The Sunday Post - September 13, 2026: Closing In on the Hum, Saraga Comes to East Washington, and State of the City
A weekly report from Councilor Michael-Paul Hart — Building the Smartest City in America.
Volume 2, Issue 37
The Hum: We’re Narrowing It Down
Last week I asked residents hearing the hum to start documenting it. You did, and it is helping.
This week I received videos from two different residents capturing the sound at different
locations. I am sharing both so you can hear what residents have been describing.
The City also sent Neighborhood Services to investigate near 1901 S. Sherman. At 7:48 a.m., the inspector documented three sound readings: 65.1, 69.9 and 82.9 decibels.
But there is a problem: residents consistently tell me the worst noise happens between roughly 2:00 and 5:00 a.m. Neighborhood Services is not normally working during those hours. By the time an inspector arrives in the morning, the conditions may be completely different.
I have asked the City to make an exception and send someone out during the hours residents are actually experiencing the problem.
We are getting closer. Keep sending me the time, location, duration and any video or audio you can capture.
A Real-Time Lesson in How Land Use Works
Last week I asked for letters supporting the proposed Dutch Bros at 10220 East Washington. A
lot of you responded. Thank you. Those letters matter because they become part of the record when the Board of Zoning Appeals considers a project. https://www.michaelpaulhart.com/dutch-bros
I may be asking you to do the same thing soon for the proposed Panda Express at 10401 East Washington.
The same advocacy group involved in the Dutch Bros case has now filed an automatic continuance, delaying the Panda Express hearing while they seek additional commitments from the developer.
Their requests include a shared-use path toward the signalized intersection, a raised pedestrian crossing, a trail along the west side of the property, improvements to the neighboring shopping center, a connection toward the Pennsy Trail, and additional trees.
I support better pedestrian and bicycle connections along East Washington. Where I disagree is trying to make one half-acre development responsible for improvements in the public right of way or on surrounding property that is not actually part of its zoning petition.
The developer has already offered a wider ADA-accessible connection from Washington Street to the restaurant. I support making that a commitment. I have also asked the remonstrators to narrow their requests so this project can move forward while we pursue the larger corridor improvements with DPW, INDOT, Indy Parks and the appropriate property owners.
This is actually a great example of why understanding land use matters. A good idea, a zoning commitment and something a developer can legally deliver are not always the same thing.
And the timing is perfect: DMD is accepting applications for its next People’s Planning Academy, a free six-week course covering zoning, land use, development petitions and how residents can effectively participate in the process.
If you have ever wondered how these decisions really get made, I encourage you to apply. Applications close Monday at 5:00 p.m.
Saraga Is Coming to East Washington Plaza
T
he Indianapolis Star reported Saturday that Saraga International Grocery will anchor the redevelopment of East Washington Plaza.
It will be Saraga’s fourth Indianapolis location and part of a redevelopment expected to total roughly $20 to $30 million. The target opening is the third quarter of 2027, and the developer tells me facade plans are being finalized now with construction expected to begin this spring.
This is bigger than a typical grocery announcement. A full international grocery means families
on the east side will have better access to fresh produce, fresh meat, and foods they currently have to drive across the county to find. That matters for both quality of life and cost of living.
It also says something about where East Washington Street is headed. For years, the story was about what we lost. Now we are talking about a new grocery anchor, new restaurants, new retail, and major investment along the corridor.
That does not happen by accident. It happens when people stay engaged, there is a plan, and investors see opportunity.
Credit where it belongs: the Warren Township Development Association has been working on this for years, long before there was anything to announce.
What Noblesville Does That We Do Not
Thursday morning I went to Noblesville’s State of the City. I went to listen, and one thing stuck with me.
There were roughly 800 people in the room.
Business owners, developers, neighbors, students, all there to hear where the city is going and
where they fit into that future.
Now compare that with Indianapolis. Our closest equivalent is delivered during a City-County Council meeting as part of the budget process. It is procedural. It checks the box, but it does not create the same sense of momentum or shared direction.
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett presents his proposed 2027 city-county budget to the Indianapolis City-County Council on Aug. 10, 2026.
I am not saying one event explains Hamilton County’s growth. It does not. But it does matter when one community fills a room to sell its future while another puts its future into the minutes.
If we are serious about building the smartest city in America, we should rethink how we tell our story.
Indianapolis should have a true State of the City; its own event, open to residents and the business community, with a clear message about where we are going and how people can be part of it. Some years, hold it outside downtown so the townships are part of the story too.
That is not marketing for marketing’s sake. Confidence matters. Investment follows momentum.
✅ Follow council updates and share your feedback
✅ Send me topics you would like to see featured in The Sunday Post
✅ Invite a friend to subscribe at michaelpaulhart.com/blog
Thank you for reading Indianapolis City Council Updates and for supporting common-sense leadership. Together, and with the community driving accountability, we are turning bold ideas into real-world results.
Accountability, Transparency and Local Leadership
See you next week with more updates from the Neighborhood.
Love the idea of Indianapolis hosting a State of the City. Also excited to hear about Saraga’s coming to the plaza! Keep up the great work, Warren Township Development Association!