Fishers City Council gives first reading to rezone request for memory-care group home on Brook School Road
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Summary
Council introduced an ordinance to rezone 0.86 acres at 10990 Brook School Road from R2 to a PUD to allow a 7,500 sq ft Story Cottage memory-care group home for up to 12 residents; staff cited a traffic analysis and scheduled neighborhood and Plan Commission meetings.
Fishers City Council introduced, on first reading, an ordinance to rezone 0.86 acres at 10990 Brook School Road from R2 residential to a planned unit development to allow a Story Cottage memory-care group home.
Ross (no last name given), of the city’s Community and Economic Development staff, told the council the proposal would convert two lots into one and limit the facility’s size to 7,500 square feet with a maximum of 12 residents. Attorney Rick Lawrence, representing the applicant, said the company designs the homes to “blend into the neighborhood” with no exterior signage and described the use as a residential-style, luxury memory-care model.
The applicant cited a traffic letter prepared for the city that, according to Lawrence, anticipates “fewer than 5 vehicle trips during the AM and PM peak hours,” and he said the homes are typically private-pay. When asked by a council member about resident cost, Lawrence answered, “$11,000… a month,” and confirmed the facility would accommodate 12 residents.
Neighbors who spoke during community comment strongly objected to the site selection. Gary Mead, a Breakwater subdivision resident, said the homeowners association had received no notice and urged the council to recognize the area is purely residential: “We stumbled on this by mistake… our homeowner association had received no notice about this PUD,” he said. Malik Smadi, a civil engineer and Breakwater resident, said the proposed building and parking area would alter the character of the neighborhood. Mary Kaido told the council she believed project representatives “have been less than honest” and asked who would provide hands-on medical care for residents.
Staff told the council a neighborhood meeting is scheduled for Jan. 29 at the Hawthorne Clubhouse and that the Plan Commission public hearing is set for Feb. 4; the applicant indicated intent to return to council at a later February meeting. Council members proceeded with the formal first-reading step for Ordinance 012026c; no final zoning vote was recorded at this meeting.
The rezone would leave R2 as the underlying zoning while adding a precise PUD limitation that would allow a memory-care group home as a permitted use. The council and staff highlighted the upcoming neighborhood meeting and the Plan Commission hearing as the next opportunities for public input and technical review.
