HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter #19 Kelly BaskettKELLY DREW BA S KETT
June 23, 2022
To the Members of the BZA:
Thank you in advance for reading over my thoughts and deep concerns about the Carmel
Midtown Redevelopment Variance requests.
The last remaining bits of land south of Old Town will be developed soon, and with thoughtful
planning and protection for our surrounding neighborhoods, I am confident it will be a huge
success.
When the City Council recently voted in favor of the TIF funding for this project, they made it
clear that they fully expected to see some changes to the overall design, however that same
design is being presented now. This unfavored design is in much need of very liberal
allowances/variances, for it to move forward.
o The primary building is double the allowable height for a C-2 abutting single family
homes, it should be 35' maximum according to the UDO. *The two story attached
apartments have been referred to as Town Homes, facing Johnson Addition. They are not
Town Homes, the City describes Town Homes as free standing structures having small
back yards. This primary building is 70' tall, with a narrow bump out for the apartments.
o The R-2 Lot #30, in Johnson Addition had been redesigned to be split, the back portion
of the lot to have a 10,000 square foot office .... in our neighborhood. This is Parcel D on
the developer drawing. This leaves Parcel E, in front of it to be about 25% smaller than
the minimum lot size allowable in our neighborhood.
o This office building is grossly out of place, being four to five times larger than any home
in Johnson Addition. The intrusive quality of this office, should it be built, will cause a
permanent hardship and major unwanted shift to our neighborhood. I might ask how any
of you would feel, to go into your backyard, and see a 10,000 square foot structure next
to you, in your neighbor's back yard.
400 Emerson Road, Carmel, Indiana 46032 — Kelly@akmonuments.com — 317.850.2682
o Parcel E only has enough room left for 5.7 feet from the proposed house to the rear
property line, it only has room for about 10 feet for the front set back. They want to build
two homes in this style. Think of how out of place it would look and feel, to have two
houses so very close to the road, having a Town House sized front yard, next to our
spacious, required front yard setbacks.
o The continuity of our homes would be dissolved, permanently. There would forever be a
10,000 square foot office in the back yard of this current lot. There has been no
compromise thus far from the developers regarding pushing this proposed office south or
eliminating it. They told us at our May 25th that they needed to "huddle" and then get
back to us. I am not aware of any more contact.
o We in the Central District have had no legal representation on the City Council.
Tragically, Bruce Kimball had a stroke in December of 2020. We, the residents in this
area have been outraged and struggled with feeling powerless regarding this entire
proposition for the former AT&T site.
o Would the developer suffer a hardship to have to modify their design to fit the UDO? I
plan on speaking about the required landscape buffer yard on June 2711, which adds to the
list of development standards that are not met, of yet. Downsizing the project would take
care of most of the incompatibilities.
o The developer drawings portray a lovely and bustling compound, very attractive and full
of life. In another setting it would be appropriate, but not abutted to our property lines.
The increased height, going up to 70 feet, going away/west of Midtown (Central) is
worrisome. How does it make sense to have such a tall multi family structure designed
with balconies facing into our neighborhood? Protection and proper planning are so
vitally important to us all. The UDO has the building guidelines to follow in this
situation.
o The first two levels of the primary building are parking, which I understand it would be
expensive to have an underground garage, but that would solve a lot of problems. With
purchasing the land for $1000.00 I would hope someone could fit it into the budget. If
that is just not feasible, I would reiterate that the mass of primary building is simply too
great, and to downsize the project.
o The potential hardships of not having adequate buffering and transition will most
assuredly cause a decreased quality of enjoyment in the day to day living for those living
400 Emerson Road, Carmel, Indiana 46032 - Kelly@akmonuments.com - 317.850.2682
in Johnson Addition and beyond. We welcome change and development, just not to the
extent of intrusion and transgressing the UDO in so many fundamental ways.
In closing, thank you again for your careful consideration and time involved with this.
Respectfully, will you please deny these variance requests? These last developments in our area
have got to be done with the end in mind. There will always be single-family homes in the two
blocks south of Main Street and 4th Ave. SW., and we ask for a proper and thoughtful transition
with the development directly south of us, and in the future as more development abuts the other
adjacent neighborhoods.
Thank you again,
Kelly Baskett
400 Emerson Road, Carmel, Indiana 46032 — Kelly@akmonuments.com — 317.850.2682