Plans for two new subdivisions will move forward despite some public opposition.
The Greenwood Advisory Plan Commission on Monday approved one subdivision’s primary plat and the rezoning of another, potentially adding 500 homes to the south side of the city, but it’s not a done deal yet.
The larger of the two subdivisions, built by Miami, Florida-based Lennar Homes, is 248 homes on 106 acres at Emerson Avenue, south of Pushville Road and west of Interstate 65. Dubbed Elmwood Estates, the subdivision would connect to the developer’s South Lake neighborhood and include more than two houses an acre, according to city documents. The neighborhood would be part of Clark-Pleasant Community Schools, likely adding hundreds of students over the next several years to the rapidly growing district.
The homes will be a mix of residential large and residential medium houses, and will be mostly higher-end, said Brian Tuohy, an attorney representing Lennar. Prices will range between $275,000 and $400,000.
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Plans include extending Pushville Road east into the neighborhood, according to city documents. For now, the road would extend only as far as the neighborhood and will not connect to County Road 200 E on the other side, said Dale Davis, the city’s planning director. But the city’s comprehensive plan does call for a full extension eventually, he said.
If the road is extended, it would back up to about 30 already built houses in the South Lake subdivision, which drew concerns about traffic among those residents. Prior to the plan commission meeting Monday night, residents of South Lake wrote 81 letters to the plan commission, the Greenwood City Council and Mayor Mark Myers, asking the city to not extend Pushville Road.
However, only a couple people spoke out against the road extension or the subdivision itself at the public hearing Monday night. Davis explained the road extension has been part of the city’s plans since 2007, and had nothing to do with whether the subdivision is approved.
“Tonight we are approving the general concept of the project. These are not the set plans,” Davis said during the meeting.
Most of the concerns brought up at the public hearing were from South Lake residents concerned about drainage and the existing wildlife at the site.
Area resident Holly Benton was concerned about drainage issues, since another nearby subdivision damaged existing residents’ drainage and caused flooding, she said.
“With new developments on Emerson, the drainage is not done properly, so all of the flooding is coming behind the homes,” Benton said.
She was also concerned about the already existing trees and wildlife population, including owls, that would have to be removed.
South Lake resident Herman Mendoza expressed concern about the trees as well, particularly ones that have grown at Emerson Avenue and Pushville Road that would have to be removed when Pushville Road is extended and a sidewalk is added.
“That was part of the reason why we moved into that lot is because of the mature trees. That sidewalk is likely going to destroy a lot of the mature trees,” Mendoza said.
Davis said the city could look at the road and sidewalk extension to consider what to do with the trees at that intersection.
As for the drainage concerns, Kevin Sumner with Lennar said drainage will be directed toward Grassy Creek, and should not cause additional problems for existing residents.
After nearly an hour of public comment and rebuttal, the plan commission unanimously approved the subdivision.
The commission also voted unanimously to send a favorable recommendation to the Greenwood City Council approving the rezone for another subdivision on 152 acres of farmland. The neighborhood would hold 175 single-family houses and 83 attached two-family townhouses at the northwest corner of Worthsville and Griffith roads in Greenwood.
These houses were proposed by Fishers-based Premier Land Company, and would also be in the Clark-Pleasant school district. The single-family houses would be zoned by the city as residential medium, which requires a minimum lot size of 7,700 square feet, according to city documents. The duplexes would have a minimum lot size of 5,400 square feet. Premier Land will serve as developer, but the builder for the houses has not been selected, so home prices were not discussed.
A few nearby residents expressed concern about the neighborhood being “out of place” among the agricultural aesthetic of the area.
Corey Lowe, who owns a home nearby, said he was concerned the new subdivision would bring down property values, and asked whether there will be any efforts to reduce noise.
“There will now be homes right in our backyard,” Lowe said. “We’re very uncomfortable with this new development.”
John Peterson, who owns 10 acres of land near where the proposed subdivision would go, said the subdivision was a “terrible use of the property” because it would go in the middle of farmland with no other similar homes nearby, nor any close stores or services. The closest similar subdivision is Homecoming at University Park, more than three miles away.
“I’m really shocked the planning commission would give a favorable recommendation. This does not fit the area,” Peterson said.
Despite the protests, the commission sent a favorable recommendation to the Greenwood City Council. The council will hear the plans at its next meeting Monday.
