your um cell phone on, if you could please turn it off or um put it on silent. Um secondly, um we would just ask that everybody would refrain from making comments um against anybody that may be talking. Um not everybody has the same opinion as to what they would like to see happen. So we just ask for courtesy of everybody um speaking tonight. So when your case is called, you'll be going to the podium here and and tell us your name and address. So everybody who comes and speak they will need to provide us with your name and address. Um so after the applicant is done um providing us information about their case then anybody who is in favor of the um application would also be able to speak. Um then anybody in opposition would then be able to speak. Um and lastly then the applicant would be able to come back and kind of address some of the concerns or topics that we have um stated um with some of these situations where like um I believe our first case where we have multiple people um that are here. We would just ask that um if you can um refrain from repeating um the same thing over and over um and just provide us with additional information that may not have been addressed by others. Um with regard to approval or

disapproval of your case, um right now we have five members present. um one is absent and we are awaiting um an appointment from the county for a slot. But in order for you to have um what's called official action, which means your case would be fully decided one way or the other, um it would take four of us um to vote one way or another. If we can't get all four of you, four of us to decide in one way versus the other, then your matter will automatically be reset for the next meeting. Um, where we would probably just have you give us additional information um maybe some concerns addressed again. So, we will um begin with then um new business then. BZA02-26 Jurisdiction Board of Zoning Appeals being a public hearing on the matter of an application filed by Kingdom Recovery LLC requesting a variance of use from the terms of the City of Muny comprehensive zoning ordinance to allow group housing in an existing church building for a long-term sober living in a single family residence to allow off-site parking and to allow the parking lot to not be paid. paved rather than developed according to engineer standards on premises located at 304 North Walddemir Avenue Muny Indiana as more accurately described in the application. So we'll have the applicant if they can come here to um explain things and I can also say with this particular case um as I believe that there will be multiple people wishing to speak we are going to be

setting up um time limits. Um, so the applicant would have up to 20 minutes. Yes. For the initial

Yes. would have um 20 minutes for your initial presentation. Um, and then each person wishing to speak in favor of um would they would have an additional three minutes. Um and then those wishing to speak in opposition would would each then have an add um 3 minutes um of their own. Um and then at the end um the applicant would have an additional five minutes if there's additional questions that we need to have answered. Um of course that would extend our time. So just kind of lay the ground rules of um kind of what we're um our road map for um your particular case. So, if you can, everybody that's going to be speaking, if you speak um in different um orders, if you can each just tell us your name and address so that we can have that for the record, please.

Yeah. Uh I'm I'm Devin Casease. Uh the address in question, 304 North Walderir Avenue. Uh hello, [clears throat] I'm Devin. I'm with Kingdom Recovery LLC and this is my partner Brian Blevens and we're [clears throat] here requesting that a former church building be allowed to house up to but not but no more than 15 full-time sober living residents. Um I have given you guys the rules. I'll just spare you reading the rules and the [clears throat] the limitations to acceptance into the program. Uh I will state that uh um we we we just purchased this church building from a former pastor who was a was a local pastor for a number of years. Um and then due to health reasons, he could no longer pastor the church. And he and he wanted to see the church used um in a in a in a ministry way, a way that helped people, in a way that um you know, honored God and helped people. And that's that's exactly what we are attempting to do. Um [clears throat] you know, the building is I believe it's 5200 square foot. Um, and we've already had it um inspected by the the building code uh building commissioner and we are in compliance except for a very small couple little things. Got to switch a few GFI outlets. Um, [clears throat] and then we also have had it inspected by the fire marshal. And the fire

marshall, there's a few fire code violations that we do have a fire code consultant uh working on uh currently and they will move forward with the approval of this variance. Uh, I'd like to I'd like to point out um that Brian and I each have over 10 years clean and sober ourselves and also have been working in the recovery community um day in and day out for that 10 years. And that's that's our heart and that's our mission is to help help uh not not people get clean and sober, but people that are clean and sober uh become responsible citizens and reclaim the things that were previously lost during addiction. And so that's and that's what that's what me and Brian that's what we do on the daily is is help those people. Um, [clears throat] I currently I currently do a recovery meeting um every Friday um in Grant County and [clears throat] also um also mentor a few a few people that are in recovery and just just basically like a sponsor and basically help them to get to where I've gotten to. you know, sometimes it takes somebody with experience to help you get to the place that that that you're at because they don't know the way exactly. And so that's, you know, that's what uh me and Brian specifically, you know, excel in is loving people, helping them. Um to the to I'll let Brian tell a little bit more about himself here in a minute, but to the building, um it's it's a spacious building. We're up we're up to the building code standard. Um and we will be up to the fire code standard.

Um you know within 30 to 40 days pending approval of this variance. Um there's more than enough room to house the up to 15 residents that we are asking for. And also I I think that the impact to the neighboring houses will be minimal based on the fact that it was a former church. There is even without I'll say this, even without the variance for the two the two vacant lots that we own, there's still enough parking for eight or nine eight I believe up to eight or nine potentially 10 vehicles in front of the building. Um, and so we don't, you know, also [clears throat] there is, and this is in the rules, and I wasn't going to read through a lot of them, but we have some pretty strict guidelines as far as a 10 p.m. curfew. Um, and you know, no outward disturbances to the neighbors. Actually, we we intend and will we plan and will have the men be a benefit to the neighborhood. Whether it be whether it be helping out neighbors, neighborhood cleanup, whether it be um you know providing charitable services to those who can't who can't mow and trim their yards or if they need help. Uh that's that's part of working a that's part of working a good recovery program. part of being clean and sober um and recovering is is taking the interest off yourself and putting it in another. And that's that's what we intend to do uh with with the residents is to to help them get get past you know addiction is not just a substance abuse issue. It is a it is a obsession of self and we intend to help help men long term move

out of the obsession of self and put their interest on each other on the neighbor on the community at large and in making a good positive impact on the world around them as they previous have as they previously have not. Um, [clears throat] I'd also I'd also like to to state that we we have a long-term vision for Muny. I know I c I know currently that there's not a lot of sober living uh long-term residential housing in my know that you know that that can cause an issue because some of the some of the men who would be allowed you know would be allowed release from from jail or would be allowed to um you know somewhat exit the system. they're not they're not able to or it has to be outsourced to another community based on the lack of resources in Muny. Um and we're just we're just asking for a chance to work with the city and be a part and and be that solution. You know, this is the beginning stages and this is just one building and it's it's 15 residents, but we have a long-term a long-term plan to uh help help change the way that that addiction is looked at and also the way that people recover by giving them longterm long-term housing because that that can be one of the main one of the main uh hurdles that people cannot overcome is housing. As you guys know, rents are high [sighs] and and these people may not have, you know, credit to afford a house or may not be, you know, may just just have gotten a job. Um, you know, and that's another thing I want to address is when the men come into the house, we require employment

or for them to have it within three weeks and and and we will hold to that standard. Um but again, we we have a long-term plan for my this is the first of of a big impact that we hope to make um on on addiction and to see those who are in addiction come into recovery. And I'd also like to say to the board, if there if there are conditions or boundaries or limits that the board wants to put in place to make sure that this stays within the bounds of what you feel is comfortable or acceptable, we're more than willing to do that. Uh we're more than willing to comply with with any of those any of those boundaries you guys put in place. Again, we're just we're just looking for a shot and uh uh we hope to get it. Thank you. Hello. Uh, good evening. My name is Brian Blevens. Uh, 409 North Jefferson Street, Harford City, Indiana is my address. Um, 304 North Walddeir is the property um that we had purchased. Um, so I think a question would be raised to why my uh someone that lives in Harford City and uh someone that would uh live in Grant County. Now, that's a good question. that's probably going to be uh posed. I'm a peer support specialist in Grant County. I've been working professionally a part of the core program for a little uh around eight years. Um I've worked in the problem solving problem solving courts under Judge Todd and Judge Spitzer in Grant County and and uh I have five years of experience running sober living houses. I've been the director of the life change program at the rescue mission um for a year and a half. And one thing

that I've come across, I have a true death to life uh testimony. Um I was from Blackford County. Um basically at 42 years old, I was uh facing what would seem like life in prison. And uh it was Munie that came to Blackford County and kind of brought the hope to a jail cell that I was a resident in. And it was through AA and NA and they came in there and uh um that program really gave me hope. And uh that's when I had my first real encounter with God. I was on disability. I had an anxiety disorder, major depression. and and I and and I got out of jail. Obviously, I didn't go to prison. Um I got placed on house arrest uh for 6 years with my parents um in Harford City. In those uh six years, I really had the ability to change my life. Um I was under close supervision uh when I was on uh home detention. I lived in sober living for six months myself and and and know about you know know a lot about sober living. But um when when I was able to get out of jail um I came to my gave me an opportunity to to find a recovery community. The first meeting I ever went to was here in my at the serenity club. So, I've really had a heart and a and a passion uh for my since, you know, this was kind of uh my starting point. The reason Sober Living is because I'm a referral source. So, Delaware County uh community corrections probation department or whatever referral sources, they would call me and then I'm the resource person to find your individuals somewhere to go. So, my

people come to Grant County. Muny people go to Anderson. Muny people go everywhere but but Muny because my you know really didn't have that. So it was just my passion for the people of Muny to have somewhere to go in Muny because it makes everything a whole lot easier. Um I'm I'm a referral source uh in Muny. I communicate with probation. I communicate with community corrections. Um, we have a former police officer that's going to speak, you know, on our behalf as as in favor of, but we have a heart for Muny, but we have a heart for all surrounding counties, and we know the importance of of a safe place to recover. So, we want a safe place. We don't allow sex offenders. We don't allow violent felons, you know, we we want to keep the kids safe. We want to make the neighbors feel safe. So, we just we we want to be good at vetting who is a good fit. So, we want somebody that's willing, somebody that can that can get a job. And and I'm not saying that those other people don't deserve a chance, but I know in starting something out the importance of people feeling safe. So, so we just made the decision we just can't do this and we just can't, you know, there's certain things that we will not do because we want the neighbors, you know, it's important that that not only the neighbors are safe, but we are safe as well. So, we really, you know, thought it out in our rules with a curfew, you know, what it looks like for the surrounding neighbors. We we sent letters out to the neighbors to let them know um what we were doing. Um we we received one uh negative response which um I had uh given in in evidence

of a police report. So you know there there was one uh negative uh light that that was shine and and you you know it it was a it was a difficult conversation but it it's a conversation and we we take the challenge to do hard things. You you look at this and you say, "Why isn't there more of or why people don't do these things, dealing with people in recovery? It's it's hard. You know, there's challenges. There's barriers. Uh I've personally helped more than 200 people get driver's licenses. I've sent probably 300 plus people to rehab in my car. Like I'm about meeting somewhere where they're at, getting them an ID, getting them a birth certificate, getting them a social security card. So when you come in with us, we're we're going to walk beside you and get you to the job or or find the employment that you need. So you're just not coming in and and we're getting a check. It's about life skills. It's about a a plan and and what you're going to do with this opportunity because there's a lot of people that call me that I have to turn down. So that's why I really let someone know this is what it looks like. You have to hit two meetings a week. You have to have church attendance. We can randomly drug screen you anytime we want to. We could go through uh your belongings. And and those are just some of the safety things, you know, that we do. We have a security uh system in place set up for safety uh for the people inside and safety for the community as well. So we we find it important, you know, safety, but the life skills and and just being a good neighbor. That's just that's really what we want to do. So thank you.

