HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter #12 Dave & Dee Fox
Butler, Bric
From:Dee Fox <dasfox2009@gmail.com>
Sent:Monday, May 20, 2024 9:58 PM
To:Butler, Bric; Finkam, Sue
Subject:Feedback on Carmel Housing Task Force Meeting #3, held on 4/25/24.
Follow Up Flag:Follow up
Flag Status:Flagged
To Bric:
Please distribute this email (below) to the Carmel Housing Task Force members, and add it to the online
site for Housing Task Force Public Correspondence.
Thank you.
Dave and Dee Fox
Carmel
To the Carmel Housing Task Force:
Please read our thoughts below regarding the third meeting of the Carmel Housing Task Force, which
was held on 4/25/24.
Topics/recommendations discussed at this Task Force meeting, which focused on single-family housing,
included:
Citing two large U.S. cities that have rezoned their entire metro area to enable more growth and
higher density
Advocating for increasing the residential density in Carmel wherever possible
Pushing for ADUs/cottage homes on existing single-family lots (i.e., two housing units per lot)
Allowing/encouraging lot-by-lot redevelopment within existing single-family neighborhoods to
increase the density (presumably for new "Missing Middle" duplexes, quads, and townhouses)
Allowing/encouraging the buyout and teardown of whole blocks, in order to rebuild at a much
higher density
Allowing/encouraging the construction of "build-to-rent" developments of high-density homes
and townhouses
Becoming a so-called "vertical city"
We expect that most Carmel homeowners would be alarmed by these discussions.
As a pertinent case study, consider the Luxe Communities residential development project that was
recently proposed near 126th Street and Towne Road in West Carmel. Interestingly, this proposal
aligned with several of the tenets raised at the 4/25/24 Housing Task Force meeting. For example, this
PUD Rezone proposal included the construction of many townhouses on land zoned as single-family
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(detached) residential, at a project density roughly ten times higher than allowed by the zoning, and with
all units being "build-to-rent". Hundreds of area residents attended an introductory meeting held by the
developer. Public opposition was loud and clear, and we have since heard from a VOWC resident that
the developer has withdrawn the proposal, at least for now.
A lesson to be learned from this experience is that the Housing Task Force should not make their
recommendations based primarily on feedback from City officials, developers, business interests, and
urban planners. The viewpoints of established single-family homeowners and neighborhoods should be
given equivalent weight, especially since they would have to live with the unexpected and undesired
consequences of forced intensification of their surroundings. If the Task Force makes final
recommendations that align with the discussion points in the bullet-list above, public
reaction/opposition will likely be very strong, just as it was for the recent Luxe Communities
development which was proposed in an inappropriate location.
We understand the desire to build more "Missing Middle" housing in Carmel. But careful consideration
must be given as to where such development is permitted to go, in order to preserve the integrity of
Carmel's zoned single-family neighborhoods and their surroundings. Overdevelopment and crowding
have a tipping point, where the quality of life starts declining for everyone.
Thank you for your consideration.
Dave and Dee Fox
Carmel
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