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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDepartment Report 07-16-19 9 CARMEL PLAN COMMISSION DEPARTMENT REPORT JULY 16, 2019 5. Docket No. 19050017 Z: Monon Crossing Townhomes Rezone R-1/Residential to UR/Urban Residential 6. Docket No. 19050018 DP/PP/ADLS: Monon Crossing Townhomes The applicant seeks rezone, site plan and design approval for a new subdivision consisting of 64 townhomes on 6.8 acres. The site is located at 1101 Rohrer Rd. The site is currently zoned R-1/Residential with a proposed change to UR/Urban Residential. Filed by Nelson & Frankenberger, LLC on behalf of Lennar Homes of Indiana. Project Overview: The Petitioner proposes to rezone the subject property to the UR/Urban Residential classification to allow for the construction of 64 residential townhome units. The site is located along Rohrer Road and is adjacent to the Monon Greenway. The land to the south and west of this property is single family residential, zoned R-1. To the east is the Monon Greenway, and to the north is a Wood River Pipe Lines utility property. Please see the Petitioner’s Information packet for more details. Urban Residential Standards this project MEETS: • Permitted Use • Max building height – 3 stories, 3 proposed • Min. front setback – 0’ allowed, 5’ proposed • Min. rear setback - 0’ allowed, 18’ proposed • Parking areas shall be behind the building in a garage. • Parking – 22 on street, plus 2 car garages and parking in the driveways behind the garage. UDO Standards NOT MET, therefore Design Standard Waivers will be required if adjustments cannot be made: • Short-term bicycle parking at a rate of 0.1 spaces for each bedroom, minimum of 4 spaces for attached residential developments is required. • Architectural Diversity to avoid “cookie cutter” or repetitive aesthetic throughout the development is required. • New developments shall connect to existing stub streets. Comprehensive Plan Analysis: The Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan) classifies this area as Suburban Residential, which is meant to “establish housing for people who desire moderately dense subdivision living.” The suggested density is 1.4 to 4 units/acre. To the north and east are also classified as Suburban Residential, the west is classified as Low Intensity per the Vision 2020 Plan, and the south is classified as Employment Node. The proposed townhome project would fall under the descriptions for the Attached Residential Classification which is considered a Conditional Fit next to Suburban Residential and Employment Node. Conditional Fits are deemed appropriate when the more intense development is installed with sensitivity to the adjacent land classification. In addition to the Land Use plan we also look to the City Wide and North Central Policies and Objectives in the Comp Plan. Some objectives that stand out include: • Be very sensitive to connectivity and transitions between adjacent areas. Discourage unplanned or harsh contrasts in height, building orientation, character, land use, and density. If there exists contrast, utilize multiple design principles to soften transitions. • Continue to encourage a variety of housing options to meet the needs of the marketplace. • Encourage pedestrian scale and walkability in new developments, infill and/or redevelopment. • Protect stable single-family residential neighborhoods in North Central Carmel as much as possible through buffering, use of transitional design, strong code enforcement of property maintenance issues, targeted infrastructure investments (e.g. drainage, sidewalks, and street lights), and landscaping beautification projects. • Where appropriate, reinforce established character in North Central Carmel. • Promote compact urban form with densities that support multi-modal transportation. 10 The above goals support this rezone if there is sensitivity to adjacent areas and appropriate transitions. The site plan and architectural design shows that there are many elements that provide appropriate transitions and complement the existing character of the area. Some of these include the large buffers along the north and south sides, the large setback from the Monon, the orientation of the townhomes with the fronts facing Rohrer Road and the sides facing to the south, and the style of architecture which is complementary to homes in the area. Additional Analysis: The proposed site currently contains two single-family homes, but is unique in that it is bordered to the north by a pipeline utility, by the Monon Greenway to the east and is in close proximity to US 31. The petitioner would like to build 3-story townhomes that would front on Rohrer Rd. and provide an attractive streetscape, while being sensitive to the character of the Monon and the neighborhood to the south by providing large setbacks and landscape buffers. This townhouse project will provide more housing options for people in Carmel, as not everyone may want to live in a single-family home with a large yard. The development is also providing pedestrian and bicycle facilities so that residents will have the option to easily bike or walk to nearby destinations. In order to develop the townhomes, the Urban Residential zone was chosen as the best district to rezone to. The Urban Residential