Commission recommends rezoning at East County Line Road despite neighbors’ traffic and drainage concerns

The Greenwood Advisory Plan Commission on Oct. 13 voted 5-1 to recommend that the Greenwood Common Council rezone roughly 0.8 acres at approximately 141 East County Line Road from the existing residential category to RA (residential attached) zoning, a change proposed to allow attached single‑family units including duplexes.

Petitioner representatives said the rezoning would prepare the site for a future primary plat for two duplexes (four units total). Engineer Andy Gerdom, representing the owner, said the units are intended for sale and estimated a likely sales price in the roughly $350,000 range; he also said drainage and other technical issues will be addressed during the subsequent primary‑plat and TRC review.

Neighbors opposed the rezoning at the public hearing, citing traffic and public‑safety concerns at the heavily traveled County Line Road intersection, downstream drainage and erosion on the nearby branch, and effects on property values. Darla Connor and other residents said the intersection is already congested and has frequent accidents; Betty Ashford, who owns adjacent rental properties, said the paperwork implied four 3,000‑square‑foot houses on two lots, a density and footprint she said would not fit the site. “We do not need any more traffic down there,” Ashford said.

Several residents asked whether units would be sold or rented; the petitioner said the intention is sale but planning staff and a city council member noted that the city cannot legally bar a future owner from renting a property. City Councilor Lindsay Gibson urged clarity and suggested commitments on sale and buffering would make neighbors more comfortable but cautioned that restricting future rental of privately owned homes can raise legal issues. “Anybody that buys a property can rent it. There’s no rental restrictions,” Gibson said.

Planning staff recommended a favorable recommendation and proposed five conditions to reduce impacts: compliance with Greenwood building design standards; a single curb cut on County Line Road for the development; garages oriented inward toward a shared driveway rather than onto County Line Road; construction of a multiuse trail to connect to Sherman Drive per the Greenwood Future Trail network; and coordination with Indianapolis on a safe pedestrian crossing at the County Line Road signal. Staff said the petitioner had met the TRC requirement for one outside approval prior to the meeting and that notices were mailed to property owners within 300 feet per the city's code.

Commissioner Mister Lexi moved to recommend approval to the Common Council with the five listed commitments; Mister Probst seconded. The motion passed 5-1. The commission’s recommendation will go to the Common Council for final action; engineering, driveway, trail and pedestrian crossing designs will be resolved in subsequent filings and any interjurisdictional work on County Line Road would require coordination with Indianapolis traffic authorities.