City Council - Regular Meeting

All right. Good evening. Welcome. Happy New Year. Um, we'll get right into the meeting. Um, is it? Yeah, I think it is. Okay. Can you hear me? Check. Check. Well, for Okay, thanks. Um, we're going to turn it over to to John for a finance committee report.

Good evening, everyone. We had a very brief finance committee meeting about 30 minutes ago. Two items two items on the agenda that we're recommending for approval tonight. Item on the consent agenda, item 7B on the regular agenda, item 8. Um, we recommend that for approval night to the council. Um, in addition, we talked about uh wrapping up our year end for 2025 and uh continuing our our meeting the Wednesday before a Monday council meeting. That was the only items on our budget finance committee meeting.

Great. Thank you, John. Moving on to department reports. Uh Monica Helps, the director of the health department, has put together the health department report that's available online. So, on to item number seven. The consent agenda consists of two items. a request to approve the regular meeting minutes from December 15th and a resolution authorizing the city controller to transfer certain funds. Motion to approve. I'll second. I a motion by Pete, second by John. All those in favor say I. I.

Opposed. All right, the motion passes. Um onto the regular agenda. Next on the agenda number eight, R012026A, a resolution authorizing the city controller to appropriate additional storm water funds. And Lisa Brown, the item before you is an additional appropriation for the 2026 storm water fund. This item is related to the INCOG economic development permit that was approved by council in December. So what this does is allows INCOG to fill a portion of the pond and through that grant um to complete part of the EDA and so this will be transferred from the utility fund to the town hall building court who will administer that as part of the economic development agreement. Happy to answer any questions and this does require a public hearing. Yeah.

Thank you, Lisa. There's no questions. I'll make a motion to approve. Public hearing. So, yeah, we need a public. Do we have a public hearing? Okay. So, we'll now open the public hearing on R012026A if anyone from the public would like to comment. So, seeing none, we'll close the public hearing. Um, motion still stands. So motion by Pete, second by John or second by Bill. All those in favor, please say I. I. Any opposed?

All right, the motion passes. Um, next on the agenda, item number nine, R012026B, a resolution approving statement of benefits and abatement for Incog and Megan. Yes.

Director of community and economic development. Um before you is the statement of benefits approval that goes along with the project agreement that came before you last month that Lisa was mentioning for incog's third expansion. Um so the statement of benefits is for the 10-year 100% real property tax abatement that um is part of our incentive package for them. So requesting approval for that tonight and happy to answer any questions. No questions. I'll make a motion to approve. Second. All right. Motion by Pete, second by Tiffany. All those in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? Oh. Okay. Motion passes. Thank you, Megan.

All right. Next on the agenda number 10, R012026C, a resolution approving an interlocal agreement with Hamilton County for 131st Street and Brook School Road. Uh head Tim evening for the record Mechi city officials engineering department and before you is a request to approve an interlocal agreement with Hamilton County. Uh this is in regards to uh our upcoming project 131st and Brook School Road intersection. Uh the city requests approval of this interlocal agreement to allow the city to complete the property acquisition since part of this intersection. Uh some of it is in Fischer's jurisdiction and the other and some of the other area is Hamilton County. So this just gives us uh the uh the power to buy this uh buy any rideway that we need for this intersection. Happy to answer any questions.

There's no questions. I'll make a motion to approve. Second. All right. Motion by Pete, second by John. All those in favor, please say I. I. Any opposed? Thanks, Tim. All right. Thank you. Motion passes. Uh, next on the agenda, item 11, 012026, a request to approve an amendment to section 35.30 to the Fiser Code of Ordinances. Lindsay.

Good evening, council. Lindsy Bennett Preparation Council here before you tonight uh requesting an amendment to the fee schedule for the video recording fees for the police department. Um the uh increase is only to account for the increase in salaries. Um as you probably know the video recording fee is based on a per minute basis. So whenever salaries increase and the fee should increase as well. I've also um proposed to move it to its own schedule so that the board of public works and safety can update it yearly rather than have to come back here each year. Um and some language that basically says um the limitation is to reflect the increase in staff salaries as well as any other direct costs as uh defined in the statute. So it wouldn't mean crazy increases or anything that wouldn't be expected, but it would be a little bit easier to just go to the board and ask for that yearly increase. Happy to answer any questions you may have.

