Your View: Troy Citizens Deserve Better Planning

Council member Jeff Schilling shares his thoughts on the First Phase of the Reserve of Cliff Oaks

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At Monday’s City Council meeting, Councilman Jeff Schilling shared his rationale for putting forward a minority report and voting no on the approval of the final plat of the first phase of the Reserve of Cliff Oaks. Mr. Schilling shared his rationale with this publication, and these are his words:

Mrs. Snee asked me at our committee meeting, “Why did I want to file a minority report?” and my response, “That it is my prerogative to do so.” was correct, but incomplete. For whatever reason, I see things as they could be or should be. I look to the future and see what things might look like or should look like in 25 years or longer. When I travel, I look at other cities and think, this is a great idea, can Troy do this? I am not satisfied with the response, “That is the way things have to be.”

My grandchildren, ages 11 and 14, live in Fishers, Indiana, a growing suburb on the Northeast side of Indianapolis. They can ride their bikes to the end of their street, turn onto a multiuse/recreational trail and ride to an ice cream shop several miles away. All by trail. This trail wasn’t built yesterday or paid for by grants but was developed over the years as plat after plat was constructed. Whether a business or industry or subdivision, all are fronted by recreational trails. When a new plat is built, the first thing to be constructed is the trail, before the interior streets, before foundations, the infrastructure is completed.

Kids in my Ward and other wards in the City have no safe paths to ride anywhere to buy ice cream. Through lack of planning and forethought, they are confined to their subdivision.

During our committee meeting, it was brought to our attention, that things like recreational trails could not be negotiated in non-PD developments. Zoning and building codes restrict this. I find this hard to believe. The city negotiates all the time. “Oh, you want to delay building a sidewalk in front of your newly constructed house for four years even though the plans and codes require it?” OK. No problem. “Mr. Developer, the City is willing to trade a quarter mile of sidewalks and curbs fronting your new subdivision in exchange for a left-hand turn lane.” The curbs and sidewalks are required by zoning and building code, the left-hand turn lane is not. And, there is an older subdivision, just up the street, three times the size that has curbs and sidewalks fronting the subdivision with no left-hand turn lane at either entrance. Let’s not even talk about the three-year-old building being powered by an extension cord stretched across an asphalt parking area where thirty thousand residents a year step or drive across the extension cord. I could give more examples, but again, the City never negotiates or compromises our zoning and building codes.

So, do you like the way things are or are you, like me, looking to change the way the City approaches development? We can rectify the situation at The Reserves of Cliff Oaks and look at the costs of expanding the proposed sidewalk facing the subdivision to the size of a multi-use recreational trail. The City over-sizes water lines, sewer lines and pumping capacities of developments on a regular basis and pays the costs. Why not oversize the sidewalks to start a new recreational trail at this $16 million dollar development?

As the City of Troy will double in population over the next 25 years, Fenner Road will continue to develop. What if this new trail is the beginning of a connector between downtown Troy and the Bruckner Nature Preserve? Can you look twenty-five years into the future?

Council can wait and see what, if any, changes will be made to the zoning and building codes sometime next year for future developments, but why wait? The City has recently accepted several annexations, with more in the pipeline. Since Council authorized the review of the City’s Master Plan and Zoning Codes, Council has approved several code changes. Council can change the codes now to reflect our vision of future developments. Multi-use/recreational trails should be the standard bordering all new proposed subdivisions and developments. Developed projects or lots annexing into the City should fall under the same requirements.

But Council shouldn’t stop there. Currently, sidewalks are not required in certain zoning areas. The Experiment Farm Road industrial area is a prime example. Yet, some city residents face a difficult time finding transportation to work at our many industries. Not every worker can afford or is eligible to drive a vehicle or even pay for the limited public transportation available to them. These multi-use/recreational trails could provide those without affordable or allowable transportation a safe option to get to work via a bike or walking.

These trails should be considered as a cost of doing business in the City of Troy for any developer or anyone interested in annexing land into the City. Council can no longer sit here and hope that the City will make the right decisions. No compromises – No negotiations. Plan and build for the future.

Is it important for City Council to examine the most cost-effective way to develop multi-use/recreational trails to meet the needs of the residents of Troy? Should the developers be required to pay for these trails?

Is it important for City Council to examine whether constructing supporting infrastructure of a project during the construction phase of each project or waiting until several projects are completed before constructing the supporting infrastructure is the best approach? Which method is in the best interests of the City of Troy Residents?

Should City Council require that the property owner(s) of all annexations of property into the City be required to fund and construct all required infrastructure improvements (such as but not limited to curbs, sidewalks, multi-use/recreational trails, storm water collection ponds) within a specified time period?

What would it cost the City of Troy to oversize the sidewalks into multi-use/recreational trails at The Reserve of Cliff Oaks – Phase One.

What do you think?

What do you think of Councilman Schilling’s comments? Can the city be more proactive in planning for our community’s future? Should sidewalks be required in all zoning areas? Our paid subscribers are encouraged to live their ideas and thoughts in the comment thread!

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