HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter #071 Chris Potts
Shestak, Joe
From:Chris <jc.potts@sbcglobal.net>
Sent:Monday, July 13, 2020 4:25 PM
To:Shestak, Joe; Mark Heirbrandt; Brainard, James C
Subject:Potts :Saddle Creek Resident / Opposition to Ambleside Development.
Follow Up Flag:Follow up
Flag Status:Completed
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To Whom It May Concern:
My wife and I live with our 2 children at 14330 Chariots Whisper Dr in Saddle Creek
( SC).
We made our decision to move to Carmel and SC with the peace of mind that Carmel’s plan for future home
building development around SC would be at a LOW DENSITY level, and not this HIGH density number being
proposed by Ambleside developers.
I am writing to register our OPPOSITION to the proposed development of the Hoffman Farm into a 265 mixed
home community called Ambleside.
The grounds for this opposition is anchored on 3 main points.
1. The HIGH DENSITY being asked for by changing the current zoning is completely unacceptable. Saddle
Creek has a LOW density zoning of approx 1.2, yet Ambleside is wanting 4.6+. FOUR times the density of SC.
I believe the Carmel neighbourhoods surrounding SC are all zoned as LOW density. The proposal of
alleyway and townhomes is completely out of keeping with the City of Carmel’s long term plans for home
building in this area of West Carmel.
2. The current Ambleside plan shows NO ALLOWANCE FOR GREEN SPACE OR AMENITIES. SC has 466
homes which currently enjoy private playgrounds, basketball / tennis courts and a swimming pool. The
Ambleside proposal will most definitely see a dramatic upswing in the usage of Saddle Creeks private
amenities.
SC residents who pay dues to have private access to play grounds and the basketball court will be competing
with 265 homes of non amenity paying Ambleside residents to use those facilities. Plus, the HOA will see
additional costs incurred in maintaining those amenities with the increase in usage.
3. The DRAMATICALLY INCREASED WATER VOLUME AND VELOCITY CREATED BY 265 homes of SUB
DISCHARGE in this development is COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE.
SC has endured 20 years of water run off abuse from neighboring farmlands. This impact directly resulted in
the SC HOA dredging an entire 2-3 acre pond at a six figure $ ticket in 2016. 2 years ago the 10 connected
regulated ponds had a second creek, Henley Creek, added to Williams Creek into the SC regulated pond
system.
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The increase in water velocity and volume after it rains has dramatically affected all SC ponds. SC now
experiences high water levels after just 1 inch of rainfall which are close to breaching the banks of the ponds
and spilling onto the path ways. Even with natural preventive erosion controls in place for a number of years
around pond banks and interconnecting swales, we are still experiencing erosion. The draw down affect is
dramatic after heavy rains.
The highly negative impact that more water from 265 homes will have on this already severely compromised
regulated pond drainage system is very disturbing. The Ambleside development has made no
accommodations to add detention pond/s to help mitigate the sub discharge load being thrown directly into the
SC Pond drainage system.
I fully expect the HOA will need to go back to the residents with special assessments in order to dredge this
bordering pond which Henley Creek and the Ambleside homes sub discharge will flow into, as well as needing
to install more erosion controls around the 10 ponds and swales. I haven’t seen or heard of any consideration
being given by the developers for potential dredging or erosion control throughout the SC pond system.
These 3 points are the main basis for our opposition to this development. Not to mention the American Bald
Eagles that are ever present in the west side tree line, which appears will be severely compromised by building
single family homes.
We ask that this HIGH DENSITY rezoning request is rejected by City planning, and one which is in keeping
with neighboring Carmel properties submitted along with green space and amenities consideration.
Regards
Chris Potts
Saddle Creek HOA Vice President
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