The plan for nearly 500 homes to be built in a new subdivision in Franklin were approved after the builder agreed to a minimum square footage for each home and other standards that would make the homes more similar to an adjacent subdivision.
Developer Mark Alt and Arbor Homes plan to build 478 homes on nearly 167 acres southwest of the Windstar and Franklin Lakes neighborhoods off Nineveh Road. The new subdivision, The Bluffs at Youngs Creek, would share entrances with the existing subdivisions and would not have its own entrance off of Nineveh Road.
Franklin’s planning commission approved five waivers that would make certain blocks longer than what the city currently allows and the overall layout of the subdivision, after Mike Campbell with Arbor Homes agreed to make each home size be at least 1,300 square feet or at least match the square footage of the smallest home in Windstar.
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The seven members of the planning commission in attendance voted in favor of approving the waivers and the plat of the subdivision in two separate votes at the meeting on Tuesday night. Four voting member of the planning commission were absent from the meeting. Each measure would have passed with six votes, a majority of all voting members of the planning commission.
Franklin Mayor Steve Barnett and the planning department met with developer at least five times to negotiate the type of homes being built, such as lot size and the value of the homes. Through those negotiations, the developer committed to increase the lot sizes to an average of 8,750 square feet to 11,500 square feet and to require homes near each other have different architectural features, that corner lots have a minimum of 2 by 4 feet windows per story of each side that faces the street and that each home will have 30 percent of the front of the home be brick or masonry. These commitments were presented along with the waivers in the planning commission vote.
Since the commitments were presented along with the waivers, the city has the power to enforce that each commitment is carried out, Franklin senior planner Joanna Myers said.
The land is already zoned for residential development for up to 570 homes. The only action the planning commission took was to consider the waivers for the block sizes and to OK the overall layout of the subdivision.
“I do not want to mislead these folks, if you deny that waiver it is not in any way shape or form a denial of this development,” said Lynn Gray, Franklin city attorney.
Under Indiana law, the planning commission was required to not deny the plan if it met specific requirements of city ordinances that govern subdivisions and city zoning ordinances.
If the waivers and the plat had failed to pass the planning commission, the developer could redesign the layout of the subdivision and resubmit it for approval.
About 100 people attended Tuesday’s meeting with four people raising specific issues with the proposal during the 20 minutes allotted for public comment.
Residents of Windstar spoke against the current plan with the subdivision, taking specific issues with the proposed size and price of each home, increased traffic and drainage concerns that nearly 500 new homes would bring to the area and what the new homes might do to property values in the adjoining subdivisions. Two residents expressed concerns about the quality of building materials Arbor Homes has used in previous developments.
“My one concern is that these smaller lots and homes will be injurious to our property values,” said John Crow, a Windstar resident.
After public comments, Campbell agreed that each home built in The Bluffs at Youngs Creek be at least 1,300 square feet or to meet the square footage of the smallest home in Windstar. This commitment was included in the votes for the block waivers.
Homes in the Bluffs at Youngs Creek are expected to be fully built in the next 8 to 10 years, Campbell said.
