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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDepartment Report 12-18-18 8 CARMEL PLAN COMMISSION DEPARTMENT REPORT DECEMBER 18, 2018 I. Old Business 1. Docket No. 18070015 Z: 2724 E 136th St. PUD Rezone The applicant seeks approval to rezone 59 acres to PUD/Planned Unit Development in order to develop approximately 100 single-family dwellings and 100 condominiums/townhomes. The site is located at the NE corner of Keystone Parkway and 136th Street. It is zoned R-1/Residential within the Keystone Parkway Overlay Zone. Filed by Justin Moffett of Old Town Design Companies LLC. Project Overview: This proposed PUD seeks to create a mixed residential neighborhood of single family homes, townhomes, and condominiums. There will be 20% open space and tree preservation designed into the neighborhood. Currently the property is zoned R-1, which allows for a maximum density of 2.9 units/acre and the petitioner is proposing a maximum of 3.39 units/acre. Surrounding residential subdivisions are Yorktown Woods to the west, Foster Estates to the north, Smokey Ridge to the east, Smokey Hollow to the southeast, and a nursing home facility to the south. Please see the petitioner’s information package for more details. Comprehensive Plan Analysis: The Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan) classifies this area as Suburban Residential, which is meant to “establish housing opportunities for people who desire moderately dense subdivision living.” The suggested density is between 1.4 and 4 units/acre. North, east, and south of the project the land is also classified as Suburban Residential. To the west is Keystone Parkway and across Keystone the land is classified as areas for Special Study. The single-family portion of the proposed PUD project would meet the descriptions for the Suburban Residential Classification and the townhome/condominium portion of the proposed PUD would fall under the classification of Attached Residential, which is meant to diversify housing opportunities near amenities and where connectivity is good. Suburban Residential is considered a best fit next to Suburban Residential and Attached Residential is considered a conditional fit next to Suburban Residential. Conditional fit land uses are appropriate when the more intense development is installed with sensitivity to the adjacent land classification. The proposed PUD is accomplishing this by locating the single-family homes to the north, adjacent to existing single-family. The townhomes and condos are proposed in the southern half of the project along Keystone Pkwy. and with great setbacks and open space between the single-family homes to the east. There are many other City-Wide Policies and Objectives that the PUD helps fulfill. Overall, the proposed PUD meets the goals and plans of the Comp Plan. Additional Analysis: Site Plan: The site plan fits in amongst the surrounding neighborhoods by providing curvilinear, connected streets with some alleys to access rear load garages. 3 of the 4 existing stub streets that surround the property are proposed to be connected to. The Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) and Comp Plan require that new developments connect to existing stub streets. The existing stub street, Millgate Drive, from Yorktown Woods is now proposed to continue into this development. This is important as Yorktown Woods currently only has one way in or out and a street connection would also provide access to the Hagan-Burke Trail which then links to the Monon Greenway. Connecting stub streets will help provide several access points instead of funneling everyone onto 1 road and causing added congestion and traffic. This is also important to ensure sufficient access for emergency vehicles and other public services. The single-family lots are located on the northern portion of the site with the townhome/condo buildings located in the southern portion of the site. Petitioner has stated that there will be no residential buildings east of the creek and no condo buildings east of the main road. Tree preservation is proposed throughout the development and especially focused along the perimeters to provide a buffer. Two retention ponds are shown on the concept plan. One will be in the single-family area, and one will be along the main boulevard in the townhouse/condo area. 9 There will be a roundabout entry from Smokey Row Rd., and the PUD requires the roundabout to be built prior to 30% buildout of the neighborhood, which is 60 total units. There will be sidewalks along all the streets, and the proposed street cross section for the subdivision meets the City’s requirement at 56 ft. wide. This allows for 5 ft. sidewalks and 6 ft. tree lawns on both sides of the street, as well as parking on both sides of the street. Engineering: 2 retention ponds are now proposed on