The County Line
Will the third time be the charm for real estate developers interested in a prime tract of nearly 60 acres at Keystone Parkway and Smoky Row Road in Carmel?
Courtyards of Carmel is the latest proposed subdivision on the site. The developers from Dublin, Ohio, have a date with the Carmel Plan Commission on May 19 when they will ask for approval of a planned unit development (PUD).
Two previous proposals by Beezer Homes and Old Town Group, were abandoned by applicants for unspecified reasons. Access to the property is currently limited to a narrow frontage on Smoky Row, and neighboring homeowners have voiced concerns about traffic congestion at the access point.
Also raising concerns is the planned density of the development. The new proposal seeks 169 homesites on the ground. Previous developers backed off the original number of homes, thus satisfying some concerns.
The current development plan calls for four other access points where traffic could enter and exit through neighboring subdivisions.
Also involved is the future of a historic 167-year-old brick house on the property. Within its walls is an even older log cabin from the 1830s. All three developers who have sought approvals say they would preserve the house, originally home to the William Wilkinson pioneer family.
Local historians, supported by Indiana Landmarks, Inc., have urged preservation and restoration of the structure and small acreage around it because of its architectural and historic significance.
The Courtyard of Carmel would be the fourth such Courtyards complex in central Indiana. Besides single-level homes on small lots, the addition would include a clubhouse and pool, and be designed for residents at least 55 years of age.