By Mandy McFarland Editor
NAPPANEE — The Nappanee Plan Commission has postponed for another month plans for an ordinance that will restrict front-lawn parking in the City of Nappanee.
The Nappanee City Council first heard the proposed ordinance at their Nov. 20, 2006 meeting. The ordinance has since been in the hands of the city plan commission, which is in no hurry to pass it.
“We as a plan commission aren’t in any big rush,” said Wayne Scheumann. “We want to get it right the first time.”
The ordinance has been the main topic of discussion at the last several plan commission meetings, and will again be a main agenda item in April.

New problems came up, however, in how to define the term “driveway.” While it may seem simple, there is more to this than meets the eye.
The proposed dimensions within the ordinance define a driveway as “a passageway for vehicles ... composed of concrete, asphalt or gravel that serves to connect a public street or alley to a garage or legal parking space.”
In its current state, the ordinance also defines a driveway as taking up no more than 35 percent of a resident’s yard or as taking up no more than 30 feet of frontage, whichever is greater.
However, there has been concern that the proposed parameters may be too limiting for residents with three-car garages, basketball hoops and so forth. It could also be a potential problem for residents in duplexes or who have apartments in their homes.
“We want to be user and owner friendly,” said Mayor Larry Thompson at the Nov. 20 City Council meeting.
The next meeting of the Nappanee Plan Commission will be Thursday, April 12 at 7 p.m. at City Hall.