St. Joseph County Zoning Decisions: July 2026

In July 2026, St. Joseph County held 8 public meetings covering zoning matters. 26 zoning decisions had a recorded outcome this month: 21 approved (88% approval rate), 3 denied, 2 deferred. Activity was up 72% compared to June (343 activity items across 7 meetings).

Zoning Decisions This Month

Special use for agritourism at 62485 Miami Road (Bill 44-26)

Denied.

Special use petition filed by Daniel Truby Weller (Barn Swallow Farm, operated by Dan and Emily Truby Weller) to allow agritourism accessory to existing agricultural use on ~14-acre lot 3 of Schaefer-Miami Highway Subdivision, converting an existing barn into a venue for small weddings and farm-to-table dinners with a 10-car parking lot. ABZA recommended approval. A motion to add written commitments (10 spaces, 9am-9pm hours) failed. Motion to pass failed tie, returning to committee; per state law and ABZA recommendation the tie effectively leaves the ABZA approval controlling.

See the vote tally and conditions for this decision →

Lot-width variances at 12064 Adams Road

Denied.

Sportsmen's Park, LLC sought three frontage variances (12 ft for lot 3, 94 ft for lots 1 and 2 where 100 ft required) to allow a three-lot subdivision of a 2.45-acre R-1 parcel on Adams Road. Motion to deny by Joe Velleman carried; Mr. Schaefer voted no.

See the vote tally and conditions for this decision →

Cell tower variance at 64199 State Road 331

Denied.

Marlin B. Martin and Alice M. Martin sought a variance to allow a self-supporting lattice tower where a tapering monopole is required for a new 195-foot wireless telecommunications tower on an A-agricultural parcel, developed by Tower North for Verizon. A motion to approve (moved by Velleman, seconded by Ritzman) failed; a subsequent motion to deny carried.

See the vote tally and conditions for this decision →

Bill 44-26 special use agritourism at 62485 Miami Road

Approved.

Special use petition to allow agrotourism in the R Single Family District accessory to an existing agricultural use (Barn Swallow Farm), converting an existing ~1910 barn on ~14-acre parcel into a venue for small weddings and farm-to-table dinners, with a 10-car parking area, on-site well and septic (portable toilets initially). Came with a 4-3 favorable recommendation from the ABZA. Two remonstrators and one letter of support. Sent forward without a recommendation.

See the vote tally and conditions for this decision →

Bill 40-26 rezoning at Douglas Road (withdrawal pending)

Deferred.

Rezoning request for Douglas Road held in committee; petitioner submitted a written withdrawal request accepted the day before but after the agenda was advertised. A motion to send unfavorably died for lack of second. Committee sent it forward without a recommendation; the president noted the withdrawal will be effective and the item is withdrawn in whole, requiring a full refile if the petitioner proceeds.

See the vote tally and conditions for this decision →

Rezoning at 15362 State Road 23 from R to B (Bill 39-26)

Approved.

Ordinance rezoning property at 15362 State Road 23 from R single-family district to B business district to allow office or retail mixed use. Petitioner Merritt Nathan Daniel, represented by Nathan Flickner. Existing house to be demolished; three attached office buildings proposed. APC gave unanimous favorable recommendation. Passed (Drake and Figg no).

See the vote tally and conditions for this decision →

Rezoning at 50755 Portage Road (Crown Investments / JBL Signs and Lighting) - favorable recommendation

Approved.

Commission voted to send a rezoning from R single family district to C commercial district for a portion of the parcel at 50755 Portage Road to the St. Joseph County Council with a FAVORABLE recommendation. Use is a contractor yard for JBL Signs and Lighting (electrical, signals and lighting business), owned by Mr. Leibovitz through Crown Investments LLC. Staff had given an unfavorable recommendation citing leapfrog development. Roll call 7-0.

See the vote tally and conditions for this decision →

Variances for 50755 Portage Road contractor yard

Approved.

Commission approved variance 1 (to not pave drive/storage areas) subject to approval of the rezoning and to a written commitment that if a change or conversion of use requiring an ILP results in increased minimum parking, those areas must be paved as hard surfaces; and denied variance 2 (double staggered row of evergreens screening). Roll call 6-1 with Mr. Matzak voting no.

See the vote tally and conditions for this decision →

Showing the 8 most significant of 26 recorded zoning decisions. See all St. Joseph County meetings →

Zoning Changes

• R → B at 15362 State Road 23 (Merritt Nathan Daniel)
• R → C at 50755 Portage Road (Crown Investments, LLC)
• R → C, .35 acre and .21 acre parcels at Unaddressed parcels abutting 10676 and 10620 Toledo Avenue (BHN Investments, LLC)
• R → C at Toledo Avenue / McKinley Highway, Osceola (VHN Investments)
• R → C at 50755 Portage Road, St. Joseph County (Crown Investments LLC)
• R → B at 15362 State Road 23
• Zoning change at Douglas Road

Top Keywords This Month

• residential: 84 instances
• zoning: 83 instances
• variance: 79 instances
• commercial: 64 instances
• rezoning: 37 instances

What to Watch

• Residential mentions were up 147% from June.
• Zoning came up 261% more often than June.
• Variance saw 394% more mentions month-over-month.
• Commercial increased 56% compared to June.
• Rezoning mentions were up 208% from June.

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