A third request in the last year to develop a 40-acre Greenwood property was approved, allowing a new neighborhood to be built on the south side of the city.
Westport Homes, an Indianapolis-based developer, plans to develop a 79-home neighborhood on a property east of U.S. 31, between Stop 18 and Worthsville roads. Two previous neighborhood proposals on the site were turned down by the Greenwood City Council.
This week, the city council approved the rezoning request 7-0. Council members Chuck Landon and Brent Corey were absent.
As part of the approval, Westport Homes agreed not to use vinyl siding and to not build more than 79 houses in the neighborhood.
The most recent proposal reduced the number of homes planned in the neighborhood and put them on larger lots.
Both previous rezoning requests by Westport Homes were rejected by the city council, with some members saying higher density neighborhoods weren’t suited to the area, and other suggesting that the area would be better suited as a park. Last year, the city council unanimously approved giving the Greenwood Parks and Recreation Board permission to pursue purchasing the property, a step required before any negotiations between the park board and the property owner could start.
The developer first proposed building 130 single-story homes targeted toward seniors, which the city turned down last year. More than 35 residents attended the council meeting, with concerns about the subdivision being built there.
Earlier this year, a second proposal to build 147 townhomes and donate 16 acres of land for a park was also turned down, with council members concerned about the density of the proposed neighborhood and whether townhomes were appropriate for the area.
This week, council members approved the proposed development, and no residents raised concerns.
The neighborhood planned by Westport Homes would be a mix of single- and two-story homes ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 square feet with average prices between $230,000 to $350,000, said Matt Dunn, division president for Westport Homes.
