The case 2026-DV3-016A concerns redevelopment of the former Golden Corral site at 10220 East Washington Street, beside Washington Square and the future IndyGo Blue Line.

The petitioner is requesting a variance from Transit-Oriented Development zoning standards to allow a drive-through to be accessed from the private Ring Road instead of an alley.

Central Indiana Cycling supports new investment at Washington Square. Our concern has been whether the site provides safe, direct, and accessible connections for people walking, biking, using mobility devices, and arriving by transit.

August 18 Hearing Update

The BZA heard the case on August 18. The Board split 2–2, resulting in the petition being continued to September 15, 2026.

During the hearing, DMD emphasized that the Transit-Oriented Development district is intended to create compact, walkable development where walking and biking are viable options. Staff also stated that TOD standards are intended to work together and that deviation from one standard can undermine the district’s larger goals.

Importantly, DMD’s recommendation to allow Ring Road to substitute for alley access relied in part on the site plan separating drive-through circulation from pedestrian frontage.

That is why pedestrian circulation remains directly relevant to this variance.

Advocacy Has Already Improved the Plan

The original site plan lacked a pedestrian connection along the northern property line toward Target.

After Central Indiana Cycling and The Far Eastside Community Council teamed up and raised concerns, the petitioner made several meaningful changes:

• Added the required bypass aisle.
• Widened the planned pedestrian facility along East Washington Street so it can function more like a multi-use path.
• Improved landscaping, including two public benches.
• On August 17, added a new sidewalk connection along the northern portion of the property toward the existing Target pedestrian network.

We appreciate these improvements. They demonstrate that public participation can improve development without preventing investment.

The Remaining Problem: The Missing Link

The new Target connection is important, but the pedestrian network through the site is still incomplete.

People traveling between Target, Washington Street, the local bus route, the future Blue Line station, and businesses on the site are still routed around significant portions of the development and through multiple areas of drive-through vehicle circulation.

At the August hearing, we demonstrated that the geometry of the property allows a much more direct north-south connection through the site.

For example, the current indirect route between the Target area and the local bus stop adds approximately 269 feet compared with the direct route we proposed. The route toward the Blue Line is shorter but requires users to pass through multiple drive-through conflict points.

The BZA specifically asked what work Central Indiana Cycling hoped could occur during the additional month. We identified a direct connection through the property as our principal remaining request.

What We Are Asking For Now

Central Indiana Cycling has substantially narrowed its requests.

To Resolve Our Opposition

We are asking the petitioner to complete the missing pedestrian and bicycle network through the property by providing:

1. A direct north-south connection

A continuous, ADA-accessible multi-use path connecting East Washington Street with the newly added Target connection.

We believe the path should be at least 8 feet wide, with additional width where feasible so people walking and biking can comfortably share the space.

If these core connections are incorporated into the controlling site plan, Central Indiana Cycling is prepared to withdraw its opposition to 2026-DV3-016A.

Why This Matters for Washington Square

The recently released Washington Square Vision Plan identifies multimodal connectivity as a central requirement for successful redevelopment.

The plan found that 95% of survey respondents currently arrive by automobile, while also noting that residents who would like to walk are discouraged by the lack of safe sidewalk connections.

Its key findings state:

“Multimodal connectivity is a prerequisite, not an afterthought.”

The plan calls for improved pedestrian and bicycle access, stronger transit connections, and links toward the Pennsy Trail and surrounding neighborhoods.

This is not an argument that the Vision Plan is legally binding on this development. It is evidence of what residents, community organizations, Warren Township stakeholders, the Town of Cumberland, and local leadership have said they want Washington Square to become.

2026-DV3-016A is an early opportunity to turn that vision into physical connections on the ground.

Councilor Michael-Paul Hart

Councilor Michael-Paul Hart represents the district containing Washington Square and helped convene stakeholders for the Washington Square Vision Plan.

At the public unveiling of the plan, Councilor Hart expressed a commitment to work with the developer to bring this property more closely into alignment with the Washington Square vision.

Following the August hearing, Central Indiana Cycling has asked Councilor Hart to help facilitate agreement on the remaining pedestrian connections before the September 15 hearing. Councilor Hart is still publicly supporting the development as-is.

Our Position

Central Indiana Cycling wants this development to move forward.

We appreciate the changes already made by the petitioner, particularly the new Target connection and improved Washington Street pedestrian facility.

Our remaining disagreement is increasingly narrow:

The new pieces of pedestrian infrastructure should actually connect to one another.

If the petitioner completes a direct, safe, accessible pedestrian and bicycle route through the site and addresses the remaining internal connection, we are prepared to withdraw our remonstrance.

Our goal is not delay for its own sake. It is to make sure that development immediately beside a major public transit investment creates a connected place that works for people traveling by every mode.

For questions or additional information, contact jakob@centralincycling.org

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