zone allows for the proposed use as well as for the buildings to be pulled up to Rohrer Rd., thereby allowing more buffer in the rear of the property. This rezone is also not a standalone rezone, but is accompanied by a Primary Plat/Development Plan and ADLS application, so we know exactly what will be built on the site. This provides more certainty and allows us to adjust the design, if needed, with the rezone so that the project is the best fit for the site. Site Plan, Parking, Engineering: The proposed townhomes will have front doors facing either Rhorer Rd. or a common green space, with the garages located in the rear off of a private access drive. The main east/west road will be a public road with parking along both sides and street trees. The drainage will be accommodated in dry detention ponds in the rear of the property to help preserve the natural character along this section of the Monon Greenway. The minimum setback from the Monon will be 88 ft. (as required in the Monon Overlay Zone), and there will be a 50 ft. setback from the south property line and about at 60 ft. setback from the north property line to preserve the regulated drain. 22 on-street parking spaces are provided in addition to the private garages and parking spaces behind the garages. There is a stub street from the Autumn Lake Subdivision to the south; however the petitioner is only showing an emergency drive connection to this planned stub street. The UDO requires this to be a full street connection to allow access on the public roads between residential neighborhoods. The Department has requested the plans be revised to continue the design of the stub street and provide the required public street connection. Active Transportation: Pedestrian connectivity will be provided throughout the development with sidewalks along the street as well as within the internal greenspaces. A path will be installed along Rohrer Rd. and there will be a connection to the Monon. We need to see how this connection will be made to the Monon and would like to see sidewalk connections between the internal green spaces in the north and south common areas. Short term bicycle parking is also required for this development. Architectural Design: The building designs are more traditional with brick front facades and ornate detailing around the windows and at the roof line. The units vary in design from one to the other to break up the front facades and provide more character between units. The proposed townhomes are being sensitive to this design of the homes in the area and complement the surrounding homes well. The townhomes are 3 stories tall, and the highest point of the buildings is only 36 ft. (35 ft. is the permitted height in single family zoning districts.) This provides an appropriate transition from the surrounding 2 story homes. The building materials used is brick on the front and sides and siding on the backs. The Department has requested adding some brick to the rear and a foundation base to break up that facade and improve the aesthetics as this will be the main entry for the residents as they drive in to park in the garage. The UDO requires architectural variety within townhome projects and so far all of the buildings appear to be the same. The Department is continuing to work with the petitioner on the architecture. 11 Lighting: 15 ft. tall streets will line the public street with building lights above the garages and at the front doors. More information is needed regarding the lighting levels to ensure there is not excess lighting at the property lines. The Dept. will continue to work with the Petitioner to make sure that any proposed lights comply with the UDO requirements as well as tie into the architectural design of the building. Landscaping: The development will provide 25% open space through the bufferyards, drainage ponds, and internal green spaces. There is a 50 ft. common area along the south property line which will be landscaped to provide a buffer. Street trees will be planted along Rohrer Rd. to enhance this streetscape. Currently the internal greenspaces include a sidewalk and some trees. The Department has requested a more unique design for these areas to create a neat space that will be inviting and useable for the residents. Signage: No signage is proposed at this time. Remaining DOCS Review Comments: The Dept. will continue to work with the Petitioner on the remaining review comments as this project moves onto Committee review. Some outstanding comments include: 1. Further refining the architecture to improve the rear facades and reduce monotony within the development. 2. Enhance the internal green spaces to create more inviting/useable common areas. 3. Provide a full street connection to the stub street to the south. 4. Provide the design details for the Monon connection. 5. Add sidewalks along the northern and southern common areas. 6. Add short term bike parking. 7. Add the lighting levels to the lighting plan. 8. Will any signage be desired for the townhomes? 9. How will trash and recycling be accommodated for the townhomes? 10. Will there be any other ground mounted mechanical equipment? Recommendation: The Dept. of Community Services recommends the Plan Commission sends this item to the Residential Committee meeting on Tuesday, August 6th for further review.