[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6146292,"mediaKeyId","5527717-f452d3709ab4391b69bf86a07db38532","parentId",5527717,"title","Carmel keeps Founders Park sand, defends Monon Community Center finances and cites new parks police unit","audioSeconds",2807,"startMs",439255,"endMs",3246295,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5527717-f452d3709ab4391b69bf86a07db38532&start=439&end=3246","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5527717-f452d3709ab4391b69bf86a07db38532/thumbnail_439255.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6146292/Carmel/Hamilton-County/Indiana/Carmel-keeps-Founders-Park-sand-defends-Monon-Community-Center-finances-and-cites-new-parks-police-unit","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6146292-b661df76f1dae079db71d5f7abcee9c0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136830&Signature=lagP3WKGct7uuAkSlam7rRI4FEqrOu3Q5yMpbQIC~Qlzcp7lbMX0vqc7nLUhxQiJ~b8tA4AAMpDI5tDU39n2WZ9o-y4KedkYYHcBR2Zt4-KEzrjT2dsB63eL0ATA~9~flod-ieJML1K8McJWulsQveehy1J6CA~F1Wetuv3yR6hR2JKl4oVDcCcAtwd5ch8sEGmOchmN2oy-1Oo-Ox7NfqDXp9QeEZ91kqY~p-rKtgDznlZ9ye6hhnRy5v2eCRVvqhjhxwj6xGcgMmahNHl8qgUAVDcVhTmdnyx7hfSYyiHWA~vI0dNykEX2V4FTXIF6UcIGulPwS-199FC2ahHvbA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Carmel IN","date","2025-08-04T20:10:38Z","article","Carmel officials at a Brookshire town hall discussed several parks and recreation topics, including a decision to retain Founders Park’s sand feature, fencing to improve playground safety, financials for the Monon Community Center and a new parks-focused police program.
Rich Taylor, at-large city councilor, said the Founders Park sand feature will remain after review and that the parks department will replace degraded safety surfacing and install fencing between the playground and the parking lot to prevent children from running into traffic. “There's a little bit of uproar about getting rid of the sand feature at, Founders Park, and the sand feature will remain,” Taylor said.
Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation staff explained the maintenance rationale. Michael Klickstein, director of Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation (present at the meeting), said sand contributes to abrasion that increases wear on the rubberized safety surfacing, which raises replacement needs; he said engineers approved the original installation and that there had been no significant tort claims tied to the playground since installation.
On the Monon Community Center and its water park, councilors reiterated that the original financing commitment required that operating income cover operating expenses (excluding capital expenditures). The parks director said the center has covered operating costs since 2010 except for pandemic closures; board packets with current financials are available on request. “The operational income would cover the operational expenses, not including capital expenditures,” a parks official said.
Safety and enforcement: Chief Greg Sterling described the Parks Resource Officer (PRO) program, launched in March, that assigns two full-time police officers to parks and pools. Sterling said the PROs have done more than 100 hours of bike-control work this year and have conducted more than 50 enforcement efforts on electric dirt bikes and similar vehicles in recent weeks, including citations, warnings, parental notifications and, in some cases, towing of illegal vehicles. “We've really focused on that and done kind of a what we would call a blitz on that,” Sterling said.
Why it matters: The items affect playground safety, pool/water-park operations and user safety on trails and facilities. Officials encouraged residents to review posted financials and to communicate maintenance or safety concerns to parks staff.
Next steps: Parks will install added fencing at Founders Park, continue monitoring surfacing needs, maintain Monon Community Center financial reporting, and continue PRO enforcement and education on trails and at parks.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Town Hall with Carmel City Councilors - July 30, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Councilors said Founders Park will retain its sand feature while the parks department will add fencing and continue to monitor safety-surface wear; officials described the Monon Community Center’s operating model and noted a full-time Parks Resource Officer program addressing e-bike and trail enforcement.","taxTitle","Carmel, Hamilton County, Indiana","taxId",3929,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6146295,"Carmel outlines roundabout designs, 120th Street construction and measures for Keystone traffic noise",0,235375,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5527717-f452d3709ab4391b69bf86a07db38532&start=235&end=235","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5527717-f452d3709ab4391b69bf86a07db38532/thumbnail_235375.jpg","/articles/6146295/Carmel/Hamilton-County/Indiana/Carmel-outlines-roundabout-designs-120th-Street-construction-and-measures-for-Keystone-traffic-noise","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6146295-ea2aef41571e05267be8ad3c18553354/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136830&Signature=R58E4W95ddcvTNJYWluBqqyzqIb1sQOl-AEsT5630tobyGl7tSWlUpdcGfi5BwanfieGYOYifS4LZCeV4cwXCQNeW70ZaHqEL9rW8gnbSQZtAUdsWmfdwjEWpeTj9cDlLPabO5qluWLJc6N~ilMSj4De6TT7bvrFs7fPaRktO991DlWqmrk~nWocLYyOEFm7ViuhBoZ8vXIuZ9LzJTSZN6li9yG4z90XLIP7X-ZdWlQO~Oa~xlJxlvAS4PI76yK7tEA5Mk5RdEwky50pi5gvO~DV5iE4BpE~dd0Z6hhmrXIkJAn9cCuTXcFTyCJD1lL-QpFa7hFUm3FdM~Y2cZxA2w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Carmel officials updated residents on traffic projects, safety treatments and construction impacts at a Brookshire town hall.
