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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes BZA 04-28-97 (7.ARMEL/CLAY PL, COMMISSIC 1/BZA UNOFFICIAL MiilI,TES CARMEL CLAY BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS APRIL 28, 1997 The regularly scheduled meeting of the Cannel/Clay Board of Zoning Appeals came to order at approximately 7:30 PM in the Councii Chambers of City Hall, One Civic Square, Carmel, Indiana Members present were: Mary Ann Burke; Dick Klar; Alan Klineman; Earlene Plavcbak; and Charles Weink uir Director Steve Engelking and Mark Monroe were present representing the Department of Community Services. John Molitor, Counsel, was also present. The minutes of the February and March meetings were approved as submitted. F. John Molitor reported that there is legislation pending at the General Assembly to allow for the temporary filling of vacancies for Board meetings; this would be in effect as of July first. G. 1) Mark Monroe reported that item 5h., Ison Fence, had been Tabled by the Petitioner. 2) Items 10h. through 15h. that deal with the two Sprint Spectrum Towers and the Cellular One Tower were improperly noticed. 3) Handouts were submitted to the Board from the general public regarding items 6h. through 9h., First Baptist Church of Carmel. EL PUBLIC HEARING: Ih. Schneider Appeal (A-19-97) Petitioner is appealing the decision of the Director of the Department of Community Services. The Department of Community Services has determined char the property is a subdivision and is required to be approved by the Plan Commission. The site is located on the southeast corner of 131st Street and West Road. The site is zoned S-1/ResidentiaL Filed by Vincent Schneider. Vincent Schneider, 231 Lark Drive, Apt. 3, Carmel appeared before the Board appealing a decision of the Director of the Department of Community Services. By way of letter of February 13, 1997 to Steve Eagelking, Mr. Schneider stated that his property did not meet the requirements of a subdivision. Mr. Schneider owns a rive acre tract of wound and is constructing a home on a three acre section; the two acre section will be sold for the construction of another home. Mr. Schneider read excerpts from the Ordinance which he felt supported his position. c: .rrunures\bza\i oo- aor Members of the public were invited to speak in favor or opposition to the appeal; none appeared and the public hearing was closed. Mark Monroe reported that after reviewing much of the information submitted by Mr. Schneider, the Department made the determination that this case was a true subdivision as defined by Cannel Zoning Ordinance, and should be platted through the Plan Commission's approval process which is approximately 30 to 90 days. Dick Klar moved to approve A-19-97, Schneider Appeal; the motion was DENIED 0-5. Note: Items 2h., 3h. and 4h. were heard together but voted on separately. 2h. Carmel Library (UV-20-97) Petitioner seeks Use Variance approval to construct a library on 7.7 acres. The site is located at the southeast corner of Main Street and 4th Avenue Southeast. The site is zoned R-2/Residential. Filed by Bill Wendling of Campbell Kyle and Profitt. 311. Carmel Library (V-21-97) Petitioner seeks a Development Standards Variance of Section 8.4.1 of the Carmel/Clay Zoning Ordinance to allow an increase in the allowable height of the library from 25 feet to 50 feet. The site is located at the southeast corner of Main Street and 4th Avenue Southeast. The site is zoned R-2/Residential. Filed by Bill Wendling of Campbell Kyle and Profitt. 4h. Carmel Library (V-22-97) Petitioner seeks a Development Standards Variance of Section 27.2.1 of the Carmel/Clay Zoning Ordinance to allow a parking lot to be located on a separate parcel. The site is located at the southeast corner of Main Street and 4th Avenue Southeast. The site is zoned R-2/Residential. Filed by Bill Wendling of Campbell Kyle and Profitt. Bill Wendling, attorney with Campbell Kyle and Profitt, 650 East Carmel Drive, Suite 400, appeared before the Board representing the Cannel Public Library regarding its request to develop a new facility on the southeast corner of Main Street and 4th Avenue Southeast. Also present on behalf of the petitioner were: Michelle Sachwell and additional members of the Library Board; John Fuchs, executive director of the Library; and members of the Library Building Corporation; Jeff Scherer of Myer, Scherer and Rockcastle, Architects of Minneapolis, Minnesota, chief architects and interior designers of the library; Steve Robinson of Browning, Day, Mullen and Dierdorf, local architects; and construction manager Dave Hall of Geupel DeMars. c:\minutes\bza\1997 apr 3 Presently the library is located directly opposite the Carmel High School on the south side of Main Street; the Christian Church is located immediately west of the existing library and east of an open field at the corner of 4th Avenue SE. The proposed library will be located where the open field is at present. The intersection of 4th and Main is the common designation/location of the property. The library also acquired property to the west of 4th Avenue to be used for a parking facility and drainage basin. The main facility and main parking lot will be located on the east side of the property. The library has submitted three requests for review. A land use variance would approve the construction of the facility on property which carries an R-2 zoning classification. The present library is also located in an R-2 zoning district. The two Developmental Standards Variances would approve an increase in the allowable height of the library and would allow parking to be located on a separate parcel. The entrance into the facility will be on 4th Avenue; the building faces west. There will be a turn- about to allow book drop off without leaving your car. The building was purposely designed to allow access from 4th Avenue rather than Main Street to allow greater traffic control and to better utilise the property. The development of the facility has been located to the north end of the property as much as possible to enhance the character of Main Street and maintain the preservation of the Main Street area. Access to the building will be from the east and south. The parking facility will accommodate 329 cars: the west lot will contain 209 spaces, the south lot will contain 166, and 14 parking spaces for short term around the circle. The turnaround will accommodate three cars