the concept plan and the PUD says best efforts shall be made to incorporate natural vegetation into the storm water management plans. Wetland areas will need to be identified and preserved during the primary plat stage and the existing stream should be protected with a stream preservation easement. The Engineering Dept. is comfortable with the PUD rezone and is currently reviewing the round-a-bout design and the feasibility to have it installed in the summer of 2019. Active Transportation: 5 ft. sidewalks are proposed on both sides of streets. A 10 ft. wide asphalt path exists along 136th St. and the petitioner will install path along the western perimeter of the site all the way from 136th St. to the northwestern boundary of the site. Petitioner, please straighten the path out to provide a more direct connection to 136th St. so the trail can function more as a bike route along Keystone and not just a recreational trail. The Dept. requested that the proposed path along Keystone Pkwy. continue further north through Yorktown Woods and Laura Vista common area to connect to the Hagan-Burke Trail. The petitioner has agreed to work in good faith to acquire the easements for the path connection and would like to use the Parks and Recreation Impact Fee for the construction of the path. The Department is comfortable with this as it is similar to the commitment proposed with the previous PUD project for this site. Architectural Design: The proposed single-family homes are shown as 1 ½ and 2 story, and the PUD limits the height to 35 ft. Front load garages will be setback a minimum of 10 ft. from the front of the home. The homes with alley access will have rear load garages, which will enhance the streetscape as you won’t have driveways and garages taking up a majority of the front facades. The architectural standards have been improved since the first PUD draft and now include details such as requiring a minimum number of windows, porches, and a sidewalk from the front porch to the street. A maximum of 3 ½ stories and 45 ft. is proposed for the condos and 2 stories and 35 ft. for the townhomes. The 2 story townhomes will provide a transition to the neighborhoods to the east which also contain 2 story homes. Architectural standards have been improved since the first PUD draft and now include details such as requiring a minimum number of windows, window trim, certain foundation materials, and not allowing long, unbroken expanses of wall. The Department would like to see these standards become an exhibit in the PUD instead of a commitment; to be consistent with other PUDs and simplify implementation of the standards. Historic Home: There is an existing home on this property that the Developer has committed to saving. According to the Carmel Historic Preservation Commission (CHPC) and the Carmel Clay Historical Society (CCHS), the home dates back to 1834 when a two-story log cabin was built. Around 1853 a brick Georgian style addition was built on the west end of the cabin, which incorporated the cabin into the overall Georgian design. There was another addition built in 1909. This home has significant historic value, and is among the oldest homes still existing in Carmel. The PUD requires that the home be preserved in community park space on a minimum of 3 acres. In addition, the Developer will rehabilitate the home, and could use it as a neighborhood gathering space, clubhouse, maker’s space, and/or office. Landscaping: The PUD requires street trees and bufferyards which meet or exceed the current standards in the UDO. A 30 ft. greenbelt is proposed along Keystone and a minimum 40 ft. bufferyard is proposed around the perimeter of the rest of the site. Most of the bufferyards are in areas with existing trees that can be preserved, which will provide a better buffer as the trees are already full grown. An exhibit has been added to the PUD that shows the areas for tree preservation including the center common area in the Single Family Detached Residential Area. Open space is shown on the Concept Plan as 47% of the site and the PUD requires a minimum of 20% of the site to be Open Space. Signage: The PUD allows for a development entry sign at 136th St. as well as neighborhood/block signs, townhome/condo signs, and open space signs. A conceptual signage plan has been submitted and shows where the developer proposes to place signage. Based on the conceptual sign plan, the number and location of proposed signs would be appropriate for the development. All signs would need approval with either the Primary Plat or the Development Plan and ADLS. 10 September 18 Plan Commission meeting recap: Petitioner presented some updates to the plan, including street connection to Millgate Drive, a 40 ft. buffer along the perimeter, the elimination of one of the condo buildings, and a reduction to 100 single-family lots, and 100 multi-family