Fishers committee approves 236‑unit Leo Saxony built‑to‑rent plan with landscaping and design conditions

The Fishers Plan Unit Development Committee on May 6 approved the Leo Saxony PUD (P&D‑26‑1), authorizing site plan and architecture for a 236‑unit built‑to‑rent community that includes single‑family rental houses, duplex cottages, a clubhouse, pool house and associated support buildings.

Ross Hillery, planning and zoning staff for Fishers City, told the committee the project spans two parcels near East 136th/Minden Drive and East 134th/Saxony Boulevard/131st Street, lies within the Saxony PUD and the I‑69 overlay district and is consistent with the comp plan’s regional mixed‑use designation. "Staff has worked with this developer for several months, so we feel like we are in a really good spot," Hillery said during the presentation.

Hillery corrected an early slide to note the project will include 236 units and reviewed the design package: 19 elevation types, a 21‑color palette to prevent identical adjacent homes, internal private drives, shared green spaces, and on‑site amenities including a clubhouse, pool house, a maintenance shed and several garages. He recommended two staff conditions: fences within the development be 3–4 feet tall and open in style (for example, black aluminum non‑privacy fencing), and that foundation plantings include at least four shrubs within 20 feet of foundations facing private streets.

Committee members questioned shrub placement, fence depth and materials. One committee member said, "I'm a little concerned with some of the materials on some of the buildings — the ones that don't have any brick on them, for example — I think that would be fairly inconsistent with Saxony," pressing for masonry or other higher‑quality finishes on street‑facing units. Hillery responded that masonry is included on many elevations, often at a water‑table level, and that porch masonry was used in places to present material to pedestrians.

The project's architect explained the design approach: "We did kind of a virtual walking tour through the historic neighborhoods … and found that a lot of the historic style that we have designed their cottages with is kind of this craftsman style," the presenter said, adding that the team varied porch and water‑table treatments so the streetscape would not look repetitive.

Members also raised concerns about stacked duplex units that show an exterior staircase on the front elevation. Committee discussion established that the stacked units with staircases are internal to the site and not sited on public road frontages; to address aesthetics concerns the committee added a condition restricting placement of any house with a front exterior staircase on a public road.

On ancillary items, staff and the developer confirmed exterior lighting will be limited to door/soffit or carriage‑type fixtures and that the development will provide street lighting; garages are positioned within cottage courts and are rentable to community residents with additional parking on private streets anticipated.

A committee member moved to approve the plan with the two staff recommendations and two committee conditions (continued work on the landscape plan and the restriction on front‑staircase houses on public roads). The motion was seconded and, after a roll call vote, the committee approved the project. Miss Baumgartner, Mr. Peterson, Mr. Curran and Mr. Stevenson recorded "yes" votes; the chair announced the motion carried.

Next steps include ongoing TAC review for secondary platting and an improvement location permit; staff said the developer will continue coordination with planning staff on landscaping details before final permitting.