Planning Process

• Why was Home Place chosen as the first sub-area plan?

• The planning process that resulted in the 2022 Comprehensive Plan involved conversations with residents across the City of Carmel. Some Home Place residents voiced concerns about increased developer interest in the community and the desire to retain its character and housing affordability. Additionally, City leaders felt that the recent annexation of Home Place into Carmel warranted a designated process to understand goals and objectives specific to the Home Place community.

• What does the word Build mean in the last phase of the project?

• The consultant’s planning process for the Home Place Subarea Plan is organized into three phases, referred to as Explore, Test, and Build. The Build phase, which we are currently in, refers to the build-out of the Plan itself. The planning effort will result in a Home Place specific document (Plan) that describes a long-term (10+ year) vision for the future of Home Place, corresponding goals, and recommendations for achieving those goals. Additionally, it will describe who is primarily tasked with implementing the recommendations. Many will require the City of Carmel to lead, while others can be led by Home Place entities, including the new business district organization.

Infrastructure

• Does the plan include recommendations for residential streets as well as main thoroughfares?

• The Home Place Plan will likely recommend that the City of Carmel’s Thoroughfare Plan add an additional street type that resembles the simpler design that currently exists on some Home Place residential streets. These are ones that don’t currently have separated sidewalks but are narrow and designed for anyone to use whether slowly driving a vehicle, walking, biking, etc.

106th & College Business District

• Will the existing businesses at 106th and College be asked to relocate?

• It is understood that the existing businesses in the 106th and College area are providing helpful services to the community. The Home Place Subarea Plan will provide ways for the business district to become more cohesive and organized, both near-term and long-term. Efforts are underway to establish a business district organization run by Home Place community members focused on discovering and providing ways to support the business community. Business owners will have many opportunities to participate in these efforts.

  
  An area of opportunity we have been hearing over the last several months involves beautification projects that could be installed over the next few years, including facade improvements for existing businesses. The Home Place Plan will include a variety of other tools to support current and future property owners and provide guidance as changes occur over time. The planning process considers what the commercial area could look like in ten or more years and will describe potential redevelopment options. These would be refined and built out as property owners initiate changes.

Community Organizations

• Is the Business District Place-Based Organization (PBO) only for business owners?

• No, ideally the new Place-Based Organization will have a range of community member involvement. While it will be focused on supporting the 106th and College business district, support from residents, workers, property owners, along with business owners and representatives is beneficial to the organization’s functionality, effectiveness, and sustainability. This group will help with a range of things, like planting flowers, planning events, and organizing volunteers, all in service of making the heart of Home Place a beautiful and welcoming place to spend time.

• Will the PBO take the place of the GHPNA and the Advisory Board, or will they continue to operate as they do today?

• The new Business District Place-Based Organization (PBO) that Yard & Company is helping to get started will have a mission and committees different than what the Greater Home Place Neighborhood Association (GHPNA) and Home Place Advisory Board are focused on. The new PBO is expected to be structured as a Main Street America organization, focused on promoting and supporting the growth of the 106th & College business district.

  The GHPNA will continue to exist, and ideally, will collaborate with the new Main Street organization to support overlapping goals. For example, they will hopefully work together to ensure Home Place community members (residents, business owners, etc.) are made aware of events/programs and ways to generally get involved in Home Place.

  The Home Place Advisory Board was established to disperse public funds earmarked for Home Place when it joined the City of Carmel. This group meets quarterly and is expected to continue until those funds have been exhausted.

Getting Involved

• How can I get involved? What do Volunteer activities include?

• We’re so glad you asked! There are many ways to get involved in Home Place!

  Our first recommendation is for you to volunteer with the new 106th & College organization that is being created. This will be a volunteer-led initiative. Your involvement can be based on your availability. There will be a need for volunteers able to help out at events/programs as they occur, as well as those with the capacity to meet regularly and lead things like marketing & promotions, programming & events, business support & relations, visitor support & relations, district signage, clean-ups, and public art - all within the 106th & College area. The first event that this group will host is anticipated to occur in late April. More information will be shared soon. Complete the volunteer interest form and a member of the board will reach out with more information.

  Another organization to volunteer with is the Greater Home Place Neighborhood Association (GHPNA). They can be reached by emailing Sherry Heston, GHPNA President, at sheston66@gmail.com.

  
  Lastly, we encourage you to keep connected with these efforts. A draft version of the Home Place Plan will be made publicly available for review and comment this Spring. Information will be posted to www.ThisIsHomePlace.com.