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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Owned Property Reports 1983CITY OF CARMEL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FRANK T. FLEMING TED JOHNSON, • BILLY L. WALKER VIRGINIA L. KERR SUE McMULLEN JAMES D. GARRETSON DAVID. P. SHEPHERD The Honorable Jane A. Reiman Mayor City of Carmel Carmel, Indiana 46032 Dear Jane: March 2, 1983 Your committee on "Property Development" has now met three times and has come to some very preliminary conclusions. We also have continued work to accomplish. The purpose of this letter is to keep you abreast of our progress. To date we have surveyed the present public and private recreational facilities in our community - -city and township. The results of that survey are attached. We have held pre- liminary meetings with repr6sentatives of the Collegit.of Architecture and Planning and have a commitment fro them to assist us in examining possible uses of the two parcels of property: under study - -i.e. Rangeline Road and Gradle Drive; 106th and Grey Road. In terms of recreation we see Carmel's greatest need to be softball diamonds. Such facilities are used extensively by adult teams - -at least 22 such men's teams -;-in our community, not to mention youth programs. As the survey will show we have very limited facilities for this acitivity. Likewise, we see a need for a second community swimming pool. The Hamilton County Parks Department has indicated'in recent years a willingness to construct such a facility in Clay Township, although their Master Plan calls for such a pool to be constructed in the Fishers area, rather than in Clay Township. An attempt by the Park Board last year to purchase a 20+ acre park sight near 116th Street and Col-lege Avenue was thwarted by local public opposition to that site. Your'committee has preliminarily agreed that such a pool should be constructed east of Keystone Avenue. While many of the new 'subdivisions have clubhouses and pools, several have recently converted to membership clubs, thus, restricting their ready availability to many of our citizens. The Honorable Jane A. Reiman Page 2 The third perceived need is for picnic, nature study, shelters, etc. This is also a need recognized by the Parks; Department. With the nearly completed Mark Badger Dad's Club Athletic Complex'on east Main Street, most of the soccer and football youth :programs should have adequate facilities. Carmel Clay Schools has already indicated a willingness to allow property held at 116th Street and Spring Mill Road to be used for voluntary recreational facilities and programs; - and the Dad's Club':appears ready.to spearhead the temporary conversions of such facilities. As you know your charge to our committee was to explore possible short term and long term uses of the two city owned parcels of land, which now lay barron. THE RANGE LINE PROPERTY This 13+ acre tract of land was purchased for the purpose of serving as a site for future city facilities - -i.e. master fire station, city hall, plice station. Your, committee has researched similar facilities at Kokomo and Columbus, plus reviewed studies made for the City of Carmel by Wright Porteous and Lowe and feels a total of between 50,000 and 70,000 square feet of enclosed space will serve Carmel's needs well into the 21st Century. In addition to these aforementioned structures, the Committee has explored the concept of a Community Center of between 15,000 and 25,000 square feet. I have emphasized to the committee that no new construction on such a' complex is anticipated by the city in the near future. • Next fall -term a class of Architecture students from Ball State will take on as a project the investigation'of this property and provide to the City alternative site plans and models for such a future development.. As you know we have discussed in the past the possibility that this site might not be appropriate for such a complex. The BSU review should do . much to answer our concerns. Your committee and our Ball State liasons feel that little short -term planning for use of this site can be accomplished until the long -term study is completed, as they will have to be compatible. However, we do anticipate that the six acres north of Gradle Drive might well serve as a site for softball or soccer facilities in the near future with minimal city capital investment. To • The Honorable Jane A. Reiman Page 3 this end, we feel these six acres should be cleared, leveled and seeded during this spring or summer for such-recreational use in 1984. As a preliminary recommendation, we request that you have the Street Departmen and Office of City Engineer begin as soon as possible to prepare this site for seeding. The site is relatively flat and has been cleared substantially already. The use of a large roller and purchase of grass seed may be. necessary. I will be happy to assist you in securing whatever funding is necessary for this project. THE GRAY ROAD SITE As you know we are dealing here with a.17 to 20 acre . vacant field which is present4 /leased to Mr. John Hensel for farming. This site does not hive any long -term commitment for specific development and therefore, offers the most promise for quick use by the city. A first year graduate class of Ball State students in Landscape. Architecture will be studying possible uses and site development for this parcel between early March and May 1, 1983. Your committee met with Mr. Matt Pot- teringer of the BSU faculty on February 28, and discussed the role his students would perform. 