Thank you very much everyone for your overwhelming support! Please continue to share the petition with your neighbors and leave comments with your reasons for signing or with suggestions about how to make this petition better or how to be more effective in stopping this undesirable gas station development in our neighborhood.
One easy way to direct your neighbors to the petition is through one of these links:
www.change.org/keepthevillageclean
or simply use the share button for online sharing.
Our movement is getting stronger each day and the word is spreading both online and in person, with the help of our dedicated and concerned neighbors.
As an administrative update, based on what we have learned so far: there seems to be a zoning approval in effect with the City of Carmel, which would technically allow the construction of a gas station. This in theory can make it hard for us to fight it. However, right now there is a variance application in process with the city, in order for the Family Express to be able to start building the gas station and convenience store. While challenging this variance application may not be enough in order to stop the construction of a gas station, it is reasonable to appeal our Carmel City council and its commissions in order to express our opposition. This is especially important as letters have been sent to the city by the board of our owners' association stating that we are all enthusiastically in favor of this development, involving convenience store (with gas sale).
The most important thing I would like to ask you today is if you could take few minutes and write a brief, personal letter to the City of Carmel Planning Commission, explaining why you think the gas station is a bad idea, why you may be upset about it, how it may affect your family or our community. Also you can voice your concern about not being informed about it. The recommendation is to write one email (or letter) from each household and send it to:
Joe Shestak
City of Carmel Plan Commission
jshestak@carmel.in.gov
Please include in the subject line "gas station at 131st and Towne"
Your letters will be added to the official docket and distributed to the members of the Plan Commission.
Our helpful neighbors have put together also a website that you can share with your neighbors as well and use in order to stay informed:
http://keepourvillageclean.com
Please excuse if the links do no work properly or if the information is incomplete yet, as the website has been put together literally in a day and will continue to be improved.
Also please consider writing or calling the City of Carmel elected officials, including Hon. James Brainard, the Mayor of Carmel, as well as other city officials.
https://www.carmel.in.gov/our-government/city-council
Especially if you live in the Village of WestClay, please consider writing to our VOWC Board Members, including the director for your area:
https://vwcownersassn.com/board-of-directors/
Thank you very much for your support!
Sebastian Zavoian
Trowbridge High St area
szavoian@keepvillageclean.com