So, no questions. I'll make a motion to approve on first reading. Well, yeah, it's a a motion to suspend the rules and approve on the first reading. Second. Is that your motion, Pete? Yep. Pete John. All right. All those in favor? I. Any opposed? All right. I'll make a motion to approve. Second. All right. Motion by Pete, second by Tiffany. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? All right, the motion passes.

Then next up, uh, number 12, um, 012026A, request to approve an amendment to section 72.17,774.01, and 75.01 of the Fiser Code of Ordinances. Lindsay,

thank you again, Lindsay Bennett, Corporation Council. Um, this is an amendment to residential parking permits. Um it is just to correct a couple of scriveners errors where um I had put the schedule in traffic schedules rather than parking schedules and then in talking to um the lawyers who are doing the enforcement right now um they had suggested some additional language to make it more explicit that anybody who parks in uh a residential parking zone without a permit visible is in violation of the chapter. So it makes a little bit easier for them when they go to city court to enforce. Happy to answer any questions. No questions. I'll make a motion to suspend. Second. All right. Motion by Pete, second by Todd to suspend the rules. All those in favor? I.

Any opposed? Make a motion to approve. And the motion passes. Second. All right. Motion by Pete, second by Todd. Um, all those in favor? I. Any opposed? All right. The motion passes. Then uh number 13 um request to approve an amendment to chapter 163 of the Fiser code of ordinances um home rental registration program.

This is just a simple amendment. Um we originally had the home rental registration program being administered by the department of planning and zoning and um the amendment moves it to the uh department of community and economic development. uh planning and zoning is a part of community and economic development. So it kind of just moves it up to a more broader um uh category I guess or still in the same hierarchy just um puts the uh director of community and economic development as the person who would send out the notices or their design um and then puts the entire department as the administrator. So planning and zoning will still be involved um but it will also include a new zoning administrator as well. Um, but those are the only changes to this. Happy to answer any questions.

Motion to suspend. Motion by Pete, second by Todd to uh suspend the rules and take action tonight. All those in favor? I. Any opposed? Motion to approve. Second. All right. Motion by Pete, second by John. All those in favor? I. Any opposed? Um, I did have a couple of questions about how the home rental registration program is going. So, Great. Thank you.

Um so since we opened up the application process in June of this year, um we had identified over 3,000 rentals within the city of Fisers. Um so the last six months the team has been really focused on getting the existing rentals registered um and grandfathered in um as we were starting to pull all this data together. Um so as of January 1st um we really only had about 137 um suspected rentals that had not registered. So less than 5% of rentals in our community have not registered which is pretty incredible. Um so we've been enforcement started with a friendly notice on January 1st to those suspected rentals. This is kind of dynamic um data and so we're continuing to work with the county on making sure that we're tracking homestead exemptions, any sort of changes of use. Um, but the team has done an incredible job of being able to um process new inbound inquiries for new rental registrations. Um, the map is updated and um, also dynamic. So, HOAs are able to look on the map. They're able to request information uh, through a public records request about um, the properties in their neighborhood. And so, it's been an incredibly successful process so far. Um, big shout out to Jordan for setting up the framework for all of this and then, uh, Lucas, our zoning administrator, who's really running point on the day-to-day with all of this. So, happy to answer any questions, but wanted to provide you with the update.

Y, thank you. Megan, any any unexpected problems, any issues from landlords? No. Uh, not at this point. um since we think that we also had a second wave of people come through um when the friendly notice was provided. So I anticipate maybe some of the um once actual violations and fines are issued maybe that changes. But um to date the software has been perfect or have been working really well. Um and the process the team has been really nimble. Um community service has helped out a ton of us getting inbound calls and processing people that way. So, it's been a really strong team effort for sure.

