The Metropolitan Development Commission Hearing Examiner meeting held on April 24, 2025, in Indianapolis focused on the contentious Canal Village 3 development project, which has faced significant opposition from local residents. The meeting featured testimonies from members of the Northwest Landing Neighborhood Association, who expressed their strong disapproval of the proposed project and the developer, BWI.

Hadiya Ahmed, a representative of the neighborhood association, highlighted that residents have been voicing their concerns about Canal Village 3 for over a year. She stated that previous developments in the area, including Canal Village 1 and Clifton Square Senior apartments, were completed without neighborhood support and have led to ongoing dissatisfaction among residents. Ahmed emphasized that the community is firmly against any further development by BWI, citing a lack of trust due to unmet promises and deteriorating property conditions from past projects.

Another resident, Alita Kemp, echoed these sentiments, detailing her experiences with BWI and the broken agreements regarding property maintenance and development. Kemp pointed out that the proposed Canal Village 3 would exacerbate existing issues in the neighborhood, as BWI has not upheld its commitments to improve current properties. She urged the commission to deny any variances that would allow BWI to proceed with the project, arguing that such approvals would signal tacit support for the development.

The residents submitted multiple letters of opposition to the commission, reinforcing their stance against the project. They requested that any variances related to Canal Village 3 be denied, asserting that the properties in question still belong to the city and should not be transferred to BWI without further community consultation.

The meeting underscored the significant divide between the developer and the local community, with residents calling for a halt to the project until their concerns are adequately addressed. The commission's decision on the variances will be crucial in determining the future of the Canal Village 3 development and the relationship between BWI and the Northwest Landing neighborhood.