COMMITTEE MEETING >> WELCOME TO THE WEDNESDAY,
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MARCH 11, 2026 FINANCE, UTILITIES AND RULES COMMITTEE MEETING.[a. Ordinance D-2811-26; An Ordinance of the Common Council of the City of Carmel, Indiana, Amending Chapter 8, Article 5, Section 8-47 of the Carmel City Code; Sponsors: Councilors Taylor and Worrell.]
WE HAVE ONE ITEM ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING. ORDINANCE D-2811-26 ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARMEL, IN AMENDING CHAPTER 8 ARTICLE 5, SPONSORS ARE TAYLOR AND WORRELL. A. ORDINANCE D-2811-26; AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARMEL, INDIANA, AMENDING CHAPTER 8, ARTICLE 5, SECTION 8-47 OF THE CARMEL CITY CODE; SPONSORS: COUNCILORS TAYLOR AND WORRELL.ONE SLIGHT CHANGE ON LINE 29 OF THE ORDINANCE IN OUR PACKAGE. THAT CHANGE IS ON BOTH SIDES OF AUTUMN DRIVE WITH INTERSECTION WITH THIRD AVENUE SOUTHWEST, INTERSECTION WITH ESTERS DRIVE (PHONETIC) ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF AUTUMN DRIVE ON THE INTERSECTION OF THIRD AVENUE SOUTHWEST, INTERSECTION WITH -- DR.
DIRECTOR -- IF YOU SHOW THE IMAGE ON THE SCREEN THERE. FOR THE PUBLIC. THERE HAS BEEN SOME CONFUSION WITH WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO THERE. FROM AN ENGINEERING PERSPECTIVE, DISCREPANT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
>> THERE'S A GREEN LINE THERE ON THE CURB LINE BETWEEN THIRD AVENUE AND THIS OTHER ROAD OFF OF AUTUM DR. CURRENTLY NO PARKING, WE REMOVE THE NO PARKING SIGNS, NO PARKING WITHIN 30 FEET OF THE CROSSWALK THAT REPRESENTS ROUGHLY 220 FEET OF PARKING, ABOUT 10 SPACES. SO WE CONSIDER WHETHER THERE IS ON STREET PARKING OR NOT.
WE LOOKED AT THE REDWOODS, 30 FEET WIDE, PARKING ON BOTH SIDES. POTENTIALLY ONE SIDE WOULD BE WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF WHAT WE NORMALLY AGREED THE PARKING IS SAFE. NOT ONLY SAFE BUT WHEN WE ALLOW PARKING ON THE ROAD AND PEOPLE IS A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON SPEEDS ON ROADS, AND IT AFFECTS SAFETY. AND IT WILL REDUCE SPEED BECAUSE OF THE CARS PARKED ON THE ROAD. THAT IS THE ASSESSMENT AND WE ALSO LOOKED AT POLICE AND FIRE ACCESS, NO IMPLICATIONS WITHOUT THE WE ARE UNSUPPORTED WITH ALLOWING PARKING ON THE NORTH SIDE.
>> CHAIR TAYLOR: QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR PEESE (PHONETI)?
COUNCILOR WORRELL? >> COUNCILOR WORRELL: SO THERE USED TO BE PARKING ON AUTUMN DR.
>> CORRECT. >> COUNCILOR WORRELL: AND WE
REMOVED THAT. >> WE LOOKED AT THIS, WERE
BROADER 10 YEARS AGO. >> COUNCILOR WORRELL: PROBABLY
NOT 10 YEARS AGO. >> BEFORE YOU ON THE COUNCIL.
>> COUNCILOR WORRELL: MY RECOLLECTION IS IT WAS REMOVED BECAUSE OF THE CHRIS KENDALL
MARKET PARKING (PHONETIC). >> THE ORDINANCE WAS... 2000 BEFORE THE PLATING WAS CONSTRUCTED.
