Planning body approves PUD-268 for Fischer Fieldhouse after design and buffering discussion

Ross Hillary, Community Economic Development staff, presented PUD-268 for the Fischer Fieldhouse, a multi-user sports and practice facility located off USA Parkway and limited to the area shown in the application27s site rectangle. "Staff is recommending approval tonight," Hillary said, and described the project program as a 20,000-square-foot tenant on the west side, a primary multi-court area for volleyball and basketball, and a roughly 29,000-square-foot Indie Ignite headquarters and practice facility.

The petitioner team, represented by Stephen Franks of Buckingham and Jeremy Whoo of Delve, responded to board questions about neighborhood buffering, building materials and site connections. Franks said the team intends to preserve existing trees, add proposed landscaping and meet directly with adjacent neighbors to review buffer plans so "everybody's comfortable." Petitioners also described four primary entrances (two on the north elevation and two on the south) and a design strategy that uses multiple metal-panel colors, translucent panels and glassed entryways to break up the building27s scale.

Board members pressed the team on the east-side buffer nearest adjacent homes, noting the proximity of houses and a drainage channel. Staff and the petitioners said the plan relies on existing trees, new landscaping and a fence line to mitigate noise and headlights, and that final HVAC screening, landscaping and buffering will be addressed through the technical advisory committee (TAC) and ILP processes.

The board also questioned whether the structure would read as a pre-engineered metal building and discussed options to visually reduce massing without driving excessive cost. The petitioner described three contrasting gray metal panels, a copper-penny box-rib profile used at main entries, and targeted custom materials at entry nodes to create pedestrian scale. Petitioners said landscaping with vertical tree plantings along the long north and south elevations would help break up massing.

Staff noted the petitioner has submitted a first-pass landscaping plan and that staff comments have been returned; staff said the project aims to meet or exceed landscaping standards as the design is refined. Petitioners and staff also discussed a planned path that will run along the south property line to connect to a broader trail network through Buckingham27s development and toward the event center and Link property near JD Sports.

A motion to approve PUD-268 was made and seconded; a roll-call recorded affirmative votes by Mr. Stevenson, Mr. Curran, Miss Bombgardner, Mr. Bender and Mr. Peterson and staff stated the vote was unanimous. Approval was conditioned on addressing TAC comments (including HVAC screening, landscaping and buffering) during the technical review process.

The board27s action allows the petitioner to move into the TAC/ILP phase for technical refinements and permitting.