DECEMBER 2011
Sign Ordinance - Review by DOCS & Special Studies Committee
For the past two years, the Chamber's Sign Ordinance Task Force has been working with Carmel's Department of Community Services to update the current Carmel Sign Ordinance.

Meeting schedule
The revised ordinance is now being reviewed by the Special Studies Committee of the Carmel Plan Commission, which will meet on the following dates to discuss the highlighted topics at 6 p.m. in the Caucus Room, Carmel City Hall, 2nd floor, 1 Civic Square:

December 6: Permanent signs & ADLS Amendment review
January 3: Permanent (continued from December 6 meeting), general provision & temporary signs
February 7: Sign ordinance visual guide & sign size charts
March 6: Definitions
Additional meetings, if needed, will be held on March 29 and May 21.

Summary of the first Special Studies Committee meeting 
Sign Ordinance as submitted 
Visual Guide to Signage
Chamber Comments

NOVEMBER 2011
Carmel Police Department Business Crime Watch
Business Watch is a crime prevention program that focuses on the business community in the City of Carmel to reduce and prevent crime. The city is actively recruiting business owners to join in this partnership at no cost or obligation to Carmel businesses. Learn more - get involved.

OCTOBER 2011
City of Carmel Sign Ordinance
The Special Studies Committee of the City of Carmel Plan Commission meets Tuesday, November 1, at 6 p.m. to consider amending the Sign Ordinance in order to update and revise the regulations for signage.

The Carmel Chamber has been working with the Department of Community Services to redraft the current sign ordinance and is committed to ensuring that businesses are provided with an easily-accessible, fair and understandable sign ordinance to attract and retain businesses in our community.  

The Chamber's four major goals are to make the ordinance business-user friendly, clarify and simplify the standards and definitions, streamline the process and level the playing field. 

Download the letter submitted by the Carmel Chamber Sign Ordinance Task Force to the Special Studies Committee of the City of Carmel Plan Commission.

SEPTEMBER 2011
Update: City of Carmel Trash Ordinance
The Carmel City Council amended and then approved the proposed ordinance for citywide trash and recycling service to begin January 1, 2012. This ordinance was supported by the Carmel Chamber.

The citywide program went out for bid late 2010 and Republic Services was the apparent low qualified bidder. The monthly fee will be $8.82 for the first year of the program ending at $9.90 during the fifth year. The monthly trash and recycling fee will be added to all residential water/sewer bills. For those residents who currently do not receive a bill from Carmel Utilities, they will start receiving a bill in February 2012 for trash and recycling only.

The potential program is not mandatory. All residents will have the opportunity to opt out of the program provided they notify the Utility department in writing, via the opt-out form, of their intent to opt out. The opt-out notification period will be from September 15, 2011 to October 15, 2011 during the first year, and June 1 to June 30 in subsequent years. The opt-out form, plus detailed program information will be mailed to each homeowner in mid-September. The City is currently working with Republic to determine route schedules and other pertinent information. Residents can expect to receive an informational brochure and route confirmation during the first two weeks of December. Additional information can be found on the City’s website, www.carmel.in.gov. 

JUNE 2011
Update: The Bridges PUD Ordinance Passes
The Common Council of the City of Carmel passed Ordinance Z-550-11 by a vote of 6-1 at their regular meeting on June 20. This ordinance establishes The Bridges Planned Unit Development District at the southeast corner of 116th Street and Spring Mill Road. Two final exhibits were added to the plan: one to create a higher berm with landscaping on the southwest corner of the site and a per-acre contribution commitment from the developer for infrastructure improvements mentioned in the traffic study.

In February 2011, the Carmel Chamber Business Issues Committee voted unanimously to recommend the Chamber’s endorsement of The Bridges planned unit development project and the Carmel Chamber Board voted to support the committee’s recommendation.

Update: Land Use, Annexaction and Economic Development Committee Reviews The Bridges PUD
At their June 9 meeting, The Bridges PUD passed out of the Land Use, Annexation and Economic Development Committee with a unanimous positive recommendation to Council. The developer will make two adjustments in the plans, which will be presented to City Council on June 20. 

Update: Public Hearing at Common Council of the City of Carmel for The Bridges PUD
At their June 6 meeting, the first reading of Ordinance Z-550-11, establishing The Bridges Planned Unit Development (PUD), was heard and sent to the Land Use, Annexation and Economic Development Committee which will hold a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. on June 9.

MAY 2011
Update: Carmel Plan Commission Approves Proposal for Development of The Bridges PUD
At their meeting on May 17, the Carmel Plan Commission approved the proposal for development of The Bridges by a vote of 8-2. The proposal now goes to the Carmel City Council at a June meeting.

Update: Chamber Support of Rezoning for The Bridges Planned Unit Development
The Special Studies Subcommittee on this project met on May 4, and Carmel's Plan Commission will meet at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 17 to review the subcommittee's findings.
Download notes from the Special Studies Subcommittee's May 4 meeting.

February 2011: The Carmel Chamber Business Issues Committee voted unanimously to recommend the Chamber’s endorsement of The Bridges planned unit development project and, on February 2, the Carmel Chamber Board voted to support the committee’s recommendation. The proposed location of The Bridges is 11405 Spring Mill Road, at the southeast corner of 116th Street and Spring Mill Road. The proposed development is a 64-acre site and would include retail, office and restaurant space.
Download the memorandum to the Carmel Plan Commission in support of the project.

MARCH 2011
Carmel Chamber Supports Trash Ordinance (D-2030-11)
The Carmel Chamber supports Ordinance D-2030-11, an ordinance of the Common Council of the City of Carmel, establishing the service, rates and charges for the collection and sanitary disposal of residential solid waste and yard waste, including recycling services.   

Many local businesses are on the receiving end of residential trash from citizens who opt for dumping their trash in business receptacles instead of paying for residential pickup. Legally, this amounts to theft and causes unfair increases in trash collection costs to local businesses, along with business areas littered with trash from overfilled containers. Passage of this ordinance can alleviate this problem by removing any financial incentives to residents who choose to use receptacles that don’t belong to them.  

FEBRUARY 2011
Chamber Support of Rezoning for The Bridges Planned Unit Development
The Carmel Chamber Business Issues Committee voted unanimously to recommend the Chamber’s endorsement of The Bridges planned unit development project and, on February 2, the Carmel Chamber Board voted to support the committee’s recommendation. The proposed location of The Bridges is 11405 Spring Mill Road, at the southeast corner of 116th Street and Spring Mill Road.

Download the memorandum to the Carmel Plan Commission in support of the project.