Okay, you might want to stand up there um because there will be some questions. Um I know there will be some. Sorry. Um, [clears throat] so I don't What' he say? Said, "Are you looking at me?" No, no, I'm just looking at Kylen. So, I don't know if you [clears throat] maybe want to address the parking thing cuz that might be um or that's something that I would like to um address with them.

Yeah. So, the applicants had reached out to the city engineer for some of the parking questions. Um, and I reached out to him as well to get a response and I did receive a response today. Um, so I'm just going to read this. Um, it says, "Per the ordinance, parking lots should be paved. There is some existing gravel that is primarily within the rideway that could be used as parking, which extends approximately 20 ft from the edge of pavement west towards the proposed parking area along Walddemir Avenue. It appears the gravel extends 100 ft, which would allow for 11 vehicles to park there. Additional parking in the grass would result in ruting and tracking of material onto the street, which runs contrary to ordinance in the Muny Sanitary District MS4 requirements. There also appears to be additional parking in front of the former church building that I suspect would be adequate for up to 10 cars. Based on the current availability of parking, I would limit dwelling units to no more than 12, unless they intend to make improvements, including a paved lot with adequate storm water controls as required by the city design manual and ordinance. So, that was his recom recommendation um emailed to me today and that's Adam Leech U my city engineer.

Well, I'd like to speak to that and just say that 12 is more than enough for for that property. Um and you and you're speaking right in front of the building, correct? I think he was. Yeah. So, there's um in the gravel area, 11 vehicles in the gravel area, and then 10 in front of the former church building. Yeah. 12 12 is more than enough for what we're what we're trying to accomplish. Yeah. So, it's not 12 parking spots, it's it's more parking spots, but for 12 units. Then I don't know if we also need to um address 12. Can you repeat that for us?

Yes. So basically he's describing 21 parking spaces are available, but he would recommend 12 dwelling units. There's concrete across the street. So, there's two empty lots and there's concrete across the street, but you you're not going to park in the grass obviously over there, but there are [snorts] spots across the street that I do believe that he's speaking on that that's across the street from the the building. I did provide uh the board with a copy of that email, too.

[clears throat] in and I don't know if you at this time may want to address that the board also has other um emails in in favor of in opposition to since we've received the packet.

Yeah. So, just in summary, in your packets that you already did receive, there are 11 um submissions that we received, 10 in support and one in opposition. Those were all included in your packets. Since you received your packets, we received um the email from Adam Leech. We received two other emails in support. And then from the applicants in Kingdom Recovery, we received the explanation of the police log um that does describe the incident was not related to the property that you guys own. Did you want me to speak to that incident or No.

Um you can maybe if the board has questions. Yeah, I think maybe at some point. Yes. Okay. So I don't know. I guess I can start. So maybe one of the things you might want to explain to the board and and maybe to myself as to um I guess the difference between a treatment facility and um I guess what is um I guess what's the term that you use for what you're doing?

So a a treatment uh facility would require treatment there on site. So, you know, a nurse, a therapist, you know, um what that would entail. This this entails um more you it would be more like someone further along in the recovery renting uh a room to learn life skills and be held accountable. and you know the the budgeting like all all those things that that we do. It's it's not a treatment facility. So we don't you're not allowed to have narcotic medication. You're not allowed to be on suboxin. You're not allowed to be on methadone. So things that the state would require to deem something treatment, we we don't provide those things. So

Sure. Yeah. So, and and we're also wanting to get state uh certification, too. I I kind of uh left that out, but uh um treatment would be the staff that you would have to carry for, you know what I mean? It's a it's an extra layer that we're not we're not going to do because of our vetting. Okay. Sure. And then you had talked about rules and I guess would you be willing as a condition to agree that um that you would say that there would be no sex offenders or sex or serious violent felons permitted to be um as um a part of your program.

Absolutely. uh there's a background check done and we make sure that there are neither sex offender nor violent a violent offender that can be a part of their program at all. Okay. And if they lied on their application and we did not know that, we would remove uh said individual if if if we missed something, you know. Okay. And if you can, because you're kind of talking back and forth because we have to keep records, you might want to say your first name or first and last name when before responding just so we can keep track of because we are we write all of this stuff down. So,

so with regard to supervision, how does that work? Um because you know, you've talked about if this happens that somebody would would leave. Um, is there somebody that's like staffed or how how often is somebody coming and and checking to see what's happening at this facility? Yeah, Devon Case

um we have daily daily supervision. Um Brian, myself andor another staff member will be by the house daily to do check-ins. Um we also have um two and three weekly meetings depending on the progress of each person, the time that they have in the house. Um but daily daily supervision. If there's any issue, there's immediate um somebody that's immediately going to if they need to come and oversee whatever that issue is. Otherwise, it will be at a spec it'll be a time specified by the person that's on call that day.

Okay. Yeah. because I know that um unfortunately the stereotype is unfortunately at times um once an addict always an addict and and you're hanging around um individuals that um maybe um selling or using drugs. Um, so how would you address the um presumption by some people that um your applicants or or your participants are going to have drug dealers in the neighborhood um bringing forth crime and and those particular types things because I know that that's um one of the things that will be brought up. So I

Brian Blevens um pro 9 Jefferson. Sure. You're fine.

All right. Sorry. Um, so addiction we try to teach it's a people, places, and things deal. Same people, same places, same things get you the same results. So we encourage, you know, those three things not not to be a part of someone's recovery. So, you know, that was the importance of I could send someone to a 28 day residential treatment and if I sent them right back to where it, you know, it's around the same people or the, you know, doing doing the same things, that's kind of like what you see. So, accountability is everything. Uh, having eyes on someone. And one thing that I do daily is I walk in and I make sure you have your bed made. I make sure your area is good because I I can tell a lot about a a person when I walk in by how they make their bed or they don't make their bed. I've been doing it a while and it's a it's kind of a fascinating thing. It's a mental health deal. And if you can encourage someone right at the beginning to to make a small task, they don't have to come back to the same mess, you know, and and it's it's it's been a real healthy thing. So, even when a person's not there, you know, we kind of can still tell where they're at, you know, by, you know, how they're making their bed and and, you know, who they're hanging out with. we we know who they're hanging out with and and and accountability. So, they call it snitching. You you know who who's the snitch, right? Well, uh snitching is you're in trouble and you want to get out of your trouble and tell on somebody else that's

in trouble so you get out of trouble. Accountability is when you're doing the right thing and you tell on your brother because you don't want him dead. You don't want him back in jail. you don't, you know, you don't want those same same things. So, we encourage accountability, you know, telling on your neighbor, that's what we encourage that that way they're not going to be a statistic or they're not going back to prison or or be in jail. So, we really try to sit down one- on-one and hammer home, this ain't snitching. This ain't th this ain't that lifestyle. you're learning something different and holding other people accountable is really what we we're looking for. Okay,

I'm going to speak to this as well. Devin case,

the camera system number one is in front of the building and it's seeing two different directions, the entire front of the building and also there are cameras in every major walkway and area of the building. So those are being watched by two and three people's cell phones at at any given time. If there's an incident, we or if there's even something spoke about, we go back and then look through the footage to make sure that to make sure to have evidence and proof that this happened or it didn't. And then secondly, there's no visitors allowed inside of the home at all. So, so if there's if there's 15 men living there, there's 15 people allowed allowed inside of that building other than the staff. So, they have no visitors. They don't do they can't even see um family members, children, they can't have people out in front of the building. They don't have they're not allowed visitors unless it's by special privilege or they get special approval or we are present at the facility to oversee whatever that is. And that's for liability. Uh and also I I that obviously would cut down on anybody coming around who is not a resident who may be bringing trouble to the neighborhood.

Sure. Cuz I know that you had also talked about um like that you may um be okay with limiting up to 12. Is that something that you would be willing to um I guess verbally change your request to have it so that up up to 12?

Brian Blevens um if if you guys were better with 12, we're better with 12. So, you know, whether it's 12, 15, 10, we, you know, we just want to love and serve people. So, we don't we're not putting like a dollar sign. you know, obviously you have to pay your bills. We have insurance. We're an LLC. We're not we're not a nonprofit, so you have to have uh as many people in there to make something run uh business-wise. So, you also have to look at what you're doing as a business because you you know we got to pay the gas bill, the electric bill, the water bill, the the insurance, the property tax, and the liability insurance and and some you're not always 100% on people that are there with the ability, you know, to to pay their rent. So, um, it, yeah, 10 10 to 12 is good, but we we just looked at a number of how could we financially sustain because this is sustainability. We want something that's that's going to last. We don't want want to start something and and and and have to end something. Th this is about uh something that's going to last so we could do it, you know, in in other places, too. So, we're just we we've got a a bigger vision of what we want to do.

Okay, that's all the questions I have. Um I know that there may be some other questions. I have a few. Um so, the questions will go back to the applicant or one of the applicants. Um, I guess I just want to clarify for the sake of the record that the building is not currently being used in the capacities as described in the application. Correct. The Devon case, the building is vacant.

Okay. And then I was wondering if you could speak to So, we have various different cases that we hear before this board, but something that's pretty common for low-income housing projects is that um residents a lot of them don't have vehicles. So, I'm curious if you guys would expect that all of the residents that would be staying at the facility would have a car or how that would kind of work.

