HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-0926; Steve PittmanKeeling, Adrienne M
From: Steve Pittman [steve@pittmanpartners.com]
Sent: Friday, September 26, 2008 3:46 PM
To: Keeling, Adrienne M
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9/29/2008
Adrienne:
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to comment on the Carmel Comprehensive Plan and the accompanying land
use map that Carmel is currently reviewing. As you know my family has lived on the west side of Carmel since
the early 1970’s. I tell you this not because it means that my opinions are more important than anyone else or
even someone who just moved in but because we have seen many changes over the years and are very familiar
w the tenor of the area.
It is my belief that the property in the general vicinity of 116th
and US 31 West to Spring Mill Rd, South to 111th
St
and North to Spring Lake Estates subdivision should be planned to allow for intense commercial development. I
also believe that more intense uses should occur on the west side of Spring Mill Rd. We shouldn’t be provincial in
our thinking and try to compartmentalize development and planning. As a community we are blessed to still have
so much ground in this area to create a sense of place for businesses and residents on the west side. It is
inconceivable to develop and build residential between Illinois St and Spring Mill Rd. Illinois Street is a major road
w 120 of row. In addition, its adjacency to the future limited access highway US 31, the truck and commercial
traffic on US 31 and the relocated truck traffic from Keystone, the helicopters flying overhead to and from Clarian
Hospital make residential impractical and destined to fail or never happen. This plan for the area between Illinois
and Spring Mill Rd represents yesterday’s thinking of 25 years ago. The world has drastically changed. This is
not fiscally responsible either. We need to continue to grow a strong commercial tax base. Why are we willing to
allow commercial east of Pennsylvania Ave. but not west of Illinois? This does not make any sense. Residents
and employers / employees in west Carmel want to see dynamic development that would allow for restaurants,
offices, hotels and the amenities that development like this would provide. They are not stuck in the old way of
thinking. Please consider changing this area to Regional Vitality Node.
I am also very concerned that the Comprehensive Plan continues to encourage sprawl. Neighborhoods like The
Reserve at Spring Mill, Williams Mill, Spring Arbor and Ashbury Park could not be duplicated in many places on
the west side of Carmel. We need to find places where more dense, vibrant and creative communities can be
created on the west side. We need to be aware of the impact of the new 146th
St on the west side of Carmel and
plan appropriately. Please consider changing the entire corridor from 141st
to 146th
St to Suburban
Residential from the Boone County Line to Town Rd. In addition, this is the ideal area for a large outdoor
sports park that our community needs and wants. This is ideal for this use because it could be accessed off of a
busy 146th
St and be less invasive to residential.
The area between Westfield Blvd and Haverstick north of and adjacent to 96th
St should also be looked at closely
as an area in transition. South of 96th
St and north of and adjacent to I465 will be commercial and is currently
under contract by a commercial developer. This development will have an impact on the area north of 96th
St. I
am not suggesting how this area change only that it will change and I recommend that we look to our planning
staff and paid consultant for guidance.
Thanks you for your consideration and I look forward to continuing to participate in this process
Steve Pittman
Steve Pittman
Mail: PO Box 554, Carmel, IN 46082-0554
Office: 11711 N. Pennsylvania St., Carmel, IN 46032
317.580.9693 direct
317.580.9786 fax
steve@pittmanpartners.com
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9/29/2008