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Record of Proceedings

Lake County BZA Meeting - December 17, 2025

County Boards & Commissions — Wednesday, December 17, 2025
BodyLake County, Indiana
SessionCounty Boards & Commissions
DateWednesday, December 17, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:06

Like to call this meeting of the Lake County Board of Zoning Appeals to order.

0:10

Everybody rise for the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:19

Which stands one under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

0:29

And if you want to forego the nobody here but staff.

0:35

Well, notes not to use the elevator.

0:38

Yeah.

0:39

One of them still works.

0:41

Gary, you have record of those present.

0:43

Thank you.

0:45

And minutes.

0:47

Everybody received their October minutes.

0:49

I did, yes.

0:50

Yes.

0:51

Motion to approve, Mr.

0:52

Chairman, as presented.

0:54

Motion and a second.

0:54

All those in favor by saying aye.

0:56

Aye.

0:57

All those opposed, same sign.

1:01

Anything under communications?

1:03

And is that going to cover everything that we're going to talk about?

1:05

I believe so.

1:06

Communications, I hope everybody was listening in the Planning Commission.

1:10

Uh the dates are going to be the same dates.

1:12

Our start time is going to be pushed back a half hour later to begin at 6 30 for the year 2026.

1:19

Once again, I think we need to get the committee together that's going to approve the officers of this board for the year 2026.

1:26

If you want to establish who those members are going to be, it can only be two, correct?

1:30

So we have to work a majority.

1:31

So whoever those two individuals are that want to collaborate and figure out who's going to be the chairman and vice chairman or president or vice president, however, we term the heads of this board.

1:41

I guess if anybody wants to volunteer for those individuals, Frank, you want to do that?

1:47

Jim?

1:47

Jim.

1:51

And like I stated, I won't be here next month.

1:54

So what do we use?

1:55

Do we do it now?

1:56

No, we can't do that.

1:56

No, no, no.

1:57

Well, guess what?

1:58

Surprise.

1:59

You'll be gone next month.

2:00

That's fine.

2:01

We could still finalize everything that's going on.

2:04

You'll try to be volunteered in your ass.

2:06

Okay.

2:06

Yeah.

2:06

So you're going to get it while you're phone.

2:09

Mark.

2:11

Like how you say you're going to get it.

2:13

What are you calling?

2:14

The other thing is we really have to make some adjustments to this evening's agenda.

2:18

Um, as you all witnessed before the plan commission this evening, uh petition number 125-S E-07.

2:25

Uh Aaron Hackard, petitioner, Aaron Hacker, Kira Tim Kuiper's petitioner.

2:29

The property located two tenths of a mile north of West 137th Avenue on the east side of Iowa Street, also known as eight, I'm sorry, also known as 13535 Iowa Street and Center Township.

2:41

The request is for a special exception from the unincorporated county unified development ordinance.

2:46

Title 154, Article 16, Additional Regulations of General Applicability, Chapter 80, Regulations of Solid Fill A.

2:53

Special Exception Required.

2:55

Purpose to allow the deposit of solid fill.

2:58

This was also deferred last month by the plan commission.

3:00

There was a letter presented at tonight's planning commission meeting.

3:03

Uh requesting a deferral of this act, this this petition, and that was accepted by the planning commission, so it did not come before you for action.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████46%
Zoning Regulations█████████████████████████████████████████42%
Pending Litigation████████████12%
Summary of Proceedings

Lake County Board of Zoning Appeals Meeting - December 17, 2025

The Lake County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) met on December 17, 2025, at 1:00 PM. The meeting was called to order, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Key actions included approval of October minutes, deferral of a variance petition due to lack of proper advertising, and discussion of procedural changes for special exception study sessions.

Communications

  • The BZA was informed that for 2026, the start time for meetings will be pushed back half an hour to 6:30 PM.
  • A committee needs to be formed to appoint officers (chairman and vice chairman) for 2026. Two members volunteered: Frank and Jim.

Discussion Items

  • Petition 125-SE-07 (Aaron Hackard): A request for a special exception to allow deposit of solid fill on property located at 13535 Iowa Street, Center Township. This petition was deferred by the Planning Commission and did not require BZA action.
  • Petition 25-B-49 (Richard J. Oostman): A variance request for a 40x40 accessory garage (1,600 sq ft requested vs. 1,525 sq ft permitted) at 1412 West 115th Place, Hanover Township. The petitioner failed to advertise as required. The BZA voted to defer this item to the next month's meeting with proper advertising. The motion passed unanimously.
  • Study Sessions for Special Exceptions: Discussion about the need for BZA members to attend study sessions for special exceptions (where the BZA makes the final decision). The chairman indicated intent to change the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) to require BZA attendance at these study sessions, but noted this will take time and require Planning Commission and Council approval.
  • Site Visit: A site visit for an unspecified case is scheduled for the following day. Attorney Joe Irak and Tim Kuiper will be present. BZA members were advised not to attend in large numbers to avoid constituting a public meeting.
  • Motocross Track Case: Attorney Christian reported that Attorney Estrada is handling the case, but due to a staff departure, Christian may become more involved.

Key Outcomes

  • October Minutes: Approved as presented.
  • Deferral of Petition 25-B-49: Motion to defer to next month due to lack of proper advertising passed unanimously.
  • Procedural Change Announced: The chairman will work to amend the UDO to require BZA member attendance at study sessions for special exceptions.
  • Future Meeting: The meeting adjourned with no further business. The next scheduled meeting is in January 2026.

Meeting Transcript

Like to call this meeting of the Lake County Board of Zoning Appeals to order. Everybody rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. Which stands one under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. And if you want to forego the nobody here but staff. Well, notes not to use the elevator. Yeah. One of them still works. Gary, you have record of those present. Thank you. And minutes. Everybody received their October minutes. I did, yes. Yes. Motion to approve, Mr. Chairman, as presented. Motion and a second. All those in favor by saying aye. Aye. All those opposed, same sign. Anything under communications? And is that going to cover everything that we're going to talk about? I believe so. Communications, I hope everybody was listening in the Planning Commission. Uh the dates are going to be the same dates. Our start time is going to be pushed back a half hour later to begin at 6 30 for the year 2026. Once again, I think we need to get the committee together that's going to approve the officers of this board for the year 2026. If you want to establish who those members are going to be, it can only be two, correct? So we have to work a majority. So whoever those two individuals are that want to collaborate and figure out who's going to be the chairman and vice chairman or president or vice president, however, we term the heads of this board. I guess if anybody wants to volunteer for those individuals, Frank, you want to do that? Jim? Jim. And like I stated, I won't be here next month. So what do we use? Do we do it now? No, we can't do that. No, no, no. Well, guess what? Surprise. You'll be gone next month. That's fine. We could still finalize everything that's going on. You'll try to be volunteered in your ass. Okay. Yeah. So you're going to get it while you're phone. Mark. Like how you say you're going to get it. What are you calling? The other thing is we really have to make some adjustments to this evening's agenda.

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