The Elkhart City Planning Commission voted to forward a major amendment to the Northfield Market planned unit development (25-PUDA02R) to the Common Council with a recommendation that the development proceed without vehicle access to Karen (Cairn) Drive.

Staff described the amendment as an update to a previously approved PUD that would add roughly 16.62 acres into the PUD, consolidate vehicular access to Emerson Drive, and allow an approximately 336-unit apartment complex and a climate-controlled self-storage facility. Staff said the revised site plan addresses a prior Plan Commission condition and recommended approval; they noted unit-size requests to permit minimum dwelling units of 550 and 720 square feet in some buildings where 750 square feet had been the standard.

The petitioner’s representatives, Sharon Kron and Scott Crone of Crip Holding, said the resubmission removes the Cairn/Karen Drive auto entrance, maintains the southern wooded area as a buffer and acknowledged that the tallest buildings would be four stories. Crone told the commission a continuous seven-foot fence would be difficult to install through the dense woods but said the developer had engaged at least one neighbor.

Multiple residents spoke at length, urging stronger protections. Perry German (150 North Drive) described repeated trespassing and police responses, asked for a seven-foot fence and expressed concern about the location of the retention pond and runoff into private wells and Christiana Creek. Chad Rapp (218 Karen Drive) asked the commission to halt development negotiations until a public audit of prior Karen Drive land actions and clearer communication were provided, citing alleged procedural violations. Other neighbors raised worries about construction noise, light, loss of privacy from four-story buildings, and property-value impacts.

Commissioners and staff repeatedly emphasized that the commission’s legal role is to assess whether the amendment meets statutory and code requirements; site-plan details such as fence location and stormwater design typically are resolved during technical review or as conditions at the Common Council hearing. After deliberation, Mr. Osborne moved, and Mr. Mishler seconded, a motion to forward the amended PUD to the Common Council with a 'do pass' recommendation that eliminates vehicle access to Karen Drive. The motion passed by roll call and will be considered by the Common Council, where any fencing, stormwater and other site-level requirements can be imposed as conditions.

The developer and staff were directed to continue outreach with neighbors; final approvals, technical reviews and any zoning commitments remain with the City Council and subsequent site-plan review.