Carmel plan commission approves 112-townhome plan for Gramercy with access and repair conditions

The Carmel Plan Commission on Aug. 19 approved a development plan (PZ-2025-00130) for a 112-unit townhome project in the Gramercy planned unit development, subject to two conditions: the petitioner must provide a vehicular access easement linking Kinzer Avenue and Almond Drive, and must provide a written timeline and framework for completing outstanding repairs in the Gramercy West neighborhood.

The project covers roughly 9 acres split across two parcels — Area E (about 3.85 acres) on the east side of Kinzer Avenue and Area F (about 5.21 acres) on the west side — and would add 44 townhomes on the east side and 68 on the west, for a total of 112 units. The site sits at the southeast corner of City Center Drive and Kinzer Avenue; the planned extension of Kinzer south to Carmel Drive (including two roundabouts) is under right-of-way acquisition by the city and factors into grading and driveway design.

Why it matters: approval completes a planned transition of land along Kinzer under the Gramercy master plan and clears the way for construction-ready pads for four-story townhomes. Residents who live adjacent to the Gramercy development raised continuing concerns about incomplete curb, irrigation and lawn work in recently built sections of Gramercy West; commissioners conditioned approval on a written schedule for addressing those problems before the commission’s action.

Applicant and project details: Jay Woods, land-use attorney with Nelson & Frankenberger, represented Buckingham Companies (the petitioner). Woods described the submission as a development-plan (DP) application that lays out lots, roads, sidewalks, open space and stormwater detention; architectural design and ADLS approvals (details of the home designs) will come later. Eric Dirks of Buckingham said the project was coordinated with the city’s Kinzer rebuild and that grading and utility conflicts required small shifts in unit layout: “Because of grades and existing utilities and coordinating the city's project with Kinzer coming up and the new elevations of this intersection, we netted out with 44 townhouses here and 68 over here, the same 112.”

Public comments and staff concerns: Two residents spoke in opposition or with concerns during the public hearing. John Wilkin, a Gramercy West resident, asked that the new development be paused until issues in Gramercy West — curb repairs, completed topsoil/irrigation and lawn establishment in recently finished sections — are fully resolved: “I would request that this development be paused until the issues at Gramercy West have been fully resolved.” Bruce Shire, who lives in Hunters Glen condominiums south of the site, raised questions about density, construction staging, dust and impacts to older residents.

Rachel Kiesling, planner with the Department of Community Services, told the commission staff had no substantive objections to the DP layout and recommended approval subject to final engineering comments and the applicant providing the vehicular access easement to Almond Drive. Staff also confirmed the state statute minimum 10-day hearing notice had been met, while the petitioner requested (and the commission later granted) a suspension of the plan-commission rules to allow action tonight despite a shorter local notice period.

Developer response and follow-up commitments: Buckingham representatives explained that maintenance and HOA turnover processes — including performance and maintenance bonds and a formal HOA turnover inspection — drive timing on repairs in Gramercy West. They said they would coordinate and commit in writing to a timeline; Buckingham representatives indicated landscaping and repairs would be addressed this fall in advance of HOA turnover and that the developer will either deliver pad-ready lots or build the homes itself.

Commission action: The commission first voted to suspend its rules of procedure to allow action on the item that evening (the suspension motion passed; two commissioners opposed). A subsequent motion to approve the DP passed with the two explicit conditions recorded in the motion: (1) the petitioner provide a vehicular access easement between Kinzer Avenue and Almond Drive and work with the city to construct the connection; and (2) the petitioner provide a written timeline and framework committing to completion of outstanding Gramercy West repairs and to coordinate with staff on those items.

What’s next: The commission’s approval covers the DP-level review only; ADLS (architecture and design) hearings for the actual townhome elevations and materials will occur in future hearings. The city also continues right-of-way work to extend Kinzer Avenue; engineering coordination on final grading, drainage and the Almond Drive connection will continue as a condition of approval.