HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter #104 Mark & Wendy Stein - second submission
Shestak, Joe
From:Mark Stein <steinmarkj@gmail.com>
Sent:Monday, August 17, 2020 11:19 AM
To:Shestak, Joe; Wendy Stein
Subject:Courtyards of Carmel - 59 Acre PUD at 136th and Keystone
Follow Up Flag:Follow up
Flag Status:Completed
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The land is zoned R-1 and should be marketed and sold as R-1. To date, the 3 petitioners since 2017, have had the land
under contract contingent on winning a "rezone". A rezone to a PUD does give the city more control over what the
developer can and can't build but in this situation the PUD is also allowing them to make drastic changes in comparison
to existing surrounding neighborhoods. The lack of transition will have a major impact on the houses that border the
development.
50-60' foot wide lots vs 100' in R-1
70% lot coverage vs 30% in R-1
The Epcon density of 2.5 homes per acre on the surface seems low and appropriate compared to R-1 which
allows for 2.9; however, when looking at the project as a whole, the land is plagued with difficulties and
issues: i.e., elevation change, powerlines, drainage, historical house, etc.
o There are only 35 buildable acres. THAT'S 4.25 HOMES PER ACRE!
o Epcon reduced the number of homes from 169 to 149 by removing homes south of Smokey Ridge
Trail and a few within the northern portion - creating "emtpy" lots, NOT by spreading out homes,
increasing lot size, or putting more space between homes.
o Epcon confirmed 10 of the home lots are in the power line easement!
The homes are sold as condos where the buyer is purchasing a % of the land to build their structure.
The homes are 10 feet apart with a fence that connects them, not a fence that goes around them.
Epcon claims they will protect the wooded area by preserving the existing trees - some of which are 100 years
old. It will be impossible to build homes 10 feet apart and preserve a tree with a girth of 8 ft and root system
beyond that.
One planning commision member said the development "looked like a barracks"
Another planning commission member said there were so many issues that hadn't been addressed; i.e., monoty,
traffic, etc. so we do not understand why the subcommittee passed the petition back to the planning commision
with a favorable recommendation on Aug 4?
We invested in our home with the understanding that the land was zoned R-1 and that any future development would
be homes like ours. Our property is immediately adjacent to the 59 acres and feel that the proposed PUD would
significantly impact our home and investment.
Mark and Wendy Stein
Foster Estates
2789 Maralice Drive
Carmel, IN 46033
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