A concept plan for Baker’s Pointe include 200 homes on almost 100 acres.
An example of a possible home style in Baker’s Pointe subdivision, where some homes could be in the $370,000 to $425,000 price range.
An example of a possible home style in the executive section of Baker’s Pointe, where homes could be in the $550,000 to $700,000 price range.
By Brady Extin | The Times-Post
PENDLETON — A new 200-home subdivision is a step closer to reality after a Pendleton Town Council meeting on Monday.
The council unanimously approved rezoning about 98 acres of land, located southeast of County Road 600 West and State Road 38, from agriculture (A-1) to residential (SF-3), so it can be used for the development.
“All we are here to do tonight is approve the zoning,” town council President Marissa Skaggs said during the town’s monthly meeting.
Early concept plans for the subdivision, called Baker’s Pointe, include 200 total units. Eleven lots will be executive single-family homes, 29 lots will be 80’x125’ single-family homes and 160 lots will be 60’x125’ single-family homes.
The concept plans were made by developer D.R. Horton, and the development has 30 guidelines it must follow involving the style of houses, the materials used to build the houses, parking in the subdivision, roads in the area, and woodland reserve areas in the subdivision, along with other guidelines.
One guideline states that “builders of homes within the Site shall offer exterior siding material made only of brick or stone masonry, wood, fiber cement board, composite or lap siding, board and batten siding, shake siding or a combination of such materials. No vinyl siding shall be permitted on any homes constructed in the Baker’s Pointe Subdivision.”
Pendleton Plan Commission voted unanimously to give the rezoning a favorable recommendation at its Feb. 7 meeting.
The possible price range of the homes mentioned in the minutes of the plan commission meeting starts at the mid-$300,000s up to about $700,000 in the executive area.
Along with the look of the houses, resident Gary Brammer voiced his concern about the houses not reflecting the surrounding residential character and houses including the same floor plan over and over.
“We want residential development in that area, but we want development that enhances the western corridor into Pendleton without diminishing our property values,” Brammer said.
Brammer also voiced concern over the increase in traffic that will come to the area.
“We’ve heard for years that the intersection of 600 and State Road 38 is unsafe,” Brammer said. “With your yes vote you are allowing an extra 400 additional cars passing through that intersection every day.”
Planning Director Hannahrose Urbanski said the entrance to the subdivision will be on State Road 38 and that most people won’t go down to the intersection at County Road 600 West, and any modifications done to State Road 38 to help with traffic in the area will be on INDOT.
“A traffic study will probably show that a large portion of people will be using the exit from their neighborhood directly to State Road 38,” Urbanski said. “There will be times when people go up to 600 when it’s busy like eight or five, but the majority of the time if somebody can go directly into their neighborhood that’s where they’re going to go.”
Town manager Scott Reske added that County Road 600 West will be widened and that the road construction will happen in conjunction with the development.
While some voiced their concerns, Lynne Lawyer, who represents property owners across the street from the planned subdivision, voiced her and her client’s support for the subdivision.
“My clients believe that this is a good transition plan. If you want to maintain the small-town feeling of Pendleton, you need a variety of things and I think this will help. You need houses for all ages and all socioeconomic levels. If you only have one socioeconomic status in town, that is not a small-town feel,” Lawyer said. “Hopefully this will bring more development in the area that will provide jobs. Pendleton is in danger of being only a commuter town. If you want people to have a small-town feel, they need to have a better commitment to the town. They need to work here, not just live here.”
There is currently no estimated timeline for the subdivision’s development.