HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter #082 Paige Rivas - third submission
Shestak, Joe
From:Paige Rivas <paige.rivas@gmail.com>
Sent:Monday, August 3, 2020 12:33 PM
To:Shestak, Joe
Subject:Comments on Epcon's revised "Courtyard of Carmel" proposal
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Dear Mr. Shestak,
I am commenting on Epcon’s revised proposal regarding “Courtyards of Carmel” PUD. I would like to welcome any
committee members to visit my property to see first-hand how the development, if it proceeds along its revised plan,
would play out in real life. I live on the border of what is currently a soybean field in Foster Estates. We purchased this
house knowing that the land behind us would be developed and we have no objections to development. We welcome
increased revenue for the city and additional housing for Carmel residents. Epcon’s revised proposal, however,
represents hardly any movement for making this a suitable development for this location.
Perhaps unfortunately, I visited the Epcon development in Zionsville. Nearly identical, concrete slab housing on small
lots situated very close together gives it the appearance of a line of boring and cheap manufactured homes, which is
completely opposite of the surrounding neighborhoods in Carmel. At the price points suggested, my own 55+ plus
parents would not live in such a community and our own homes being adjacent to this neighborhood will see reduced
home values.
It also is apparent that Epcon will be cutting the trees down that serve as a barrier between Foster Estates and their
proposed development. Many large mature trees lay just outside of the 20 ft easement and Epcon does not state that it
will reserve any of them in the second 20 ft easement. Epcon’s proposed plan of replacing a few trees at some point in
the future is nebulous, ineffective, and should not be included in any decision-making. Unlike the Epcon drawing that
supposedly represents the elevation change between our neighborhoods and the proposed Epcon development, we will
be looking slightly up, or at least even, at the new housing. I welcome any committee or council member to come by and
take a look at what will become a treeless, uphill view of the tightly spaced housing.
In addition, the traffic must be considered. A housing development with less density, similar to Foster Estates or the
other current neighborhoods, might be able to be accommodated. The density Epcon proposed will not work, even with
the elimination of the 20 units. The idea that the 55+ citizen does not travel during the peak hours is remarkable to me,
particularly when my 55+ neighbors travel during those peak periods daily. Additional stop signs may need to be added
and possibly some speed bumps. Exiting on 146th Street and perhaps at Hazel Foster/Carey Road, additional traffic lights
might need to be considered. No one will want these things but this happens with substantially increasing density.
This is not a case of NIMBY. We had been anticipating a development of that property. In fact, we were looking forward
to new neighbors and a 55+ community would be delightful. This, however, is not the way forward. If there must be
such a dense development as Epcon proposes, it should be physically separated from the currently existing
neighborhoods. Berns, mature and dense tree lines, and other physical transitions should be used together, as exist in
other nearby neighborhoods.
Epcon’s revised proposal should be sent back for additional revision or rejected.
Thank you for your consideration,
1
Paige Rivas
2767 Maralice Drive
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