>> THIS WAS THE CONFUSION. WE LOOKED INTO THIS BECAUSE WE BOTH THOUGHT THAT. THAT WAS ON THIRD AVENUE. SO THERE WAS SOME PEOPLE PARKING ON THIRD AVENUE, BECAUSE OF THE MARQUIS AND MORE PEOPLE GET MORE AGGRESSIVE BEFORE THE THEY CAN THINK WHERE YOU CAN PARK IN A PARK.
TECHNICALLY IF YOU SAY NO PARKING ON THESE PLACES PEOPLE CAN PARK THERE, MORE RECENTLY
THE PARTY WAS IN THIRD AVENUE. >> COUNCILOR WORRELL: I KNOW WE WERE GETTING COMPLAINTS FROM PARK SIDE ABOUT THIS. BUT ANYWAY...
>> PEOPLE PARKING HERE, AGAIN I CAN GO BACK AND VERIFY BECAUSE I DO WANT TO VERIFY AND LOOK THIS UP. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT, COMING FROM THIS NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE AROUND THE ENTRANCE HERE, PEOPLE WERE PARKING ON THIRD AVENUE MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO GET IN AND OUT.
WE LOOKED AT THE ACTUAL NORTHSIDE THE CURB LINE, MORE THAN 10 YEARS OLD, WHAT THAT WAS RELATED TO WAS HARD TO DETERMINE ABOUT WHY THEY WOULD GO THROUGH AND SAY NO PARKING.
NOT ALWAYS EXPLAINED IN THE ORDINANCE.
>> COUNCILOR WORRELL: REGARDLESS, CONTROL DURING CHRIS KENDALL MARKET THE SPACES
WOULD PROBABLY BE OPEN GAME? >> YES. THAT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE CONSIDERED AND EVEN NOW THAT THESE HAVE CHANGED WHEN THERE WAS NO PARKING, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS CLOSE TO EVENT SPACE, PEOPLE WANTING TO GO TO THIS EVENTS.
>> COUNCILOR WORRELL: I CAN SEE VALUE FOR ADDITIONAL PARKING THERE. YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY ENGINEERING REASON NOT TO PARK THERE. WE RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM THE HOA. I KNOW YOU HAVE ADDRESSED THOSE. CAN WE PUBLICLY ADDRESS THOSE?
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I CAN GIVE THEM TO YOU IF YOU NEED THEM.OH, I THINK PEOPLE WERE PARKING THEIR ILLEGALLY. FOR CHRIS KENDALL.
>> OKAY SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WERE RECEIVED WERE ALLOWED, ARE BASED AROUND A NUMBER OF SPACES THAT YOU ADDRESSED. THING THERE WAS CONFUSION ABOUT HOW MUCH SPACE WOULD HAPPEN IN THIS PARKING. THERE WAS A CONFUSION ABOUT BUMP OUT PLANES AND STREET PARKING. THERE WAS A COMMENT THAT IT WAS A RESIDENTIAL STREET NOT INTENDED FOR COMMERCIAL USE. NOT RELATED TO THE JUDGMENT WE ARE GOING TO MAKE ABOUT THIS PARKING. IT IS A LOCAL ROAD NOT RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL, IT IS A PUBLIC ROAD. IF THERE IS TRAFFIC, THE CITY IS ON THE HOOK FOR POTHOLES OR WHATEVER.
THERE IS A COMMENT THAT PEOPLE ARE HERE-- I DO NOT HAVE IT IN THIS IMAGE BUT TO THE WEST THERE IS A DEAD END. IF YOU GO BACK OUT TO THIRD THERE IS NO EXIT BESIDES COMING BACK TO THIRD THERE IS NO CONNECTION TO CITY CENTER. A LEGITIMATE QUESTION, YOU ARE ON THAT SIDE YOU WILL GO BACK AND TURN AROUND, EITHER GO TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND DO A U-TURN OR THREE POINT TURN. I WOULD NOT EXPECT A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF THOSE THAT WOULD CAUSE AN ISSUE THAT WOULD GIVE ME A CONCERN FOR SAFETY FROM THE ENTRY/ EXIT STANDPOINT. WE CONSIDERED THIS, THERE WAS A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD TAKE THOSE MOVEMENTS TO GET OUT, SHOULD BE SAFE, AND REALLY INCREASE SAFETY. IF PEOPLE ARE YOU TURNING ON THE STREET, SLOW MOVEMENT, IT SLOWS DOWN EVERYBODY. NOT SOMETHING WE ANTICIPATE WOULD BE MORE DANGEROUS. BUT NOTED.
