HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter #116 Joyce Taylor November 8, 2024 To the Members of the Carmel Planning Commission: I am writing to you in regards to the Village of West Clay Owners Association, Inc. resolution dated November 4, 2024. This resolution opposes the re-zoning of land for a high-density housing development adjacent to the Village of West Clay Community. The proposed development is known as Stout Farm. Taylor Morrison of Indiana, LLC has submitted an application to the Carmel Planning Commission to adopt a PUD District Ordinance for said property. Because I will be unable to attend the initial public hearing meeting re-scheduled for December 17, 2024, I am forwarding my thoughts and concerns to the Planning Commission via this correspondence. As a twenty-three-year resident of the Village of West Clay (VOWC), I have been privileged to witness the vision for West Clay grow from its inaugural stages to the vibrant, thriving community which exists today. While the quality-built residences, shops and amenities may vary in size and style, they are nonetheless uni�ied in a harmonious blend of historical architecture. Present day, the Village of West Clay is a freestanding community and a truly special place to call “home.” Other residential communities established nearby, including Claridge Farms and Laurel Lakes, have also been thoughtfully developed and are in keeping with the existing Comprehension Plan set forth for this area of Carmel. I oppose the Stout Farm request for re-zoning for several reasons, which are summarized below.
• The planned “high-density” production housing is not in keeping with nearby residential communities, including The Village of West Clay. The Developer is seeking approval of a PUD equivalent to the R4 District, which would allow for multiple family development on small lots in distinctly urbanized areas. This zoning request on the part of the Developer is not compatible with established neighborhoods in West Carmel, nor does it comply with the overall Comprehension Plan for this area. Because West Carmel is not an urbanized area, a drastic rezoning classi�ication from S1 to R4 would signi�icantly alter the landscape of West Carmel. In addition, the homes envisioned for Stout Farm are incompatible with the architectural and building standards existing within the Village of West Clay and surrounding areas. As a result, these lower-price-point production homes would detrimentally impact the property values of neighboring communities. In addition to my concerns about the quality of home construction, I am opposed to the building of homes which would allow for a maximum lot coverage between seventy-�ive (75) and ninety (90) percent. This type of proposed density well exceeds the recommended density for the current S1 zoning as well as the Comprehension Plan recommendations for West Carmel. Population associated with such a higher-density development could lead to an overburdening of our school systems, roadways, and our emergency response teams.
• Taylor Morrison of Indiana, LLC was created on 04-09-24 and accredited on 05-29-24. The company, headquartered in Scottsdale, AZ, builds homes throughout the United States. To date, Taylor Morrison of Indiana, LLC has no historical track record in the State of Indiana nor has Taylor Morrison constructed homes in any other midwestern state. While I recognize that Taylor Morrison bought out Pyatt Builders, it stands to reason that Taylor Morrison of Indiana, LLC would be conducting its business based on the overall business practices established by its parent company. Taylor Morrison’s purchase of Pyatt Homes of Indiana would have little bearing on how Taylor Homes of Indiana, LLC would conduct business in the State of Indiana, and speci�ically in this case, the City of Carmel.
• The of�icial Taylor Morrison website touts that the company has been recognized as America’s Most Trusted
Home Builder. While this distinction seems impressive at face-value, this marketing tactic on the part of Taylor Morrison appears to gloss over the numerous complaints �iled against Taylor Morrison by dissatis�ied homeowners. In their home state of Arizona alone, the Better Business Bureau lists hundreds of complaints against Taylor Morrison within the last three (3) years, with an overall rating of 1.14 out of 5 stars in terms of customer satisfaction. Complainants have shared real-life concerns about leaks, large foundation cracks, shoddy workmanship and inferior building materials, mold issues, electrical and plumbing defects, deterioration of exterior paint and stucco, an overall cutting of corners during the building process, lack of warranty support and not honoring warranties, lack of common area maintenance, trash build-up in by contractors, landscaping and drainage issues, lack of common area amenities which were promised, and so on. One consumer, John S., commented on 07/05,2024, “Contrary to your company’s marketing hype, our personal experience shows us that your company builds a house with a very low-grade exterior subject to visible deterioration in a time-span that is much shorter than it should be. Further, your company does not stand by its workmanship.” In addition
to the customers who have �iled complaints and poor reviews with the Arizona Better Business Bureau, other customers have shared their dissatisfaction via alternative outlets (Yelp, Trustpilot, TikTok, etcetera) or have sought remedies through the courts.
