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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDept Report 05-01-01• CARMEL/CLAY PLAN COMMISSION SPECIAL STUDIES COMMITTEE DEPARTMENT REPORT May 1, 2001 1. Docket No. 186-00 Z; DePauw Rezone Petitioner seeks favorable recommendation of a rezone from the S-2/residence district to the B- 5/business district on 1.87±acres. The site is located northwest of West 131x` Street and North Meridian Street. The site is zoned S-2/residence. Filed by E. Davis Coots of Coots Henke & Wheeler for CH Land LLC. 2. Docket No. 187-00 Z; DePauw Rezone Petitioner seeks favorable recommendation of a rezone from the S-2/residence district to the B- 5/business district on 9.42+acres. The site is located northwest of West 131x` Street and North Meridian Street. The site is zoned S-2/residence within the US 31/Meridian Street Overlay Zone. Filed by E. Davis Coots of Coots Henke & Wheeler for CMC Properties, Inc. 3. Docket No. 188-00 Z; DePauw Rezone (This Item Currently Tabled) Petitioner seeks favorable recommendation of a rezone from the S-2/residence district to the B- 5/business district on 10.02± acres. The site is located northwest of West 131x` Street and North Meridian Street. The site is zoned S-2/residence within the US 31/Meridian Street Overlay Zone. Filed by E. Davis Coots of Coots Henke & Wheeler for DePauw University & Earlham College. General Comments (on all three requests): The first two petitions were continued in committee last month (April) and also in March. The last was tabled in March. The two most prominent issues at the time were with regard to access into the site and architecture. The position of the department is that the property should be restricted to access only from Illinois Street and that the general location proposed by the applicant is appropriate. We have had discussions with the applicant regarding improvements that could be made within the right-of-way to deter traffic from accessing the residential neighborhood to the north. However, we feel that this is a detail that should be left to the engineering department when considering the best configuration for the purposes of moving traffic. Committee Report 2001-05-01.rtf The issue of architecture came up with regard to the smaller CH Land property that is not within the US 31 Overlay. The applicant has provided a photo of the proposed structure. However, it is difficult to base an ordinance for a rezone on a photo. The Department would suggest that the applicant commit to returning to the Plan Commission with an ADLS application for the CH Land parcel. This may resolve the issue of the specific architecture at this time and allow the Commission to address the critical issues of land use and how the request relates to the City of Carmel and Clay Township Thoroughfare plan. Future ADLS review under the 31 Overlay will provide the Commission the ability to address the design of any future buildings or use on the property. To that end, the relationship to the Thoroughfare Plan of the proposal is of critical importance. Preserving the ability to provide adequate roadway infrastructure for the community and how that relates to this rezone request should be concentrated on at this time. The department requested that the applicant illustrate the location of all future right- of-way as proposed in the Thoroughfare Plan as it impacts the subject properties. It is my understanding that the applicant has prepared such an exhibit and intends to present it to the Committee Tuesday evening. The Department has a meeting scheduled with the applicant for April 27 to address specific issues regarding right-of-way as it relates to the three rezone requests. At this time, it is fair to say that the department will only be in support of the petition(s) if the applicant were to commit to dedicating additional right-of-way for the Illinois Street Corridor (Meridian Corners Blvd.) and 131St Street (a total of a 60' half for both). The department would also recommend that the area identified for the Pennsylvania Parkway ramps to the north end of the collective site be reserved for that future use. The uses on the other properties should be designed as if the area in question was right-of-way. It should be reserve exclusively for the roadway use. The intent of the Department is to allow the property owner to develop the overall property by allowing the office uses proposed by CMC Properties and CH Land. This would be appropriate while at the same time protecting the ability of the City of Carmel or State of Indiana to make the improvements identified in the Thoroughfare Plan. Preservation of the future roadway is Committee Report 2001-05-01.rtf /s< the critical element. We do not want to place ourselves in a similar situation that may precipitate the issues now being addressed on the opposite side of the US 31 Corridor. The department can not recommend favorably without this issue being adequately addressed by the applicant. We hope to make significant progress on this matter on the 27th and will report the results of our meeting to the Special Studies Committee at the meeting Tuesday. Committee Report 2001-05-01.rtf 0