Zionsville planners hear extensive public support and staff objections for Maple Lane Club PUD; petition continued to Oct. 20

The Zionsville Planning Commission on Sept. 15 opened and then continued the public hearing for a rezoning request that would convert about 181 acres along U.S. 421 and County Road 200 South from rural agricultural to a planned unit development to permit a mixed-use neighborhood anchored by a nonprofit campus for adults with intellectual disabilities. The petition was continued to the commission’s Oct. 20 meeting after the petitioner agreed to waive the new 90-day statutory shot clock for PUDs.

Staff told commissioners the PUD ordinance would allow up to about 360 dwellings and six use blocks including a campus for “Watch Us Farm,” a private 501(c)(3) that the developer says will operate vocational greenhouses and agricultural amenities. In staff’s view, most of the PUD’s proposed single-family neighborhoods do not align with the 2022 airport-area land use plan for Union Township and would exceed the character and density the plan recommends.

The proposed plan divides the site into a Founders Grove block (staff noted a cap near 159 single-family residences), a Heritage Hill block (about 97 residences), a Pine Gate block (about 80 residences), a central community amenity block with no residential, a Watch Us Farm campus block (up to 24 residences intended for adults associated with the nonprofit), and a Maple Lane Commons neighborhood-commercial block at 421 and County Road 200 South. Petitioner materials and the developer’s presentation said the total dwelling units would not exceed 360 and that 24 units would be reserved for Watch Us Farm participants.

Why it matters: supporters said the PUD would create housing, jobs and a vocational training center for adults with intellectual disabilities and argued the nonprofit’s work fills a local gap. Opponents and staff said the single‑family-heavy residential component and the overall density — cited by staff as about 1.98 units per acre in staff’s review and characterized by several speakers as higher than surrounding areas — conflict with the airport-area plan’s guidance and the rural character of nearby properties.

Developer presentation and nonprofit mission: Kyle Russeteritz, attorney for the petitioner, and representatives from Henke Development Group presented the revised PUD ordinance and a concept plan the team handed to staff the morning of the meeting. Janice Agarwal, who identified herself as executive director and cofounder of Watch Us Farm, told commissioners she and her husband started the nonprofit in 2018 and described plans for greenhouses, orchards, vocational facilities and on‑site housing intended to give adults with intellectual disabilities training and employment. “We will become that center of excellence,” Agarwal said, characterizing the design as intentionally integrated with agriculture and community amenities.

Public comments: about two dozen residents and users of Watch Us Farm spoke. Supporters described personal experience with the nonprofit’s programs and urged approval for community integration, vocational training and housing. “This is a place where these adults with disabilities continue to learn, continue to work, and they can continue to grow as independent people,” said Megan Chisholm, who identified herself as a parent of a child with a genetic condition. Neighbors who opposed or urged changes raised traffic and density concerns and asked the commission to require lower densities more consistent with adjacent large-acre lots.

Staff and commission concerns: Roger (staff member) summarized the staff recommendation against approval, citing five statutory rezoning factors under Indiana Code — the town’s comprehensive plan, current conditions and use character, the most desirable use, conservation of property values, and responsible growth and development — and concluded the plan’s density and single-family emphasis are not in harmony with surrounding development or the airport plan’s Tier 3 residential guidance. Several commissioners praised the Watch Us Farm concept but asked for clearer, legally usable PUD language and corrections to the ordinance document; one commissioner said staff had identified about 20 technical or substantive issues that should be resolved in the ordinance instrument before a final favorable recommendation.

Next steps: the petitioner agreed to accept a continuance so the development team and staff can revise the PUD text and engineering materials. The commission voted unanimously to continue the hearing to Oct. 20. The petitioner also agreed at the meeting to waive the new 90-day PUD shot-clock provision so the parties could use additional time for follow-up and editing.

Discussion vs. action: the meeting produced in-depth discussion and a unanimous continuance; no final rezoning decision or ordinance adoption occurred. Commissioners directed the petitioner to work with staff on clarifying language, transportation and technical plan components and to return with revised materials for the Oct. 20 hearing.

Clarifying details: site area stated by staff: about 181 acres; maximum dwelling units described in the PUD submittal: approximately 360 units; 24 units identified for the Watch Us Farm nonprofit; PUD organized into six use blocks (Founders Grove, Heritage Hill, Pine Gate, central community amenity, Watch Us Farm campus, Maple Lane Commons commercial); staff cited a gross overall density figure of roughly 1.98 units per acre and noted the airport plan’s Tier 3 residential map recommends limiting residential to multifamily or minor subdivisions on this site.

What to watch: the petition returns Oct. 20 with revised ordinance text and engineering responses to staff, airport-plan and traffic comments. If the planning commission ultimately makes a favorable recommendation, the ordinance and PUD text still must be finalized before the town council takes action.

Speakers quoted in this report are identified from the meeting record and include staff and members of the petitioner’s team and public commenters who spoke during the hearing.