HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter #048 Jeff Rowe - second submissionJeff Rowe
Carmel, IN 46033
2764 Maralice Dr.
Foster Estes Resident
May 215Y, 2020
Joe Shestak
Administrative Assistant
Carmel City Hall
One Civic Square
Carmel, IN 46032
Re: Comments on PZ-2020-00028 PUD: Courtyards of Carmel Meeting May 19th, 2020
Dear Mr. Shestak:
I would like to thank you and the Carmel Plan Commission for allowing me to attend the
meeting on the May 19th. In reference to PZ-2020-00028, my neighbors and I understand that
the land will be developed in the future; however, based on the discussion at the meeting, we
share many of the same concerns expressed by the board with the new PUD. To achieve the
goal, we all want, i.e. a development that benefits the City of Carmel, its citizens, and the
developer, the process needs to be conducted in a way that takes neighborhood feedback
sincerely into consideration.
One common theme in the meeting on May 19th, 2020 was that Epcon had not had extensive
dialog with the affected neighbors to address their concerns. I am grateful this was widely
acknowledged by both the board and Epcon Legal Counsel. We appreciate the board
challenging Epcon to further engage with the public in an effort to address neighborhood
concerns.
Epcon stated at the beginning of their presentation that these are trying times and that it has
been difficult to communicate due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. We acknowledge this
situation and understand there may be limitations. We do believe, though, that due to the
complexity of this topic and importance of communication on such issues, public meetings need
to be held in person for this project. In doing so we request the board, to ensure public safety,
table the PUD proposal until CDC guidelines allow large groups of people to gather so broad
public feedback can be collected in a way that is conducive to listening and collaboration. We
are concerned that use of telecommunications, zoom, and other streaming media may make it
difficult to gather extensive feedback.
In terms of the specific concerns & questions from the meeting, our concerns include but are
not limited to, the follow items:
Summary of Concerns with Epcon Proposal:
1. Public opportunity to engage — only one opportunity to provide feedback to Epcon.
a. Epcon has only met once with the neighbors which was in April 2020 to
understand concerns and try to resolve issues.
2. Traffic — patterns are unclear.
a. Epcon stated some entrances are to be used for emergency vehicles only. Will
limiting the number of entrances and exits to the neighborhood likely increase
traffic through the neighborhood?
b. When was the last traffic report conducted? The discussion indicated that
additional roads had been added, school times were going to be adjusted, etc. in
the future. Is the most recent study on file relevant? Do we need another study?
3. Understanding the architecture — need a better understanding of the architecture.
a. Epcon franchised the current homes being built in Zionsville which are being
built by a different developer. This is not a representative comparison to the
Courtyards of Carmel which will be developed by Epcon.
b. A four-sided architectural plan needs to be submitted to show full unit design.
4. Street width - my understanding based on the discussion was that Epcon intends to
build narrower roads than the Carmel City standards and allow street parking — will this
be conducive to traffic, snow removal, mail, garbage pick-up, etc.?
5. Greenspace — is not adequate.
a. The Epcon footprint is significantly different than OTG and needs improvement.
b. The historical house should not be counted in green space if it is intended to be
sold as private property.
6. Slow sale plans — if the units do not sell at the expected rate.
a. What is the plan? What will Epcon do?
We understand Epcon's desire to move the project forward, and agree that due to COVID-19,
these are trying times that may require us to do things differently. As a result, please
understand such accommodations may require additional time if we are going to truly address
public and neighborhood concerns in person. We sincerely appreciate the board thinking of the
public and look forward to working with the developer further on this matter.
If you have questions on this matter please feel free to contact me at jffrowe@gmail.com.
Sincerely,
Jeff Rowe
2764 Maralice Dr.
Foster Estes Resident
C: 574-229-2140