>> COUNCILOR WORRELL: IN THE PATH, THE GREEN?
>> THERE WAS SOME QUESTION ABOUT, YEAH A FUTURE PROJECT THAT IS IN CONCEPT PHASES ON THE NORTH SIDE OF AUTUMN DR. WE ARE WORKING WITH PARKS HAND-IN-HAND ON THIS PROJECT AND WE WILL WORK ALL THE DETAILS. WE WILL RECONFIGURE THIS ROAD BECAUSE IT IS 36 FEET WIDE. WE ARE GOING TO GET IN THERE ANYWAY AND MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, 35-FT. IS TOO WIDE FOR LOCAL ROAD OF THIS NATURE. WE WILL INCLUDE ON STREET PARKING WITH BUMP OUTS TO FURTHER SHRINK THE SIZE OF THIS ROAD, AND HAVE PLENTY OF SPACE FOR THE PATH. AND ADDRESS ALL OF THOSE ISSUES WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT. NOTHING RELATED TO WHAT YOU WOULD ACT ON TONIGHT WOULD HAVE ANY BEARING TONIGHT, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS TOO FROM THE INDIVIDUAL ABOUT WHERE THE SPECIFIC REQUEST CAME FROM.
ENGINEERING DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT IF ONE NEIGHBOR SAYS "I WANT THIS" VS. "I WANT THIS." OR A BUSINESS WANTS THIS OR THAT. WE LOOK AT THIS OBJECTIVELY. WE MAY CONSIDER WHAT TYPE OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE PARKING THERE. AGAIN THE EVENT SPACE NEARBY, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THINGS? IF IT IS BUSINESS USE VERSUS RESIDENTIAL USE? WE DO NOT DO SOMETHING BECAUSE SOMEONE ASKS TO, BECAUSE THE BUSINESS WON'T WORK IF THEY DON'T HAVE IT, OR I DON'T WANT TO BUY THIS HOUSE IF I DON'T HAVE THIS. WE DON'T TAKE THOSE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION.
>> COUNCILOR WORRELL: I THINK WHERE THE CONFUSION CAME IN MY MEMORY WAS THAT PEOPLE WERE IGNORING THE NO PARKING SIGNS. THAT IS WHAT IT WAS DURING CHRIS KENDALL, AND THE NEIGHBORS WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT.
NOW, I DO SEE AS I REREAD THIS EMAIL, THE OTHER CRITICISM WAS LACK OF TRANSPARENCY.
WAS THE NEIGHBORHOOD NOTIFIED OF THIS MEETING? PRESENT?
>> WE HAVE BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS WITH NOT ONLY THE HOA PRESIDENT, BUT ALSO ANOTHER RESIDENT. AND ALSO THE LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS. NEAR THAT AREA.
>> COUNCILOR WORRELL: AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS ANYONE REMONSTRATING TONIGHT. I WANT TO MAKE THE POINT THAT I DON'T SEE ANYBODY HERE TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION, WHICH IS WHAT COMMITTEE WORK IS FOR. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE NOTIFIED.
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>> CHAIR TAYLOR: QUESTIONS? COUNCILOR MINNAAR?
>> COUNCILOR MINNAAR: ACTUALLY JEFF HIT ALL MY HIGH NOTES. I DON'T HAVE TOO MANY QUESTIONS.