Well, I would anticipate that some of the problems will be

landlords understanding if they're grandfathered or not. Yes. Um, and so we do have a process set up for that if people still haven't registered but are able to show that they had a lease prior to the end of 2025. Um, so we're still working through that as well. Thank you. All right. Thank you, Megan. Next [clears throat] on the agenda, item 14, R012026 C, consideration of a reszone from RT R2 to PUD C for a memory care facility at 10990 Brook School Road. Um, Ross.

Uh, good evening. For the record, Ross Hillary, Community and Economic Development. Uh, before you is ordinance 0120 uh 26C, which is a story cottage uh PUD. This is a consideration to request a reszone of86 acres from RT residential to PUB or a 7500 square foot memory care facility. Common address is 10990 Brook School Road. Uh the PUD has a base zoning district of RT residential. So that would be the base zoning that would be allowed and then additional um use would be a memory care um service. Um the building would have a maximum occupancy of 12 people um with a structure not to exceed 7500 square foot. Uh the timeline before you today is this is the proposed first reading. There is a neighborhood meeting that is scheduled for January 29th with the petitioner will discuss. Um there is the public hearing before plan commission on February 4th with the intent to come back to council at the end of February. One thing that's also included um in the documents before uh city council is a letter from ANF engineering that is our engineering consultant um which uh highlighted um uh that there should be no adverse um traffic impacts to Brooks school road based on peak times um which is in the morning and in the afternoon. Um with that Rick Lawrence with Nelson and Frankenberger is here to provide additional context and we are both here to answer any questions. Thank you, Ros.

Good evening. For the record, my name is Rick Lawrence. I'm an attorney with Nelson and Frankenberger in Carmel, Indiana. We represent Story Custom Development and Story Cottage tonight and present on behalf of the applicant is David Lesnby. Tonight, we're in front of you for the introduction of a revised reszone petition. In this case, it's for a PUB in order to allow a memory care group home for adults. By way of general background, again, Story Cottage offers a boutique memory care concept to senior residents where compassion meets luxury. Story Cottage is locally owned and operated and that is dedicated to providing a unique and personalized approach in a safe homelike environment, including individual bedrooms, community spaces, and tailored activities to assist its residents in feeling purposeful engagement. as Ross had already showed you and as you might recall the real estate the subject of this matter is outlined here in yellow. Total 86 acres and has common addresses of 10982 and 10990 Brook School Road. Here's a closeup of it. It's currently zoned R2 residential and ultimately these two lots would be replatted into one lot. Now on display is the concept plan which is very similar to the one you saw previously when we were here in November. The only exception is the parking area has been redesigned but it still allows for back up and getting straight onto Brooks Road. So you're not backing into Brooks Road. Um all residents will not have their own vehicles. Parking will be located on site as shown to accommodate guests and caregivers. And as Ross had indicated, a traffic letter provided by PNF Engineering on January 7th indicated that they believe that the proposed use would generate fewer than five vehicle trips during the AM and peak um peak AM and PM hours. We believe this is less traffic than we would be generated if this site was developed with two single

family homes, for example, if both homes had two um teenage children that would also be driving. There will be outdoor space on the property that will be fenced around an outdoor patio area. And the goal is to provide a visually appealing and well landscape residence with no signage. This is a building perspective that you've seen before. Um the rest of the home rear and sides will be similarly detailed as this front elevation. As Ross had also indicated, the home will consist of 12 bedrooms to accommodate a maximum of 12 residents, including community space, kitchen space, and a small outdoor patio. Group homes such as these are considered residential, and this home is designed to appear and look like a custom home similar to others in the area. A little bit about the clientele that we didn't uh mention before. These are all residents are private pay. This is a luxury product. Clients are relatively healthy that stay in these facilities. The home is designed for social purposes, not medical. There are no medical staff, including nurses on these properties. The living arrangements for those who can afford it provides an opportunity for family members to relinquish the daily care of loved ones who are challenged with memory loss but are otherwise physically healthy. When memory care is needed, clients are transferred to a medical facility. This is the reason there are relatively few emergency runs to these facilities throughout the Indianapolis area. This display shows the difference between our prior request and the current request. Trying to understand what some of the concerns were from residents um previously and trying to address those with the current PUD request. The first one was the reszone was from the R2 to CEO low which is a commercial designation with an memory group home memory care group for home

