With a 5-2 vote Monday night, the Westfield City Council voted to accept amendments to the Viking Meadows PUD, culminating months of contentious debate between residents and new developer Pulte Homes.
The accepted amendments increased minimum standards for construction in the development, though opponents note that nearly all previously built homes were well above those standards. The last 18 homes built in Viking Meadows had an average market listing of $779,000.
Before the vote, the councilors offered their final rationales on the matter.
“There has been a tremendous amount of work going into making this PUD the best it can be given the circumstances,” Councilor Steve Hoover said. “I don’t think anyone is completely happy, but I believe the proposed PUD is better than the original, and protects the people who have the most to lose, that is, the current residents.”
Dissenting councilors Bob Stokes and Robert Horkay voiced concerns about the significant changes proposed to the original Viking Meadows development plan.
“The homes that Pulte is projected to build, we have plenty of in our inventory, and plenty more scheduled to be built,” Stokes said. “What we don’t have are those high end homes.”
The council’s approval means Pulte will continue with its revised development plan, beginning construction of new homes estimated to be in the $350,000 – $500,000 range.