1. They will review the recreational and park needs of the community 2. They will recommend alternative sites for a new community pool.. 3. They will provide alternative site development plans and cost estimates for the conversion of the Gray Road property into park and /or recreational use. Such study shall consider,. but not be limited to: a. swimming pool b. parking c. fencing d. softball diamonds e. playground f. picnic area and /or shelters g. nature study h. restrooms 1. storage facilities Since this site adjoins both sewer and 'water lines, no restrictions are deemed necessary due to lack of utilities. I have reminded Mr. Potteringer that one additional well site is planned for the acreage and he should confer with Jim Daugherty, our Utilities Manager, 'to discuss location of such well. The Honorable Jane A. Reiman Page 4 A,preliminary report and discussion will be held with Mr. Potteringer and his students on the evening of April 19 in the Conference Room of the high school. At this. meeting the Committee feels it adviseable if the following could attend: Mr. Charles Kiphart, Director of Community. Development, Mr. Thomas Welch, City Engineer, Mr. Daugherty and yourself. The meeting will begin at 7:00 P.M. A final report from BSU should be delivered to the Committee. on May 11 in the same location at 7:00 P.M. by Mr. Potteringer and his students. The committee` has discussed the desirability of continu- ing the lease with Mr. Hensel. Since whatever use is to be made of this site will require one year's advanced, leveling and seeding, your committee recommends that: The lease with Mr. Hensel be terminated and that the land be leveled, rolled and seeded during the spring or summer to prepare it for use in 1984. Again, some expense will be involved and I would be happy to assist you in securing necessary funding. To this end it might be appropriate to request Tom Welch to prepare cost estimates for leveling, rolling and seeding both parcels of land. Since the BSU Architecture project on Range Line Road will not take place until next autumn we request that you extend the life of your committee until that project is completed. On a personal note I would like to report how impressed I have become with the energy and attitude of the members of your conunittee. Many have spent considerable time and some personal expense to secure the information necessary for us to formulate recommendations. Respectfully, submitted, Jame D. Garretson, Chairman Mayor's Commitee on Property Development cc: Mr. Matt Potteringer. Committee members CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FRANK T. FLEMING TED JOHNSON BILLY L. WALKER VIRGINIA L. KERR SUE McMULLEN JAMES D. GARRETSON DAVID. P. SHEPHERD CITY OF CARMEL April 25, 1983 MEMO TO: Mayor Reiman and Member of Property Development Committee FROM: Jim Garretson, Chairman NOTE: NEXT MEETING WILL BE TUESDAY, MAY 10, 1983 7 :00 P.M. . This will serve as a summary for our meeting of last Tuesday, April 19, 1983. In attendance besides committee members were 0 Greg Gossard (Hamilton County Park Board member), Terry Busby (Ham - ilton County Park Superintendent), Mayor Reiman, Jim Daughterty (Carmel Utilities Manager), Chuck Kiphart (Director of Department of Community Development), Tom Welch (Carmel City Engineer),plus representatives of the first year graduate students in Landscape Architecture. Much of the value of the meeting came from the discussion and reaction to four individual proposals made by the students. Following are either major points made by the students and /or con - census thoughts of the group. A. Students looked for alternative site locations for pool and park. Upon close examination of the Gray Road site, however, they concluded it is an "excellent" location for a park and the particular piece of property was very suitable for a "community park ". National standards label a community park as 20 -30 acres. A 80 -90 acre park is called a "rgional park " - -such as the Cool Creek Park located south of Westfield. Their enthusiasm for the site was based on (1) the topography -- flatness of land and quality of soil; (2) adjoing woods; (3) vegetation that borders the site- - especially on the north side, which serves as a wind breaker. B. There is a need for a swimming pool at this site to assit in the financial support of the park. A pool would provide the only revenue for a park and would provide the only revenue for the park. Without the pool, tax dollars would be needed to support the park. MEMO TO PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE PAGE 2 . While no definate size pool was determined, a consensus appeared to favor a 50- meter, 8 lane pool with diving well. Its location would be near the northwestern corner of the property, away from trees and within easy site of traffic on Gray Road. The pool will serve as a magnate to bring people into park. The more a pool is used, the less vandalism and vagrancy problems occur. C. Three softball diamonds will be clustered together in the northeastern quadrant of the property with a "games" house and concenssion stand (with rest rooms) located in the middle of the three to serve all