for adults was the allowed use that we were requesting. This is a reszone to PUD with PUC with R2 being the underlying zoning. So it remains residential which is consistent with the comp plan that was a concern brought up before. It would also allow memory care group home for adults. Um, as previously indicated, the maximum floor area um, previously under CEO was 4,500 square ft. So, there was a request to increase that to 7,500 square feet. What we're doing in the PUD is limiting the maximum floor area to 7500 because R2 does not include a maximum in their standards. Um the prior request was going to have a commitment to limit the use to memory care group home. This um PUD proposal will limit uses to single family residents which it already has and the memory care group home for adults. Previously no traffic analysis was completed. We have a traffic analysis now which was completed per city request. The prior request did meet all other CEO development standards. This request meets all R2 development standards. Previously, we did not have a formal neighborhood meeting. There was a lot of outreach that occurred, but no formal meeting. We are having a formal neighborhood meeting scheduled for January 29th at 6:30 at the Hawthorne Clubhouse. Um, I believe you guys passed out the packet that was mailed today. I do want to note that that was mailed to whoever receives notices per the auditor's office. We do not try to add people or take people away because we want it set for whoever was going to get notice of the public meeting. It gets notice of the neighborhood meeting. I know sometimes that becomes an issue. People asking why they weren't included or why they were included. It's completely discussed as to the distance from the petition.

But can they show up and be there anyway? Anyone can show up. We're not going to turn away from the door. I'm just trying to explain why someone would get a notice and their neighbor would not get a notice. You said you mailed that today. It was mailed today. Yes. Because we had So they don't have it yet. Correct. Okay.

We had to wait for confirmation for the clubhouse um availability which was yesterday. There's no mail yesterday. So it was put in the mail today. So, as an introduction, we look forward to providing more information at the neighborhood meeting, at the February 4th public hearing. We be happy to answer any questions you have today. Otherwise, we appreciate your time this evening. Questions from council?

Thank you. I went by the place on 86th Street uh yesterday and it was just very interesting. It's neat the way that it was run. I almost drove past it twice. So, it was it was they're pretty they're there's [clears throat] no signage, so it did fit right into the neighborhood. That is one of the things they tried to do is blend into the neighborhood that they've um chosen to be a part of. It's it is try to look like the house that's next door or part of that neighborhood. Yeah, it's very nice. I'll give it a first reading. Rick, I I have a question. How much? It's a for pay. How much typically does a resident pay to stay there on a monthly basis? $10,000. 11,000 a month. 11,000 a month. And you've got how many in there? 12.

12. Okay. Just the accountant in the council likes to ask those kind of questions. So, thank you. Um the other question is um when I chatted with [clears throat] the lady who's on staff, will this be one of the largest homes that you have? I know you've got ones for eight and 10, but are there other homes that are uh set up for 12 residents? There's currently one under construction in Caramel and that one's 12 also. Okay. When will that be completed? I know it's probably booked. July. July. First reading. All right. Thank you, Pete. Thank you so much. Do we have any other unfinished business or new business? Brad,

we got three minutes. I just want to check with the mayor. [clears throat] Our normal meeting posted last night. Just wondered if it was moved for MLK or was it moved for IU. [clears throat] Uh, two other things. Uh, House Bill 1152 uh was introduced. I've sent everybody copies. Um, I don't know if it's appropriate, but I I think us as a city council should discuss it and through the mayor will let our legislators know our opinion on that. Um basically 1152 says HOA if you do not have a quorum you cannot raise dues and all of us attend numerous HOA meetings that we represent and I don't know if I have attended any that had for which means they'll become non-existent. The HOAs will be non-existent. They'll quit paying their quick cutting of grass. Uh they'll let their clubouses go to sheriff sale and the city's going to be cleaning the retention ponds, but they won't have the money to do it. This is a ridiculous bill. And my opinion is us as city council needs to publicly express that and let our legislators know this is a ridiculous bill. My opinion.

