Appeal filed on construction project

WANDA ENGLISH BURNETT

Construction inside the old Cecil’s Slice of Pie building ceased on Monday after an appeal was filed to question the decision of Tad Brinson issuing permits.

A property on US 421 in Versailles has had different uses over the years and a new twist will have the old Cecil’s Slice of Pie building with several occupants when it is finished.

According to the owner of the property, Scott Neal, his plans include several one-bedroom apartments. While they are small, they are ideal for one person. Neal said he was surprised when the newspaper asked him about the construction work going on there because he’s had those plans in place since last year. He also noted that he has all the proper permits that include those from the state and local county governments to sustain his plan.

In a legal notice inside today’s paper (page 9) Lori Samples has filed an appeal with the Board of Zoning Appeals concerning the construction that adjoins property where Encore Insurance is located at 630 Adams Street (US 421), Versailles.

The legal notice says the appeal is of the “Directors Decision to issue an Improvement Location Permit and Building Permit.” It goes on to read the application is on file for public inspection during regular working hours at the Area Plan Commission office in the Ripley County Courthouse Annex in Versailles, Indiana, prior to the hearing date, which is set for June 3 at 7 p.m.

Samples says the legal paperwork she filed concerns permits for the building of several efficiency apartments or motel rooms that are being built inside the old Cecil’s Pizza building. One of her major concerns is about the parking. The land is sparse around the building, and she noted there were problems with the pizza place with customers parking at the insurance company then. She feels this will bring more traffic.

There were other concerns about permits, which Neal said were all in place.

he Versailles Republican talked with a construction worker inside the business on Monday, May 12. He said he’s just working to make a living for his family and didn’t really know the details. Inside there were frames of walls going up that he said were designed to be individual rooms.

The “stop work” order was enforced later on Monday and the construction worked stopped. According to Tad Brinson, Plan Commission Director, “They are not to be working on any of it (at this time).”