Five items were on the presenter portion of the agenda of the November Broad Ripple Village Association (BRVA) Land Use and Development Committee Meeting. The public meeting was held at Broad Ripple United Methodist Church at 62nd and Guilford on November 23, 2010, at 6pm. The committee hears presentations and then votes to support, take no position, or oppose when the case comes before the appropriate board of the City of Indianapolis.

The first item on the agenda was for Fire by the Monon restaurant, to be located at 6523 Ferguson Street, previously L'explorateur. There was confusion with this item. The only issue at this location was a request for a 2-way (beer/wine) liquor license that the BRVA committee voted to support at a previous committee meeting.

Tonight, several neighbors of the project asked questions about the use of the new deck on the restaurant and about the potential noise level that would be generated. The discussion quickly turned angry and the committee chair stepped in.

"I'm a little surprised to see this on the agenda," said committee chair Jim Holland. "We did approve the two-way permit, and if he doesn't need any zoning, then...what?"

Remonstrators continued to ask questions and suggested that the larger deck might need a new variance and a building permit.

Tom Healy explained that if the new restaurant results in a disturbance of the neighborhood or has built features on the property illegally, those matters would be code enforcement issues. There is a process with the City for residents to file complaints for those matters. The only issue before the BRVA committee was for a beer/wine license. Holland explained that the hearing at the City-County Building for the new liquor license is scheduled for December 6, 2010, and that any resident can attend that hearing to support it or to remonstrate against it.

Remonstrators also said they had no knowledge of the prior committee meeting where this liquor license was requested and supported. This started a lengthy discussion on the BRVA committee meeting process and neighborhood notifications. Holland stated that it was time to move on the next item on the agenda. (As a disinterested observer of the meeting, I believe the chair acted appropriately in keeping the focus on the agenda. There is a larger issue of procedure that should be worked out for future meetings. Please read my editorial on this matter in the next issue of the Gazette on the street December 17, 2010. -Alan)

The second item on the agenda was for 1001 restaurant, located at 1001 Broad Ripple Avenue. The only changes from the previous appearance at this meeting were to the deck on the Broad Ripple Avenue side of the building. It was now been moved away from the Avenue, making it 2.5 feet back from the property line. There was a discussion about trees and parking lot landscaping. The committee voted to support this petition.

Next on the agenda was petition 2010-UV1-024 for property located at 6201 College Avenue. This is the house that was most recently Trash To Treasures. The proposal is for ADO Hair Salon to put estheticians and nail technicians in the building that is next door to their salon. The building will be painted and new awning will be installed. The committee voted to support this petition.

The fourth item on the agenda was petition 2010-UV1-025, for property located at 6338 College Avenue. This is the house with the porch removed that is across College from Johnny's Market. The proposal is to rebuild the front of the house with a footprint that is in line with the set backs of some other buildings along College. The building will be used for investment real estate offices. The committee voted to support the petition.

Last on the agenda was the petition 2010-HOV-037 for property located at 6104 Winthrop Avenue. The proposal is to issue a variance to legalize the footprints of the existing house and garage. This will allow a new garage to be build on the same footprint as the existing garage. The house and garage were built in 1910. The city of Indianapolis annexed the Town of Broad Ripple in 1922. Later, the city enacted zoning requirements, specifying items like set backs, or how close a building can be to the property line. Older construction was grandfathered in, but today, when changes are made to these properties, variances may be needed.

Following the five petitioner presentations on the agenda were two committee issues. The first item was a discussion on the procedure for following up with petitioners that agree to commitments in order to achieve committee approval, but then fail to make good on those commitments. The BRVA board recently gave the committee the power to follow up with the city for code enforcement on these matters.

The second item was an update on Envision Broad Ripple, the new parking agreement by the City of Indianapolis. Healy updated the committee on Envision Broad Ripple. He also gave an update on the parking contract the City will make with an outside vendor to control city parking. This new contract should mean a parking garage system for Broad Ripple.

The next public meeting of the BRVA Land Use committee is scheduled for January 25, 2011. The committee does not meet in December.