Carmel puts Conner Prairie expansion on slow track
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Conner Prairie wants to expand its outdoor history museum into Carmel. Photo: Courtesy of Conner Prairie
Conner Prairie's proposed 260-acre expansion is a test case for the future of Carmel development.
Driving the news: The Carmel Plan Commission is slow-walking Conner Prairie's proposal, which includes an education center, hotel, and a food, farm and energy experience.
Why it matters: Decades of full-steam-ahead growth is meeting resistance among Carmel residents, even in the case of a beloved Smithsonian-affiliated history attraction.
Catch up fast: Conner Prairie, a Fishers-based Colonial Williamsburg of sorts, has spent years plotting a move into Carmel on land it owns along the White River.
- Conner Prairie outlined its vision to the Carmel Plan Commission in October, generating opposition from homeowners concerned about bringing too much commercial development and traffic to the city's residential east side.
- The museum returned last month with changes, such as downscaling the proposed 140-room hotel into a 70-room "eco lodge," which was a step toward alleviating concerns — but possibly didn't go far enough.
Between the lines: The plan commission is preparing for infinite meetings and revisions even as Mayor Jim Brainard has called it a "really good project."
- Neighbors have criticized the Conner Prairie plan as a "rural theme park," per IndyStar.
What they're saying: "We don't have much land left in Carmel. We're still very active, but we can be a little pickier than maybe we were in years past," council Republican Adam Aasen, a plan commission member, told Axios.
What we're watching: Sue Finkam, a council Republican running for mayor against Democrat Miles Nelson, said she's urging the plan commission to take its time and doesn't know whether the council will vote on the project before the November election.
- The proposed expansion is in Finkam's council district.
- "This is an area that's so quiet and pristine, I think what we're trying to do is find a way so we can get this project in there in a way that truly honors the heritage of the land and respects the residents nearby," Finkam said.
The other side: Conner Prairie declined an interview request, but in a statement said its proposed expansion is "consistent with the White River Vision Plan to provide more opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy the river."
What's next: The plan commission is expected to review the plan at several upcoming meetings.