Council reviews first reading of 57.8-acre Richdale Lane rezoning after planning commission unfavorable recommendation

The Shelbyville mayor and city council took up a first reading Nov. 6 of an ordinance to rezone approximately 57.8 acres on Richdale Lane from R-2 (medium-low density residential) to R-3 (medium density residential).

Planning staff told the council the planning commission voted 5-2 to give the application an unfavorable recommendation, citing the anticipated traffic impact on Richdale Lane, uncertainty about access off Fairfield Pike and concerns that higher-density zoning at the property's edge would be incompatible with surrounding single-family lots. "Currently, the only thing that we have as access to this potential development is Richdale Lane," planning staff said, adding that without the alternate access the commission feared increased traffic at the school-area intersection near Fairfield Pike.

Staff presented the developer's concept plan, which proposed a layout with open space and a stream buffer and approximately 158 single-family lots in the concept. Planning staff warned the rezoning itself would not legally lock the developer to that concept: "This drawing has no legal ... we have no scribe for another drawing. They can throw this out and build something completely different once we rezone to R-3," staff said, noting that R-3 zoning could allow substantially higher gross density than the concept plan suggested.

Council members discussed the trade-offs of accommodating growth and the need to plan infrastructure and services for developments at the city's edge. Multiple council members raised concerns about school-area traffic and emergency-service response distances if the city approves higher-density development in that location.

The ordinance was presented for first reading; the transcript does not record a final vote during the Nov. 6 study session.