500 View Is One Year Old


It was a year ago in March that Tom and Sarah Glass officially organized the 500 View Neighborhood Association. The need for a neighborhood association spawned from their concerns about a crematory located in the neighborhood and continual problems with zoning violations that were ruining the quality of life.
The husband and wife team started working four years ago to reverse the neighborhood’s growing number of drug houses, abandoned cars, and backyard auto repairs. But without a neighborhood association of their own to call for help, the Tom and Sarah sought assistance from other neighborhood associations.
Mr. Glass credited the Eagledale Neighborhood Association and Marion County Alliance for Neighborhood Associations for their guidance and valuable information that helped clean up the zoning violations and to stop the crematory and motorcycle escort service. Glass also praised city officials and Indianapolis Police Department for their efforts to assist the neighborhood with zoning, air quality, and crime issues.
He explained the crematory was able to locate in the neighborhood due to a misinterpretation of the ordinance. “There was an error in the zoning ordinance that allowed crematories to locate in a zoned C-3 when it should have been only for mortuaries,” he said. Although the couple was able to have the Department of Metropolitan Development (DMD) to close the ordinance’s loophole, this particular crematory still remains in the neighborhood under the grandfather provision. Mr. Glass did not want to give up his ideals to make the county better. Through the help of MCANA, Glass submitted an ordinance draft to eliminate the crematory from C-3 neighborhood business use.
“We always welcome, and encourage, public input in city government. Many of our ordinances and statutes can be interpreted in different manners, and while we may read them one way, someone else may read them a different way. We hope the public would bring these instances to our attention, and work with our staff to clarify or in some cases, change the ordinances. In this case, we worked with the Glasses to do both. There was some ambiguity in the ordinance, and we are in the process of clarifying that so when a similar situation presents itself, we have a better basis for our decision,” DMD Administrator Mike Peoni said.
Zoning was not the only problem with the crematory. Mrs. Glass said the facility was emitting a horrific amount of black smoke and a foul scent into the air. Once again, the Glasses stepped up to the plate to ask for air quality regulations from the city office of environmental services.
Felicia Robinson, administrator of office of environmental services, explained the event. “Actually we did not change the regulation,” she said. Under her authority, the OES inserted conditions to be attached to the crematory permits to insure minimal impacts to the surrounding neighborhood and proper operations of the facility.
“Mr. Glass’s concerns were valid. I would definitely say Mr. Glass is an excellent neighborhood advocate and that his efforts supported and coincided with the City’s concerns,” she said.
Mr. Glass said his mission for now is to repay the other organizations with all of the help they gave him to combat their neighborhood problems. Mr. Glass was recently contacted by Nada Maynard of Flackville Neighborhood Association to help fight the Honor Academy Charter School’s rezoning petition to build at 3440 Guion Road. The neighbors are concerned about potential flooding from future surface runoff if the school builds at that site.
He is also offering support to the new community center that opened at 3131 W. 16th Street. The site is the former Atkins Boys and Girls Club, now called Friendship Westside Center 4 Excellence. It serves the youth from ages 5 to 18.
His effort to make a difference was recognized last year by Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson. The Mayor named him Citizen of the Year and National Night Out honored as a crime fighter of the year.
“We are tied together and we need to try to make it a better place for everybody,” he said. That is why he remains interested in the Town of Speedway’s activities.
500 View Neighborhood Association has legitimate concerns to be interested in Speedway. Its location could be considered to be at the town’s back door. The association’s western boundary of Olin Road also serves as the town’s eastern boundary. Mr. Glass is especially taking notice of the Speedway Redevelopment Commission’s Regional Transportation Study. The study recommends extending Holt Road to Guion Road for I-65 interstate access. Holt Road is within the 500 View’s boundaries.
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