units. Several neighbors spoke about the project and the main concerns seemed to be regarding the increase in density and the affects the project would have on traffic through their neighborhoods and along 136th Street. The neighbors and the Plan Commission requested a traffic study that would look at the effects on 136th St. as well as the streets in the surrounding neighborhoods. Additional Plan Commission comments included ensuring appropriate buffering for sound for the lots adjacent to Keystone, increased architectural standards for the end units on the condo/townhome building, limiting some uses for the historic home, and the request for a multi-use path and sidewalk exhibit. The project was sent to the Residential Committee. October 2 Residential Committee meeting recap: Petitioner presented changes made since the Plan Commission meeting, including adding a street connection to Millgate Dr., increasing the perimeter buffer adjacent to the subdivisions from 20 ft. to 40 ft., reducing the number of units to 100 single-family homes and 100 attached units, and removing the southernmost building so that no townhouse or condo building will be east of the creek. A traffic analysis was passed out that found that the development will not have a negative effect on the surrounding street system, including the interchange at 136th St. and Keystone Parkway. The roundabout at 136th and Keystone Pkwy will be modified for access to this neighborhood and the County’s additional ramp from 146th St. to go south on Keystone Pkwy will help with traffic flow, including on Carey Road and 146th St. The study found it unlikely that many vehicles from the proposed development will use Smokey Ridge Ln., Matt St., or Millgate Dr. to access 146th St. or Carey Rd. because none of those streets make direct connections. The committee asked why there was no connection to Smokey Ridge Trail and the petitioner responded that the area was meant to be a park space. The path connection to the Hagan Burke Trail was discussed and the petitioner was open to the connection but did not want to commit to something that was not ultimately possible if the topography didn’t work or if it was not possible to get approval from the HOAs to go through their common area. Petitioner said they could have their engineer look at the topos to determine the feasibility. Other items that were discussed included limiting the construction traffic through the adjacent neighborhoods, adding a timing of the roundabout construction to the PUD, and limiting rentals in the PUD. The item was continued to the Nov. 8th Residential Committee. November 8 Residential Committee meeting recap: This item was tabled and was not heard at the meeting. December 4 Residential Committee meeting recap: Petitioner presented a massing study and cross sections of the development to show the transition in height from the condo buildings to the townhomes to the east property line. No condo buildings will be east of the main road. The roundabout will be installed before 30% buildout (or 60 units). Petitioner agreed to work in good faith to acquire easement and construct the path through Yorktown Woods and Laura Vista common area to connect to the Hagan Burke Trail if they can use the Parks and Recreation Impact Fee toward the path costs. Expanded Architectural Standards were presented. Nick was still not comfortable with the traffic and Sue asked if the Engineering Dept. thought the roundabout could be constructed in summer of 2019. Construction access was discussed and there is opportunity to use an existing access point from Keystone Pkwy. Several changes to the PUD were made as well as some commitments made just to the Plan Commission so that a full PUD Amendment would not be needed if for some reason external factors made a commitment impossible. The Commitment Amendment would still require a public hearing by the Plan Commission. The Committee voted 3-1 to send the item back to Plan Commission with a favorable recommendation. DOCS Remaining Comments/Concerns: The Dept. has worked through the PUD, site plan, and architectural review comments with the Petitioner and only the below remain. 1. Please straighten the path out to provide a more direct connection to 136th St. so the trail can function more as a bike route along Keystone and not just a recreational trail. 2. The Department would like to see the architectural standards become an exhibit in the PUD instead of a commitment. 3. The PRIF should be used first and foremost for the path construction to the Hagan Burke Trail. Will the Historic Home be available for general use by the public? Will Indiana Landmarks be contributing to the restoration? Recommendation: After all comments have been addressed the Department of Community Services recommends the Plan Commission sends this item to the City Council with a Favorable Recommendation.