Devon Case. No, normally residents share rides with one another uh at least for the first 3 months of their recovery program until they are able to get back on their feet, pay all their bills, pay their probation fees, and pay whatever issue, you know, pay whatever bills they may have. There's there's not going to be a time when all 12 people have a vehicle and and even and even if there was um those people normally will graduate the program and move on. Normally it's about a year-long program. So there's there's everyone doesn't have a vehicle throughout the duration of the year-long program. So to clarify for the existing specs of parking then do you foresee people I guess the lot that is adjacent to the property do you foresee that needing to be used for parking or would the parking that is paved on the church lot be sufficient for purposes

Devon case the the parking in front of the building is gravel in front of in front of the the building. Um, no. We have enough we have enough parking in front of the building that we don't have to use the two lots that we own adjacent to it.

And then my last question is just um for my knowledge, if you could give an uh I guess an expectation of how long you would expect a resident to be in the facility. Um if there is a maximum that somebody can stay, what does that look like? Dev in case uh we it's a year-long program. We hope that a person would stay a year so that we could help them along the way, get them as get them as far along as we possibly can in rebuilding and restoring their life. Um which is not limited to limited to just getting a job and going to recovery meetings. We we help them in all all basic life life skills even into advanced life skills.

Okay, that's all I had right now.

I just have a question about logistics here. I see that there's facilities, two toiletry areas [clears throat] and two showers. Is that adequate for that number of people? Devon Case. Um to my knowledge, yes, it is. Uh and that's I believe it is every eight people. I believe it is every eight people you have to have a bathroom and a shower. Um, and I believe that uh I forget. I'd have to I'd have to recheck that information, but when we looked at it before, it's not fresh in my mind, but when we looked at it before, that was adequate.

I got a question. Did the building commissioner look inside the building? Devon case. Yes. Yes. The building commissioner, the electrical inspector, and the HVAC inspector tooured the building with us that they didn't meet the code and and they gave us a clean bill of health except for there was an electrical panel that needs a cover. Uh there was a few GFI outlets that needed changed and I believe there was a piece of ROMX cable hanging down from from a drop ceiling like this that has to be capped and put back above. But other than that, we had a clean bill.

The other question I had is about the parking. Is that parking for future expansion that you made it part of the packet since no one most likely will be using it or is it for if you had a celebration or a graduation or something like that.

Devon case, we are open to conditions or boundaries by the board. If you don't want the the lot used at all, it won't be used. It's just two vacant lots that came with the property that we that we purchased. If there was if there was a development in the future, we haven't discussed it and it would have to come back before the back before the board and and we have no plans for that at this point. If it sits if it sits empty that's absolutely fine with us. So it was more FYI we actually own from Yes sir. Okay.

Brian Blevens. Sorry sir. I just want to touch on it but there was the question of could we use uh the parking in front of the building. So we really brought up across the street just in case that the city would have happened to say no. So we had a backup plan. So, our plan wouldn't have have been to to use across the street. It would have just been for whatever reason if the if uh the city would have said no. Any other questions?

Um my question is maybe more so for Kayla, but I don't know if she'll know. I I was just curious if you did know the requirement for the bathroom with the amount of residents that they're going to have in the building. Um, I'm not for sure, but I know that the building commissioner is the one that checks it and they got the Okay, so they should be good.

Sufficient enough answer for me. Thank you. Okay, I think the applicants you can have a seat now and then so we will begin this the portion where um those wishing to speak in favor of um will be able to speak and as a reminder um you will be um limited to three minutes and again we would just ask that you not repeat the same information that we've um previously heard. So again you'll need to give us your name and address when you speak. Hi uh Dan Tucker uh I live at 3401 West Catalina in Upland. Uh briefly just want to address two things. Um we are insuring the building and this um and our our agency only has two other such ministries, corporations, whatever you'd like to call it like this because we are incredibly picky. Um we like to protect our assets. Um and so we honor and respect the board. you have a responsibility on your shoulders to protect uh the people around it. So uh in my experience of of working with agencies like this for over 30 years um you don't ever have anything perfect right up front. It's constant guidance, constant re looking at things, working with the board, working with commissioners. Uh one of the things that we will do uh we we're putting our assets on the line to protect them is inspecting everything top to bottom even after it is already inspected. making recommendations, constantly listening in guidance. Uh we are very impressed with these gentlemen and the experience they bring. So we just wanted to say from a a money standpoint, a safety standpoint, we would not be backing uh our agency would not be backing these gentlemen without the experience already. And I appreciate the fact that they're so willing to be flexible. U and then I'm going to say one more quick thing because I was told there's a buffet here and I don't see it. So I'm getting ready to leave. Um, the difference between what they're doing and what some of the others, that was a great question in the

beginning, is you go do a lot of the heavy lifting in a in a a four-week place that costs a lot of money that most people can't afford. What these gentlemen are doing with the the the the view of this is where do you go afterwards? And there are men like and women like me um that uh served our country, saw some really terrible things, experienced some things, and used alcohol to address those things. Uh EMT, police officers, firefighters. Uh, we needed I wish we'd had something like this back then where somebody said, "Okay, we we we piled all this on you for a month. Now, how do you flesh it out? How do you live it out? How do you turn this into your community, your your your family, uh, and be responsible?" And that's what this ministry, corporation, whatever you phrase you want to put on it, they're dressed in the heart and souls of these men to take that next step to be responsible uh, citizens. And I know that my is going to be better for it. Um, and we just wanted to say that uh we'll be tougher on them than you will. Uh, we see things we'll constantly because our assets are on the line. Uh, these men are willing to keep step by step. No one has it perfect right up front. When we see something or something's identified by the board by whoever, it will be taken care of. And, um, so, uh, with your responsibility to care for our community, we wanted to assure you that that that's, uh, top priority.

And there's not a buffet, right? So, I wasn't I was lied to. Okay. Just I'm I'm going to go home now.

Hello, my name is Jeremy Spencer. I live at 978 South 372 East Marian, Indiana. Good evening and thank you for allowing me to speak. My name is Jeremy Spencer and I'm here today to strongly support the variance for Kingdom Recovery. I want to begin by sharing why this is personal to me. I've known Devin Casease and Brian Blevens for over seven years. We have walked together in the same small group at church that entire time. I've had a front row seat to their integrity, their compassion, and their unwavering commitment to helping people in recovery. And for me, this goes even deeper. When I first in entered recovery more than seven years ago, Brian Blevens was my peer recovery coach. Back then when I was still trying to rebuild my life, Brian talked often about this dream of opening a recovery residence right here in Muny. He knew the need then, and that need has only grown. Since that time, I've also had the privilege of serving as a peer recovery coach in Delaware County, and I can tell you with absolute certainty, we urgently need more recovery housing in this community. One of the biggest barriers I see, especially for men coming out of incarceration, is a lack of safe, stable, supportive house, supporting housing in Delaware County. These men want help. Many are ready for change. But without housing, they are immediately placed back in the same environments that contributed to their addiction. It's a barrier that stops progress before it can begin. And from every angle, personal experience, professional work, and public health data, housing is the number one social determinative health barrier affecting recovery. You can have the motivation, the

treatment, and the support, but without stable housing, people simply cannot sustain long-term change. That's why Kingdom Recovery matters. Now, I understand that some people say, "Not in my neighborhood." But the truth is every neighborhood is already touched by addiction. Addiction doesn't discriminate. Not by wealth, not by ethnicity, not by background. It affects every zip code, every street, and every type of family. The real question is not whether addiction is present in a neighborhood. It's whether hope, structure, and support will be present there, too. I'm here today because Devon and Brian played a vital role in my recovery. Their leadership and their compassion changed my life and I know they can do the same for countless others if given the chance. Delaware County needs this recovery residents. In fact, we could put one in every neighborhood and still not meet the demand we see every single day. Granting this variance isn't just a zoning decision. It's a life-changing decision. It's a barrier removed. It's a doorway open for people who already who are ready for a second chance. Thank you for your time and for considering the impact this home will have on our community.

Thank you.

I'm Ken Fuller and I reside at 3119 North South uh South Nora Drive in Newcastle. Um I am presently the pre uh pastor of Faithbuilders the new norm which a lot of people know on Fifth and Madison. Um we deal with the homeless we deal with the addicted all the time. U and through the severe weather things like that that I have been experienced. But coming here tonight um in in behalf of Devin and Brian, I've known these gentlemen when when the norm first came here and we came to a variance to build our building. They had a program called Hope House and it was a recovery meeting we had on Friday nights and that's where Hope House came from was Brian and his wife Jamie uh that we did a recovery meeting here in the into the sanctuary. Well, as you all know, and this is where I'm getting down to this, is you can have recovery homes. I've been in it for 19 years, and we have Wayside Mission, which has been a women's recovery home for quite some time. And so, our residents been empty uh for about a year, year and a half. And and so to say this, Brian has five men down there. And if you would ever go in and see cuz I've been in had recovery homes, Connorsville, Wayside, I can go in that house every minute. It's spotless. The men make their beds. They take care of theirel. And when he had the men before they had to move, uh there was 12 out of the 14 men had jobs and was working. And these men in this place now are

working and being very productive in our community. And uh so I'm just being glad that I could I couldn't we're only limited to the five five but I thank God that I can put this here for for my because it's what we're here for because there's a need there's a want and if you put I've I've seen leaders I've had leaders and I've never seen two men like these two men that lead these men because I've been in a lot of recovery homes. They trash the beds aren't made. They're not there's no organization and these guys walk the walk and they talk the talk and this is really what they're saying to you tonight is the truth and I've had we have had no issues no problems and uh it's they're walking it out and all I can say tonight is this this is needed in my when Brian came to me and we talked and I turned him on on to this place to let him know Hey, Muny does not have anything. We got men's missy mission, but it's not a transitional home. It's not a um home like these guys are portraying to get them in the working class for the for our community. So, these guys are the real deal and I'm glad to be a part and I just see that more growth and more things coming to Delaware County for the men that need it. As Jeremy had said, we need this in Delaware County. And if we need had 10 more houses, we could fill them. But these guys are true leaders and they they know what they're doing. And I just highly recommend that you guys would consider that and uh it would be a benefit to our community.

Okay. Thank you.

