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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDepartment Report 10-15-19 8 CARMEL PLAN COMMISSION DEPARTMENT REPORT OCTOBER 15, 2019 4. Docket No. 19090007 SW: Monon Crossing Waiver - UDO 7.25.E.3.A: Connectivity: All developments shall connect to existing stub streets The applicant seeks a design standard waiver approval to not connect to a public street for a new townhouse subdivision. 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: Monon Crossing was heard at the August Plan Commission meeting for a rezone, primary plat, development plan, and ADLS to allow a new subdivision with 60 townhomes. During the review process, staff requested the street in Block C connect fully to the existing stub street to the south. The petitioner has chosen not to connect these streets and instead has filed a waiver. Please see the petitioner’s information package for more information. Additional Analysis: The Dept. recommends that the Plan Commission hear this waiver request with the Rezone, Primary Plat, DP, and ADLS dockets which are listed under Old Business this evening. Then all of the items relating to Monon Crossing can be reviewed and voted on together. Please refer to the Monon Crossing Rezone and Primary Plat department report (listed below under Dockets 19050017 through 19050018) for further analysis of the overall development. Connectivity Waiver: 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. In general, providing connected streets is very important for many reasons, including the health, safety, convenience, and harmonious development of the community. Connecting neighborhoods via a local street network will help our firefighters and police officers take the best route to an emergency so they can provide help quickly. A connected street network is also important to the community as a whole when there is a concern for increased traffic. Without good street connectivity, residents and service vehicles are forced onto the City’s main streets, even for a short local trip. This increases traffic volume and congestion for all. Monon Crossing will have a full public street connection to Rohrer Rd. so the connection to Autumn Lake would not be the main route used by Monon Crossing residents. However, the connection will provide an access point in case there is an emergency or the main entrance is accidentally blocked in Monon Crossing or in Autumn Lake. The connection will also reduce the time that service vehicles are in the neighborhood, like delivery and trash trucks. Instead of servicing Autumn Lake and then having to go back out through the neighborhood to Rohrer Rd. and in to Monon Crossing, the delivery vehicle could just enter from the connected street. Autumn Lake Subdivision was required to have a stub street so that a future neighborhood could connect, and that thoughtful planning should be continued today. DOCS Remaining Comments/Concerns: If a full street connection to Autumn Lake is not feasible, then Staff would recommend the connection allow for service vehicles to use it. There would be no gate, but signage could be installed to limit the use of the street. Perhaps there is also some pavement treatment that could be done to signify that the road is not meant for daily travel. Recommendation: The Dept. of Community Services recommends the Plan Commission votes to Approve this item this evening with the Condition that service vehicles will be allowed to use the street connection between neighborhoods.