Carmel forms mayoral housing commission, elects officers and prioritizes zoning review

CARMEL — The mayor’s newly created Mayor’s Advisory Commission on Housing met for the first time and elected Councilor Shannon Menar chair, selected Chris Prior as vice chair and Todd Fanolio as secretary, and agreed to prioritize a review of current zoning regulations and publication of maps showing existing housing inventory as first steps toward a citywide housing strategy.

The commission — formed by the mayor’s executive order to carry on work begun by the Carmel Housing Task Force — opened with members introducing themselves and described the group’s immediate work. Christine Zicola, president of the Carmel Plan Commission, summarized the task force’s output: “At the end of it, we issued 13 different recommendations,” she said, listing items that range from protecting single-family neighborhoods to encouraging redevelopment along the U.S. 31 corridor.

The recommendations are intended to inform a longer-term housing strategy and vision plan, Zicola said, but commissioners and staff agreed two steps should come first: an assessment of current zoning regulations and a published set of maps and data quantifying the city’s existing housing inventory. “Assessing the zoning regulations and mapping the inventory are the best first steps,” Adrianne Keeling, a city planner with the Department of Community Services (DOCS), told the commission.

The meeting included formal voice votes to elect officers. Christine Zicola nominated Councilor Shannon Menar for chair; a second was recorded and Menar was elected by voice vote. Zicola then nominated Chris Prior for vice chair and Todd Fanolio for secretary; both were approved by voice vote. The meeting record does not include tally counts for the voice votes.

Commissioners described the 13 recommendations produced by last year’s task force as a launch point rather than a finished agenda. The list includes protecting existing single‑family neighborhoods, facilitating “missing middle” housing (smaller ownership units between single‑family homes and large apartment complexes), adopting a strategy for future apartment construction, acquiring additional green space in the urban core, studying accessory dwelling units, establishing a housing repair program, and prioritizing infill conversion of underutilized commercial lots and parking areas along the U.S. 31 corridor.

Several commission members emphasized the practical sequencing: staff recommended delivering zoning material and maps in advance and using those documents to ground future discussion. Director Hollibaugh, identified in the meeting as the director of the Department of Community Services, said the zoning review and mapping work could be produced relatively quickly and would support the larger housing strategy. Commissioners also noted the city’s ongoing Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) review and several subarea plans (including Homeplace and a US‑31 subarea) will intersect with the commission’s work.

The commission closed with agreed action items: DOCS will prepare zoning information and a mapping package for the next meeting; Adrianne Keeling will contact commissioners to schedule the next meeting; and staff liaisons, including Brick Butler, will collect public correspondence. Members noted one commission seat remained vacant and that the mayor’s executive order envisions biennial or every-other‑month meetings unless adjusted.

The meeting did not take formal policy actions beyond officer elections and assigning staff work; commissioners framed the next phase as information gathering to support a housing strategy and future policy recommendations.