abreast. As is currently, the library will continue to lease parking spaces from the Christian Church (40 spaces). Drainage will be handled on the west side of the property (the Marilyn Thomas property.) The new facility will house 300,000 books and can help to accommodate one million circulated items per year. The proposed facility has been calculated to meet the needs of the present day as well as the needs through the year 2020. The petitioner has held a number of public meetings and the main concern deals with traffic, ingress/egress into the property. A traffic engineering study was done by Paul Cripe; the best utilization of the property and facilitation of traffic flow is to entrance the library from 4th Avenue. The current entrance is merely a curb cut and not a through street as 4th Avenue is. Traffic will be heavy at the corner, but it is preferable to having a curb cut on Main Street with no through traffic. The major concern is at 4th Avenue and Main; the library appreciates the fact that something needs to be done at this corner. The Mayor of Carmel has developed a plan for infrastructure which has been presented to the City Council, and the present situation is one of the primary concerns for consideration. It is hoped that the library's plans are flexible enough to handle whatever may be suggested as a remedy for the corner drive. c:'minutes\bza\1997.apr Members of the public were invited to speak in favor of the proposed project; the following appeared: Greg Phillips, 10810 Jordan Road, Carmel, Clay Township, spoke as a member of Friends of the Carmel/Clay Public Library and in support of the proposed facility. Mr. Phillips reported that in the meetings with the public, residents in the area have been and continue to be very enthusiastic. There are concerns regarding traffic, but these will have to be addressed by the City. The facility is viewed as an excellent proposal for the community and it is hoped that the Board will lend its support. Members of the public were invited to speak in remonstrance to the proposed project, the following appeared: Robin Gernstein, 120 Carmel View Drive, wished to raise a strong concern regarding the traffic. Since 1989, the daily traffic flow has increased as a result of the elementary school and its functions, the sports traffic that the Little League generates, the high school traffic and its many related activities. Mr. Gernstein was concerned about increased traffic through his neighborhood which does not have sidewalks and therefore, no safe place for children to walk. The potential bottleneck at Main and 4th will force traffic to find an alternate route and Carmel View Drive is a logical choice. Mr. Gernstein expressed hopes that the parking lots will be installed on 4th Avenue, and that 4th Street will be aligned with Main at the time of construction of the library. Also, heading west on Main from Keystone and turning south into Mr. Gernstein's neighborhood, there is no room for automobiles to go around and traffic is at a standstill. This intersection needs to be looked at seriously from a safety standpoint. The public hearing was then closed. Mr. Wendling stated that it was the petitioner's understanding that there are plans to correct the intersection as it currently exists, be it traffic signali7ation or another means; this would be in the Mayor's bailiwick and it is being presented to the Council for review. The school also had concerns regarding the intersection at 4th and Main at the time the school was renovated. If there is an alignment, the library facility plans will accommodate those plans without interfering with the building structure itself Dick Klar asked if there were plans to widen 4th Avenue, because at present, it is not wide enough to handle the traffic. Bill Wending responded that the plans would be to widen the street as if the 4th Avenue would be aligned. The petitioner is required to install sidewalks along the facility and the petitioner has indicated a willingness to install sidewalks up to Marilyn Thomas' drive. As far as widening the street, yes as it pertains to the intersection, farther south of the intersection would be a question. c:\minutes\bza\1997 apr 5 Dick Klar felt that the street should be widened to at least three lanes, plus the sidewalks, due to the increase in traffic (school buses, cars, vans, etc.) Dick commented that the sooner the alignment on Main Street could occur, even before the commencement of construction, the easier traffic would flow. Commitment for right of way from front of building to the intersection -------- Petitioner commits to "sliver orb' property on the east side of 4th Street as far back to the turnabout as possible, as necessary. Earlene Plavchak raised the question of pedestrian safety from the west parking lot to the library entrance; Mr. Wendling responded that whatever is necessary would be done in order to provide clear and open space for persons to traverse the area, whether that is working with the City to install a crosswalk or installing an automatic sigl at 4th and Main. Ms. Plavchak was concerned for pedestrian safety in the interim construction period, before the completion of the intersection improvements; some sort of cross walk should be provided at the exit from the west parking lot on the opposite side of the street. John Fuchs, director of the library, stated that the lot will be uriii7ed for staff parking generally between the hours of 8:30/9:00 AM. The library would like a crosswalk at that location for staff crossing, and it is anticipated that this particular lot may not be made available to the public in the early years. The lot to the south will accommodate the immediate parking needs of the facility for the first five years and perhaps beyond. Mark Monroe spoke for the Department: The main issue of concern at this particular intersection has been traffic; the Technical Advisory Committee comments have been addressed regarding drainage, utilities, and the fire marshall's concerns. Dick Klar moved to approve Docket No. UV-20-97, Carmel Library, conditioned upon a commitment from the petitioner for additional right-of-way from the front of the building to the intersection of 4th and Main; APPROVED 5-0. Dick Klar moved for the approval of Docket No. V-21-97 and Docket No. V-21-97, Carmel Library, both Dockets APPROVED 5-0. 511. 'son Fence (V-23-97) TABLED BY PETITIONER At this point, the Board took a short recess. c:'minutes\bza\1997 apr