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Home My WebLink AboutLetter #33 Ken Alexander, Norman Burns connerprairie.org | 13400 Allisonville Road, Fishers, IN 46038 | 317.776.6000 City of Carmel Department of Community Services One Civic Square Carmel, Indiana 46032 RE: Carmel PUD Docket No. PZ-2022-00172 Conner Prairie recognizes that the PUD rezone processes is a lengthy effort that is very thorough where there will be many meetings and opportunities to share our vision and provide details around our plans for the property in question. We understand that this process will not be without remonstration that we will handle with respect because we know that this project potentially impacts people’s homes and communities. To what degree that impact will be will certainly be discussed and studied throughout the process. We have become aware of a letter and misinformation being shared amongst our neighbors in Carmel – the letter in question is attached to this response. While we don’t know if this is common or uncommon, it is very distressing to the Conner Prairie leaders, staff and partners that take great pride in their support of Conner Prairie and its stellar reputation as an innovative leader in educational programming and community asset. We realize this letter and potentially others like it may be shared with leaders in Carmel and ask that this letter be included as part of the public record and provide a source of accurate information concerning some of the claims. We have and will continue to be transparent and thoughtful regarding our pursuit of our Comprehensive Site Master Plan (SMP), but feel it is important to clear up misinformation circulating about our project. Massive commercial development – While the PUD does represent a massive amount of land, approximately 230 acres, the PUD as presented has the lowest commercial density ever filed for a commercial PUD. It currently stands at roughly 7%, which includes building footprints, roadways, sidewalks, paths, and associated parking. Proximity to Prairie Trace Elementary – The circulated letter indicates all aspects of the project are immediately adjacent to the school. The current concept plan exhibit illustrates that buildings are situated across the 230 acres in response to existing conditions and program needs. The intention is for many of the buildings to be set back away from River Road and be respectfully situated in the larger landscape. Further development planned – Conner Prairie has provided a plan that shows our complete buildout that we assume will take 15-25 years. The way the letter reads is that what was presented is the first phase of a three-phased project. This is categorically incorrect. Secret 10-month planning project – Conner Prairie has made no secret of this plan. The amount of people involved in the initial site master planning for proof of concept is accurate and taken directly from our website, but it alludes to no one from the community was engaged. Of the 225 people involved, 64 were external stakeholders that were focused on sustainability, White River ecology, and naturalists. Since the Conner Prairie Board approved the Conner Prairie Site Master Plan in May 2018 the Museum has had countless media articles, social media posts, and TV spots. The first of these appeared in the Indianapolis Business Journal on July 13, 2018, (Conner Prairie plans to give connerprairie.org | 13400 Allisonville Road, Fishers, IN 46038 | 317.776.6000 White River key role in museum's future), and has been followed by many others and public meetings on the White River Vision Plan where Conner Prairie presented the Site Master Plan concepts. Conner Prairie has included information about the masterplan on our website since 2018 and was the primary project included in the READI grant application to support the award of the grant for the extension of the White River Greenway. (See attached summary of media posts concerning our Comprehensive SMP since May 2018). Pedestrian Bridge – A pedestrian bridge has been in Conner Prairie’s plans for decades, well before the Site Master Plan was finalized. This bridge is not intended to be anything more than a connector of Conner Prairie’s land and by design, will reduce the number of vehicular trips for visitors traveling to Conner Prairie. Exploiting the White River – The statement regarding Conner Prairie’s desire to exploit the White River for their own benefit is blatantly false. We have the full support of DNR, IDEM, Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation District and specifically DNR’s division of Fish & Wildlife. We have gone to great lengths to create a plan that enhances wetland and incorporates storm water improvements that will improve the aquifer. Additionally, we are partner on projects with all these organizations throughout our campuses. One of the primary goals of this program is to provide a living lab that focuses on sustainability and education around mankind’s impact on our natural surroundings and the precious resources that are required to support our ever-growing world. Conner Prairie has made a great effort to make sure that we are communicating with anyone, and everyone interested in the project because of our reputation as a long-time community asset. We sent out over 1,200 notices advertising the two public Neighborhood Meetings and the Plan Commission meeting for October 18th, which greatly exceeded Carmel’s Noticing requirements. We are also nationally recognized, award-winning and one of the most visited outdoor museums in the nation. As a Smithsonian Affiliate and American Alliance of Museums (AAM) accredited, best practices, research, fact based, and innovation is at the center of everything that we do. Education is the core tenet of our approach to integrate history with STEM to inspire curiosity – our HISTemic approach. This should better explain why it is so important for Conner Prairie to provide facts in response to the misinformation being distributed. Whether it is by sending out notices to a thousand more homes than what was statutorily required, posting all the information on our website, inviting public comment on our website explicitly about the project or hosting informational meetings where we took public comment well after the advertised hours, we are committed to being transparent and truthful. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Norman Burns, President, CEO Conner Prairie See attached Anonymous Letter circulating around the Carmel Community. Cc: Nelson & Frankenberger Sample of Media Posts Regarding Conner Prairie Site Master Plan since 2018 Media Posts Organized Oldest to Current What's in the future for Conner Prairie? - Indianapolis Star What's in the future for Conner Prairie? Indianapolis Star Conner Prairie President Norman Burns has launched a 10-year master plan to identify oppor.. Source https://www.indystar.com/ - Jan 26, 2017 Conner Prairie plans to give White River key role in museum's future A baseball hat hangs from the corner of a future site map posted in Conner Prairie CEO Norman Burns' office. "River people" is embroidered... Source Indianapolis Business Journal Online - Jul 13, 2018 Audience Reach: 468,064 Conner Prairie eyes boosting White River in museum's future A baseball hat hangs from the corner of a future site map posted in Conner Prairie CEO Norman Burns' office. "River people" is embroidered on... Source The State Online - Jul 21, 2018 Audience Reach: 2,112,639 Conner Prairie eyes boosting White River in museum's future A baseball hat hangs from the corner of a future site map posted in Conner Prairie CEO Norman Burns' office. "River people" is embroidered on... Source The Charlotte Observer Online - Jul 21, 2018 Audience Reach: 4,762,683 Conner Prairie eyes boosting White River in museum's future A baseball hat hangs from the corner of a future site map posted in Conner Prairie CEO Norman Burns' office. "River people" is embroidered on... Source Modesto Bee Online - Jul 21, 2018 Audience Reach: 841,039 Conner Prairie eyes boosting White River in museum's future A baseball hat hangs from the corner of a future site map posted in Conner Prairie CEO Norman Burns' office. "River people" is embroidered on... Source Merced Sun Star Online - Jul 21, 2018 Audience Reach: 188,549 Conner Prairie eyes boosting White River in museum's future A baseball hat hangs from the corner of a future site map posted in Conner Prairie CEO Norman Burns' office.... Source The Island Packet Online - Jul 21, 2018 Audience Reach: 272,540 Conner Prairie eyes boosting White River in museum's future A baseball hat hangs from the corner of a future site map posted in Conner Prairie CEO Norman Burns' office. "River people" is embroidered on... Source Herald Online - Jul 21, 2018 Audience Reach: 312,518 Conner Prairie eyes boosting White River in museum's future ...A baseball hat hangs from the corner of a future site map posted in Conner Prairie CEO Norman Burns' office. "River people" is... Source Vincennes Sun-Commercial Online - Jul 23, 2018 Audience Reach: 51,675 The White River Plan ...Plan