An ill-conceived development plan and a hollow city designation: Indystar readers weigh in

Here's what community members had to say in four recent letters to the editor we received against a Pike Township rezoning plan. Submit your own thoughts here.

Pike Township residents against land rezoning in Traders Point

Will the City Council abandon its own Comprehensive Plan by choosing profit over environment? Will it ignore the people who put them in office and put their drinking water at risk?

There’s a battle underway that IndyStar readers may be unaware of. On the northwest side, a developer is poised to get 200 forested acres - formerly farm and now zoned residential area - rezoned for commercial multi-use purposes. My neighbors and I are fighting it, as is the Pike Township Residents Association.

Our strenuous objections are many:

• It endangers the city’s water quality. Eagle Creek Foundation has recommended against this development because hardscaping its hundreds of green acres will dramatically increase and alter the composition of drainage, adding chemicals and sediment to the water that all flows into Eagle Creek from several tributaries.
• It destroys heritage trees and wetlands. Thirty forested acres and 150 heritage trees are on the chopping block.
• It destroys valuable habitat. Numerous deer, fox and coyotes find sanctuary here, and there is also evidence of endangered bats, birds, reptiles and insects.
• It contradicts the city’s own Comprehensive Plan. Much of the site is listed in this plan - just a few months old - as “environmentally sensitive.”
• The usual suspects come into play. There will be traffic, noise, safety and a serious negative impact on quality of life and property values of the surrounding homes.
• There are costs. Although the city clearly seeks to expand its tax revenue base, we believe it hasn’t taken into account the massive costs necessitated by expansions in infrastructure - turn lanes, the creation of roundabouts and changes to I-465. Who will bear the brunt of those? IndyStar readers.

We urge the City Council to reconsider this ill-conceived proposal and stand by their principles of sustainability and environmental preservation that they were elected to uphold.

Debra Potts

Indianapolis

City planners signal to Eagle Creek residents their voices don't matter in rezoning decision

A controversial rezoning decision affecting Eagle Creek in Traders Point and Pike Township signals to voters and taxpayers living here that we don’t matter. City planners designated 200 acres in the southwest corner of Interstate 465 and West 86th Street as ‘environmentally sensitive’ because of extensive woodlands and wetlands, zoning it for low-density housing and agriculture. Area residents said that’s a good idea, let’s keep it that way.

When a developer asked for commercial rezoning of this land, in less than five months, the city said 'OK.' At the standing-room-only public hearings, the audience raised their hands in opposition to the zoning change. Neighborhood and township resident associations testified in opposition. Letters sent to city officials were not even acknowledged. The developer changed plans days before the rezoning was approved, yet remonstrators were denied a continuance to do their own fact finding on the changes.

The developer has not provided the name of a single tenant in their proposed development. An economic analysis of the proposed development has not been released and city officials were mute on the topics.

Also, knowing that this property was used as a private air strip by the previous owner, no initial phase 1 environmental assessment has even been performed to determine if this property has any soil/ground water contamination from typical hazardous materials that would be use to support an air strip.

I don't understand how the city of Indianapolis can approve the sale and rezoning of property of this size without at least an initial phase 1 environmental study to determine if there are indications of contamination so potential developers include the cost for remediation in the investment payback model. We did hear that taxpayers, not the developer would have to pay for road improvements.

Whose side is the city on? So far, the signal is rather one-sided.

Alan Pedri

Indianapolis

More:'A gut punch:' Why neighbors oppose $500M development in Pike Township

Arbor Day Foundation recognition meaningless as city sides with developers

'Tree City USA.' Provocative thought, isn't it?

Indianapolis has received this recognition from the Arbor Day Foundation 14 times. However, I find this distinction somewhat ironic since our city is on the fast track to rezone 200 residential acres (determined by the city itself as environmentally sensitive) to commercial property, so developers can clear the land for mixed use and various accoutrements.

Regrettably, over 50 acres of this property is home to part of the Eagle Creek Forest that has existed for 100 years and is a habitat for wildlife. In this present world we are seeing every day and especially this summer that climate change is a real concern.

Rezoning environmentally sensitive land with a forest that provides us with cleaner air, natural water filtering and runoff is irresponsible and hypocritical to the city’s supposed Arbor Day distinction. Our city falls terribly short in their efforts to save or even create greenspace.

It’s more about concrete, asphalt, buildings and most importantly – wait for it – the projected tax dollars that may come into play.

Jacqueline Shaffer

Indianapolis

Wildlife, beautiful land threatened by rezoning efforts in Traders Point

As I made the drive down 86th Street to work on a Sunday morning, there was a fog resting in the valley across from the West 86th subdivision.

The trees were beautiful, tipped in orange with the sunrise. Tranquil. Peaceful. That is what this area is about. Homes, wildlife and magnificent trees were rising on the small hills.

The construction that is proposed will destroy a serene and peaceful pocket of Marion County. We need green spaces for our mental health, our physical health and the well being of all the animals that would be displaced.

Buildings, apartments, hotels? They can go in areas already zoned and land that has already been developed. We need to keep the peace in the Traders Point area, the land that we live in and love.

Jennifer Young

Indianapolis