HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter #40 The Hall FamilyDear Commission,
We are writing to you regarding the proposed residential and commercial development known as
The Edge at West Carmel. My family resides in the Woodhaven neighborhood directly to the north
of this development and our property line borders that of the new development. The impacts of
this development have significant safety and financial implications. Overall, we have five major
complaints, but before we get to them, we recognize that the developer has done a better job this
time than previous attempts to develop this property with trying to work with the neighbors on the
smaller items. Of course, the major issues are still nonnegotiable, but we appreciate the efforts on
the smaller items.
First, and most importantly, we’ve said it before, and we’ll continue to shout it for as long as
someone will listen. This proposal is TOO DENSE. When we bought our house in 2011 right
before our daughters first birthday, we were buying a safe property (and hopefully a good
investment). Since then, we have brought home three more boys to a quiet, safe neighborhood to
raise our family. Now we must deal with the prospect of 300+ new neighbors moving into our
backyard. The safety concerns will not be addressed by just a fence.
Of course, we understand that you likely will not make a recommendation from one family, but
the commission already denied this development due to density. The density has not improved in
the second proposal. It still does not make sense to have a high-density apartment complex
sandwiched between townhomes and Montessori school to the south and 1-acre estate lots in the
Woodhaven neighborhood to the north. Beyond the paramount safety concerns of raising my
family in an area where we go from 28 neighbors to 328+ neighbors, the secondary, but still
substantial concern of the significant loss in property value in the investment we made in 2011.
Considering the 28 neighbors to the north and the significant homes to the south, the loss in value
will be in the millions. Please consider your existing Carmel neighbors’ loss on investment due to
this property when determining the viability of moving forward.
Second, the variances, including density, are still far too great. Building heights, offsets, density,
and the list goes on. The requirements are there in a way to protect families and homeowners like
us. To allow all the variances is to say that the existing families and homeowners are not as
important as these developers. That would be a travesty for this city.
Third, if this property is going to go through, we request the elimination of the drive-thru
possibility in the commercial out lots. Drive-thrus increase traffic and often at inopportune times,
both for the residences of the new high-density development and the existing neighbors in the area.
Next, unless you live on Michigan Road, and you try to turn south out of the Woodhaven
neighborhood you can’t truly understand the traffic challenges. We actually believe adding another
light will make traffic worse by slowing traffic down and creating less opportunities to turn out of
our neighborhood, not to mention the significant increase in traffic due to the apartments and the
out lots further exacerbating the congestion in the area.
Finally, the barriers between the new development and the properties to the north and south need
to be substantially improved. One of the best parts about the Woodhaven neighborhood is the
beautiful mature trees, the privacy they provide, and the natural beauty of the neighborhood. That
is all going to be ruined for anyone that borders this new property. It will be decades before this
can be replicated based on the plans in the development. Our beautiful private mature lots will be
replaced with apartment buildings. Again, not what we signed up for when we invested in our
homes in this beautiful neighborhood.
Current view as of 10/16/2023:
Proposed view from REI at Neighborhood Information Meeting 9/21/2023:
Overall, the development is too dense, too problematic for the existing neighbors to the north and
south and doesn’t make sense as a transition between single family homes it is sandwiched
between. The commission ruled this way once and there is no reason to rule in any other way this
time. Imagine if you lived in this neighborhood with your four kids between 5-13 years old in a
property you invested in long before this proposal. Approving this property just hurts the existing
neighborhood and allows one family and a developer make a lot of money at the expense of your
existing Carmel neighbors to the north and south.
Thank you,
The Hall Family
Woodhaven Neighbors