https://www.bbb.org/us/az/scottsdale/pro�ile/home-builders/taylor-morrison-1126-92004815
https://www.yelp.com/biz/taylor-morrison-scottsdale-2?start=30 (Scottsdale, AZ) https://www.yelp.com/biz/taylor-morrison-arvada (Arvada, CO) https://www.yelp.com/biz/taylor-morrison-irvine (Irvine, CA) https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.taylormorrison.com
In April of 2024, Taylor Morrison �iled a formal complaint with the Arizona State Board of Technical Registration against an Arizona licensed home inspector, Cyril Porter. In its �iling, Taylor Morrison requested that Mr. Porter be disciplined by the licensing board and that he be forced to remove social media video footage of new build inspections he conducted in Arizona. The complaint �iled by Taylor Morrison against Porter accused him of posting information that was “harassing, falsi�ied, and bullying.” It should be noted that Porter routinely inspects new homes built by many area builders, yet only Taylor Morrison �iled a complaint. According to an online news story by Channel 12 News in Phoenix, AZ, at a hearing held in late August, a representative from Taylor Morrison went so far as to ask that the Board suspend Porter’s license. The article quotes the representative as stating, “Taylor Morrison is asking that you control this kind of advertising, that you suspend his license until he has taken appropriate professional ethics training so that he has a much better understanding of what it means to be in this profession.” At the hearing, the licensing board determined that while some may question Porter’s tactics of posting inspection footage to social media outlets, the investigator assigned to this case by the Board concluded there was no evidence that Porter had lied in any of his videos. At the conclusion of the hearing, the Board did not discipline Porter nor did they �ind any evidence of a violation of Board statutes or rules. https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/valley/we-were-unable-to-�ind-any-veri�iable-violations-viral-az-home-inspector-not-disciplined-after-taylor-morrison-�iles-complaint-against-him/75-2910b55f-57d0-4f8d-848d-d35a271bd69c While it could be argued by Taylor Morrison that they have many satis�ied customers living within the communities in which they build, the severity of the complaints and the sheer number of bad reviews posted by countless Taylor Morrison homeowners should serve as a cautionary tale as to what could occur within our own community. Taking into consideration the many reputable and established builders already doing business in the State of Indiana, we should not roll out the red carpet for yet another national builder hoping to gain inroads in the Hoosier State without proper vetting. The City of Carmel does not need to take an unnecessary risk on a builder who has racked up countless complaints and negative reviews nationwide, let alone a builder who would seek to have the license of a third-party home inspector suspended and attempt to suppress his right to share inspection video footage online which may prove bene�icial to prospective homeowners or governmental agencies.
• I also am opposed to any plans which would potentially allow Stout Farm to connect a housing development to existing roadway in the Village of West Clay. My residence is located along Broad Street, one of the main arteries leading into the community. Over the years, I have witnessed countless “near-misses” in terms of cars barely stopping in time to prevent harm to a pedestrian, golf cart, or another vehicle. Not surprisingly, these incidences have risen as our community has grown. As a frequent walker, I have personally had many close calls with distracted drivers who have ignored stop signs, failed to yield, or were driving at a high rate of speed. In the past several years, there has also been an increase in motorists driving carelessly though our alleys in hopes of �inding a “short-cut.” Speeding along Broad Street is a frequent occurrence, so much so that our Carmel Police of�icers routinely detain drivers for ignoring the posted speed limits. Unfortunately, law enforcement can only do so much to ensure safety within West Clay. Because so many children call this community home, I feel strongly that allowing the Stout Farm project to connect to the Village of West Clay (thereby increasing traf�ic volume further) would do more harm than good. Children are not always observant of speeding cars and distracted motorists; it’s imperative that ensuring their safety takes precedence over the re-zoning of any property which would increase road traf�ic further.
