A proposal to build a gas station on the southeast corner of 146th Street and Gray Road has drawn the ire of nearby residents.
The parcel, which is currently “just trees,” according to neighbor Steve Dauby, is zoned only for residential uses – a zoning backed up by the city’s comprehensive plan for the area, residents say.
A previous plan for townhomes on the site which residents supported was eventually scrapped by developer Hearthview Residential.
“We supported the town homes,” Dauby said. “What goes in on that corner, what does it look like, does it fit the overall feel of the area, the traffic? That’s always been our concerns.”
Dauby and other residents have started an online petition against the rezoning request. As of press time, the petition had garnered 169 signatures. It can be found online by searching for “City ofCarmelOfficials and Planning Commission” at change.org.
“These guys have so much money sunk into this property that really their only avenue now to recoup their investment is to go some type of commercial, and that’s pretty obvious that’s what they’re doing,” Dauby said. “It’s not what best fits the neighborhood, it’s about getting their money back.”
The Carmel Plan Commission will hear the rezoning request tonight at 6 p.m. at city hall.