Hi. Uh [clears throat] Kenneth Maxwell, 304 North Redwood Lane, Muny, Indiana 47304. Uh, I work with an outfit called, uh, Delaware County Iraqs, and we go into the Delaware County jails, and we work with, uh, people in the jails to try to get them, um, to go, uh, instead of, uh, jail and prison uh, to uh, get them on a drug treatment program and get them into recovery. uh working with uh uh community corrections. A lot of times uh the community corrections wants them to stay in Delaware County. Well, the problem is is there's no place to put them. Very very there's there's one maybe two and um uh places like the Muny Mission will not allow uh GPS monitoring. Now, uh, I wanted to just say on a personal note that the gentleman who was talking, uh, a couple of, um, before me, Jeremy Spencer, was my mentor and trained me how to be a peer recovery coach. He was trained by Brian Blevens to be a peer recovery coach. I wasn't going to say this, but I feel like that I should. I'm a convicted felon and it is because of recovery and because of being in recovery that I am a taxpayer house owner and work in the Delaware County Jail. I have a badge that gets me into places in the Delaware County Jail. And the reason why I do is because I was uh I was in addiction and I found a place of recovery. And this is vital for this uh this for this community. And the reason why is because we want people to not only get off drugs, but to be productive

citizens, taxpayers, and to be fathers again. And that is what he is training these these young men to do, to be fathers, to be husbands, to be responsible. And uh I I this is a rhetorical question, but how many people would like to hear less firetruck uh sirens in Muny? Because let me tell you, the majority of the time that you hear a firetruck, they're not going to a fire. They're going uh as a first responder because someone has ODed on drugs. And I love that he is trying and that and that Devon is trying to start a community here because this is vital for the lifeblood of Muny and this is so important and and and he is and what he's doing he's doing out of love

and I appreciate your guys's time and I appreciate you hearing us. God bless.

Thank you. Hi. Uh, Barbara Kracraft, Maxwell, 304 North Redwood, uh, uh, Lane, Muny, Indiana 47304. Um, I'm a little nervous. I wasn't planning on speaking, but I kind of want to give a little clarification, maybe from the recovery community, not from an employee. So, I have been involved in recovery, specifically uh alcohol 12 steps since 2017. And we see people come in and we see them go out and nine times out of 10 they go back out um they either end up in jail, in the hospital, or dead. And um we have lost some people. One of the things that um I I'm sponsoring a gal right now and she's living in a I I tend to call it a halfway house because back in the 80s when I lived here in Middletown Center was here, I lived in a halfway house as I was transis transitioning um out of a an abusive relationship into my own facility or my own property. Um she lives in Anderson and she has to come over here for meetings. Um like they were talking about you want to get new people uh places and things. Okay. Um my husband and I, the one that just spoke, we go into the jail once a week and we take AA meetings in there. There's a couple other guys that take NA meetings. And uh one of the things we tell the people um that are going to a treatment facility, if if you have to go back home to where there's drugs and alcohol, look into a sober living facility. The thing about that is if

they go to sober living in Anderson or uh Grant County um and they go to meetings there, they get to know the people there and then they move back here to Muny and they don't know anybody at the meetings because they haven't been here. And if you're shy, um it's really hard to walk in those doors. But, you know, we tell them meetings, meetings, meetings, and get to know um it's a community. Uh, recovery is a community. We love on each other and we support each other and um, yeah, I think that's about all I have. Thank you for listening. Thank you.

Good evening. My name is Josh Kubleneck, 9695 North County Road, 425 East in Albany. I'm about 12 minutes from 304 North Walddemir. Um before I begin, I do want to acknowledge recent efforts by local officials including the uh Rhinary administration and Muny for the recent investments in the mental health and addiction services. I use the words it's kind of a a square can be a rectangle, but a rectangle can't be a square. You have addiction, there's always mental health that goes with it. And if you have mental health, maybe you're lucky enough not to have the addiction. So, we are making progress. as we've heard today. Uh I think the one analogy we could put one in every neighborhood and still not have enough. Uh so I I commend everyone for here for taking up this cause and making your voices uh and thoughts be heard regardless of which side of the issue you're on. Tonight I speak from several perspectives. Uh Brian added me earlier as a former police officer. Uh I'm a former city of Muny police officer full-time. Attended the Indiana law enforcement academy in 2006. I was also a Delaware County Sheriff's Reserve Deputy. Have a total of about 9 to 10 years in law enforcement, current business executive. I have five kids, and myself, someone with over 10 years of sobriety. Um, I also come from a family deeply impacted by addiction. I've seen the effects of substance abuse disorder through law enforcement, through family, through my own personal recovery. I personally know Brian Blevens. He himself has over a decade of sobriety uh five years experience supervising sober living homes as he mentioned worked alongside court officials both in Grant County and Delaware County and he's become a resource and well known around Delaware County as we've seen here tonight uh just as we we're a little bit um behind where we where we really would like to be as far as offering these sorts of services. Um the data shows that Delaware County has a

statistically higher over death overdose death rate than the state average. Um numbers have come down, but we still seem to be one of the the counties that are lagging behind. Kingdom Recovery will not be a treatment center as uh was discussed earlier. And if you think about how tough this really would be to go in, if you can imagine, I mean, you're basically kind of starting over and you're not looking for a hand out, you're looking for a hand up. um minimum 30 days sobriety before going in, have to be employed, strict curfew, lots of rules, lots of of incentives to to get things figured out and get things straight. Um, from my experience in law enforcement, instability drives recidivism. Structure reduces it. Many times when I was on the street and people would say, Josh, what do I need to do? A lot of times my answer was, you need to get out of Muny. You need to move out of Delaware County. go new people, new places, new things. Um, this property notably was previously a church, a place of restoration. Uh, I think that spirit continues here. And I will I'll close by saying, you know, I've watched addiction destroy families. I've watched recovery rebuild them. The difference is almost always structure and support. Kingdom Recovery offers men, and by men, sons, husbands, fathers, a chance to stay sober, work, and become productive members of society. I respectfully ask you approve this ordinance. Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening. Clinton Pierce, 8:16 West Ashland Avenue, Muny, Indiana. I want to start by thanking the city of Muny, Brian and Devin and the team at Kingdom Recovery for giving me this platform to talk about sober living. I'm currently a part of sober living. Um, first of all, I'll give you a little background. I'm 45 years old. I have three children and until recently, I would have considered myself a productive member of society. Unfortunately, I also have years of baggage with AD addiction. I recently relapsed and found myself in the hands of the law again after 10 years of sobriety. I committed a crime right here in your community. In doing so, everything I've known in the past 10 years went away. My family, my house, my vehicles, even the animals we had raised, all now gone. Sorry.

Fun. Um, I went back to jail and completed a sentence given according to the state. Upon my release, I was faced with homelessness. Because a relative of mine happens to be to work with the system, I was able to get set up with the Muny Mission. I can't begin to tell you the feelings that had me in a state of confusion that that caused. Lost, unworthy, scared, just to mention a few. I wasn't there but a short time before people started reaching out as friends, a case worker, and others that I felt compelled to help. I was invited to great to a great group called RU within Grace Baptist Church where I now attend not just the recovery meetings on Friday night, but I attend Wednesday and Sunday services as well. While that was a big step for me in feeling not so lost, I was still feeling down about my situation. That's when I was given contact information for the recover kingdom recovery. I'm going to be honest when I say that I had my doubts about moving in. I've done a lot of time in a lot of different places and I know firsthand what type of people some places allow. However, after meeting Brian and his team at Kingdom Recovery, I was very quickly I very quickly got over my hesitation and committed to moving in. I could tell right away that this wasn't just another governmentf funed place. that cared more about numbers than people. There's structure, expectations, accountability, and not one day goes by the team doesn't check in without or with not only our well-being, but our progress and the steps we've taken for each of our different situations needed to get our lives back in order. Now, I want to talk to you a little bit. Most are a little bit most if not all of us have been affected by addiction or mental health in one way or the other. We can all agree that the city of Muny is losing a battle against crimes,

drugs, mental health, disabilities, and other factors that are tearing our community apart, plaguing it and every city and small town in our country. The fact is the lack of resources is one of the biggest issues. Whether it be not enough police, not enough housing, not enough rehab facilities, mental health facilities, or just the fact. Is that me? I'm sorry. Um, I'm so sorry. You're fine. You're fine.

Okay. So, now, how many of us have said, "Man, I wish there was something I could do to help combat this that's plaguing our communities." Well, guess what? Here's the first step in doing that. Sober living is just that. It's a controlled environment that allows people like myself to get back on their feet. Every person is considered that is considered as vetted and in a sense held to a higher standard with the requirements it takes to be even be considered. It's a stepping stone that this city needs to assist in tipping the scale against the lack of resources earlier mentioned. If one doesn't meet the criter criteria set forth, they're simply turned away, allowing room for the right person to move in. If you happen to be if you happen to be one that said in the past that you would be willing to help the community, vote this in. This is your chance to do something good for your neighbors and your community. Those of us in sober living have a need to have the privilege of calling you our neighbors. It's a part of our healing and sober living is our way of giving back to the communities that we've helped tear apart. This is our opportunity to fight back by knowing you have a group of people in the Kingdom Recovery Organization that are making sure who moves in next door are nothing more than good human beings that need a safe environment to rebuild what's been lost. This is your chance for change. Thank you.

Thank you, sir. Good evening. Dan Rydenower, mayor of Muny. I'm going to speak first um as mayor. Uh I I had received um a couple of different complaints and accusations and I felt like the right thing to do and and I will say that I received probably uh not quite double but more uh in favor of this particular proposal just uh at the mayor's office. But I wanted to check the complaints um and verify. So I did call a mayor of another city and uh that that what I was told is that this uh that they were kicked out from another city and I asked and I was told that was not the case. Um I said so I know that means you didn't but did the building commissioner or anyone else kick them out? And I was told no that was not the case. And then I asked, did the police due to call runs or anything like that uh create a problem to where you had them no longer there? And I was told, "No, that is not the case." So, as mayor, I wanted to share that. I did that research myself. Um, even though I personally uh because of our family history, I'm very much in support of what they are putting together. uh we have had we have lost family members who didn't have somewhere to go um and I have family members who are in recovery and it never ends and if given an opportunity well this is this is not treatment so that's the important piece to know the treatment for any addiction has already occurred this is helping provide those life skills Um and with the rules that been

explained, I am 100% comfortable with what they are putting together and um it is it is one of the things that we um that I believe are one of the things the pieces that our community needs and I am very much in favor of it as a as an individual. I want to also say uh we have just within three blocks or right around three blocks from my house. I we have I know we have a small building that has some people who are in a similar type program and they work they keep it clean. We we've not had any challenges. So I just hope that people will not be concerned and that they will uh do what I believe is the right thing and vote in favor of this. Thank you.

