HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter #41 Maureen HuffNovember 10, 2023
RE: Residential Planning Commission: Andrews PUD Rezone November 13, 2023
As a concerned member of the Carmel community, a Gray Oaks homeowner, 30 year resident
of Carmel and the Gray Oaks HOA President, I would like to the commission to consider the
following:
Update to initial proposal:
•The Gray Oaks HOA Board recently met with the Pulse representatives regarding the update
to the proposed development. Additionally, the developer held a meeting for all Gray Oaks
homeowners in September.
•We appreciate the attention to the concerns of the surrounding neighborhoods and believe
the developers are acting in good faith.
•The updated plan is certainly an improvement from previous and fits best with the
surrounding neighborhoods as they all are single family homes.
Current concerns:
•Primary concern as other homeowner’s have noted is the section DOCS Remaining
Comments/concerns which included ‘support the original design’ referring to the original 60
unit design.
•This has an aura of property tax (more homes, more taxes collected) incentive as the reason
for the support.
•The document endorsed ‘diverse housing options.’ It would be a difficult argument to win to
deny there anything but ‘diverse housing options’ in Carmel. Prime example currently under
construction: Old Town’s large development located at Smoky Row and US 31.
•Gray Oaks will continue to object to a 60 unit development as it would significantly alter the
character of the surrounding single family housing neighborhoods, including Gray Oaks and
Stafford, and most importantly, increase traffic through Gray Oaks significantly.
Traffic:
•Traffic concerns have previously been detailed as related to the 60 unit plan.
•The update to the 31 home plan will significantly reduce this concern. Not that it has gone
away entirely as we, of course, remain opposed to the connection to Gray Oaks Court.
•As we are not naive to Carmel’s predilection for neighborhood connection, we would hope
the developer would plan the connection as aesthetically pleasing as possible.
•A stub street, per Carmel policy, should be added to the east side of the development for
future traffic easement through Gray Oaks.
Summary and suggestions:
•The updated plan (31 homes) is an upgrade and will significantly reduce opposition among
homeowner’s.
•The homes (4) planned on the south end of the Pulte development are quite close to adjacent
Gray Oaks home. Maintaining this as green space (Carmel says they like green space…)
would be an valuable plan improvement.
We appreciate the work the Planning Committees do to maintain Carmel as an extraordinary
community.
Respectfully,
Maureen Huff Gray Oaks HOA President
Keith Huff Supportive Husband