All right. No, thank you, Brad. It's something we definitely need to look at and discuss. When you read it, um we we read through it the other day. There's also a provision in there that will ban an HOA's ability to regulate uh businesses, home daycarees within neighborhoods. And so, just a little bit of overreach, okay, on the I think maybe what uh we could provide to the council is just a brief bullet point summary of what's in the bill in case you haven't had a chance to review it. And then um what our staff could do as well is draft a letter stating our concerns about it. And then those council members that wanted to sign on could sign on and then we can share that with our legislators. Uh because it is a short session, a very short session and they're moving bills quickly. So we need to um

Yeah. And the session will be over by the time we get back to council. Yeah. So, I'll I'll get a letter out and [clears throat] then if people want to put their name on it, then I'll put your name on it and we can send it on to the to our legislators. Great. Email the mayor tonight. Yes or no name on it? Then he go Yeah.

Second issue, House Bill 101, which I just found out a few hours ago, is eliminating zoning in the state of Indiana for residential in and I'm not overexaggerating. about it. You wouldn't have to come here. If House Bill 101 gets passed, you go build it. This is more ridiculous than House Bill 152 in HOA. This doesn't make any sense. What What are legislators doing? So, the House Bill 101, which is the priority bill for the um House of Representatives, is a bill that um there's a there's 17 different sections of it, so I won't belabor each section of it, but to Council Member Dreamer's uh comments, it uh if a city chooses to adhere to this ordinance, your ability to regulate density would go away. So, you wouldn't be able to regulate how many homes go on per acre. Uh, it would take away your ability to do anything when it comes to design standards. Um, it would significantly impede your ability to charge impact fees on new, uh, residential development. Um, and there's a variety of other things in there that I, you know, none of it, none of it ends up probably, if you're a strong believer in this group having the ability to chart a course for our community when it comes to what type of community we want to have and um, what the vision of our community is, and you you're probably not going to like a lot of what's in the bill. [snorts] Um, I've gotten very active on this bill. I was with the author of the bill this morning in a meeting um expressing concerns about it. Um I think there's opportunities to try to evolve this and change this. I think it's being done in the spirit of trying to create more opportunities for housing development across the state of Indiana. Um and I think there's ways that we can help

accomplish that without giving up all the control um by our by our city council. So it's um so essentially what they're doing, Scott, in my understanding is they're taking basically, you know, our power away as it is it relates to regulating our zoning here in our city. Again, the state coming over the top of us with a hammer and say they win.

There is a an opt out provision for a good portion of it. So, they say in several [clears throat] of these um sections, we're going to take away your architect, you'll have no architectural standards or design standards unless you opt out of the ordinance. So, that at least as of right now, there are several of these clauses that you would as a city council, we would come before you with an ordinance that says, "No, we want to opt out of this provision." But that I think part of the intent there is to have you on the record saying that you want to don't support

make these decisions. Yeah. Or you don't support housing I think is the intent. And then once that language is in the state legisl or in the law then all they really you're one step away then any year of them just saying we're going to take away your opt out provision and now you're mandated to do it. And so there's some significant concerns around that. It gets as at one point it got as prescriptive as saying um you couldn't require an additional stairwell in certain developments. Uh which is kind of a fire safety issue. It had um provisions limiting the amount of parking requirements you can have. So how many parking spaces per apartment, they got prescriptive on that. So there's it's just a laundry list of things that I think traditionally if you were to sit down with any real estate developer, any um uh folks that are interested in my any of those folks, these are a laundry list of complaints that you would have hear in year out about bad actors in the community. And I think their intent was to try to clean up all those bad situations. Um but I think it has a lot of unintended consequences. It was a very productive discussion today with the um with the author. Um, I'm hopeful. I've spoken to all of our state representatives and they know where where our concerns are and they've encouraged me to try to get involved and and come up with some solutions that balances the approach. And so uh that's what um has been consuming more time than I'd like uh over the last few days. So, I'm cautiously optimistic that we can get to a place that doesn't strip you guys of your authority to make decisions on behalf of our residents and what kind of community they want to live in and grow.

Okay. Any other unfinished or new business? Thank you, Mayor. That's enough. All right. Seeing none, um I'll now open it up for community comment. Any member of the public wishing to speak may come up to the podium, address the council, please state your name and address for the record, and you will be given three minutes. Any comments submitted by residents have been received and distributed among the council. Those comments will also be placed on the record of this month's meeting as if the members presented those comments during the community comment section.

