Neighbors press drainage, privacy concerns as Plan Commission sends Swinley Forest four-lot plat to committee

The Carmel Plan Commission on Feb. 18 forwarded the Swinley Forest primary plat to the commission’s committee for further review after neighbors raised questions about drainage, privacy, tree preservation and construction impacts.

Applicant Adam Mears of Gradison Land Development asked the commission to approve a primary plat that would subdivide a 7.2-acre parcel west of Rangeline Road into four flag lots fronting a private drive, and to grant two waivers: (1) a subdivision waiver to allow a private access drive rather than a public street, and (2) a development-standard variance to reduce the R-1 front-yard setback from 35 feet to 25 feet for lots constrained by floodplain and tree-preservation areas.

Mears said the plan preserves roughly 100-foot tree preservation areas along the floodplain and keeps the homes out of the floodway, while providing one acre or larger lots for three of the four parcels and a larger…