Resident shares many concerns about the proposed Morse Living Development

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Dear Editor:

Hundreds of residents north of Noblesville are concerned about the proposed Morse Living Development, especially after the zoning meeting on Nov. 18, 2024.

For 90 minutes, dozens of taxpayers expressed concerns about increased traffic, increased students in schools, loss of greenspace, decreased property values, loss of wetlands, and the nesting eagles south of 206th Street. In three minutes, the Planning Commission voted to change the zoning from single family residential to: multi-family residential, planned business, and light industrial for 173 acres east/west of Hague Road and north/south of 206th Street.

This mixed-use development will result in strip malls, homes, townhouses and apartments with some as high as four or five stories! The LOR Corporation is using the marketing jargon “Gateway to Morse” and “Eagle Park.” The development will not actually have any access to Morse Reservoir.

The proposed buffer of 330 feet from the eagles’ nest does not include the 660 feet required during the nesting season. As a result, the eagles will be threatened and leave because they do not have enough vegetation to buffer and shelter them from the noise of construction, businesses, and residential activities.

The Hoosier Environmental Council opposes the rezoning and development indicating that it does not align with the smart, small-town charm plans, and will adversely affect the wildlife habitat and water quality and quantity. The wetlands filter and replenish the aquifers, generating more drinking water. North Harbour and the surrounding areas’ city water is acquired from an underground aquifer which has a limited supply. When I asked about where the drinking water will come from for the new development, a representative from the planning commission said Citizens Water, but did not have specifics as to which of the 15 sources would be designated. They seem unconcerned about the limited supply of drinking water.

Currently, the cities of Cicero, Westfield, and Lebanon have a shortage of drinking water. I contacted the DNR and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), who monitor the wetlands several days before the Nov. 18 meeting, and they had NOT been contacted by the city or the LOR Corporation.

The city of Noblesville has known about this for two years and I believe they strategically waited for the timing of a presidential election and the holidays to distract residents and proceeded to railroad through the proposed development. The Paganelli Law Firm pointed out that the city is NOT even following their own guidelines and not giving residents enough time to react.

Many residents feel that the “economic growth” and “missing middle” phrases that the city is using to push this forward is more about just increasing the population and increasing taxes rather than improving and maintaining the quality of life for the existing residents.

A Concerned North Harbour Citizen