Thank you. Hi, my name is Melissa Hendris. I live at 501 North Bennett, which is in the neighborhood. And um I've I've lived here 99% of my life in this neighborhood, block from where I live now. And I'm I've seen drug addicts come and go and I've seen people who think that they're doing good and the neighborhood go straight to well, you know, but um I think this would be a good move for my to have a sober living because I've seen the adverse I've seen the opposite of what can happen and I for one think that it would be amazing for them to get the neighborhood cleaned up cuz it it's pretty bad. But it's it's more cluttered and more it just needs some the brightening up, you know what I mean? And um I don't have a whole lot to say. I'm just I think it's a good idea. And I've met the guys and they volunteered at my church, The Norm, and they've they go all out and they're not getting paid for that. They go and they work hard because that's what they do. instead of getting into their addiction, they're getting into work and doing what helps the community. And I am part of the community. So, thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Hi, my name is Mike Kinson. I'm a probation officer in Grant County. I've been a probation officer there for uh since 2000. I'm also the director and coordinator of our drug court program and I've done that since 2004. We started that there. So, very familiar with what's going on. I'm not going to talk about the character of Brian and Devon. You've heard that over and over. I echo what's already being said. What I do want to talk about is the benefit of sober living. It's uh as a drug court officer and coordinator and trying to help people with addictions. Um, one of the single greatest things that's happened for us along with peer support in Grant County has been opening the opening of sober living homes. And I appreciate the decision you guys had to make. We've had to we had to do this in Grant County, too. We had to go through the boards and wrestle with do we allow these things to happen? Do we not? And man, they they've been such a blessing to Grant County to have them. Just today in our court session, I put two people I got two people out of jail because two beds popped open in sober living and we was able to get them started in our drug court program because we had beds available at a sober living facility there in Grant County. And so, uh, just from a pure economic standpoint, I don't know what it is here. It's almost $60 a day per person to house somebody in Grant County. So today I saved our county $120 and next and tomorrow another 120 just for these two people. Uh my program has 70 individuals in it. Probably over 50% of that is in sober living. And so we are utilizing it on a on a daily basis pretty heavily. And we've had them running for several years now. And I can't I to my knowledge there's been no issues in any neighborhood in any area uh because of the residents being there. They're there. They're working. They're trying. And again, I just want to echo. I think this would be the the best thing Delaware County could do. I know these guys are going to work with with the

corrections departments, probation departments, problem solving courts. They will all be able to utilize what's happening here and enhance what what Delaware is trying to do. So again, that's just that's my experience with sober living um on a daily basis. Appreciate the work y'all are doing. Thank you.

My name is uh Gary Burnham, 533 East Horton Street, Bluton, Indiana. Um you guys have heard all about um Brian and Devon's character, so I'm also not going to speak on that. I think it's self-explanatory where the heart is. Um the I am the forensic engagement coordinator for Delaware County IRAs. I work just below this right here. Um so what I do inside of the correctional facility here is I I teach individuals coping skills to deal with daily life, right? We teach them things to deal with rooted problems that come from childhood. Um this is a men's sober living house. So, I know as a man myself that men struggle with um leaning on other people sometimes. You know, we we struggle about speaking up and being open. And I think that um a sober living here would definitely give that safe space for a man to grow. Um I myself am a person in recovery. Um, and I found my Lord and Savior in jail. But when I got out, I went to a sober living. And that sober living literally changed my life. This was in Grant County. Um, that was a nine-month program. And I would not have developed any of the skills to um live life normally, right? I I didn't have no job skills. I had I had nothing, you know? I don't even think that I like owned a car longer than a few weeks until I did this sober living. And that sober living changed my life. And um this is speaking from a person that's been on both sides of it. I I'm now in a professional field. Um believe it or not, man, you know, Brian is the guy that put this thing into my ear. Him and his wife Jamie. They they encouraged me to do

this peer recovery stuff and I got into it, man. And um the goal here is to change lives. It's not It's not about, you know, an addict is going to always be an addict. I I heard that at the beginning of this session. And um I think that's more of a stigma that needs to be broken because um you've you've heard multiple testimonies in this room that people that were given the opportunity and you have people that love on you and that believe in you, the message is hope. All you just have to give somebody hope and a purpose and they will blossom. They will bloom. They will grow fruit. They will show fruit. And that's exactly what a sober living does. And I'm full in full support of Kingdom Recovery LLC. And that's all I got.

Okay. Thank you.

My name is Joe Rodriguez, 3903 South Popular Street, Marian, Indiana. I am a peer support coach in Marian and I work with I've worked with a lot of clients and I can just simply state that I have a lot of them that are in sober living a lot of them that are not and sober living or not the ones that have stable housing they have a fighting chance the ones that know they keep making trips back and forth to treatment and trying to find their way, but without that stable housing in the beginning, it's just it's a lot of work. So, uh I'm in favor of Kingdom Recovery.

That's all I have to say. Thank you. Thank you.

Good evening. Uh my name is Jared Hummer and the address is 222 Angling Road in Farmland. And uh I uh I came here tonight because I wanted to uh to support this program. I don't personally know uh I I don't personally know Brian or Devin though uh I know of the work that they do and uh we run in the same circles doing the same type of work and so um [clears throat] my needs this my needs more more opportunities for people to not get clean and sober but once they are clean and sober like like you've heard to build life skills. I want to give just a slightly different perspective on on this. Um, [clears throat] so we heard that the question was posed those that would say once an addict always an addict and uh that [clears throat] absolutely is not true. And so what I would say from a biblical perspective is that um a bibleelving Christian cannot believe that to be a fact. 1 Corinthians chapter 6 starting in verse 9. Verse 9 starts out [clears throat] uh know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Paul goes on to list various sins. And in 10 he says nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you are washed, but you are sanctified. But you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God. And I absolutely believe that. Speaking from a to a secular audience, I would say that if we believe that those people are not going to be contributing to positive change in our

community, if we don't believe that people can't re be rehabilitated, if we can't believe that mental health can't be treated, if we can't believe that addiction can be overcome, we are not going to make any progress. And I [clears throat] was saved out of addiction almost nine years ago. while I was in jail. And uh now I um God has allowed me to be in the Gideonss. I go into two different uh I go into the Delaware County Jail. I go into the Blackford County Jail and I minister to the inmates. I also um I'm actually on the payroll, the Indiana Supreme Court through the uh Child Welfare Improvement Committee. I work closely with DCS. Um, I I work at a state level, a national level, uh, in child welfare with Casey Family Programs and the Children's Trust Fund Alliance, and here locally, I get to help families reunite with their children. What I want to say, it's not about me, but God's given me those opportunities. And through those opportunities, I see lives changed, families reunited, and it's not about me, but it's not just the men that you're going to serve that that get served here. It's what they're going to go out and do later, the lives that they're going to ch touch and change our community.

Thank you. Thank you. And for moving forward, we will be sticking to the three minutes because we're getting long in the meeting and we have more business. So, so once your three minutes is up, you'll need to um end your um end up your statement there if you can.

Joshua Noble, uh 5704 West Winterhawk Court, Muny. Um I don't know, Brian. Uh, I do know the fruits of his work. Uh, Otis and Toby and and Ronnie. Uh, these guys when I I met them through the norm. Uh, the norm has an outreach uh and uh connection with with Brian. But these guys when I first met them, they most of them were like fresh out of out of jail, ready to to restart their life. And uh they were eager. Uh some of the stories I heard is uh they made some calls. They, you know, uh someone in jail said, "Here, call this place and see if you can get in, you know, if you want to stay straight." Uh one of the guys made a call. Uh they were they were booked. He couldn't get a hold of anybody else and then somehow um he got Ryan's or uh Brian's number. Uh but that in between time, he was he was just tore up. didn't know where he was going to go. Brian's got him a spot. Uh, every one of those guys, they're they're not addicts. They're chefs. They're carpenters. Uh, their fathers, brothers, sons, uh, grandsons. Um, you guys should take great joy in allowing this variance. And I would beg for 15. the guys, you know, the more the marrier they're going to do better. Uh with with the more the more they reach uh and you're going to bring families together. Uh you're going to restore relationships and in turn these guys are going to spread that love onto to someone else and uh there's going to be less people in sober living because there's going to be sober kids. They're going to see their their father sober for the first time. uh they've learned that lesson. Uh

you know, they see what what their father is, sober, what their father was uh as a drunk or or an addict. And and again, uh these guys got a lot more titles than uh than addicts. They're fathers, sons, brothers, husbands, uh community. You know, if they're if you let them pave your road or build your house, why not let them uh recover here in your town? Thanks. Okay.

Thank you. Hello, I'm Adam McDaniel. My address is 1301 South Beacon Street in Muny. Uh, I just wanted to share tonight that I was an an addict for 17 years and it was the it was the structure and accountability and the love, the same principles that Brian is using as running this min running this this house is what changed my life. is what showed me how to be a a true me member of society. Now I could say I own my house. I could say I have a good job. I own my cars. You know what I mean? It but it was because I encountered the the same kind of program that he's offering. You know what I mean? Like and it's important that people really know that there's help out there and when there's help, we need to be willing to give the help that we have. You know what I mean? And I just want to share that with you. But it's the same kind of principles that he's using is what changed my life. So yeah, that's what I got.

Okay. Thank you, sir.

