The Carmel City Council met Sept. 16 to discuss the issuance of lease rental bonds to finance various road and capital improvements, rezone the Carmel Marketplace area, review proposed designs for the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, or DORA, and more.
What happened: The council introduced an ordinance for the Carmel Redevelopment Authority to issue $110 million in lease rental bonds to finance various road and capital projects in the city. It also refinances some outstanding bonds. The bonds are not expected to alter the city’s tax rate.
What it means: Projects the bonds could be used to finance include roundabouts and related improvements at Smoky Row Road and Ironwood Drive, Illinois Street and Zotec Drive, 106th Street and Lakeshore Drive, 106th Street and Haverstick Drive, 116th Street and Lakeshore Drive, and 116th Street and Haverstick Drive; streetscaping along Carmel Drive and Main Street; Monon Trail bridges over 106th Steet and under 111th Street; fire station improvements; Bear Creek park improvements; and Monon Greenway upgrades. The bonds would not be sufficient to fund all projects listed in the ordinance.
What’s next: The ordinance will be discussed by the council’s land use and finance committees before returning to the council for a vote.
What happened: The council voted 7-1 to rezone three parcels in the Carmel Marketplace development area from B8/Business District to C2/Mixed Use District.
What it means: The council approved the issuance of developer-backed bonds to support the project in June, and the rezone is another step in allowing the project to move forward. Carmel Marketplace will replace the 502 East Event Centre and adjacent businesses on Carmel Drive.
What happened: The city unveiled potential sticker and sign designs for the pending DORA, and the council voted to form a DORA advisory committee with Councilor Jeff Worrell serving as chair.
What it means: Within the DORA, people may consume open alcoholic beverages purchased from participating vendors and served in a DORA-designated cup. A sticker would be placed on the cup to identify it as such. Signage would show the DORA’s boundaries.
What’s next: The DORA must be approved by state officials before going into effect. In the meantime, councilors, the mayor and Worrell will work to fill the advisory committee.
What happened: The council approved an ordinance adding speed humps to Heatherstone Place.
What it means: The speed humps will be installed between Bayhill Drive and Windpointe Pass to help slow traffic in the area. More than 75 percent of homeowners in the area signed a petition in favor of installing the speed humps. A vehicle speed analysis conducted on Heatherstone Place determined vehicles frequently drove faster than the posted speed limit of 25 miles per hour.
What happened: The council voted to remove the bi-annual Carmel Cable and Telecommunications Commission report from the meeting agenda.
What it means: Last month, the council voted to abolish the commission, as changing technologies over the years made much of the commission’s purpose increasingly obsolete. At the council meeting, a representative from the commission gave a final report highlighting the group’s recent accomplishments.