three. D. There would be a large "commons" area unlined for use of passive types of recreation -- frisbee throwing, pick- up games of touch football, soccer, etc. E. Shelter house for use of families, reunions, group cookouts, etc. F. Playground area located near to diamonds and to shelter house for use of mothers and small children. G. Four lighted tennis courts (primarily needed for adults who have children involved in activities in other parts of the park. H. To the south of this property are ten acres of wooded land owned by Eric and Helen Mueller. The west half of this woods is comprised of first generation trees and should be preserved. The east half has been logged several times and could easily be used. The BSU recommendation is to acquire this land and construct a 22 acre pond on the east half to (1) provide fill dirt for low spots on our property, (2) provide drainage basin for property, (3) provide winter skating area. (This is a recommandation that the committee felt deserved attention. Mayor Reiman and I will attempt to contact the Muellers after the election next week. Generally speaking, I believe all were impressed with the BSU presentations. The students listened attentively to our reactions and will return on Tuesday, May 10 to present their final report. We hope all committee members will be present that night as we conclude Phase I of our task. We will determine our recommendations to the Mayor on the Gray Road property at this meeting. Next fall we will tackle Phase II: recommendations on the short -term and long -term uses of the Rangeline Road Property. MEMO TO PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE PAGE 3 IMPORTANT At last week's meeting it was noted that some apprehension exists in the Fishers area over our attempts to "freeze them out." It was also a concensus that the committee should come out united on "one" plan to recommend to the Mayor, the City Council, the County Park Board and the County Council. To this end we want to procede deliberately and cautiously, trying all the way to develop a concensus support among community and county leaders and populace, and thus, diminishing the efficacy of potential opponents. About a month ago Marty Spitz of the CARMEL NEWS JOURNAL called me to inqure about what we were doing. I put him off at the time with generalities. He has withheld a story to date. Last weekend I again spoke to him and he appeared rady to go with some kind of story. I felt it important that if there was to be a story, we should try to present it in such a way as to stress what we felt to be important and to minimize potential opposition. Marty and I agreed to meet at the Gray Road site on Saturday morning. I asked John Denkman to join us to minimize any "political" flavor to the meeting and the story, since I am up for re- election in about one week. John was a tremendous help in stressing to Marty the tentative nature of our plans to date and the absolute resolution of our committee to cooperate in the "whole" County park system and program. We stressed that the park was but a cog in a three part program that included Cool Creek and Fishers Park and that we hoped all three would proceed to fruition together, not separately. Obviousl, I don't know how Marty will write his story, but I wanted to alert you to why it will appear in the paper and how John and I attempted to guide the tone of the story. REPORT ON TENNIS FACILITIES IN CLAY TWP. PUBLIC COURTS Carmel High School - -8 composition courts, no lights, school priority for classes (8:00 - 3:00), and team priority in spring (girls season) and fall (boys season) after school and Saturdays. Carmel Jr. High School--6 composition courts, no lights, same restrictions as High School. Clay Jr. High School - -6 composition courts, no lights, same restrictions as High School. Orchard Park Elementary School - -1 asphalt court, no net. ao PRIVATE_ COURTS Carmel Racquet Club - -12 indoor courts, 6 clay outdoor courts, membership ues ($130/195/255), hourly court fee ($8 -14). Keystone Woods - -2 courts, membership dues, residents only. Woodland Springs - -2 courts, membership dues, residents only. Brookshire Country Club - -2 courts, membership dues for pool and tennis ($125/175). Mount Carmel--2 courts, membership dues, residents only. Woodlands--? Inn Gate Apartments - - -1 court, residents only. Mohawk Hills Apartments -- -2 courts (1 lighted), residents only. Twin Lakes Apartments - -2 courts, residents only. Woodland Trace Apartments -- -2 courts, residents only. Woodland Springs Manor Apartments--2 clay courts, both lighted, residents only. TOTAL: 56 COURTS SCHOOL OWNED COURTS: 21 COURTS PRIVATE COURTS (membership or residency requirements): 35 COURTS MAYOR'S PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE REPORT ON RECREATIONAL FACILITIES February 28, 1983 In order to prepare a recommendation on how Lo use the two pieces of city owned property (Gradle Road and 10G /Grey l;o:ld) I:ur recreational activities, the Property Development Committee must first have a recreational inventory of Carmel /Clay Township. To our knowledge the only existing recreational inventory is contained in the Master Plan for Parks and Recreation prepared for the Hamilton County Parks and Recreation Department in May, 1978. Many changes have occurred since the survey was conducted, and facilities have been