HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter #33 Ed BaldaOctober 19, 2021
Re: Feedback on the proposed Comprehensive Plan
To the Carmel Planning Commissioners:
My name is Ed Balda and I am a resident and the HOA president of the Spring Lake Estates
neighborhood which is a 44 home neighborhood northeast of 116th St and Spring Mill Rd. Many of my
neighbors (13 as of the time I am writing my letter) have already submitted detailed feedback, historical
context and some great ideas for how to treat the area to the south of our neighborhood which
currently contains about five acres of beautiful woods and rare habitat and then an open field and then
additional woods as you travel south. I support their thoughts and would like to include some additional
feedback and emphasis.
As many have noted, the 2009 Comprehensive Plan shows the area to our south as a special study area
since it is a transition from commercial to residential and (possibly) because it contains a large area of
trees and therefore a natural habitat. To my knowledge this study was not completed possibly because
that area remains undeveloped. This area is no longer marked as a special study area or sensitive area in
the new plan for some bad reason. And the area to our east is also not marked as a transitional area. As
we’ve seen from the giant dusk-to-dawn lighted Ritz Charles sign fiasco and the other new
developments to our east, a six-foot wall on our eastern border does not protect us under the current
plan and would be much worse under the current plan. It is critical that both of these areas (and any
area where commercial borders residential) be treated thoughtfully and noted as such within the new
comprehensive plan. Even though the area to our east is mostly developed, there is still one
undeveloped section to consider and the lack of any special designation could also harm us in the future
if there were changes proposed to existing developments in that area.
On the popups from May, the area to the south is noted as Carmel West Neighborhood either in whole
or in part depending on which map you view.
West Neighborhoods: entire area to our south is noted as West Neighborhood (yellow).
https://carmel.in.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/18953/637566209789030000
Downtown West: only part of the area to our south is noted as Downtown West (gray)
https://carmel.in.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/18945/637566209771230000
But in the latest comprehensive plan draft the area to our south and east has changed to completely
Downtown West right up to the property lines of our homes.
In the absence of any special designation, the area to our south and east would be subject to the much
more commercialized Downtown West allowances including much taller buildings and density. So why
was this change made from the proposed plan in May?
Regards,
Ed Balda
Spring Lake Estates resident and HOA President
12152 Teal Ln, Carmel, IN 46032