Neighborhood Voice Posts are posts submitted by individual neighbors or concerned residents to our site. These posts can be submitted anonymously. Email us at rgawestfield@gmail.com for info.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Woodwind PUD is on the schedule for the February 6th agenda.  Even though revisions were due on Friday the 3rd, Pulte continues to make last minute adjustments because they know they have not done enough.  I know this because there are many e-mails still circulating from them.  Pulte has failed to listen intently to the reasonable requests and suggestions of many of the APC Members and more importantly to the tax paying citizens who live in this area of the city.  Pulte will claim that they have worked with the neighbors.  They have met with some of the neighbors but they have done little to address the concerns and reasonable suggestions.  I am attaching my review of the revision that was posted on the agenda Friday that points out questions and concerns by section.

First of all, does the golf course remain or not?  Maybe the golf course remains for about 50 years, but maybe not.  Maybe the Woodwind homeowners don't want to pay the high HOA fees and vote to eliminate the course.  Maybe the golf course owner decides they don't want to continue to operate the course.  Regardless of what this language implies since when was it acceptable to alter the open space in our neighborhoods to something other than open space?  This is clearly the only meaningful open space in the entire PUD and yet we allow the potential to eliminate it.  The comment has been made that people in the future may wish to do something other than use green space in manners currently enjoyed.  Should we put a 50 year mark on all our city parks if we believe this? 

Thousands of man hours have been spent gathering data to ensure you are provided the facts as you make a decision that will potentially increase the population of our community by 15%.  This could be one of the largest PUD's ever considered.  The facts say that what is being proposed is a homogeneous '"cookie cutter" product mix that is currently built down the street at a similar price point of 85% of the homes in this area.  The average starting price point for this PUD is $298,000(this is pulled directly from Pulte's website).  David Compton may argue that like his Tahoe purchase he added things to the price of his car, however, the average home buyer will not add more than 25% to the base price of the house.  

Over 85% of the homes in this area of Westfield are not covering the costs for our schools or infrastructure, (target of $375,000).  Over 60% of the recommended homes are built in Viking Meadows and Maple Knoll.  If you doubt this please compare the model names provided in Pulte's presentations to those offered in those neighborhoods.  You will easily be able to verify this fact.  The price points are reflective in the housing in this area, (please see the housing inventory provided) and are readily available in the 1,340 developed lots in the 19 neighborhoods currently under construction in this area.  Pulte is capable of much better but they chose to build the suggested higher end product in Carmel and Fishers not Westfield as was requested over and over again!  Our city desires housing options for all that include a variety of price points and lot sizes.

Over 70% of the homes have front loaded garages.  One will drive the streets of this neighborhood and see one garage door after another, over 700 of them. That may be why they have more character exhibits of garage doors than most of their housing models.  You may have noticed that the character exhibits for the "custom homes" do not show a single example with a front load garage.  It does make a big positive difference.  This was a significant request of the Comprehensive Plan to avoid this horrid appearance of front loaded garages.  It has been suggested from day one that they add more side load product offerings.  Pulte has chosen to ignore this request.

The architecture enhancements offered in the recent PUD revision are appreciated.  Please look at the architecture at Harmony and the improvements that were requested and delivered upon at Liberty Ridge.  What Pulte is presenting at their borders is not at the same level.  Why would you allow something less after commitments were made to other developers that future development would have the same high standards ie: Cal Atlantic?  

The language with the architectural enhancements reads in the form of a riddle.  Pulte has made it extremely hard to understand exactly what they are committing to but clearly it is not enough.  Do 20% of the homes receive a masonry wrap?  Or is it 20% of 40% of the lots, or a total of 8% of the homes in each section?  Do the 50% of homes on the golf course qualify towards the 8% or 20% or 40%?  If anyone wants to get back with me on what they really mean by this that would be great.  100% of homes on the premium golf course course lots should have a masonry wrap.  The golf course will be visited by many and is a reflection on the quality of our community.

The corner of 146th and Town Road has some new language.  The combination of the commercial and the flex area could account for 32 acres of commercial has remained with the one positive elimination of the fueling station.  This is twice the size of the Kroger shopping area at 161st and Springmill and far surpasses the original intended commercial node of 3-4 acres according to some of the original authors of the Comprehensive Plan.  The multi family area, that is in complete violation of our UDO and brings nothing new in writing to the already approved 6 apartment complexes for this area, has new language that if not transferred to a multi family developer within three years it too can be approved for commercial uses.  There is no commitment to the apartment builder of the Kentucky horse barn apartment in the PUD language.  This could create a commercial site the size of Clay Terrace.  We have heard that our city needs more commercial but there are specific areas in our Comprehensive Plans as to where something of this size and magnitude should be located ie: on Hwy 31, Hwy 32, Grand Junction, and Grand Park Village.  The allowance of a commercial site this size violates the intent of the Comprehensive Plan and will cannibalize the desired commercial sites. 

We have presented factual data as to how this PUD fails to meet the five criteria that must be considered for a re-zone according to the laws of the state of Indiana over and over again and it has not changed. If you have had the opportunity to drive around in the southwest section of Westfield you will be hard pressed to ignore the "STOP Irresponsible Development" signs in the yards of those who live and pay taxes here.  There are 100 signs in tax paying voting citizens' yards.  The people have presented the facts and the facts say that this PUD does not meet the five criteria.  It would be in the best interest of our entire community to wait for something better because Westfield deserves it.  

Thank you for your consideration