Editor,
If you are concerned about overdevelopment in Carmel, and about the city council’s frequent disregard for established residential zoning despite years of neighbors’ objections to rezones, then please vote against the incumbents (with one exception) in the May 7 primary.
Public records show that Tony Green is the only current councilor (Southwest District) who has voted against several recent incompatible rezone proposals. During the last four years, the other six councilors have voted to approve virtually every proposed development. Also, council committees have rarely scaled back these proposals, even though nearly every development proposal in residential areas has violated the current zoning regarding lot size, density or permitted uses.
As examples, a property at Main Street and Clay Center Road was rezoned for 1/6-acre residential lots, a property at 116th Street and College Avenue was rezoned from single-family residential to build townhouses and a property at 106th and Illinois streets was rezoned from single-family residential to build a three-story office building.
Most Carmel citizens don’t speak up against overly intense development proposals unless the project is nearby. But every approved residential rezone sets a precedent, and the next proposal may be near your neighborhood.
The best way to limit the ongoing rezoning of residential property in Carmel is to vote against the councilors that have repeatedly supported these rezones. To send a message to the three incumbents running for the three at-large positions, your only vote for an at-large councilor should be for Republican challenger Tim Hannon. In the six district races, two incumbents are unopposed in the primary, and two districts have no incumbents running.
All council incumbents are running as Republicans. Even if you normally vote Democratic in the general election, you can still request a Republican ballot in the primary.
Please vote to protect our residential zoning.
Dave Fox, Carmel