So my name is Jamie Blevens and my address is 409 North Jefferson Street, Hartford City, Indiana. I am Brian Bleven's wife. Um, so I know him the best because I live with him and I've been married to him for almost nine years. and both of us are in long-term recovery from substance use disorder. Um, both of us help people in the community. Um, and I have watched this man work tirelessly. Um, he serves with his whole heart. Um, he has a heart of compassion and um, we are grateful for even having this opportunity. Um, this has been his vision, his dream for a very long time because we want to make an impact in the communities and the lives of anybody, any community that we're in. Um, and I just want to say this, and I've heard it been said a lot, um, but I want to drive this home. These men are amazing. Um, these men got lost in addiction. um when we start using drugs and I will say and speak for myself, I never in a million years thought that um I was going to get addicted to them. I never in a million years thought I'm going to lose my kids. I'm going to be a bad mom. I'm going to commit crimes um to continue to use and feed my drug addiction. But you lose yourself. You lose yourself in the guilt and the shame and the and the harms that you cause to other people, not just yourself. And then you try to numb yourself. And then this you you know they come too and they get the opportunity to come into a home where they get to learn and they get to grow and they get to be accountable and they get some hope. Um and I personally am a part of this. Um I love to see people grow. I love to see people recover. I

love to see people take their lives back. Um, and I am 1,000% um, in support of this. I am um, I know Devin, he is an amazing man of God, a man in recovery. Between the three of us, we have over 30 years in recovery. Um, these men are lost. The men that are going to come um, are lost and they just need to be found and they need to find themselves. And if they remain in addiction, all it's going to be is crime, it's going to be death. Um, and we don't want that. We want to be a part of the solution. Thank you. We want to be a part of the solution. And um, if you're not a part of the solution, you're a part of the problem. And that's something that I've learned. Um, and I actually started voting when I was in recovery and didn't realize the importance of it because a leader told me, "If you're not a part of the solution, you're part of the problem." And I'm going to leave it at that.

Okay. Thank you. Yep.

Um, Katina Stra, 1412 West 10th Street. Um, I come today as a daughter and a sister of an addict, but also I work for the Muny Housing Authority. Um, I'm the public housing director. I see the impact of how inadequate housing has on our community on a daily basis. The barriers that we have to go through, the barriers that individuals that come out of the system have to go through. We can't house anybody until they're 3 years past the date of conviction. And there's not enough adequate housing in our community to be able to house this. I hear the stories every day of people needing housing, ready to give up because they have no place to go and they're just ready to crawl back in addiction or where they're going because there's no resources for them or anything like that. Our community needs more housing for individuals. whether it's sober living, transitional, emergency, we just don't have enough adequate housing for the populations that we serve. And I just want to say thank you as a community member, but not only that, just as a a housing authority employee just because the need is great. It really is. So, thank you for your consideration.

Thank you. So now this is the opportunity for anyone wishing to speak in opposition. They would have an opportunity to speak.

Hi, my name is Pat Bogs. I live 2609 West Airway Road here in Muny, Indiana. My wife and I bought a property at 3201 East Wiser, which is directly adjacent to this building in question. Um, my daughter and son-in-law, granddaughters live in this building. Um, they bought into the property several years ago, so we own it all together. Um, she looks out of her, uh, kitchen window. 16 ft away is this building. There's 16 ft between this building. Um, you know, so I there's no argument about the need for housing, this kind of housing. I I'm not here at all to say it's not important. It is very important. I have two cousins in recovery, so I I know what this is about, but I'm not here today for that. I'm here tonight because the question tonight is is this property uh will it be put to good use for this? And will Mr. Blevens and Case administer that properly? You know, I come here as a parent and a grandparent, most of which you here in this room are probably parents and grandparents. So hopefully you can put your yourself in my position. Uh when Mr. K said 15 residents, I I floored me. Um that is that is a lot. Uh and even 12 is a lot. But um you know they the girls have lived there their whole life and now something like this is going to come up right next door 16 ft away. Um you know her swing set is probably 30 ft away from the back back part of that and um it it bothers me. It bothers them. um several times. I I I I don't want to speak ill of these people, the people

that want to be uh residents there. Uh they deserve it. But put yourself in my shoes. Um my granddaughters, you know, my little granddaughter, she had cancer in her eyes. She's blind in one eye, sees very little out of the other eye. So, I'm I'm pretty sure she probably won't even want to go outside unless somebody's with her. So there's a lot of concern um with that. Um there has been a lot of support um you know for Mr. Case and Mr. Blevens and they're they're probably really nice guys. They obviously are you know thank God you know they're helping people. Thank God they're in recovery. I I can appreciate that. Um a couple things. Um, I don't know if few people know or how many people know, but they had people in there living before this process right here. And they they were had they had to leave. They had to take them out. So, myself, I know you've heard nothing but good from them. And I'm sure there's 99.9% good of them. But to me as an observer, when I see something kind of somebody subser subverting the rules, if I said that right,

it kind of leads me to maybe not trust them as much. So, okay. Hey, I'm the first opposer. I'm probably going to be the only opposer. So, [laughter] anyhow, that's fine. Go ahead. Pardon me. It said go ahead. Yes. Oh, but anyhow, that's I I don't know what else there's a lot of other things I got to say, but I think I made my point. Okay.

Um, you know, I just wanted you to understand that how people think there's a lot of other kids and families directly right around there. Um, this is the mother of our her our neighbor, her grandkids, little grandkids live there. So, um I I just want you to let you know that the neighborhood is concerned, very concerned, and I hope you will take that. Can I ask you, have you spoke to any other neighbors about concerns? Okay. I'm sure. Well, you'll have an opportunity, ma'am. You ma'am, you'll have an opportunity. Um Yes. Sorry. I was just asking him if he spoken to

She's been around to several in. I'm just asking you if if you have spoken to anybody. not know she lives there so I let her do it. Okay. So, okay. Any other questions? Okay. Okay. Thank you. And for the members of the board, you did receive the email um from Mr. Bogs that was sent in today. We're not done giving you the opportunity. We're explaining things. Yes. Yeah. I just want to mention that the board did receive the email from Mr. Bogs along with a couple of pictures. Um just to mention that for the record. Hi, Lucinda Privet. Um,

and can you bring your microphone down because you're very soft spoken as always. Yes, you're fine. Thank you,

Lucinda Privet. Um, I'm concerned about the address at 309 North Clayool. That is where my younger sister lives with my two nephews. Um, it is directly next door to this property. Um, my little sister's back door is approximately 2530 ft from the back building. Um, the back of this building. Um, I agree. All of you deserve a chance. Absolutely 100%. My my uncle used to run um the Serenity House, Rick Lamb. Um, so I have been on on both sides. I I understand where all of you guys are coming from. You deserve this. However, in this neighborhood, Clayoolool Elementary is now a head start. There is a liquor store that is within two blocks there. My little sister's house on Clayool um is directly across the street from the biggest drug house in the neighborhood. I will testify for that. Um, there are numerous problems with this. Um, I have a problem with there not being a um a uh camera in the back of the facility. There was nothing mentioned about the back being of any protection whatsoever. The building is shaped, you know, in the front it is properly, you know, facing the the street, but then it goes very very far back,

right?

Um, my ne my nephew's backyard is no longer going to be open for them to be be able to play with, you know, the peace of mind of, you know, are they going to be okay? Are they going to be safe? You know, I understand my has a huge, huge need for this. However, in this neighborhood, I don't believe this is the place for it. I really truly do not believe that this is the place for it. There are other buildings um that would be better suited for this. There are several neighbors that are up in arms over this. I cannot believe that we are the only neighbors for that are here. My mom, there's a couple neighbors. I mean, like, I don't know why none of the other neighbors showed up. I guess maybe they thought it was useless. Maybe they thought it was already a done deal. I don't know since, you know, there were already people living. Sorry that there were already people living in there in November. I'm I am like him. You know, everybody says that the rules are going to be followed. Well, coming in and checking once a day with everybody having an a job and being employed, you're not going to see everybody. You know, like you might see them once a week, but how are you really going to see all these people? I've been on both sides of addiction. You just how how are you going to know? How are you going to be

sure for sure? Um my nephews are my concern. They didn't make the mistake of going to jail. They didn't choose to get on drugs. They didn't choose alcohol. And they sure as heck did not choose to have to live next door to this building. Do you know what this building used to be? And when was the last time it was occupied by someone else? Um it it was a church. So there were people coming in and going out and probably more. Were there people coming in and going out of this building during the period of time that was occupied by the church? Um yeah, at the front door. Okay. I mean as I was going to say she can probably answer that better for you.

Sure. Um I'm writing with my jar community church pen. So I mean like as I am a Christian as well. I I definitely believe everyone has a fair chance. you know, they deserve that. However, this is just not the not the right place for it. Okay. So, thank you.

My name is Adrienne Joseph. Live at 3201 East Wiser Street, right behind it. Um, like I said, I I'm for people getting help. I really am. Um, but it's not the right place. to have it. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, guys. I mean, I Everybody gets a chance. Everybody deserves a chance for everything. But safety of our kids in the neighborhood. I mean, come on. I've been there for 15 years. And yeah, there's a house right across the street from them that have and have had the police there thousands of times and they still haven't done nothing to them. Nothing. I And like I said, I I am for people getting help, but there are school buildings that are empty. There are all these other buildings that are empty. Why can't Why can't somebody go and try and work together and do something like that. Do you want to say something? No. Okay. She was wanting to say something.

Sure.

But I mean, like I said, I'm for everybody getting help. I mean, everybody deserves a second chance, but not in a neighborhood. Not in a neighborhood where kids play and want to have fun and be out there. Yeah, it's a busy road sometimes because of the bus route right there on 32 right there on Wiser Street. But for her to be able to go out, which she can barely see, which she can't she can see, but not as good as everybody else has got two eyes. So, I mean, how is she to know where these people and are coming from or or different ones are trying to come through and not know? I mean, she knows not to talk to strangers, but she's a very she'll go and talk to anybody and everybody. And she plays with the little boys and they are allowed to come over and they, you know, and they play. But now they're afraid to even go outside because who's I understand you guys are [clears throat] monitoring or supposedly know of who you're going to be bringing in and everything, but who's to say that they're they're not lying of what they're I understand you say you do a criminal background check, but even people can even do that now nowadays and go and lie and fudge all that on the on the computers and all that. You could always go through the I mean, I don't know. [clears throat]

I'm sorry. I'm just for everybody getting help, but not in our neighborhood. Okay. Thank you.