THE SOUTHSIDE THAT IS STILL NO PARKING. CORRECT?
>> CORRECT. >> COUNCILOR MINNAAR: WITH THE SIZE OF THE STREET AS IT IS RIGHT NOW 36 FEET-- HAVING THE ADDITIONAL SPACES, NO ISSUES?
>> IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE TWO WAY TRAFFIC. YOU CAN TAKE 12 FEET OUT, AND YOU CAN DO A LOT LESS, ONLY 8 FEET OF THAT. TO YOUR LEFT WITH PLENTY OF ROAD.
>> COUNCILOR MINNAAR: I CAN SEE THE ARGUMENTS ON BOTH SIDES. IF YOU LIVE ON A CUL-DE-SAC SUMMARY DRIVES DOWN ON YOUR STREET, PARKED ON THE STREET AND THEY HAVE TO TURN AROUND, WILL HAVE TO TURN AROUND SOME WAY. BUT WE DO NOT HAVE A CUL-DE-SAC IN THE SITUATION.
>> THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THREE-POINT TURNS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND THERE IS NO OFFICIAL TURNAROUND AT THE END OF THIS.
>> COUNCILOR MINNAAR: I WAS USING THIS AS AN ANALOGY.
>> NOTED. >> COUNCILOR MINNAAR: COUNCILOR WORRELL HIT MOST OF MY HIGH QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
>> CHAIR TAYLOR: I THINK IN GENERAL FOR A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, ANYWHERE IN THE CENTRAL CORE, THE CONCERN THAT WAS BROUGHT UP AND IDENTIFIED IN OUR PARKING STUDY WHICH IS ENFORCEMENT; AND I WAS REACHED OUT BY TWO RESIDENTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. AND THE BIG CONCERN IS ENFORCEMENT. THEY ACTUALLY HAVE THE RESIDENTIAL PARKING STICKER PROGRAM A LITTLE BIT FURTHER DOWN UNDER CONCERN IS THAT IS NOT EVEN ENFORCED.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, ABOUT
THE ENFORCED PARKING. >> FOR TRANSPARENCY, THIS WILL COME IN STAGES. WE ARE WORKING IN A DIFFERENT SYSTEM AND A DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL HELP ENFORCEMENT A LOT BETTER. AND NEW DIRECTION ON LEVEL ENFORCEMENT LOOKING FORWARD.
WERE GOING TO REINFORCE -- THE FOCUS IS ON MIDTOWN MAINSTREET AREA, WHERE THERE IS RESIDENTIAL PARKING, THAT WILL COME TO PLAY. AND THAT IS TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION WHETHER RESIDENTIAL PARKING IS ALLOWED OR NOT ALLOWED.
RESIDENTS THAT NEED TO PARK NEAR THEIR BUILDING NEED TO HAVE A PLACE TO PARK. THIS IS NOT THAT. SO WE NEED BETTER TECHNOLOGY TO ENFORCE THE PARKING. I DO NOT KNOW WHERE WE WILL SEE THAT IN THIS AREA BECAUSE IT IS GOING TO BE A PHASED APPROACH. IT TAKES TIME TO BUILD THE SYSTEM UP, AND GET THE OFFICERS.
>> CHAIR TAYLOR: IN THE MEANTIME I DID PROVIDE THE NONEMERGENCY NUMBER. THEY CAN ALWAYS CALL THE NONEMERGENCY NUMBER AND REPORT PARKING VIOLATIONS. AND OUR POLICE
FORCE IS GREAT AT RESPONDING. >> THEY ARE. THAT IS THE OLD WAY. THAT REQUIRES SOMEONE TO CALL AND HAVE IT SCHEDULED TO COME OUT. THE SYSTEM WILL IMPROVE THAT AND YOU CAN TAKE ACTION ON THAT TODAY, AND YOU WILL GET A RESPONSE.