added. In the available time and with the available resources, it was not possible to conduct an exhaustive survey comparable to the Master Plan. Therefore, we restricted our survey to the major recreational activities as listed in the agenda of February 2, 1983. The one exception was playgrounds, since we found that most parks, schools, and churches own playground equipment of some kind. Where possible, the Master Plan was used. The recreational facilities are summarized in Table 1. The location of these facilities in Carmel and Clay Township is shown on the reaps twat follow. It should be noted that these results summarize only the existing facilities. There are several facilities proposed. These are summarized in Table 2. Deborah Snyder John Denknrann Activity Classification Number Figure Tennis Courts Public Outdoor 21 1 Private Outdoor 29 1 •Private Indoor 12 1 Basketball Public Indoor 12 courts 2 Private Indoor 3 courts 2 Public UuLdoor 48 goals Football Public 6 3 Private 1 3 Soccer Public 8 4 Private 1 4 Baseball Public 7 5 Private 1 5 Softball Public 91 6 Private 2 6 Golf Private 3 -18 hole 7 1 -9 hole 7 Swimming Pool Public Outdoor ' 1 8 Public Indoor 1 8 SUMMARY OF EXISTING RECREATIONAL FACILITIES Table 1 Activity Number Figure Tennis Courts ( ?) l Basketball 1 2 Football 2( ?) 3 Soccer' 7(?) 4 Baseball 1( ?) 5 Softball 7(?) 6 Golf 0 7 Swimming Pools 0 8 PROJECTED RECRtEATIONAL FACILITIES Table 2 FINAL REPORT ON` PHASE I. MAYOR'S COMMITTEE ON PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT TO THE HONORABLE JANE A. REIMAN MAYOR CARMEL, INDIANA COMMITTEE MEMBERS° JAMES D. GARRETSON, CHAIRMAN (Carmel City Council) DEBBIE SNYDER (President, Hamilton County Park Board) JOHN DENKMANN (Resident and Committee member) LEE LONZO (Attorney, Resident, Committee member) HANS GUNDERSEN (Vice Chairman, .Carmel Plan Commission) SYLVIA COMA (Resident, Committee member) VI ECHELBERGER (Resident, Committee member) NORMAN RUNDLE (Precinct Committeeman, Committee .member) RICHARD KLAR (Carmel Dad's Club and Committee member) CITY OF CARvII --1 CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FRANK T. FLEMING TED JOHNSON BILLY L. WALKER VIRGINIA L. KERR SUE McMULLEN JAMES D. GARRETSON DAVID. P. SHEPHERD The Honorable Jane A. Reiman Mayor of City of Carmel Carmel City Building East Main Street Carmel, Indiana 46032 Dear Mayor Reiman: May 12, 1983 Your committee on Property Development has now completed its work on Phase 1 of its assignment: the proposed disposition of the 20+ acres contiguous to the newly purchased water treatment plant near 106th Street and Gray Road. Phase 2 of our charge - - -the recommendations for short -term and long- term uses of the 134 acres located west of Rangeline Road and both north and south of Gradle Drive -- -will be undertaken in the Autumn of 1983, with the expectation of sending you a final report prior to Christmas, 1983. In the research and development of both phases of this assignment your committee is deeply indebted to the College of Architecture and Planning at Ball State University. In Phase 1, a class of first year graduate students in Landscape Architecture, under the supervision of Professor Matthew Pot - teringer, provided invaluable assistance in assimilating your committee's concerns and ideas. The two alternative proposals that they presented to the committee on May 10, 1983 conceptualize the thinking of your committee. In Phase 2 a class of third year Architecture students under the supervision of Professor Scott Truex, will assist in the study of the Rangeline property and offer alternative proposals for that site. Enclosed with this letter you will find: 1) Your charge to our committee; (2) your committee's final conclusions and recommendations; (3) a sketch of the two sites; (4) Letters and memoranda reflecting the discussions of meetings held by your committee; (4) a report by Mrs. Snyder and Mr. Denkmann on the recreation facilities presently located The Honorable Jane A. Reiman Mayor of City of Carmel Page 2 in Clay Township. More elaborate drawings made by the BSU students will be available to you and the City Council upon request. We look forward to the continuation of our charge in the Fall, and offer our assistance in bringing about the recommendations made in Phase 1 of our report. Sincerely, JT es D. Garretson, Chairman Mayor's Committee on Property Development cc: Debbie Snyder John Denkmann Lee Lonzo Hans Gundersen Richard Filar Sylvia Coma Vi Echelberger Norman Rundle Matt Potteringer Dean, College of Architecture and Planning (BSU) REPORT FROM MAYOR'S COMMITTEE ON PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT PAGE 1 CONCLUSIONS 1. The city has no imminent or long range needs for the acreage located at the proposed site off of Gray Road except one additional well site to be located in the northeastern corner of the property. 2. The best use of this acreage would be for parks and recreation. 3. The topography of the land is very suitable for parks and 4 recreation 4. The city does not have a Parks Board or Department, but Hamilton County maintains a viable Parks Department with an annual budget of over $300,000. 