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Carmel Plan Commission
COMMERCIAL COMMITTEE
Tuesday, October 1, 2019 Department Report
5. Docket No. 19070003 DP/ADLS: Valvoline Instant Oil Change – US 421
The applicant seeks site plan and design approval for a new 2,077 sq. ft. oil change facility and 2 variances . The
site is 0.98 acres in size. It is located at 9835 Michigan Road and is Lot 1A of the North Augusta subdivision. It
is zoned B-3 and is within the US 421 Michigan Road Overlay Zone. Filed by Richard Gallegos, III of Valvoline,
LLC.
*Updates to the Dept. Report are written in blue
Project Overview:
The Petitioner seeks approval for a new oil change facility. This site is surrounded to the north (Burger King), east (Home
Depot and Primrose School at West Carmel), and south (Prime Car Wash) by other commercial properties zoned B-
3/Business in the US 421 Overlay Zone. Across Michigan Road are other commercial uses zoned I-1 and also in the US
421 Overlay Zone. Please see the Petitioner’s Information packet for more details.
Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Standards this project MEETS:
US 421 Overlay Zone:
• Permitted Use: Auto/truck repair
• Design Theme consistent with or complimentary to
Federal theme
• Minimum height: 20’ required, 23’6” proposed
• Maximum height: 35’ allowed, 25’5.5” proposed
• Building design has defined base, middle, and top
• No Rooftop mechanical equipment is proposed
• Storefronts not to exceed 75% of the ground level façade
area, about 35% proposed
• Façade materials – brick provided
• 11 parking spaces proposed, 6 spaces required
• Maximum building setback – 120’ allowed, 37.8’
proposed
• Side yard next to business district – 15’ required, 63.47’
proposed north, 45’ proposed south
• Rear yard (east) next to business district – 15’ required,
174’ provided
• 30’ Greenbelt along Michigan required and provided
• Site access provided from common rear road (Walnut
Creek Drive)
B-3 Zone & Article 5:
• Minimum lot area – 10,000 sq. ft.
required, 42,688.8 sq. ft. (0.98 acres)
existing
• Minimum lot width – 100’ required, 147’
proposed
• Maximum lot coverage: 80% allowed,
61% proposed
• Signage
• Bike parking: 2 short term spaces
required, 4 spaces proposed
• Trash dumpster proposed – architecture
matches building design and faces away
from Michigan Road
• Pedestrian connectivity: Paved walkway
from the path to the front door required
and provided
• Lighting
• Landscaping
UDO Standards NOT MET, therefore variance will be required if adjustments cannot be made:
1. Docket No. 19070017 V: UDO Section 3.99 – Minimum gross floor area: 2,500 sq. ft. required, 2,077 sq. ft.
proposed – Approved at the September 23 BZA meeting
2. Docket No. 19070018 V: UDO Section 3.95.F. – Vehicle stacking in a front yard not allowed – Approved at the
September 23 BZA meeting
3. Docket No. 17120015 V: Wall sign facing east towards private drive instead of towards public street (Approved at
the 1-22-2018 BZA meeting)
Site Plan, Parking and Engineering:
The proposed project fronts the building along Michigan Road with the parking to the rear. Site access will be from both
US 421 through an existing curb cut and off of the private drive (Walnut Creek Drive) to the east. 11 spaces are provided
and only 6 are required for this type of use (2 spaces per service bay). Drainage will be handled through a previously
approved system that leads to several ponds that were built to accommodate this whole retail development.
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This is lot 1 of the North Augusta subdivision and it is 0.98 acres. Because these lots of the North Augusta subdivision
were platted prior to September 7, 1988 (platted in 1949), they meet the requirements of the US 421 Overlay Zone and do
not have to have the minimum 3 acres for a Development Plan.
Active Transportation:
There is an existing path along US 421. The Petitioner will provide a sidewalk connection to the front doors of the
building that continues on to the parking lot. Bicycle parking is proposed at the northwest corner of the building. Four
spaces are proposed when two are required.
Architectural Design:
The proposed building design is complimentary to the Federal Style. Two colors of brick are proposed – a dark brown
brick on the bottom and a lighter gray brick for the upper portion of the building. It will have a pitched roof with gray
shingles. The front of the building that faces US 421 will have a larger tower feature to help give the building the
appearance of a 1.5 story building. This front part of the building is also where the waiting room is located. There will be
a stone ledge at the top of the wainscot (at 4’ tall from the ground) and there will be a soldier course (bricks standing on
end) row of bricks near the top of the building as an accent. The tower portion of the building will feature a brick
“framed” area on three sides, to help provide more detail in the façade design as provide a spandrel panel area for a sign.
Bricked-in window features will have a herringbone pattern on the west, east and north facades. The east facade will also
have a place for a wall sign, which was previously approved for this site under Docket No. 17120015 V. The building will
have three garage bay doors for the servicing of vehicles.
The dumpster enclosure will be 6’8” tall and will be located at the rear of the property. It is designed to match the
building, using the same brick for the wainscot and upper portion of the enclosure. It will be accessed from the north, with
the brown steel gates/doors not facing towards Michigan Road.
Lighting:
Wall mounted lights are proposed above the entry doors on the north, south, and west facades of the building. Parking lot
pole lights will be installed at 24’ and 12’ tall around the site. The lighting plan has been revised to meet the maximum
illumination level of 0.3 footcandles at all property lines.
Landscaping:
The US 421 Overlay requires a 30’ greenbelt along its frontage, and this is provided with the proposed site plan.
Building base landscaping is proposed, as well as landscaping in the parking lot islands, along the perimeter of the site
and in the greenbelt. The Urban Forester has now approved the landscape plan.
Signage:
One sign per public street is permitted by the UDO. This site has secondary access from a private street, Walnut Creek
Drive, to the east. A variance was granted for this site in early 2018 for a wall sign to face east towards the private street.
The petitioner will utilize both opportunities for wall signs. The proposed size is 46 sq. ft. and will be 40% of the height
and 85% of the width of the spandrel panel area. Up to 70% of the height is allowed and 85% of the width is allowed.
Other small signs are proposed, such as lane numbers and exit signs, which will be 3 sq. ft. or less and be considered
exempt per the UDO.
September 17 Public Hearing recap:
The Petitioner went over the project and discussed details. This oil change facility has the customer stay in their car,
unless work is needed on the tires, then the customer waits in the waiting room. There will be eight employees at their
busiest time. This is a tough site with half of it non-buildable. Plan Commission members had questions about the color of
the venting, limiting the number of a similar use in the corridor (the City does not limit these uses) and the vision of the
US 421 Corridor. This item was sent to the Commercial Committee meeting on October 1, 2019 with final voting
authority.
DOCS Remaining Comments/Concerns: None.
Recommendation:
The Dept. of Community Services recommends the Commercial Committee votes to Approve this item.