Greenwood commission approves waivers for Auburn Manor subdivision with conditions

The Greenwood Advisory Plan Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to grant two waiver requests for the Auburn Manor secondary plat (PC 2025‑085), allowing the developer to exceed municipal limits on cul‑de‑sac and residential block lengths for a new subdivision at 2231 South State Road 135.

The petitioner’s representative, David Pierce, said the project (identified in the record as the Manners) required two waivers because the developer could not complete a full connection to Hearthstone Drive, a private street south of the site. "We are unable to come to a reasonable agreement" with the neighboring property owners to construct the link, Pierce said, and the developer therefore sought permission to build the stub to the property line rather than extend onto adjacent private property. He said the primary plat had been conditionally approved in October 2025 and the entrance location was moved after consultation with INDOT.

Planning staff recommended approval after consulting the White River fire department. Ms. Lehman told commissioners that the fire department supported a stub allowing equipment staging in an emergency and that staff recommended approval of both waivers with three conditions: (1) the stub street be installed per the fire marshal’s request; (2) the stub be constructed to within 10 feet of the southern property line; and (3) the dead‑end street have an approved barricade and/or signage as determined by City Development Services staff. "Staff recommended approval for both of these waiver requests with three conditions," Ms. Lehman said.

Commission discussion centered on the private status of Hearthstone Drive and the neighbors’ unwillingness to allow access. Commissioners noted the developer’s effort to preserve existing trees along the southern boundary and debated emergency access implications; staff said attempts to secure a connection had been unsuccessful.

The commission approved the first waiver motion, with the three conditions recommended by staff, and recorded the outcome as 8‑0 in favor. A second motion to grant the related street/cul‑de‑sac waiver (and the listed conditions, including parking and drainage determinations to be made by city staff) also passed 8‑0.

The approvals impose conditions meant to preserve emergency access while avoiding construction on neighboring private property. The commission concluded the meeting after staff introduced Jackson McCreery as a new planner; the session ended at about 7:16 p.m.