The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 21

THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR WWW.INDYSTAR.COM CityS State si WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2002 B3 A DEVELOPING ISSUE BUILDING ZONE HOME FRONT Camel's quiality of life XA look at building permits in central Indiana Focus on 'y central Indiana housing permits: is Ms hi ggesl selling noint Affluent suburb competes with similar cities in other states to lure businesses. Permits issued in September 1,144 ''I i By Bill Ruthhart bill.ruthhartindystar.com One of the best ways for a city to attract new businesses is to effectively market itself. At least that's what Carmel Mayor Jim Brain-ard will tell you. The second-term mayor has developed the use of glossy booklets, videotapes and his own personal tours to help recruit businesses, which are increasingly wooed from community to community in a highly competitive recruiting atmosphere. Carmel's competition? No one in central Indiana.

Instead, the city battles other affluent suburban communities attached to major metropolitan cities across the nation. "Our competition is other cities like Carmel," Brainard said. "Cities like Dublin, Ohio; i V. it vV Cv v- rxc 1 Ji) Permits issued in September 2001 11 Change from 2001 to 2002: Ends seven months of decline. 10,226 Permits issued this year through Jl September 11,992 Permits issued through same period in 2001 cus on Marion County housing permits: I 342 Permits issued in September 437 i r.

Permits issued in September 2001 3,469 i Permits issued this 't Hi year through vVt'-J September Permits issued through same period in 2001 "A good school system, many good options for housing, a nice mix of retail development and an address on the Meridian corridor led to our choice to pick Carmel." Eden Prairie, Minnesota, outside of Minneapolis; George- town, Tennessee, outside of Memphis; and Dunwoody, Georgia, outside of Atlanta. "Those are the competition, not Greenwood, Plain-field or Noblesville." Brainard and the city have not always had the proper tools at their fingertips. "When I took over as mayor, the only visual presentation we had of Carmel were a few Phil Frank, ITT real estate director -f-m Karen Oucey staff photo New addition: Cement mason Willie Brown sets the grade of the floor at the construction site of the future world headquarters of ITT Educational Services in Carmel. The city, which has increased efforts to recruit companies, "is a very easy sell," its mayor says. INDIANAPOLIS Metro Indy ranks 33rd in urban sprawl index Indianapolis ranks 33rd on a list of the nation's most sprawling metro areas, according to Smart Growth America, a group that promotes ways to contain urban sprawl The group studied 83 areas, ranking Riverside-San Bernardino, as the most sprawling metro area, followed by Winston-Salem, N.C., and Raleigh, N.C.

Rounding out the top five were Atlanta and Greenville, S.C. Metro areas with more sprawl also tend to have higher traffic fatality rates, more traffic and poorer air quality than less-sprawling areas, according to the study released last week. The report is based on a three-year project conducted by professors at Rutgers and Cornell universities. The National Association of Home Builders criticized the report for leaving out the importance of housing affordability and choice to working Americans' quality of life. Indianapolis scored fairly well in two of the four main sprawl factors: mix of homes, jobs and services and strength of town centers and downtowns.

But it scored poorly on residential density (26th nationally) and accessibility of a street network (24th nationally). The full report is available online at: www.smartgrowth-america.com. NORTHERN INDIANA Amish families dividing more farms for profit Call it Amish sprawL Some land-use experts are worried about the trend that has Indiana's Amish families building homes on tracts of land carved from farms. "I see a lot of 10- to 15-acre farmettes nowadays with new building sites," said Lyle Chupp, an Amish auctioneer from northern Indiana's LaGrange County. The majority of the Amish in Elkhart and LaGrange counties are factory workers, but living on'a farm continues to be central to the Amish identity, said Steve Nolt, an assistant professor of history at Goshen College.

One reason why farms are being divided is that it's more lucrative for sellers to do so, Chupp said. "When it's their turn to sell their property, they start seeing dollar signs and are afraid if they don't divide up their property, the next person will and that does happen," he said. "We have investors coming through our auctions just hoping to nab something they can split up or divide in the next year or two and make money." ATLANTA, GA. Atlanta 'megalopolis' grows far and wide The city of Atlanta has grown so much in recent decades that federal officials are poised to redefine its boundaries to include an area hundreds of miles wide, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The newspaper reported the new megalopolis could stretch from the South Carolina border into Alabama and reach from the edges of Chattanooga, to Macoa It is larger than nine states, including Massachusetts and New Jersey, and could generate more combined income than 35 of the 50 states.

That area increasingly depends on Atlanta for employment and economic success. New census data show metro Indy also is growing deeper into the eight counties immediately surrounding the city, according to planning officials. Based on new census data, the newspaper reports the new region would have Atlanta as its core and include up to 28 counties, up from the current 20. It would include a previously undefined Gainesville metro area, as many as five other Georgia counties and possibly one county along 1-85 across the Alabama border. The federal Office of Management and Budget uses census commuting statistics to define metro areas.

