There were four requests for variances presented at the March meeting of the Broad Ripple Village Association (BRVA) zoning committee. The first was for property located at 6420 Cornell Avenue. The request was presented by Lewis Kinkead and attorney Marci Reddick. This property is the blue house across the street to the south from the Broad Ripple Brew Pub. La Piedad is temporarily in this house while their house, a block north, is being outfitted with an enlarged kitchen. After La Piedad moves out, Hogshead BBQ will move in. The zoning variance request is to rebuild the 200 square foot front porch and for the addition of a 300 square foot patio. The patio addition will require a parking variance because of the extra customer seating. The argument for the project was that this will be a good restaurant that will attract more people to Broad Ripple. The argument against it was that parking is becoming a serious problem north of the canal.

The second request was by Rob Sabatini and Kosene & Kosene developer Gene Valanzano, for a variance of development standards to allow for an expansion of Rock Lobster into the back section of 818 Broad Ripple Avenue. This second appearance by Rob before the committee was scheduled to give interested parties a chance to express their concerns with the proposed project. The main opinion expressed against the project was that this property is part of a group of Broad Ripple Avenue properties that fall under an agreement that specifies the maximum percentage of the total square-footage that can be used for serving alcohol. This expansion would exceed that maximum. Rob's arguments for the project were that it would ease the long lines on the sidewalk during the busy weekends and that the additional bar space would not be visible from the street. Rob also stated that this property is already zoned for fast food. He thinks that this expansion would serve the community better than would a national chain fast food restaurant that would add to the congestion along the Avenue.

The third variance request was for the property located at 6195 Rosslyn Avenue. Lucy and John Canada, with attorney Mike Kias, presented the details of this request to the committee and several neighbors. The proposal was to convert this home into a small general office that manages a medical testing business for insurance purposes. The exterior would retain its residential appearance. Four employees would work in the office. While the north side of this house is on Broad Ripple Avenue and most of the homes along the Avenue have been converted to businesses, the neighbors pointed out that this property faces Rosslyn Avenue and has a Rosslyn address. This would set a precedent for business creep down Rosslyn.

The last request was presented by Doug Miller of Ado Salon and his attorney Marci Reddick. Doug proposed to convert the New Paradigm Christian Church, which is located at 62nd and Carrollton Avenue (once the Broad Ripple Christian Church), into a day spa. The proposal included fencing off the approximately 30-space parking lot, allowing it to be closed when the spa is closed. The reasons for this were stated as security and trash problems. The committee expressed concerns about closing off a parking lot of that size that has been, up to now, open for off-hours parking.

The next BRVA zoning committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 25, 2006, at 5:30 P.M. at Broad Ripple United Methodist church. The committee meetings are open to the public.