The city has invested in pedestrian safety treatments, including raised crosswalks at or approaching roundabouts, and is designing two funded roundabouts at 116th & River Road and 106th & Lake Shore. “We have a mountain of data that shows that adding raised crosswalks makes a significant impact for reducing speed entering and exiting the roundabout,” Adam Austin, Southeast District councilor and council president, said.
Officials also discussed ongoing and planned construction. Brad Pease, director of engineering, described a county-led bridge and roadwork at 120th Street: “A Hundred And 20 Sixth Street, it's a hundred day project. So we're 10 days in, so another 3 months of that.” Pease said the project is a county responsibility and that the city will coordinate to notify residents and manage traffic impacts.
The council described planning for a study of 116th Street to balance traffic flow and neighborhood protection, and said two additional roundabouts are in design but not immediately scheduled for construction. For one River Road roundabout near Plum Creek Village, the city said it will pursue federal or state grants if the design is complete.
Residents raised concerns about Keystone Avenue truck noise and detours. Councilors described increased enforcement of semi-tractor restrictions on Keystone, additional signage coordinated with the county for detours, and tree-planting as a possible noise mitigation. “Thank you to Carmel PD for increasing enforcement of semi tractor traffic along Keystone because hopefully that'll help decrease some of the noise and increase the safety along Keystone,” Austin said.
Why it matters: Projects affect daily commutes, pedestrian safety, and neighborhood noise. Officials urged residents to expect temporary delays during construction and to review public design materials when roundabout designs are completed.
Next steps: The city will publish designs and timelines once engineering is complete, coordinate with the county on the 120th Street work and pursue grant funding for off-cycle projects.","Officials said the city has funded raised crosswalks and is designing multiple roundabouts, discussed a county-led 120th Street bridge project, and announced increased enforcement and signage to reduce heavy-truck traffic and noise on Keystone Avenue.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6146300,"Carmel advances rental-cap registry, scrutinizes developer incentives and plans veteran-focused park",1181,155315,1336785,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5527717-f452d3709ab4391b69bf86a07db38532&start=155&end=1336","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5527717-f452d3709ab4391b69bf86a07db38532/thumbnail_155315.jpg","/articles/6146300/Carmel/Hamilton-County/Indiana/Carmel-advances-rental-cap-registry-scrutinizes-developer-incentives-and-plans-veteran-focused-park","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6146300-b63b873f4262a6d1bff45ae436942151/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136830&Signature=Xfxb1bfapkEiBtY3euGcrSDMLU9-FW8mLg5te1YtNCQCcZXDW1eD1xoOl6v5LRjvq9DBmq9h8M2UIRbQU4gXqmsvd7IfRrIPt3w9haWRXkP7sX5It4W1ugCmxmiZNTnPx-k4CeFf9jVamBo3zMSzJlW1mHtESsasJ5afbsGZwW~ZLMO68oSoyubkkvGtkXJZzmacgnctOB2VgqPoCd~eZsa8QkCbyfFoXKg2RwCmT~DaOgydVprljhv5Ji0BmXykDnBtwaalPayaRS5~quMhzFym-VzUFmrCsshjMav884LZ1VFsY-urPnoDMZIb2UP3SnHdTntuy-Xk9UVI7Q0LSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Councilors described ongoing and proposed actions intended to protect neighborhood character, increase senior housing and secure a park that honors veterans.
Adam Austin, Southeast District councilor and council president, said the council has moved to a citywide rental registry that would cap the number of single-family homes used as rentals and require registration with listed exceptions. “It is a citywide effort to get a registry of single family homes, that, you know, are becoming rentals and making sure that no neighborhood has more than 10 of, rentals in the single family neighborhoods,” Austin said.
Councilors also described new checks on group homes, saying the city cannot preclude group homes but can require licensing and review of occupancy to ensure appropriate safeguards. “We did put in some further restrictions, making sure they were properly licensed, looking at the number of people,” Austin said.
On development incentives and senior housing, councilors said the administration is scrutinizing developer pro formas more closely and using an independent financial review to justify requests for city incentives. “We're actually diving pretty deep into the developer's pro forma to justify any kind of request they have from the city,” Rich Taylor said. Councilors noted recent approvals that included age-restricted units and required senior housing components as part of negotiated conditions.
