Proposed rezoning for subdivision on southeast side riles neighbors
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A new residential subdivision is in the planning stages for the city’s southeast side. If approved, nearly 570 new homes will be built on a 146-acre plot of land that currently is zoned for industrial use.
But the neighbors don’t want it.
The Kokomo Common Council decided to meet on July 29 to consider a series of rezonings on the property, located east of Cartwright Drive and bounded north and south by homes on Alto and Center roads, which would change the accepted use to residential. The measure had been approved previously by the Kokomo Plan Commission and arrived with its favorable recommendation.
But the neighbors would rather have a factory.
Indianapolis attorney Brian Tuohy made a presentation at the meeting on behalf of the developer. He brought with him a team of specialists, from land acquisition to engineering to project development. And for about 10 minutes, he explained the vision for the subdivision.
The only issue under consideration was a rezoning from light industrial use to a residential planned development. Still, Tuohy was eager to explain details of the project, which will have three stages.
“They propose to have about two-thirds of the site filled with single-family homes; about 295 of them,” said Tuohy. “Those homes would be for sale as traditional, single-family homes.”
These homes would range from 1,500-2,600 square feet at a cost of $275,000-$350,000, Tuohy claimed. The second, smaller single-family development would occupy the northwest corner of the property and would offer 1,200-1,700 square-foot homes for rent at market rate. The third section, occupying the southwest corner of the property would be townhomes or duplexes, also rented at market rate.
“There was some concern raised by our neighbors whether these would be Section Eight housing,” said Tuohy. “That's just not the business (the developer) is in. They're in the business of market rate rentals, or market rate for sale.”
A small group of remonstrators gathered at the council meeting, expressing their displeasure and relying upon many of the standard arguments used when a new development is considered. And, as has been the case in nearly every development that has gone before local governmental boards in recent memory, the arguments were irrelevant to the action being considered.
“We’re just here to do the zoning,” said council president Ray Collins.
One resident on Colter Drive, the subdivision adjacent to the planned development to the east, opposed the project because of potential noise and the "small" lot size.
“I’m against it because we’re right on the other side of those railroad tracks, and the noise from that in the community …” she said. “The houses are right on top of one another.”
Another resident, located along Center Road, opposed it on the grounds that she believed low-income housing would be placed in the development, despite repeated assurances that all development would be market rate. She also insisted that the two-unit townhomes planned for the development were actually apartments and would attract crime.
“I've lived in low-income housing, and I see that in the future for the two apartment complexes,” she said. “I know there's a lot more crime there, and not just petty crimes. Violent crimes, attempted rape and murder. I've been there, and I don't want it in my backyard.
“That's one of the reasons I bought property there, because I would not be around it. And now I feel like in the future, that's what's going to happen there.”
When explained by council attorney Corbin King that the land's current zoning would allow for industrial construction, such as an Amazon distribution center, she expressed a preference for that rather than housing.
“I would be much happier with that,” she said.
A third remonstrator opposed the project based on the drawing of development that showed just a 20-foot buffer between her property line and the property lines of the lots abutting her property.
"Are they going to put any other kind of buffer between the houses that back up on Center Road to this house?" she asked. “Are these people going to be in my backyard?”
Collins again explained to the remonstrators that the only issue under consideration was the zoning of the property. Anything concerning the details of the development will have to be approved by the Kokomo Plan Commission’s plat committee at a later date.
With all of the remonstrators having said their piece, the council voted unanimously to rezone the property, first to high-density residential, and then to planned development residential, in order to meet legal requirements.
In other action, the council granted authority for the Mayor of Kokomo enter into and execute agreements with the Federal Transit Authority to receive assistance grants, and to pass that authority to the head of the Kokomo Howard County Governmental Coordinating Council which oversees public transportation.
The council also agreed to transfer funds to the Motor Vehicle Highway budget and the airport, amounting to $164,000.