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Hammond council approves 59‑lot subdivision at 610 Hewitt Road amid neighborhood opposition
Summary
The Hammond City Council approved a 59‑lot subdivision at 610 Hewitt Road after hearing hours of public comment. Supporters said the development will bring single‑family home sales and tax revenue; neighbors raised safety, traffic, drainage and property‑value concerns.
The Hammond City Council gave final approval to a major subdivision at 610 Hewitt Road on Feb. 10, 2026, clearing the way for 59 single‑family lots. The planning commission recommended the proposal for adoption, and city staff told the council the plat meets existing zoning and ordinance requirements.
Developer Kyle Bratton told the council the project is privately funded, will build and sell single‑family homes and will not request variances. He said the proposal “meets all their requirements per the city of Hammond’s ordinances” and described lot sizes, green space and planned infrastructure changes to reduce traffic impacts.
Michael Bond, chief operations officer of Beacon Light Baptist Church and seller of the property, asked council to separate quality‑of‑life complaints from the sale and said the project is intended to “bring help.” Several residents urged the council to deny the subdivision, citing pedestrian safety, frequent cut‑through traffic on Hewitt Road, drainage backups and potential downward pressure on nearby property values.
Residents questioned traffic projections and asked how the study generated the figure of peak‑hour trips cited at an earlier meeting. Planner Frankie Legault and the developer said planning staff had worked with the applicant to revise lot access so that none of the new lots would back directly onto Hewitt Road and that the applicant agreed to provide two exits rather than the single exit required by ordinance.
Council discussion referenced the city attorney’s guidance that denying a properly zoned, use‑by‑right project requires property‑specific findings that the development would be detrimental. After motions and roll call, the council approved final adoption of the ordinance to permit the subdivision. The council did not adopt any waivers or variances as part of the approval.
Next steps: the developer must complete final platting and permitting and construct required infrastructure; residents and council members requested continued attention to traffic mitigation and drainage measures.
