Langston Residential Development has proposed two new subdivisions in Westfield consisting of 110 lots.
Langston attorney Steve Hardin said the Mapleridge development will consist of 75 lots on 60 acres east of Oak Road and north of 151st Street. Hardin said the neighborhood would be similar to Brookside and homes will average $650,000. The homes also will have a minimum three-car garage.
Sheffield Park, which is bordered by two existing neighborhoods and one planned development also by Langston, will consist of 135 lots and preserved woods and pond common areas. Hardin said the recently sold homes in Grassy Knoll average $146,000 and Sandpiper Lakes are $126,000. Residences in the proposed The Lakes of Westfield will range from $350,000 to the high $400,000s.
“We plan to have prices in $250,000 and $325,000 to meet that natural demand,” Hardin said of Sheffield Park. “That is a price point not being served in this market.”
Each development was forwarded to the Westfield Advisory Plan Commission for a public hearing on Dec. 1.
Other items of business at the meeting included:
Public works – Director Ken Alexander gave a semi-annual update on the public works department. Alexander said the city has had great success in finding outsourcing opportunities to save the city and taxpayer dollars. The city also is seeing more state and federal grants come its way.
“We made a vested effort to go after grants,” said Alexander. “We have received $7 million since April 2013 and have $7 million more anticipated through December. … This is the first step to getting some of these (utility sale) projects awarded.”
Alexander said the design for the Grand Junction project will be made at the Dec. 9 meeting.
Supporting Hamilton County schools – The City of Westfield joined its colleagues from across Hamilton County in support of lobbying politicians to adjust the state’s school funding formula at the upcoming budget session. Nick Verhoff, Westfield Washington Schools director of business, said it is unknown to many that Hamilton County public schools are among the lowest funded in Indiana.
“Westfield is the eighth poorest-funded school in the state per capita,” he said. “It is a major item on the house Republican agenda.”
Verhoff said Westfield receives $4,600 per student while other schools in the state see $8,500 per student.
“We simply want the state to close up that gap,” he said.
Verhoff said the drop in funding has caused local residents to be double-taxed to support education.
“If we had the average state funding, we would not have needed a referendum (years ago),” he said.
Voluntary annexation – The council approved the 100 percent voluntary annexation of 16 acres on the southwest corner of 186th Street and Spring Mill Road. The area is adjacent to the existing corporate limits along the northern boundary and with the approval is now part of the city.
