The Zionsville Plan Commission met July 17 at Town Hall to discuss a petition for the rezoning of 349-plus acres of land — nine parcels — north of C.R. 200 and south of C.R. 100 S. The rezoning would involve multiple parcels between U.S. 421 and C.R. 950 E.
The site currently has a single-family residence, farm buildings, multiple acres of farmed ground and wooded areas and is bisected by Eagle Creek.
Henke Development Group, LLC seeks to rezone the area for a $700 million-plus planned unit development, Bradley Ridge, to allow for a mixed-use project of primarily single-family residential housing with areas for cultural/entertainment uses and recreational uses included.
Plans call for the PUD to be divided into three blocks, including residential and lifestyle use, townhouse use and community amenity and nature preservation use.
Matt Price spoke on behalf of Henke Development and said there would be no more than 74 single-family homes, no more than 60 townhouses and that the third block would be the key component to the development.
“The incorporation of the community amenity and nature preservation-use block will help create an environment where the call to come to this community is the love of nature,” Price said.
Trails in greenways are part of the strategic plan. Price said a key aspect of the plan is to create connections between other destinations in the community, such as the new Carpenter Nature Preserve.
The proposed property was noted in the Residential Development Compatibility Map of the Airport Area Strategic Land Use Plan, adopted as a part of the Comprehensive Plan on Jan. 18, 2022.
Price said the conservation residential discussion in the comprehensive plan addresses the potential to shrink lot sizes and preserve natural features in the area generally bounded as south of 32 and west of 421.
“We think this project does an excellent job of providing for a variety of lot sizes and a great deal of open areas and preservation of natural features,” Price said.
Matters still under consideration that are connected to the project include a traffic study and a portion of the project that states in the Airport Area Strategic Land Use Plan that residential development beneath the proposed zone would be prohibited.
“What we have done is propose no more homes in that area than would otherwise be permitted under the underlying zoning to comply with that comprehensive plan recommendation, “Price said.
Following the presentation, Plan Commission President David Franz opened the floor for members to express their concerns, ask questions and share opinions on the project.
Resident Ed Espey, who owns property 31 feet from the proposed project, applauded the development plan.
“It would be a first-class thing to have, and I don’t care much about the property value of mine going up,” Espey said. “I just hope the gravel road would be paved if this development happens.”
Resident Jen Pickett, who lives one property over from 950 E., raised concerns about the project.
“I just want to know how it will directly impact our properties. I question whether or not the development will allow surrounding people to use its amenities or if it will be exclusive and we will be excluded from nature there,” Pickett said.
Plan Commission member Chris Lake voiced concerns about how the project would impact the surrounding schools.
“I believe this project will map to Union Elementary and I think they are on the fuller side,” Lake said. “I am guessing (members of) your community will have on average two kids. That’s going to be something I’m going to evaluate.”
Plan Commission member Larry Jones said that in the past, it has not moved forward with developments in that area.
“By extending utilities in that area, we are opening up the in-between area for additional development,” Jones said. “If we are going to grow, we need to control schools, roads, sewers as well as (whether) we can stomach what we are biting off.”
Discussion of the project will be continued at the Plan Commission’s Aug. 21 meeting.