>> CHAIR TAYLOR: OKAY. SO WE WERE CONTACTED BY TWO RESIDENTS. IN GENERAL, AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE HOA PRESIDENT, THE MAIN CONCERN IS THEY WERE RELIEVED BY A LOT OF YOUR ANSWERS. THEY DID STILL HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT ROAD WEAR DUE TO POSSIBLE PEOPLE TURNING AROUND. THOSE ARE OBVIOUSLY CITY STREETS WE WILL MAINTAIN THOSE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, BECAUSE THEIR CITY STREETS.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE ALSO COVERED THAT PIECE.
>> I WANT TO SAY IN THAT VEIN, CHANGING THE PARKING HERE WILL NOT CHANGE THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES THAT MIGHT GO DOWN THIS ROAD. NOT GOING TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT. NOBODY KNOWS THAT IT IS NO PARKING UNTIL THEY HAVE DRIVEN DOWN, AND TURNED AROUND AND LEFT FOR THE MOST PART. IT IS NOT EXPECTED THAT THEY WILL BE SIGNIFICANT DRAW TO MORE TRAFFIC DOWN THIS ROAD BECAUSE OF EITHER DECISION WE COULD MAKE. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?
>> CHAIR TAYLOR: THE PSYCHOLOGY RUN TRANSPORTATION IS VERY INTERESTING. THANK YOU.
NOW, WE COULD ALSO HAVE A COUPLE OF -- YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? WE DID HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER, I JUST EMAILS FROM A COUPLE OF NEIGHBORS IN THE AREA. I DO NOT KNOW IF WE NEED TO READ THOSE IN THE RECORD.
WE HAVE ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT TODAY?
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>> CHAIR TAYLOR: IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO. IF YOU WANT TO BE ON RECORD, IT IS BEST TO COME UP.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF. >> HI COUNCIL MEMBERS, I AM GRANT, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF ROAD PARTNERSHIPS, WE ARE THE OWNER AND OCCUPANT OF 630 THIRD AVENUE SOUTHWEST, WE BOUGHT THE BUILDING JUST EARLIER THIS YEAR. OUR COMPANY ALONG WITH BOTH THE OTHER TENANTS, EYE CARE BUSINESS AND DENTISTRY OFFICE WOULD SUPPORT ADDITIONAL PARKING BUT WE LOVE ADDITIONAL WALKING WALKINGTIME. IT WILL BE HELPFUL TO SERVE OUR CLIENTS' WHO NEED TO VISIT OUR BUILDING AND OUR PATIENTS AND STAFF.
ESPECIALLY AROUND THE THEATER AND SCHOOL BUSES THAT ABSORB THE ADDITIONAL PARKING SPACE.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT.
>> CHAIR TAYLOR: THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENTS. COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS FOR LEGAL? SO ONLY ITEM ON OUR AGENDA TONIGHT, DOES ANYBODY HAVE A MOTION?
>> I WOULD MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SAID BACK TO COUNCIL A POSITIVE RECOMMENDATION TO
APPROVE ORDINANCE D-2811-26. >> COUNCILOR MINNAAR: SECOND
THAT. >> CHAIR TAYLOR: I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. VOTE? MOTION CARRIES ANONYMOUSLY. WE DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING ELSE ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT. I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE AN UPDATE WE ARE LOOKING AT THE DISABILITY COMMITTEE ORDINANCE, THE ADMINISTRATION IS TO PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION AND FEEDBACK AS WELL. IF ANYBODY ON THE COMMITTEE WANTED ALSO TO BE PREPARED, HOPEFULLY NEXT MEETING, TO DISCUSS THAT. I WANT TO MAKE EVERYBODY AWARE.
AND WE HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION BACK FROM-- WE ARE WAITING FOR COUNCILMAN LOCK TO PROVIDE SUGGESTIONS ABOUT THE AUDIT COMMITTEE. I DO NOT KNOW IF THAT WILL BE ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT MEETING. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? WE ARE ADJOURNED AT
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.