Plan Commission backs rezoning for winery and wedding venue, adds conditions

The Porter County Plan Commission voted to send a favorable recommendation to the county commissioners for rezoning case Z0-20268, a request by Diane Sasser and Mike Tisma to change roughly 10.839 acres from rural residential to a commercial district to house a winery and wedding venue.

Applicant Diane Sasser described buying and rehabilitating the property in 2010, operating a wedding venue since 2017 and opening a winery in 2021. She said the venue has operated without neighbor complaints, that the site includes multiple historic structures and that ongoing repairs include rebuilding a barn to add event and kitchen space. Sasser said weddings occur primarily on weekends (seasonally May–October) and that the winery operates year-round Wednesday through Sunday, roughly 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with occasional evening activities such as "wine and canvas" events that may run later.

Staff reported no record of complaints during the five-year use-variance period and reminded the commission the prior use variance included stipulations on hours. Commissioners debated conditions to limit traffic and noise: they asked for a written commitment prohibiting parking on the county road, a requirement that the applicant hire police officers for larger events, a cap on total onsite parking (the applicant estimated roughly 100 spaces; staff noted an estimate up to 150), and explicit permitted commercial uses to avoid an open-ended commercial classification. Commissioners agreed to noise restrictions and no amplified music after 10 p.m. on Sunday–Thursday and after 11 p.m. on Friday–Saturday, with some members clarifying the condition as "no music after the stated times."

Commissioner (speaker 4) moved to recommend approval to the county commissioners with the conditions discussed; the motion passed on a roll call of 7–0. Staff said the case will be scheduled for a county commissioners' first reading on April 21 at 10 a.m. in the same meeting room, with a second reading three weeks later required for final action.

What happens next: the applicants will present the case to the county commissioners at first reading; if the commissioners act to send the ordinance to a second reading, a later hearing and vote will decide final rezoning approval.