Make wishtv.com your home page

Carmel, Marion County residents fired up about possible zoning change

Dozens of people asked questions Wednesday night about a possible development on the edge of Carmel.    

Some are worried it could become a hospital, and they are worried what could come of 30 acres of undeveloped land on 96th Street and Spring Mill Road. 

Smack in the middle of sleepy streets of homes and a bustling commercial district sits an area waiting for development. The company Ambrose Property Group is looking to make a splash.   

But for their plan to work they need a change to Carmel’s zoning.     

And that’s when the questions come to a roar. Ambrose held a meeting to clarify zoning questions for anyone concerned.     

People in the area said they have heard St. Vincent will build a hospital, maybe even with a helipad.     

That concerns some residents of possible noise issues and even safety. 

They say traffic is already a problem, and they imagine it would only get worse.    

“It would be backed up for miles,” said William Cummings, who lives nearby the proposed ordinance change.     

But at this meeting when it came to their questions, they were asked to write them down so they could be presented for a planning commission meeting. The crowd then shouted questions.     

“I mean, how can you write an intelligent question unless you know who the end user is,” said Cummings.

“They provided absolutely no new information. What a sham. What a scam.”     

Ambrose said it’s a process that could take months before any potential zoning changes and hoped the meeting would help these residents feel more comfortable.      

The group wouldn’t talk about any possible plan with St. Vincent.     

“We’re focused on the zoning at this time,” said Jon Dobosiewicz, a land use professional with the Indianapolis law firm Nelson and Frankenberger, which helped run the meeting. That answer was in response to being asked about whether now is the right time for these residents to be voicing their concerns.

The next planning commission meeting in Carmel is set for next week.