A separate item drew attention: a parcel that had been slated for development may be split to create a veterans park and a senior housing component. Matt Snyder, who said he chairs the mayor’s advisory commission on veteran services, described a plan in which a developer would take roughly half the land to build housing and the city would take the other half for park space on an east–west Veterans Trail. “In order to help finance it, the developer would take about half of the land and the other half would become park,” Snyder said. Snyder said veterans and senior groups will have heavy input on design and that renderings are expected to be shown at an upcoming meeting.
Why it matters: Officials said these measures aim to preserve homeownership opportunities, address senior housing supply and produce public amenities that benefit existing residents.
Next steps: Councilors said the draft rental registry ordinance and group-home clarifications will be discussed in public meetings; the administration will continue independent scrutiny of developer pro formas and present design options for the veterans park at the next public packet.","Councilors described a draft citywide rental registry limiting single-family rentals to about 10% per neighborhood, new group-home licensing checks, closer review of developer pro formas, and a proposed park-and-senior-housing split on land near Veterans Trail.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6146304,"Carmel officials warn state property-tax changes will squeeze city budget",3360,49644,3409984,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5527717-f452d3709ab4391b69bf86a07db38532&start=49&end=3409","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5527717-f452d3709ab4391b69bf86a07db38532/thumbnail_49644.jpg","/articles/6146304/Carmel/Hamilton-County/Indiana/Carmel-officials-warn-state-property-tax-changes-will-squeeze-city-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6146304-89ea2ce8d6d1305c27a92524cc19ce4c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136830&Signature=OBF1xtc-ItOZjEpwV3nbKTVPv4JqCZkigOyl~NHJfuF1bJe~KdEwuLehNG3p1Koz2hCDhwjVKcB5Ur3Lm-MYcxbr5oogRU~p3GJUpU5hCb8dILTC-GFWuoQEjQ8wA0qmdecT47HgdZNIjhnHQZzGknPPQsGYmN0S81~n9RY1AVg6UCwqnKzhYf4dXp~FYqGi3sBZCvGd-sHIPArueni~I5kDOGPIBDB~tp1Oi3jXdc9M9l4E7um~YzLndzcSe~3lDwnao5QL-2oXbTbKq1drRWDOVZhiz79LGSzlRC3BcK68ELmB8qcmircMrdKFxIxTuNJeBZdkQ9hmhLWgClwo7Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Carmel councilors told residents at a Brookshire town hall that changes made this year to state law affecting property-tax assessments will reduce city revenue and require difficult budget choices.
The council’s finance chair explained the mechanics and how the changes will reach homeowners. “Property tax levy that we collect, the amount of revenue that we collect is a function of a formula. It's rate times assessed value equals property tax,” Rich Taylor, at-large city councilor and finance chair, said. He and other officials said the state law includes a $300 credit for homestead homeowners and an assessed-value deduction that phases in through 2031.
Why it matters: Carmel’s operating budget relies heavily on property taxes and other locally collected revenue. Officials said the city expects lower property-tax receipts even as some other local revenues shift, and that the council will need to weigh services, reserves and possible alternatives during the autumn budget process.
Councilors and staff gave two near-term markers for residents. Adam Austin, Southeast District councilor and president of the Cardinal City Council, said the administration will deliver the first draft of the municipal budget on Sept. 1. Later in the meeting a city official said preliminary figures show the city’s budget submittals exceed anticipated revenue by about $16,900,000 and that staff are working to close that gap before formal presentation to council.
Officials described how the state changes interact with other revenue shifts. Rich Taylor and other speakers said the county’s role in local income tax collection will change under the law: some local income tax revenue collected by the county may be recategorized so that municipalities of a certain size can set their own local income-tax rate when they set budgets in 2027. Officials cautioned that technical corrections to the law are likely in future legislative sessions and that bond covenants relying on current revenue streams may need review.
What officials said they'd do next: staff will present detailed numbers as they become available, and councilors said they will publicly vet trade-offs in the city’s scheduled budget meetings. “You have my word. We're gonna do everything we can to provide great services for the city,” Austin said.
The council encouraged residents to attend upcoming budget meetings and a community Zoom on Aug. 28 where city, schools and library leadership will show the revenue impacts and explain how households might be affected.","City leaders told a Brookshire town hall they expect revenue losses after recent state changes to property tax assessments and urged residents to review upcoming budget materials; councilors cited a $300 homeowner credit, a phase-in of assessed-value deductions and an estimated near-term revenue gap.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Carmel keeps Founders Park sand, defends Monon Community Center finances and cites new parks police unit

Carmel outlines roundabout designs, 120th Street construction and measures for Keystone traffic noise

Carmel advances rental-cap registry, scrutinizes developer incentives and plans veteran-focused park

Carmel officials warn state property-tax changes will squeeze city budget