Council confirms rezoning for 61-acre South Side development after public hearing and promises to preserve roughly half the site

The Indianapolis City-County Council on June 9 confirmed a rezoning that allows a Davis Homes subdivision on a 61-acre parcel at 7500 South Sherman Drive after a public hearing that drew more than 950 petition signatures opposing the plan.

The council voted 16 yeas, 7 nays and 1 abstention to adopt the Metropolitan Development Commission—s recommendation and move the petition forward subject to a set of developer commitments. The petitioner revised the plan during the process and reduced the lot count to about 132 units while preserving roughly 32 acres of open space on the 61-acre site, the developer and staff said.

Why it matters: The site is one of the remaining large fragments of urban forest and wetlands on Indianapolis— South Side. Residents and environmental groups urged the council to deny rezoning and asked the city to use public funds to acquire the parcel for permanent green space. Supporters said the developer—s plan protects more site features than a straight rezoning to suburban residential and produces new housing.

What the plans would allow

- Developer and staff materials presented to the council state the final plan reduces the lot count to roughly 132 lots (about 2.1 units per acre) and preserves approximately 32 acres of open space and about 8 acres of wetlands within the preserved area. - Homes proposed in the plan were described as ranging roughly from 1,400 to 2,300 square feet. - The petitioner described the development as a cluster subdivision intended to minimize impervious surface, reduce the number of streets and preserve contiguous open space and tree stands. The plan eliminated proposed…