Published: March 25, 2008 01:17 pm            

Brownsburg council ups home development standards

BROWNSBURG — A favorable recommendation from the plan commission here doesn’t always mean a favorable recommendation from the town council.

Members of the town council met last week to discuss two new ordinances in regards to home development in two subdivisions, Summer Ridge West and Hideaway.

The first, Ordinance 2008-05, recommended allowing developers in the Summer Ridge West addition to reduce the minimum living area from what was originally committed.

Amy Broderick of Comer Law Office in Danville told the council that when Summer Ridge West was first zoned, it was zoned for two-story homes only.

“A couple years later, they came in and redid a portion of it to be maintenance-free ranches,” Broderick added.

Broderick said the developers are now looking to expand the area of maintenance-free ranches to an additional 52 lots.

The council approved the first reading of the ordinance by a vote of four to zero.

The second ordinance, Ordinance 2008-06, recommended allowing developers in the Hideaway addition to construct single-family detached units. That ordinance had received a favorable recommendation from the plan commission, but the council had different ideas.

Council President Bill Guarnery said he wanted to table the ordinance and send it back to the planning commission due to errors.

“The wording needs to be changed and we need clarification on the wording,” he said.

Guarnery explained that the ordinance went back and forth between single-story homes and two-story homes, as well as other wording that confused the council.

“I don’t feel comfortable approving it,” Guarnery said.

Council member Bill Sibbing said he would like to see the amended copy contain the words “single-family detached and paired homes” to avoid confusion.

Brownsburg Town Attorney Tricia Leminger added that there were some surrounding property owners that had not be notified of the changes and public hearings by the plan commission. She recommended that the plan commission hold another public meeting to make sure those property owners are heard.

The council tabled the first reading of that ordinance by a vote of four to zero.

The council meets at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursday of each month. The next meeting is scheduled for March 27.

amanda.roach@flyergroup.com

        

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