HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter #059 Pierre Twer
Shestak, Joe
From:Pierre Twer <pierre@heartreachmedical.com>
Sent:Sunday, July 5, 2020 4:15 PM
To:Shestak, Joe
Subject:Courtyards of Carmel
Follow Up Flag:Follow up
Flag Status:Completed
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Dear Joe and the Carmel Residential committee,
First of all, I would like to thank you for the work your committee has done in helping make Carmel the great place to
live. My wife and I live at 3173 Smokey Ridge Lane and we have raised our three children in this home. We are so
impressed that our community gets better every year. Thank you for keeping the building and develop standards high
and very attractive.
My letter is to let you know that our property is the last lot in Smokey Ridge next to the new development being
proposed. We have been prepared for our dead end street to be connected at some point to an equal neighborhood as
Smokey Ridge or Foster Estates, the Epcon product is certainly not that product. This is a vibrant growing community
that many desire and a 55 and over product is most likely needed; however I feel strongly this is not the parcel for this
product. Here are a few major concerns to consider:
*. An R1 development would continue the continuity of the neighborhoods involved.
*. The price of the 59 acres has been set by the property owners ( who are not Indiana residents as far as I know) and is
a premium price ($4 + million) requiring developers to build higher density in order to make the economics work. The
price the owners desire should not be a concern of the commission, nor should it be considered because the high
density needed for profit has created a highly inconsistent, and in many ways, unattractive Product.
*.The Courtyards of Zionsville project, which may be selling at $300K +, is a highly repetitive product void of any
resemblance to a standard neighborhood your committee would normally approve, let alone the custom homes in
Foster Estates or Smokey Ridge.
(Imagine if you built your dream home, improved it with serious updates and paid you’re $6,000 taxes annually, and had
the back of four patio homes facing the west side of your yard.) whether I like their product or not, we bought this lot
and built with the knowledge it was an R1 zoning. Never did I think their would be a PUD considered.
*. Traffic overload will certainly be a concern. At 58 years old, I probably am driving more than I ever have due to the
nature of my business’s and busy life. This neighborhood will dump 159 additional homes with one-two cars per
household on the roads on this intersection that is already overloaded ( only roundabout with stop lights in Carmel).
This corner simply cannot handle this load. Please be mindful that the southeast corner is on deck to be developed as
well. Probably another 40-50 homes.
*. I’m aware that there have been promises made by Epcon to surrounding neighborhoods in the Zionsville area that
have not been kept. I hear they are franchise operations in Franklin and Zionsville whereas our project is a corporate
project. Well, if they cannot make certain their franchisees are keeping everyone in their surrounding properties happy
and content, why should we feel comfortable with their words. Examples of disgruntled Neighbors can be provided to
you.
*. Very selfishly, the trees that line the west portion of our property are spectacular and are very special and hard to
duplicate. Once the 20’ barrier is met between our lot and Epcon building line, these trees are gone forever. There are
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NO natural trees in the Zionsville project and is an unfortunate opportunity missed. It is a very bare and unimpressive
product.
*. Epcon offers a list of standard model homes. These models are repeated in Greenwood and the Zionsville projects
with price swings of $100k. Again, the Sign in front of Zionsville says homes start from the $300’s. Carmel has a
prestigious zip code however I’d be very suspicious of this wide price / profit margins on the same product.
Furthermore, with such a density, I could foresee price drops to move the product all the while potentially hurting the
surrounding neighborhoods.
I have not spoken to one of my neighbors who is in favor of this project. Many were in favor of the Old Town Project
mainly because their product, reputation and willingness to accommodate reasonable requests from the neighbors were
met. At the end of the day, Old Town decided the project was too risky for them and backed away. Why would we take
a chance on approving a higher density product when we know this property has its building challenges? Traffic,
Keystone, historical home, power lines, connectivity, football games all are concerns anyone would have when
purchasing a 55 and over product. It would be very unfortunate for the surrounding residents and the developers if this
project failed to be successful.
Please do not approve this project. I feel confident that a better option for this property will be presented once the
Courtyard project is denied.
Pierre M. Twer
President-Bolt for the Heart
Pierre@boltfortheheart.com
Cell 317-601-7952
Www.boltforrtheheart.com
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