Good evening to you all. Thank you for your service to our community. Uh things like this I know takes takes a lot of time. Talked to you earlier and you said you've done some visiting of other story cottages and things of that of that nature. So my name is Gary me. I live at 295 Breakwater Drive in Fisers 19-year resident. Karen and I built our house there in 2006 2007. I'm a member of the uh Breakwater Homeowners Association. Have been for about 15 years. And so Todd McMullen, our president, uh was presented to you in in writing uh when the other petition was was in front of you. And he also did verbally. And so the fact that uh and we stumbled on this by mistake uh or stumbled onto it uh just by looking back at some records and stuff because our homeowner association has received no notice about this pud. And so just put you know put that on the record to you. U so our uh you know our position is that uh we're certainly not opposed to memory care. We know as we age there's certainly more and more need for that. So there's no opposition to that. But where our opposition is and and we had the highest attended HOA meeting in December that we've ever had in recent years because of this very subject. And so the fact that it's now called a pud versus the other does not change our does not change our position. Uh just make a note that you know betweenundu uh 116th street and uh fall creek road there are is nothing commercial. Everything in our area is residential. Uh we're certainly breakwater. Then there's the uh association behind us the one across the

the street. And uh so it's all residential. And so uh one of the concerns has been is that if you open this up to being a commercial project, then uh there's three or four other houses along there that might be attempted to be picked off as well for other commercial uh ventures. So uh we uh uh you know, so we just want to be here. I'm here in uh in advance. I know there's no vote on this tonight, but just to be proactive to uh be on the offensive to let you know our position and our position has not changed and uh and I don't anticipate that happening and we'll be at that. We had no notice of this meeting on the 29th either uh you know anything about that. So anyway, appreciate your uh your time, your comments, mayor. Nice to see you and uh just let you know our our position in advance of any vote. Okay. Thank you.

No, thanks so much. Any other public comment? Yep. Just an FYI, the public notices are for the plan commission, not for city council. So, you will will be notified before meeting February 4th. That's the law. There's no law saying you have to notify anybody for city understand. I think you meant the community meeting. All right. Hi, sir.

Hello everyone. My name Maliki. Uh hello Mayor. I'm here. I live in a breakwater subdivision. The same uh subdivision that we have the concern about. You know I'm civil engineer. I was really surprised to see such a project uh to be located specifically uh in this area where all it is residential surrounded with all like upscale subdivisions. You know I will show you share with you the maps here. You know behind this facility there is subdivisions where the space of the house is like 5 to 7,000 square ft around probably million dollar houses. Here to the west there is upscale subdivision which houses between 2 to.5 million. The breakwater it range between 2.5 or 2.2 2 to 3 million houses 9 to 12,000 square ft. So people definitely they made they made serious investment in this housing. You know when you move to a house that you think it is residential area quiet as he stated from 116th street on a Brook school all the way to Follow Creek it's all residential. Now north of 116 there is some strip malls and commercial. We are not against such a project you know because you know uh the goal is good for it but the location of it is just not right you know I think any one of you if we if you live in this upscale divi division you know like subdivisions like quarter or the other subdivision and you make heavy investment knowing such a projects is going to lower the

price of your house because it's commercial it's not a house. You know, this building doesn't look like a house. In front of it is going to be a parking lot. You know, people visitor come in, come out. Plus, you know, it's going to serve elder people. And we know that like there will be ambulances, you know, coming all the time to serve these people when they get sick or emergency. So, it's not like a normal normal house. So beside you know I've been living there for 5 years. Brook school uh uh street is getting busy by the day. Now when we exit the breakwater sometimes you stay like 5 minutes waiting the get traffic. So I hope you know you consider this. Beside north of this lot there's like four five lots. We know it [clears throat] has old houses you know but the future if you make it commercialized all of them they're going to be commercialized you know it become commercial.

Thank you so much. Thank appreciate your comments. Thanks very much. Any other public comments?