The agency is expected to announce new boundaries next year. From Staff and News Service Reports Companies with world headquarters located in the city of Carmel Twelve businesses ing postcards that had been made several years before," Brainard said. "We do a lot of things to promote the city, but the most important thing is to stress the very high quality of life we have here." That, he said, is the city's No. 1 business attraction. "We do a number of things to attract businesses, but Carmel is a very easy sell," Brainard said.

"Companies are attracted by cities that provide a high quality of life. We have a good school system, good library and parks, and we have clean, safe neighborhoods. Those all make Carmel a quality place to live." Twelve businesses have made Carmel the home for their world headquarters. ITT Educational Services is the most recent to make the move to CarmeL ITT announced its decision this summer, and its headquarters are under construction amid other corporate buildings at 126th and Meridian streets, the city's Hamilton Crossing locatioa "Our employees will benefit from the excellent amenities in the greater Carmel area," said Phil Frank, assistant general counsel and director of real estate for ITT. "A good school system, many good options for housing, a nice mix of retail development and an address on the Meridian corridor, which is shared by a number of prominent businesses, all led to our choice to pick CarmeL" And that says a lot, considering ITT has institutes in 28 states.

Sometimes clinching a deal can come down to a personal tour Brainard gives company officials from the comfort of his SUV. "We'll just hop in the car, and I'll show them everything in Carmel," he said. "We'll go to the library, the schools, parks, different-scale neighborhoods. I just want them to get a feel for the community, because after that, Carmel sells itself." Call Bill Ruthhart at 1-317-444-2606. Change from 2001 to 2002 Source: Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis Midwest ISO Oak Street One Call Communications SePRO Standard Thomson Electronics that have their world headquarters in Carmel: Baker Hill Conseco Delta Faucet Haverstick Consulting ITT Educational Services MacMillan Publish Source: city of Carmel INDYSTAR.COM A GROWING CONCERN Area opposition prompts denial of rezoning request See our information 1 on how to contact planning and zoning officials for ities in the metro region.

Go to www.indy- star.comnews Subdivision defeated Metropolitan planners voted against a new subdivision by Crossmann Communities in the V. I 1 Marion County I 8200 block of South Emerson Avenue. CORNER LOT 8147,101) Southport 1 Traffic was also a major concern. Emerson Avenue, she said, is already a busy road that bottlenecks from five to two lanes. Having more cars pour out of a new subdivision would add to congestion.

She was also concerned about the impact of congestion on the emergency entrance to St. Francis South Campus. The vote The Metropolitan Development Commission voted 4-2 to deny the request to rezone the property. What to look for The developer can refile the request but must wait a year. A waiver to file sooner can be requested, but planners say the developer would have to show a different plan more likely to win community support.

Call Dan McFeely at 1-317-444-6230. trees as possible on the land, which has about four acres of woods. Access to the development would have included a road off Emerson Avenue. The developer agreed to make necessary improvements on Emerson and have an entrance off Todd Road. In opposition to Homeowners of nearby Brook-field Estates about 150 of them present during a meeting last week were opposed to the development for two reasons: high density and traffic concerns.

Lori Miller, a spokeswoman for the group, complained that Perry Township was experiencing too much high-density growth for the city to allow yet another such project. She was concerned about the quality of the homes to be built and highlighted an advertisement for "zero down" on a new home, calling it "frightening." Battleground: Perry Township PROPOSED: A new subdivision on the Far Southside. NAME: Whitaker Village. VITAL STATS: 222 lots on nearly 56 acres in the 8200 block of South Emerson Avenue. DEVELOPER: Crossmann Communities.

GOVERNING BODY: Metropolitan Development Commission, city of Indianapolis. In favor of The commission staff gave the plan a positive recommendation. They said the subdivision's density of four housing units per acre was in line with the area's comprehensive plan. Whitaker Village would be an extension of a similar development north of the site and not far from another on the south side of Stop 11 Road. The staff also said an agreement was reached to preserve as many Average price for a central Indiana home In 3rd quarter, up from $143,659 in 2nd quarter.

HI 61 1 Stop 11 Bern. fn vi i a I 1 I Campus Marion Co. Johnson Co. E. Weaver staff graphic LOCAL NEWS CONTACTS Bruce Smith, StarWest, 1-317-272-4403, bruce.smithindystar.com Stu Hlrsch, stu.hirschindystar.com Bill Booher, StarNorth, 1-317-570-4483, bill.booherindystar.com Bill Ruthhart, StarNorth, 1-317-570-4482, bill.ruthartindystar.com Jason Thomas, StarSouth, 1-317-865- 4925, jason.thomasindystar.com Dan McFeely, developmenttransportation reporter, 1-317-444-6230, dan.mc-feelyindystar.com Tammy Webber, environment reporter, 1-317-444-6212, tammy.webberindystar.com Kevin morgan, editor, 1-317-444-6292, kevin.morganindystar.com SUNDAY: PUBLIC INTEREST MONDAY: COMMUTING TUESDAY: EDUCATION 1 WEDNESDAY: THURSDAY: DIVERSITY FRIDAY: PUBLIC SAFETY SATURDAY: ACROSS INDIANA.