• The Stout Farm project proposal is extremely lacking in buffer zones, setbacks, green spaces, and amenities, and is not in keeping with the standards set forth for the Village of West Clay and surrounding communities in West Carmel. In light of the lack of green spaces or amenities, I am concerned that the proposed Stout Farm project could over-burden the Village’s green spaces, parks, etcetera. Members of our community bene�it from the abundant green spaces, parks, and amenities of West Clay; in exchange for this shared enjoyment, we collectively maintain and preserve these assets through our homeowner association dues. It would be unfair for members of The Village of West Clay or residents of nearby communities to be held to certain standards which would not apply to Stout Farms in terms of providing adequate green spaces and amenities for its own residents. Because the Stout Farm PUD proposal truly does not address these quality-of-life needs for its future residents, members of the Village of West Clay Homeowners Association could be placed the inequitable position of subsidizing amenities for residents of Stout Farm that are intended for and are paid for by its members.
• I am also opposed to zoning changes which would allow for any investor-owned properties and/or short-term rentals. Rentals and investor-owned properties often lead to problems, such as excessive noise, higher traf�ic volumes, home maintenance and upkeep issues, unpaid property taxes, increased vandalism and criminal mischief, and a non-adherence to community guidelines and ordinances. Through homeowner association dues, VOWC residents pay for additional security and also have come to rely upon the outstanding services provided by Carmel Police, Fire and EMS. I feel the allowance of short-term rentals or investor-owned properties at Stout Farms would detrimentally impact the quality of life of existing residents and businesses. It could also unnecessarily burden our governmental agencies with increased calls and runs, thereby resulting in longer response times for the overall community. Given that Taylor Morrison has invested millions into growing their brand of Build-to-Rent (BTR) homes and has dedicated a large percentage of its business to investor-owned home ventures, I believe it is imperative that the City of Carmel ensure any proposed development, including the one Taylor Morrison of Indiana, LLC has submitted for Stout Farms, does not allow for short-term rentals or investor-owned properties. Per the Taylor Morrison 2nd quarter Investor Presentation (see link below), the company owned and/or controlled at that time +10,550 build to rent lots, had 40+BTR projects in process, and had established Yardly BTR developments in 9 out of 20 marketing areas. I believe that short-term rentals and investor-owned properties can signi�icantly infringe upon the rights of owner-occupants and impede the creation of viable, sustainable communities and neighborhoods. A 2023 report issued from the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana denotes that Indiana is among the top ten states in terms of single-family homes being purchased by corporate investors, with nearly half being owned by out-of-state parties. At a time when Carmel is exploring affordable housing options, investor-owned properties and BTR homes would increase assessed home values and rental rates, limit inventory further, and ultimately preclude many prospective buyers from achieving the American Dream of home ownership. https://newsroom.taylormorrison.com/2022-06-15-Taylor -Morrison-and-Varde-Partners-Scale-850-Million-Build-to-Rent-Joint-Venture -with-Nine-Asset-Closings-Since-Inception https://www.builderonline.com/builder-100/taylor-morrison-unveils-new-build-to-rent-brand-yardly_o https://s27.q4cdn.com/448041563/�iles/doc_earnings/2024/q2/presentation/TMHC-2Q24-Investor-Presentation-Final.pdf https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/01/taylor-morrison-is-latest-homebuilder-to-bet-on-single-family-rentals.html https://www.�hcci.org/investors/ After much consideration and in conclusion, I oppose Stout Farms receiving a new zoning classi�ication for its proposed development. Please accept my appreciation for being afforded an opportunity to provide input and to share my concerns with the Carmel Planning Commission. I respectfully urge the Planning Commission to deny the re-zoning of Clay Cottages (Stout Farms) submitted by Taylor Morrison of Indiana, LLC. Sincerely, Joyce Taylor Lot 357 The Village of West Clay