HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter #060 Sally Gardner - second submission
Shestak, Joe
From:Sally <sag10415@aol.com>
Sent:Sunday, July 5, 2020 7:06 PM
To:Shestak, Joe
Subject:Opposition to Application to Rezone/Docket No. P-2020-00028 PUD: Courtyards of
Carmel
Follow Up Flag:Follow up
Flag Status:Completed
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Carmel Plan Commission and City Council:
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This letter is in opposition to the application by Epcon LLC to rezone the 59 acres to PUD at 2724 East 136 Street and
Keystone Parkway (“the Hull property”). This is in addition to the email we submitted on May 14, 2020.
We reside (and have for many years) at 13648 Smokey Hollow Pl (on the west side of Smokey Hollow Pl) which is directly
adjacent to the Hull property. Currently, we overlook trees, a field, and a gravel lane on the far side of the Hull property.
The proposed development would place single residences DIRECTLY behind our back yard, very close to our fence. The
houses on Smokey Hollow Place sit up on a hill, and the site line out our back windows would be the roof, back side, and
side court yards of the proposed residences. Clearly, this is cause for concern for us, as well as the other houses located
on the west side of our neighborhood.
We understand that the proposed lay out of the new units do not have back patios and are considered to be backyard
“passive.” However, the side patios included in the plans would be just as visible from our houses as a back patio would
be. We would literally be looking directly down into those patios from our deck, kitchen, family room and bedrooms for at
least seven months of the year (when our backyard trees are without leaves). This seems like an unnecessary intrusion
on the Smokey Hollow Pl homes especially when it appears Epcon could eliminate these homes in such close proximity,
or alternatively, has ample room to the far west to place the units without being directly behind our backyards.
While Epcon met with us and conducted an aerial survey of our yard to get a better sense of the site lines (which survey
we still have not yet seen), we have the strong sense that there will be no changes, or at the most, some buffering and
screening. Because our house sits considerably higher than the Hull property, these superficial matters will do little to
offset the intrusiveness caused by the very close proximity of the residences (and the side courtyards) to our back
yard. While we appreciate the dialogue with Epcon, at this time we are very skeptical that these discussions and survey
results will lead to any meaningful changes to address our concerns. In fact, we were told the residences would not be
moved to a different location. At this time, we have received very little information and no changes to Epcon’s original
plan.
These are the specific, unique concerns we have as residents of Smokey Hollow Place, but we are also concerned as are
all surrounding neighborhoods about the traffic, density, and overall look of the proposed development.
We welcome any committee members to our house to view this from our back yard.
Respectfully Submitted,
John and Sally Gardner
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