county partnership emerged. "We realized so many places - Conner Prairie, Noblesville, Carmel and others - have a vested interest in... Source Townepost - Aug 24, 2018 Audience Reach: 31,474 Go with the flow: Groups partner to improve White River experience in Hamilton, Marion counties ...plant in downtown Indianapolis to a $550 million mixed-use project. Conner Prairie, which borders 3 miles of the river, is in the process... Source You Are Current - Oct 16, 2018 Audience Reach: 17,218 White River Vision Plan presented to public, action plan to be presented in May ...about the White River Vision Plan at a public meeting Jan. 29 at Conner Prairie. Conner Prairie President and CEO Norman Burns... Source You Are Current - Jan 31, 2019 Audience Reach: 17,218 White River plan envisions ideas for more accessibility in Hamilton, Marion counties ...development. The anchors are Strawtown Koteewi Park, Noblesville, Conner Prairie, Clearwater at Interstate 465, Broad Ripple, Emrichsville... Source Indianapolis Business Journal Online - Feb 08, 2019 Audience Reach: 461,734 White River Vision Project progressing, leaders speak at OneZone luncheon ...in early times," Myers said. "These stories need to be told." Conner Prairie President/CEO Norman Burns said there has been a lot of... Source You Are Current - Mar 22, 2019 Audience Reach: 17,218 Leaders unveil plans for developing White River in Marion, Hamilton counties ...and riverfront terraces. - Allisonville Stretch: Centered on Conner Prairie, this area focuses on community engagement to protect natural... Source Indianapolis Business Journal Online - Jun 03, 2019 Audience Reach: 461,734 Officials Unveil White River Vision Plan ...riverfront terraces. Allisonville Stretch: Centered on the asset of Conner Prairie, this area focuses on community engagement to protect... Source Inside Indiana Business with Gerry Dick Online - WTHR-TV - Jun 03, 2019 Audience Reach: 69,659 Indy, Hamilton Co. leaders unveil new plan for White River ...riverfront terraces. Allisonville Stretch: Centered on the asset of Conner Prairie, this area focuses on community engagement to protect... Source WRTV-TV Online - Jun 03, 2019 Audience Reach: 1,106,444 White River Plan revealed Monday with focus on water quality ...terraces. Allisonville Stretch: Centered on the asset of Conner Prairie, this area focuses on community engagement to protect natural... Source WXIN-TV Online - Jun 03, 2019 Audience Reach: 1,508,795 Hamilton County, Indy city officials unveil new vision for White River ...terraces. Allisonville Stretch: Centered on the asset of Conner Prairie, this area focuses on community engagement to protect natural... Source Hamilton County Reporter - Jun 05, 2019 Audience Reach: 14,165 Leaders unveil plans for developing White River ...and riverfront terraces. • Allisonville Stretch: Centered on Conner Prairie, this area focuses on community engagement to protect natural... Source Court & Commercial Record - Jun 07, 2019 Conner Prairie to host 2nd annual Indiana Water Summit ...Hoffman with the White River Alliance and Andrew Bradford with Conner Prairie stopped by the Daybreak studios to talk about the issues and... Source WISH-TV Online - Jul 21, 2019 Audience Reach: 318,580 Plans forming for public-private river education center at Conner Prairie ...the county's River Road Park, Carmel's River Heritage Park and Conner Prairie as a river-centric district Related News and Opinion Woman... Source Indianapolis Business Journal Online - Feb 18, 2020 Audience Reach: 66,693 White River could become a national-park-like amenity ...Preserve that is in the works. In Hamilton County, an effort among Conner Prairie, Hamilton County Parks and Recreation, and Carmel Clay... Source Indianapolis Business Journal Online - Apr 09, 2021 Audience Reach: 51,150 ON THE RIVERFRONT: White River could become a national-park-like amenity ...Preserve that is in the works. In Hamilton County, an effort among Conner Prairie, Hamilton County Parks and Recreation, and Carmel Clay... Source Republic Online - Apr 18, 2021 Audience Reach: 39,583 PGAV Destinations to update and develop master plan for living museum Conner Prairie ...Destinations to update and develop master plan for living museum Conner Prairie By IPM News May 3,... Source InPark Magazine Online - May 03, 2022 Conner Prairie kicks off $24M in capital projects ...and one of the most visited outdoor museums in the United States, Conner Prairie, announced on Friday $24 million in new capital projects... Source Hamilton County Reporter - Aug 13, 2022