Good evening. I'm Mary Kaido. I live at 265 Breakwater Drive and I appreciate my fellow uh [clears throat] being here to oppose the uh memory care center. Um I'm highly opposed to it um being built next to the breakwater subdivision. The representatives from the Mary memory care center have been less than honest. I believe it's [laughter] called lying as well as the person on the planning committee who is supposed to represent our interests, the residents already who live in Fisers and the surrounding neighborhoods. I thought the city county members were elected to represent the interest of the residents of Fishers already living here and not some special interest group. My father was in a very top nudge top-notch memory care center and on any given day there were at least 15 people per shift taking care of the residents. If they don't have any medical [laughter] taking care of the residents, who is taking care of the residents? Who are they employing to take care of the residents? Their family members paying $11,000 a month for what? I'm just speaking my mind here and I guarantee you everybody in Breakwater is against the memory care being built there. Thank you for your time.

Thank you. Other comments?

Hello, I'm Ross Reinhardt, 7704 Creek Side Court. Um, so first of all, happy new year to everybody. It's a new year. Um, a year ago, I was standing up here. Um, and I mentioned uh that it makes it really hard to get around on bike um if there isn't a plan for clearing the snow uh for all the connecting paths so you can get around. You just leave and you never know if you're going to be able to get there or not. Um, and I just wanted to come up and and come full circle and say thank you to the city and the department of public works because clearly that uh feedback was heard. Um, and this year it our snow clearing plan included a bit about the priority of the trails and the paths. Um, which was really awesome to see. And not only that, but when I was out and about town, especially I can speak mostly about the nickel plate area because that's where I am mostly. Um, but not only the trail, but a lot of the connecting paths up and down Lantern, um, and along 116th Street, um, I was just really pleasantly surprised after the snow event that we had in December to find them cleared. Um, and not only that, but they were cleared before it got to be that awful icy mixture. Um, so really just huge shout out to our Department of Public Works and to you all as at the city for hearing that feedback and incorporating it. Um, I just think that's it's just uh terrific when you uh find that and it's a pleasant surprise and you realize that um somebody was planning ahead and watching out for knowing that you were going to be there. Um that was just really cool. Um separately also just wanted to kind of shout out the uh White River State Park. We got to go down there and walk around a little bit of a break. Um and that's a fantastic park. I was kind of like hearing about it. I was having a hard time picturing it. Um but it's just such a cool park uh that's nestled down in there. uh kind of behind the wastewater treatment plant when we went down there with the kids. Uh we were even stopping to kind of look across the wastewater treatment plant, talk about how that's where water from fishers is ending up. So it was they they had a great time and we've we've been down there multiple times over. So another uh cool thing just wanted to shout out um that the city's done over

uh past year. So thank you Ross. Do you ride your bike 365 days? Yeah, pretty much. Yeah. So it's always great when you get out there and find a nice clear path. You can always see them around town. I can spot them every time. Keep doing it. So when you're my age, you'll appreciate.

Yeah. And I will say too, um, like when I've been out there and I saw those paths, there's a little place where the snow had blown back across. And you can see there was tons of other footprints and bike tracks. So um, you know, it wasn't just me out there. Clearly there was other people going to work or school or just getting out for their mental health that also benefited from the work that the city did. So yeah, just huge shout out. Thank you. Thanks so much. Any other public comments? Got a student coming. All right.

Hi, my name is uh Henry Strick, 10184 Knight Hawk Drive, and I would just like to thank the city for its continued investment into our trail infrastructure. Um, I'm around 106 Gist area and they recently just completed around a half mile stretch. That connection, even though it seems small, it was really helpful, especially when for me biking downtown. Uh, before I had to go back way through a neighborhood and cross a road without really a crossing on it, it's kind of dangerous. But that new connection, it's dropped my time by like seven minutes getting down here and it's a lot safer. So, I just like to thank the city for its continued investment into our trail infrastructure and our um, walkability. So, thank you guys. Thanks.

It's also one of our proud Mayor's Youth Academy students right there. [laughter] Not going to get any extra credit for that statement though. All right. Any other comments? Move we make motion. Second. All right. We are adjourned.