Disastrous Legislation for Carmel

Hello neighbors,  

Before we begin our city council meeting recap, I want to share troubling news coming out of our statehouse. 

SB 76 was passed on second reading in the judiciary committee even after the majority of testimonies were against it. This bill forces local police to cooperate with ICE and provides no funding for the fallout or protections for community members wrongly detained. A similar bill has already been found to be unconstitutional in AZ so this is going to cost the state money OUR MONEY to defend. The bill will leave local municipalities struggling with paying the cost of ICE's inhumane tactics and lack of concern for our local residents and businesses. We need everyone to call their legislators to vote NO before it is brought for a 3rd reading on Monday.

Another terrible bill HB 1001 which has been covered extensively by the Current in Carmel, deprives local communities from making decisions regarding housing and design standards is also moving forward. This bill will prevent cities from regulating density and height or even the asthetics of future developments. Call your legislators and ask them to vote NO

Another terrible bill is HB1343 undermines local community control and is an authoritarian power grab, especially SB1343 which will be heard next week in committee. This legislation gives the Governor the power to call up the National Guard at will outside of normal emergency authority, in effect creating a private militia force for the governor.  Call and tell legislators and tell them that this bill misuses one of our most proud institutions our National Guard.

While these bills differ in language and scope, they share a troubling core: they remove the ability of local communities to respond to real problems like immigration and housing standards with local knowledge, local accountability, and basic human compassion.

Carmel functions best when we have the authority to address local issues locally, guided by our values and the needs of our residents. As these bills continue to move forward, it is important for us to understand how they may affect our ability to govern effectively and compassionately.

If all this has gotten you down try and do some good! Caring for others always helps us feel better. The Hamilton County Democrats are providing 400 fully stocked backpacks to foster youth, If you would like to donate to make this project a success please click on this link. It feels good to do good!

CITY COUNCIL MEETING UPDATES

Honoring David Haboush

• We had the honor of celebrating David Haboush, a pioneering leader who led the Carmel Fire Department as Fire Chief for during several crucial years, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

  • More than his cutting-edge initiatives, he’ll forever be known for his wisdom, compassion, and guidance. 

    

    Former Fire Chief David Haboush

Mayor’s Youth Council 

• Vice President Ellen Rozmaryn took the mic to share all about the Mayor’s Youth Council. 

  • The Youth Council shares the high school-age perspective on Common Council matters and encourages young people to get involved in their local government. 

• Applications are live for positions on the Youth Council!

• Please support their bike parking project at the farmer’s market, the money they earn from that goes to making the city a better place including organizing a Civic Day field trip for elementary students. 

Carmel Youth Council Vice President Ellen Rozmaryn

Public Comments

• Nancy Tatum reminded the Council to promote policies that keep Carmel in harmony with nature. 

• Dee Fox spoke against House Bill 1001, which she said was poorly thought out and ripe for abuse. 

• Jack Feldman asked that the Council iron out kinks in the school zone ordinance related to child safety. 

Mayoral Comments

• Irie Sams of Cherry Tree Elementary was our Deputy Mayor for the day!

  • She extended a big thank you to our city teams who pulled 12-hours shifts to keep our roads safe. 

  • Carmel youth opportunities

    • Safe Sitter classes are back! This program gives your kids the skills to become responsible caregivers. 

    • K-8 students can enter our annual Earth Day Art Contest which will promote clean energy use.  

    
    

Land Use Committee

• The land use meeting on 2/4 was a perfect example of local leaders listening, and acting, on public comments to ensure that neighborhoods and community interests are protected

  • We discussed how simply removing neighborhoods from the plan may not work in light of the far reaching implications of SB 1001. We need to actually give neighbors the protections that they are looking for.  

• We will be making final changes to the US 31 corridor plan based on the feedback from last night's meeting and will be voting on this at our next land use meeting.

  • I appreciate the truly transparent and clear conversations and communications by the committee and the public on this matter.

Redevelopment Commision 

• Public and private organizations are coordinating to deliver excellent results. Be on the lookout for more condos, parking, and art space!