Hi, my name's Mary Joe McCormick. My address is 4605 West Bazewater, but I'm here on behalf of my daughter uh who lives on Clayool right behind this building. The backyards meet up. She's ill and was not able to attend this evening. But I do have a couple questions. Um one, they say that they have a strict policy of uh 10:00 curfew. Okay. What happens if they're not in at 10:00? are the doors just locked and this gentleman is left out on the street um to wander around. Uh police presence in that neighborhood has been very lacking like they have said. Um I have never used a drug in my life, thank heavens, but 77 years old, I know where to go get it thanks to this neighborhood. So, that's a concern um to me for their residents. I mean, if I know how it's right around the corner, they need more cameras than just in the front yard. It needs to be around the whole building so that they can see what's going on mostly on the side of the building. Um, so police presence and the cameras I think are a big concern. Like they said, there's a liquor store right down the street. Um, in babysitting, one of my entertaining things is sitting in the living room with the lights out and I can watch the traffic, people on their bicycles all throughout the night, hiding behind trees and walking down the streets and on their bicycles and it's

really entertaining. So, this really concerns me with their residents if nothing else. Sounds like a wonderful program and well needed and if you want to put it in my neighborhood, I think it would be wonderful. I have no problem. It sounds like you do a great job. Um it's just a bad location. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Anybody else wishing to speak? You I have one thing to say. I I sat here.

You have to give us your name and be very quick. Ma'am, please. Lucinda Privet. I I sat here and and while everybody said their peace, it was very quiet. It was very nice. Everybody was respectful. Everyone was quiet and respectful. While everyone, all of you got up here and spoke. The three people that got up. Ma'am, ma'am, this lady in the blue shirt has been talking the entire time. I think that's very disrespectful. Okay, ma'am. Okay. So, we will have the um applicants if you can please come up and Oh, I'm sorry.

My name is Jeff Kennedy, 415 North Builtmore, the neighborhood in question. I have nothing against recovery. Utmost respect for anybody that's going through treatment, holding their sobriety and everything. I have family members that are addicts and recovering addicts, lost people to it, and everything else. But like other people have said, this neighborhood, we have problems in that neighborhood with people that's addicts right now going around stealing things and everything else. And and I'm not saying that that's definitely going to bring more of that, but I will say statistically and and I'm sure you guys know this, uh, six out of 10 people um, relapse out of recovery. And, uh, and he said this going to be a year facility. It's like 85% for opioids and in the first year is going to relapse. So, six out of the 10 people, which is going to be more than 12 is what they're wanting to put in there. Um, may add to the problem in the neighborhood and and like they said, you know, there's already addicts around in the neighborhood. Uh, them probably not a good fit for that themselves. You know, it's just being in a residential area and all that. So, that's what I have to say.

Thank you. Thank you, sir. Anybody else wishing to speak in opposition? Okay, we will have the applicants come back up. Um we have some questions to address that's been um brought before us. And if you can also just for the record, give us your name and um address again, please. Brian Blevens, 409 North Jefferson Street, Harford City. Uh Devin Casease, 2006 West Bradford Street, Marian, Indiana.

So I have written down some questions that were brought out. Um I guess the first um topic and I guess I need some clarification. Um there have been some comments about people living in this um building since November. Can you do you know anything about this and and what can you explain to us about that statement? Devin Casease. Uh, we bought the building December 26th and then we had residents in on the 1st of January for roughly, I believe, 30 days. and that the fire marshall said that it was 21 days, correction, and then we had them moved out because the fire marshall said there were some uh fire code issues uh inside of that building that have to be rectified before and and also we have to file a change of use with the state in compliance with the uh fire code consultant to have this building um approved for residential living. Basically,

Brian Blevens. Um, when we first got the building, we thought that it since it was a commercial property and residential that we were okay to do what we were doing. So, when we started and talked to the police or the the fire marshal, we found out we had to put in a change of occupancy. So, I went to the commissioner to put in the change of occupancy. That's when I learned that we could not do that. So, we immediately shifted gears. Uh we got everyone out uh safely. And that was on the 31st of January. Um, I think they came in on the six, so we got a U-Haul and and had gotten everyone out so we we could meet, you know, what what we were doing. So, kind of the the cart before the horse. It was wasn't an intentional uh mistake. Um it is what happened and and things went uh safe while that uh they were there. And actually on the last day that they moved out, that's when the police report happened uh on the 31st of the evening, which um two blocks away, someone had a warrant for their arrest. They got in their car and ended up uh pulling in to 304 North Walddemir. Uh Devin and I got a phone call because we left everyone our numbers. So I explained to the individual that had called me. Um it can't be us. We just moved everyone out. The only uh person there is a a 60 year old man with a bad

hip that that can't walk that was get that was getting ready to move out uh the next day. So I called the neighbor back uh in in in his concerns to just let him know, you know, what happened and the the neighbor w wasn't interested in the story. That's why I went to get the police report just, you know, and and safety uh is a concern. I have compassion for the families, the kids, uh the the the neighbors. Um I I want people to feel safe. I don't want to be a bad neighbor. I don't, you know, want to have uh animosity uh in someone's neighborhood. But to know that there's there's known drug houses and and that stuff, it, you know, that's not a good thing. The police need to be involved and and those criminals need to be, you know, dealt with and taken care of. I wouldn't want a sober living house with men trying to be sober with with people selling drugs. So, what would I do that? I'm telling. So, you know, it's about uh keeping your community safe and and we all have children and and and like uh the gentleman said earlier, they're sober living houses with children around and that stuff, you know, just really isn't a an issue, but I do have compassion for the neighbors. So, as to um like um cameras, do you have cameras that um

face all areas that you can see kind of what's happening on the whole premises?

Brian Blevens. So, we installed cameras, but we were waiting until the variance is over. That way, we can go in and and and do the rest of what we're doing. So currently right now we just have cameras facing the front on the inside, but we haven't had any cameras in there with people. We we've, you know, are just progressing and going along, but cameras would be installed in in every doorway to to monitor, you know, where people are. We're just kind of, you know, we're not going to go put $50,000 in a fire system if if if we don't get a yes. So, it's just kind of waiting to see, you know, what's going to happen so we can do that.

You will that's something you would be doing. Absolutely. And then ask to individuals that are not in compliance um whether they show up and they are um under the influence or not there during curfew. How do you address those individuals? Do you just kick them out and they're I guess the neighbors are kind of concerned that they're now just wandering the streets and and those types of things. Can you address that?

Devon Case um if there's any violation of the program in including including curfew. One of us will escort them to other housing. They will be in in violation. They will not be locked out of the house. They won't be roaming the neighborhood. We don't throw their clothes on the street. we find them other housing. So, they're in a they're in a vi a vi a violatory period of whatever it is 24 hours, 48 hours, they're still they're still there, but they have broken a rule and now they can no longer stay. So, we will find them immediate housing and they will be removed.

Okay. Okay. Does any other board member have any questions? I think you addressed them all. What' you say? You've got them all. Okay. I I think we have Is there any other questions of the board? Okay. I think um I'm not sure if you wanted to address anything, Gus. I think we might have all of the information that we might need. So, I don't know if you want to.

Uh Devin Case. Yeah. I just want to address just some of the concerns of neighbors. I I do understand that we do have compassion and I I'd like to just reiterate again that there is a process for a person to come in. We we go off of the state background check which is you can't forge it. It is it is accurate. Charges are present and and everything is seen. We go on that and then also we do an interview process and we see if they're going to be a good fit. We don't just take anybody out of prison. And again, we don't take violent offenders.

We don't take sex offenders. And I'm not saying there there's not still a could be still a risk because you do have people who have prior convictions. But I'll tell you this uh just to eliminate the fear uh surrounding these people are no longer criminals. They're not they're not they're no longer thinking like criminals. They're no longer in active addiction. These people have sustained periods of sobriety before they even gain entrance to the program. Number one, and number two, the the program is is strict enough that they know how serious it is. And we let them know right up front uh that even even any violation of this program will result in your removal. Because the the beds in this house or the rooms in this house are for people who are serious about changing their life and who back that up with action. We don't allow people to to deceive us or to if they are not putting in work every single day and becoming um a a recovered individual, they they will no longer be in the house. I als um [clears throat] also I wanted to speak to the kids feeling safe. Um there is going to be cameras around all sides of the building. there is not going to be any blind spots and those kids are perfectly safe to be outside and I number one I will instruct every single resident can make it a part of the rules uh that they and they already know this that there is no bothering a neighbor, no stepping onto their property, no um you know no issue no drama, no arguments, no no loud no loud um behavior outside and and we are going to do everything that we can to make sure

that the residents feel safe. Even to the point of taking specific uh lunch or coffee meetings or sitting down with these residents and and specifically going over things that they want to see happen what if it's within our ability to make it happen, then we're going to do that. If that includes putting up a fence around the edge of the property to help some of the neighbors that border this property feel safe, we're willing to do that. And we can, like I said, we can also put whatever restrictions we need to on the men to make sure that each neighbor, again, I feel that I feel compassion. I have little children. I do protect my own home. and we're going to do whatever we possibly can to make sure that this this facility this this property is not bothering any neighbors or anybody in the neighborhood.

Okay. Thank you. Um no, we're not no we're done with the public comment. So yes, correct. Yes. So, okay.

I think does anybody have any questions? If not, I guess I'll have the applicant sit down and and we will u the chair would entertain a motion. Yes. So, now the chair will entertain a motion um on this. I'm sorry, my microphone was off, so I had to Okay. [laughter] Um, I would make a motion to approve BZA02-26 with the conditions that the variance be for the applicant only and not transfer with the property and that all necessary approvals such as fire department, health department, building commissioner, anything else uh be granted before residents before the business starts, before residents come to live in the building, and that the occupancy of the building be limited to 12 residents given the parking situation.

I'd second that. We have a motion and a second. Um, roll call, please. Billington, yes. Rich, yes. Ivy, yes. Nap, yes. Matthew, yes. That is five yeses. So, that is official action of approval of BZA02-26. Um, gentlemen, our office will provide you with certification of that approval. Um, so you can move forward with getting all your permitting and everything done. Um, we will provide you with that.

Congratulations and good luck. Yep. And when your case is read, um you may leave, but we ask you to be quiet because we have more matters that we need to um address. So, if you can just quietly exit the room um and move down the hall if you're planning to talk. Do we do we need um

I'm not sure is anybody here on the next matter or do you know You want me to go ahead and read it?