5. The highest priority needs for the Carmel Clay area are: a. Community swimming pool b. Softball diamonds c. Picnic areas d. Passive recreation areas e. Nature study areas RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The 106th Srt'reet and Gray Road Property be used as a park. Such a park should include all or a part of the following: A. An 8 -lane, 50 meter pool with diving well B. No less than three lighted softball diamonds C. Tennis courts D. Volleyball courts E. Shelter houses F. Large grass area for passive recreation G. Playground area for small children H. Jogging trail I. 2 -.3 acre pond for winter recreation. 2. The city should enlist the support of the Hamilton County Parks Board in construction of and maintenance and pperation of the park. 3. This park should become one part of an overall plan to provide expanded park and recreation facilities to the Fishers and Westfiled areas. 4. The city should lease the acreage at 106th Street and Gray Road to the Hamilton County Park Board for 50 years at $1.00 per year with an automatic 50 year renewal option. REPORT FROM MAYOR'S COMMITTEE ON PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT PAGE 2 (RECOMMENDATIONS CONT.) 5. The city should seek assurances that the park once constructed is maintained at standards established by the National Parks and Recreation Commission. Provisions should be made for such facilities to revert to the city in the event the County fails to maintain such standards. 6. An effort should be made to acquire the ten acres of wooded land contiguous to the southside of the property. Such acreage would be a natural asset to the park, providing nature study and a three acre pond for aesthetic and recrea- tional uses. 7. Every effort should be made to mobilize public opinion, including government boards and officials, behind this project, to demonstrate to the County an intense interest in the project. 8. In the event the park becomes a reality, the County should be encourage to make substantial improvements on Gray Road and 1.106 th Street providng pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular access to the park. 9. As an initial step in this project the City Council should adopt a resolution supporting the concept of the project and encourage the Mayor to enter into negotiations with the Hamilton County Park Board to bring about the completion of the project. The Committee recognizes many advantages to this proposal. First, the proposed site is presently isolated from contiguous housing developments, thus not a threat to any present home owners.. The size of the park is ideal for a "community park" as opposed to a regional park. Secondly, the proposed pool would be located geographically opposite the present Carmel Swiming Pool, thus providing for complementary use rather than competitive use. Such ai:pool would provide a source of income for the park to allow it to be self - sustained without the use of tax funds. Without such a revenue enhancer the park would need to rely. on tax support each year. The Committee is cognizant that more than 12,000 residents are housed between Keystone Avenue and White River - -a rather dense community larger than the city of Noblesville. REPORT FROM MAYOR'S COMMITTEE ON PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT PAGE 3 Since over 40% of property tax dollars spent on past and present park project by the County comes from Clay Township residents, the committee feels the creation of a Carmel Parks Department would be wasteful and repetitive. Rather, this park project should be integrated into the master plan for County parks. The committee urgently stresses its concern that this project be viewed as only a part of a more extensive Hamilton County Park development. Particularly, the Committee hopes that this project will move forward harmoniously with the development of Cool Creek Park in Washington Township and Fishers Community Park. MAYOR'S COMMITTEE ON PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT PREAMBLE: At present the City of Carmel owns two substantial pieces of property -- approximately 132 acres west of Rangeline Road and east of Monon Railroad and located on both the north and south sides of Gradle Drive; and 23 acres adjoining the Water Treatment plant recently acquired from the Indianapolis Water Company, located at 106th Street and Grey Road. The Rangeline property was purchased over one year ago as a pos- sible future site for a City Government Complex. The 23 acres near the water plant was a recent gift from the Indiana- polis Water Company. At present the Rangeline property lies dormant while the Grey Road property is leased on a yearly basis to John Hensel for farming. The City should develop both long -range and short -range planning for the use and development of these two parcels of land. Among short term uses could be a) recreation (winter and summer), b) athletic, c) picnic, d) entertainment, 3) park- ing, f) botany gardens, g) leasing to pri vate interests, etc. The charge to this committee from the Mayor is to study both the long term and short term uses of these parcels of property and submit a report to the Mayor by no later than March, 1983 outlining their proposals complete with cost estimates for all alternative proposals, and as .much as possible, sources of revenue needed to fund projected uses. WATER peArMEN1 Frrc� .lT/ A =ND as rR I A L. PA Ric viAn a tiougzs Eac (va Ica vd) CuR REYA L. 0 rZ E 715 1.1 LAN )AP WAIII6SeLii9Z ;Co. ulril.1 TV coaewitivr arc re 5 yc.ahf) RETAIL 04;7'4E7 .5 e ogle- party