The Zionsville Plan Commission met Oct. 16 at Town Hall to discuss a variety of items, including a proposed planned unit development known as Bradley Ridge, which was last discussed at the July 17 meeting.
Henke Development is requesting the rezoning of 349-plus acres of land — nine parcels — north of CR 200 and south of CR 100 S.
Plan Commission Senior Planner Roger Kilmer reintroduced the project.
“The proposed development of a single-family residential subdivision would be a departure from the recommendation of agricultural uses in the Comprehensive Plan, but the development would comply with the Airport Area Strategic Land Use Plan and 2016 Strategic Trails Implementation Plan,” Kilmer said.
Kilmer recommended the petitioner hear from the plan commission and the public and that they revisit the ordinance at the Nov. 20 meeting.
Matt Price with Henke Development presented updates and revisions to the Bradley Ridge PUD, including a reduced number of homes from 410 to 290 single-family homes, consisting of 250 single-family homes on the east side of Eagle Creek and 40 single-family homes on the west side of Eagle Creek; the removal of townhouses; the addition of an over 1-mile trail along the west side of Eagle Creek; the removal of homesites for the Tier 1 zone (prohibiting development in the flight path of future east/west runway); and more.
Prince said other items or commitments to be incorporated into the PUD are also being considered.
Christy Wright, a representative of Save Rural Zionsville, said the organization has been working with Henke Development on the project and believes they are close to completing discussions. She said Save Rural Zionsville hopes that at the next meeting that it can say that it supports the project.
Terry Borman, who has lived at her Zionsville residence for more than 30 years, said her specific concern with the project is providing sewers to the development. She said that if Hamilton Southeastern Utility selects TriCo Utility to provide the pipeline, the proposed sewer route will be through her property.
“I am requesting that the Henke Development Group make a commitment that any sewer infrastructure needed to the Bradley Ridge PUD does not require eminent domain to be imposed against my property or any other property,” Borman said.
Bill Frye, president of the Hamilton County Airport Authority, spoke on behalf of the Indianapolis Executive Airport and said that the airport study conducted a few years ago designated the area for the PUD as a state conservation residential district.
“The report states the intent is for this area to remain low density, estate residential, with a heavy emphasis on preservation of tree canopy and environmental resources,” Frye said. “It does not sound to me like a PUD meets that criteria.”
Plan Commission member Larry Jones said that a core issue in Zionsville is that the town does not have a plan and that an updated Comprehensive Plan is needed.
“They need to have a plan, and then they need to elect some leadership that is going to implement that plan,” Jones said. “Without it, it has left us up here to make these decisions and has left our (planning) staff to try to interpret what is wanted when the staff itself is not given a direction.”
Further discussion of the PUD will be continued at the 6:30 p.m. plan commission meeting Nov. 20.