Yeah, I'll go ahead. Next case, BZA04-26 jurisdiction board of zoning appeals being a public hearing on the matter of an application filed by McDonald's and Pegasus Future 2 LLC requesting a variance from the terms of the city of Muny Comprehensive Zoning ordinance to allow a 45 foot 45 foot tall pole sign for a new restaurant on a corridor road on premises located on the southeast corner of Macedonia Avenue and 29th Street, Muny, Indiana as more accurately described in the application. Okay, I guess before we move forward, Kayla, can you go out and maybe or Okay, I think some public official, please.

She's got it. You have to be reminded to help us. Look at her go. She's got it. Okay. So, is anybody here on behalf of Pegasus Feature 2 LLC? Yeah, good evening. Uh, Dan Olsen, 1027 Noddingham Road in Sycamore, Illinois, president of Upstream Design Group. So, we're here representing the application this evening for the sign variation

and uh yeah, we are we are seeking uh permission to put up a pole sign rather than a monument sign at this location. uh the overlay district that the site is located in does not permit that although code does permit pole signs within the community and so we are asking for relief at this corner. Uh McDonald's is an impulse business and and as such signage is is very important and at this location it's challenging. It would be challenging to see a monument sign given the existing billboard on site. There's another multi-tenant monument sign on site. Um, and that leaves us a very small corner between easements and everything else. It's a challenge to locate a sign. And so what we're trying to do is get up and above that to be able to be seen to run a successful business here. And appreciate your consideration.

So I can say I'm directionally challenged. So, h how what's the height of this going to be in relationship to like the um billboard and and those and I see that there's like a tower um of signs kind of in that general area. What's that going to be in relationship to the proposed sign? Yeah. So, the goal would be up and above that billboard sign have visibility especially for for westbound traffic. That would be challenging to see that. Does anybody have any questions else? Any other questions?

Okay, then you may have a seat then, sir. Anybody else wishing to speak in favor of BCA04-26? Hello, Mayor Rydenower. Uh 300 North High Street. Uh normally I'm not in favor of uh the poll signs, but when you look at this particular location and the difficulties um even though we are thrilled to have a McDonald's going up on the south side,

uh when you look at that location, it it I think this is probably one that definitely warrants uh consideration. So would ask that you look at it that way, please. Okay. Thank you. Anybody else wishing to speak in support of this um request? Okay, seeing none, anybody wishing to speak in opposition to BZA04-26. Also seeing none, then the chair would entertain a motion with regard to the applicant's request. Could I speak a little bit?

Yes. I just want to say I took it upon myself to go out that way and look at those heights and it absolutely fits at that height to still allow the others to be seen and there's to be um I don't like the word competitive because but for theirs to be visible to those coming into my don't know McDonald's actually sits there. you could see them getting past that entrance and saying, "Oh, McDonald's right there." And then trying to figure out how to get back in. So, I think it fits. Okay. Thank you from my perspective.

Okay. So, I guess is that um lead lead you into making a motion for that request then? I'll make a motion to accept as presented. So, we have a motion. How do we have a um second? I would second that. We have a motion and a second. Roll call, please. Rich, no. Ivy, yes. Nap, no. Billington,

yes. Matthew, yes.

Three yeses, two nos. So that is not official action of approval um or denial. Um so in this case, the your case would be continued until the next BA meeting. Um since there was not four votes one way or the other, um it will be continued. Our next meeting is March 26th, 6:00 p.m. in this room and we will rehear the case at that meeting as well. Okay. And again, so you're free to leave once your case is then there. Yes,

Madame President, could I take a restful break for Yes, we're going to take a minute or or couple minutes break here and we will reconvene. Oh, literally flashing back. Oh, it was I guess I can take this moment to ask for March 2017. during spring break for the Yes. But you'll be here. Pretty sure.

Okay. We were We were trying to take a quick trying to get my wife to take me on vacation, but I don't think she said something about waiting till June. Oh, there you go. Yeah.

Our next meeting here I'll be back in theory. I don't know. I was seeing the pictures of Turks and I want to go there. [laughter] But I don't

I'm also like Okay. Thank you. If you don't have your microphone on, please turn it on. That's a note to myself. Um, we will reconvene um to the next order of business then. BZA05-26 jurisdiction board of zoning appeals being a public hearing on the matter of an application filed by Game of Homes LLC requesting a variance of use from the terms of the city of Muny comprehensive zoning ordinance to allow two dwellings in a single family residence zone and a variance to allow a reduced rear setback of 11 ft rather than 15 feet for a variance of 4 feet for one of the dwellings on premises located at 10006 West Wayne Street,

Muny, Indiana as more accurately described in the application. And I guess um formally is there anybody here on behalf of Game of Homes LLC? Um do not see anybody. So I guess we have multiple options. Is that correct, Mr. Wisley? As to um what happens? Can we continue it or I guess moving forward? Um

I would say generally speaking, I mean the board does obviously have discretion to consider the matter on the merits as presented. Um the applicant was aware of the hearing. The applicant isn't here. And generally what I will I'll say though is generally speaking in the past with the board they've at least given the applicant one opportunity to continue it. reach out to the applicant, see if anything's going up and obviously if they don't show up at the following meeting that is up consideration. So, do we need to do any formal actions to allow the um office to um youach out? So, we would just need a we just need to do a formal continuance and then yeah, the office can reach out.

Yeah. So, the only vote we need to do though would be on continuing the case presuming that's what the board wants to do. Would the chair entertain a motion? Yes, I would make a motion to continue this case until next month. I'll second that. Give a motion and a second. Roll call, please. Ivy, yes. Nap, yes. Billington, yes. Rich, yes. Matthew, yes.

Okay. This case will be continued to our next BCA meeting which is March 26 pm and our office will contact the applicant um to relay that information. BZA06-26 jurisdiction board of zoning appeals being a public hearing on the matter of an application filed by Rachel Johnson requesting a variance of use from the terms of the Delaware County comprehensive zoning ordinance to allow a commissary for a food truck to allow a commercial store with a commercial kitchen in a pullb barn and to allow a 4ft by 8 ft sign to advertise the business on premises located at 11700 North Old Granville code, Albany, Indiana, as more accurately described in the application. Rachel Johnson, 11700 North Old Granville Road, Albany. So, our application has kind of become twofold. Um, so we last year just kind of had a small farm stand and we grew sweet corn and pumpkins and some garden vegetables and um at one time had started u a like we started building out a 20 by 20 area in our pole barn for one of our boys who races motocross. And as he got older and started to drive, we're like, "Oh, he doesn't really need a room for this anymore, but wouldn't it be cool if we could use this room for people to come and pick up their produce and then maybe So, our idea has kind of transformed and

grown um to where we would use that for people to that area in our barn, that 400 square ft where they would come pick up their produce them and probably like some seasonal decor items. And then over time we would like to add um maybe like some freezer beef, maybe if we would get chickens, maybe eggs that we grow on our own property. Um we are experimenting with tapping our maple trees and we experimented or not maple, I'm sorry, walnut trees and we've experimented with some walnut syrup that we're doing right there on our property. Um [snorts] and um then things like um like freezer corn, jams, things that we make out of the um products that we grow right there on our on our property. Um so that's one part of our operation that we're doing there. Um and then the other part is we have purchased a food truck. So we need a commissary for that food truck to come back to. So, we'd like to expand on that room that we have and build out another little area where we could have a commissary and a commercial kitchen that would serve both the food truck and the things that we would like to do for the farm produce and the store. And then in going with along with that then eventually we'd like to put a sign out front you know to adverti advertise the produce that we're selling and I think you had indicated in the application that um it would um that the the store would operate mainly um in um I think the summer months or kind of when when um is a time frame that you

would anticipate um it operating probably summer and fall would be our more um I think we would be year round but summer and fall would be the the heavier months where we would operate longer hours and I think you had also indicated in that you would have two employees and would envision that the operation would be from like 10:00 a.m. to like a 700 p.m.ish In our in our heavier months, I think we might do something like 10 to 7. Like when people are really wanting sweet corn, when sweet corn's in season,

we would have longer hours that were open. But really, as far as employees, we really it would really just be Brandon and I, and we live there on the premises, so we don't really intend to have other employees besides ourselves. Okay. Sure. And I guess with regard to like the food truck, it's just kind of there like a storage location, not like operating um or running a business of the food truck out of that um facility. No, we don't intend to to operate it there at that facility. It's just like going to be its home base. Yep. And I think your application had indicated that you had been in contact with some of your neighbors and that um that they appear to be in support of that. the ones that we've talked to have all seemed to be okay with it.

And I'm not seeing anybody else here other than you two. So, I would assume that um no one has expressed any opposition to this to you, have they? Has anybody expressed any opposition of you doing this? Not to us. Okay. I haven't seen anybody else have questions. Um, I'm assuming this proposed sign would be a ground sign. Yes. Okay.

Are we ready for a motion? Um, I have to have opportunity even though we're not seeing anybody, but we have to go through the motions to make sure that um [clears throat]

no one else is um out in the hallway or wanting to speak in favor or against. So, any um body wishing to speak in favor of BZA06-26? Um seeing none, anybody wishing to speak in opposition to BZA06-26. Seeing none, again, that's where I would we would now entertain a motion on the request. I move that we pass BZA06 26. um with the understanding that the variances of the use is for the applicant only will not transfer with the property and that all necessary approvals such as the fire department, health department, building commissioners, etc. be granted before business starts.

I'd second that. So, we have a motion and a second. Roll call, please. Nap. Yes. Billington, yes. Rich, yes. Ivy, yes. Matthew, yes. So that's five yeses. So that is official action of approval of BZA06-26. Our office will provide you with the certification outlining that approval and those conditions and that will then allow you to move forward with your project. Congratulations, good luck and thank you for your patience tonight.

Yes. Thank you very much. Yes. So, it looks like the next order of business would be the report from our director.

Okay. So, I gave you guys your packet. I'm just going to let you take that and peruse on your own time. Um, but I will also mention that we included the recently approved and updated BZA rules of procedure. We provided those to you tonight. So, make sure you replace the old ones in your packet with the updated current ones. Um, and also take a look at the second page I put in there. There's some pretty cool um activities listed there. One of our plan commission members is having a Lewis and Clark um in the footsteps of Louiswis and Clark presentations at uh Ball State. Um and then there's also the opportunity for a conference that is free and open to the public. So other than that, thank you.

Yes. Then um the chair would entertain a motion to adjourn. So moved. Okay. So we are adjourned. Thank you. Or Alan, would you