Will Brownsburg gain another Kroger?
Rumblings can be felt around Brownsburg as the possibility of Kroger breaking ground around the Heritage Hill subdivision seems likelier. Talks of the expansion have loomed since February. Talks have materialized into tangible action in recent weeks.
There have been a long series of steps for Kroger to maneuver and many more remain before the grocery store proposed at the southwest corner of Northfield Drive and Green Street can be realized. The process started earlier this year when representatives from Kroger held a neighborhood meeting with residents of the area to present their preliminary plan and listen to residents in the area. On August 24, Kroger appeared before the Advisory Plan Commission with a comprehensive plan for a 99,000 square foot grocery, with a 14-pump gas station, and a request to change the zoning text to include in its potential uses a large-scale grocery and fueling station. The Plan Commission heard suggestions and concerns from Kroger representatives and residents alike, ultimately passing an “unfavorable recommendation” of the proposal to the Brownsburg Town Council, in a 4-2 vote.
The existing PUD [Planned Unit Development] for the Heritage Hill parcel, referred to as the Camargo Club, listed more than 40 potential uses for the land in question, none of which alluded to a grocery store of the proposed size and footprint.
Residents, many of whom built or moved to the area considering the implications of the existing PUD, voiced that the PUD led them to believe that the parcel would be developed into community homes or small market stores. Residents have cited ill-effects on property values, quality of life, and local traffic, associated with a large grocery for their local representatives to consider when voting on the rezone.
Autumn Sojka, managing broker of Heroes Property Group, having represented buyers and sellers in the Heritage Hill neighborhood, spoke of the loss to property values should a Kroger store and gas station come in, “in particular the fueling station aspect can cause an impact between 5 and 15%.”
Public comment has played a large factor in the conversations. Of the handful that have voiced support for the store to the town council and plan commission, the convenience of the proposed store and the economic boost to the town were the primary drivers. Whereas the opposition listed a number of concerns including: pollution, safety, traffic congestion, and zoning inconsistencies in a petition of more than 400 signatures presented to their local representatives.
We asked Stephanie Manner, who built her family home in 2015 adjacent to the land where the store is proposed, what she thought of the need for grocery store in the neighborhood. “People keep saying we need a grocery store on the southside. We had a grocery store. We had Marsh’s on Main Street. Kroger bought it and held it vacant for years so another grocery store couldn’t come in.” Manner also pointed to the existing Kroger stores at 975 N Green Street, Brownsburg and 108 N Avon Ave, Avon (each within five miles of Heritage Hill) ; the presence of Meijer and Aldi in Brownsburg; and a parcel of land a mile up the road that is owned by Walmart.
On September 24, Kroger’s request for a text amendment to the zoning ordinance, which would permit the operation of a large-scale grocery store and gas station, appeared before the Brownsburg Town Council. The council had Kroger commit to smaller size store with operation hours that fall between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. The first reading of the ordinance was approved by the council in a 4-0 vote, and scheduled for a second reading. The second reading was held at the following town council meeting on October 8. Councilman Travis Tschaenn (absent from the first reading) had a number of questions and demands for Kroger the second time around. Tschaenn stressed the inclusion of a concrete wall around the perimeter of the store in areas that directly border neighbor’s properties, in order to mitigate noise and light pollution. Tschaenn also suggested committing strict fines to Kroger, should Kroger breach the operation hours and other compliance standards set by the council. With new items to consider, the council voted to delay further decision on the ordinance in a 3-2 vote. The ordinance is expected to be heard again on Thursday, October 22 at the next town council meeting.
The current proposed Kroger marketplace would be 77,000 square feet, achieved by scraping the general merchandise section of the store. There would be a concrete barrier wall around the majority of the south and west sides of the store. Hours of operation would be from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and deliveries to the store would be limited to the hours of 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. The plan includes an unmanned gas station with 14 pumps, that would be open at all hours of the day.
Stephanie Manner assured that she appreciates the efforts of the council to put in safeguards for the benefit of its citizens. However, she doesn’t believe Kroger is doing all it can for those who would soon be its neighbors. When asked about the neighborhood meeting she attended with Kroger those months ago, Manner likened it to Kroger checking boxes off a list of things required of them, rather than having a discussion. “There is difference in talking to the neighbors versus talking with the neighbors.”
Kroger has branded itself before the town as “being a good neighbor.” Holding to commitments set out by the town council could be a step in the right direction for the grocer, and with more demands asked of Kroger in the last town council meeting, there are likely to be some changes to their proposal when they appear at Town Hall for the next Brownsburg Town Council meeting on October 22.