Westfield could see wave of new houses

Three builders have plans to add more than 1,200 homes to Westfield’s western border.

Indianapolis-based Platinum Properties has plans to build a nearly 600-home subdivision near Grand Park in Westfield. The project would be built on 145 acres at the northwest corner of 186^th Street and Spring Mill Road, east of Casey Road.

Meanwhile, CalAtlantic Homes and Pulte Homes are reviving a 2007 proposal to build a large subdivision at the northwest corner of 166^th Street and Towne Road.

Lancaster Planned Unit Development

Platinum Properties has requested the entire 145-acre property be rezoned to the Lancaster Planned Unit Development, which would allow a mix of residential housing types.

Most of the acreage is already encompassed in another planned unit development, while roughly 45 acres are covered by a low-density rural single-family designation.

The drafted ordinance governing the planned unit development splits the property into two areas. Area A would include 190 single-family homes. Area B has another 100 single-family homes, 200 townhomes and 50 paired villas (totaling 100 units).

A representative for the home builders told the Westfield City Council this week that the single-family homes would start at about $300,000. The paired villas would start at about $200,000, and the town houses would sell for more than $150,000.

For the single-family homes, ranch-style homes must be a minimum of 1,400 square feet, while two-story homes need to be 2,000 square feet, according to the ordinance.

The paired villas must be at least 1,200 square feet, while the townhouses are required to be at least 1,000 square feet.

The Platinum Properties’ project has a public hearing before the Advisory Plan Commission Jan. 22. The city council will give final consideration to the proposal in early March.

Westgate Planned Unit Development

A proposal by CalAtlantic and Pulte Homes would revive a planned unit development proposed by Drees Homes in 2007.

Before the 2008 economic downtown, Drees planned to build 715 houses on 258 acres. The Westfield-Washington Township Advisory Plan Commission approved a planned unit development associated with the project but it never took off.

Now, CalAtlantic and Pulte have proposed building 676 single-family, detached houses. CalAtlantic officials could not be reached for comment and documents do not indicate how much the homes would sell for.

Since the planned unit development already exists, the advisory plan commission only needs to approve CalAtlantic and Pulte’s overall development plan and primary plat. That’s expected to come up at the next plan commission meeting Jan. 22.

At least a handful of residents have written into the city with concerns about the number of homes, a lack of greenspace and the burden the neighborhood would put on infrastructure and services.