• Pages 31 to 45 have more in-depth information about our specific on-going redevelopment projects. 

Ardalan Plaza from rendering to real life! Just one of the many projects going up in Carmel.

Preservation Commision 

• Mark Dollase gave us an update of Preservation Commission activities in the last quarter of 2025:

  • The City Council passed ordinances to designated 14420 Cherry Tree Rd and 2724 E Smoky Row as historical sites. 

  • The Commission earned the “Certified Local Government” certification which impresses certain requirements for preservations.

  • They connected with the community by mailing information to potential historical homes, organizing trainings that teach preservation to homeowners, and having conversations with residents whose homes might be included in their 10-year survey. 

  • Staff continued doing research on the North Rangeline district and preparing a Preservation Plan

  • The Commission researched for the North Rangeline district and prepared a Preservation Plan

  • In honor of Black History Month, the Commission is working with Cox Fund Grants to locate Black heritage sites in Indiana. Eligible properties could receive $40,000. 

Parks and Recreation Report

• Our Parks Department continues to be the greatest in the world! Some recent highlights include: 

  • Finishing a bridge connecting Carmel and Fishers

  • Opening the Monon Community Center 

  • Purchasing the Silas Moffitt House, the oldest brick structure in Carmel

  • Reopening the Kawachinagano Japanese Garden after a redesign and expansion

  • Finishing phase 1 of development of Bear Creek Park 

• I cant wait to see this park being built and look forward to meeting my friends and neighbors on the west side at this park

The childcare are at the Monon Community Center

Old Business

Ordinance D-2762-25

• Approved

• Ordinance establishing 15-minute parking space(s) at the beginning of each block along

• Main Street from Knoll Ct to 1st Ave SE, regulating parking on Range Line from Main Street to 1st Street, and removing inconsistencies and duplications of code.

• This is a simple change to establish 15-minute parking spots for drivers for Uber, DoorDash, and others.  

Public Hearings 

Ordinance D-2809-26

• Approved

• This ordinance appropriates $248,679.00 to cover expenses related to the White River Greenway North Extension Project.

• Parks is working closely with Connor Prairie for an easement for the trail, and they will soon reimburse Carmel for this amount. 

New Business 

Resolution CC-02-02-26-01

• Approved

• Transfers $182,451.54 from the Grant Fund (#900) into the Parks and Recreation Impact Fee Fund (#106).

• This is part of a $4 million grant Parks has already earned, and this is the final amount.

Ordinance D-2810-26

• Approved

• This ordinance amends the regulation of parking under City Code Section 8-47 and adds Weston Drive. 

• This will establish:

  • No parking on the east side of Weston Drive from intersection close to 106th and Gettysburg place.

  • I was happy to sponsor this ordinance to help the neighbors deal with a safety and traffic problem this presented.

City Council Appointments

• We nominated:

  • Santosh Rajmane for the Carmel Audit Committee

  • Cheryl Wessel for the Carmel City Center Community Development Corporation 

  • John Martin and Robert Boynton for the Climate Action Advisory Committee

  • Dunston Mikesell and Sarah Ogden for the Ethics Boards

  • Tina Mangos for the Mayor’s Advisory Commission of Arts

  • David Bowers for the Carmel Redevelopment Commission  

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Events Around Carmel

• This Saturday is National Play Outside Day! Get outside and discover these wonderful options in Hamilton County, Indiana.

• Enjoy the Winter Farmer’s Market every Saturday from 9 to 12 until April. 

• Come audition for Carmel Community Player’s rendition of ‘Men on Boats’ on February 8-9 at 7:00pm

Caring for Carmel,

Dr. Anita Joshi

If you have a fifth grade Carmel student who would like to give the mayoral update at a council meeting next year please reach out to me and I will be happy to put your student's name forward.

As always if you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please reach out to me. I’m always here to listen and advocate for you. If you wish to review the details of our city meeting, the recording is available here, and the meeting agenda is available here! If you’d like to attend a City Council meeting, committee hearing, or other council events, please visit our website for the calendar!