Door closes on shed business

Storage sheds will not be displayed in a vacant lot at the corner of South West Third Street and National Road West in Richmond.

During a Sept. 11 meeting, the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals denied a variance of use petition that would have permitted the business. The petitioner, Adam Powell, then withdrew a petition requesting relief from a variety of general commercial zoning requirements.

All four BZA members present voted against permitting the business after hearing opposition from neighbors and a recommendation to deny the petition from planning staff. 

Powell said the business would display a variety of Amish-built portable buildings along the 0.212-acre lot. He noted two businesses further west along National Road West display outdoor buildings, and a car lot operates across the street.

“It’s not really out of line for the area,” Powell said.

Opponents also noted the other outdoor building businesses, but said that makes Powell’s business unnecessary.

Gary Turner represented the leadership board of First United Methodist Church, which is across the street from the vacant lot. He said the board does not consider Powell’s business an appropriate use of the property.

Another church, First Assembly of God, is just west of the vacant lot.

Turner, who is a member of Richmond Common Council, said the city’s unified development ordinance stresses the city’s primary commercial corridors, such as U.S. 40. He said the city has enforced high design standards to improve the corridor’s look, and an outdoor building business would be a step back.

Joe Evans and Brian Heiber both live on South West Fourth Street and opposed Powell’s business.

Evans said the business wouldn’t benefit the city. He said it would be an eyesore and would create unwanted noise with buildings being loaded and unloaded.

Heiber also opposed the noise, wondered how the buildings would impact sight lines for vehicles turning from South West Third onto National Road West and said the buildings might increase vagrancy. He prefers site development such as Earlham Commons near Earlham College’s campus.

Before the vote, BZA member Jeff Cook said the business would present a traffic hazard and wondered if roads would need to be blocked for trucks loading or unloading the buildings.

Powell has 30 days to appeal the decision through the county court system.