HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter #3 Bruce SpratfordCarmel Board of Zoning Appeals
1 Civic Square
Carmel, IN 46032
RE: Docket #PZ-2024-0083 SE
July 22, 2024
R1&39_D
Hg:
Woodland Green has been a single family residential development since its
inception in 1971. The introduction of a "group home" franchise is not what
was originally intended. This particular franchise is a business. The owner
intends to warehouse ten Alzheimer's/dementia patients, at $10,000 per
month. That's a gross of $100,000 a month. It is not being done out of
altruism, but rather to make a huge profit on his investment. It is a
business, pure and simple.
Carmel's population is 104K. An internet search found at least 1,699
Alzheimer beds available here. Fishers also has a population of 104,000,
but only 479 beds for Alzheimer patients. The owner claims to be filling a
need here, but there is none. Noblesville (299 available beds), and
Westfield (279 beds) have a much higher need per capita than Carmel.
Mr. Hein, the financial backer, intends to hire an off -site person to manage
the home's day to day operation. There is no mention of hiring medically
trained care givers for the residents.
The renovations proposed to the house will create 10 small bedrooms, and
eliminate the garage. There will be only surface parking available, which
could cause difficulty with deliveries if there are visitor and caregiver
vehicles parked in the available spaces. The driveway opens to 116tn
Street, which is often congested at that location because of the Gray Rd.
roundabout.
There are no provisions indoors for patient exercise, and only limited plans
for "group walks" in good weather in the back yard. The few physical
activities listed in their July calendar would be hard to carry out in a room
that is mostly taken up by the huge dining table and chairs. For a
"boutique", high -end establishment, charging $10,000 a month, the concept
plan leaves a lot to be desired.
The pharmaceutical industry is currently working on a cure for Alzheimer's.
Some companies are hopeful that they'll have something in the next five
years. If this variance is approved, it should have a renewal hearing in five
years, to see if it's still necessary.
I've been told that I'm "tilting at windmills", since group homes are legally
allowed in single family residential zones. It seems that special interests
have found a way to subvert individual rights to keep neighborhoods as
originally intended.
By allowing this franchise to obtain a variance, it will open the door to more
opportunistic people to come into any neighborhood in Carmel, and slowly
destroy the "single family residential" concept.
Thank you for your consideration.
Bruce Spratford
22 Green Place
Carmel, IN 46033
brucesprat@aol.com (317-843-2247)