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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDepartment Report 10-28-1912 CARMEL BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS DEPARTMENT REPORT OCT. 28, 2019 (V) Carmel Hotel and Office. The applicant seeks the following development standards variance approvals: 5. Docket No. 19090015 V UDO Section 2.40 Min. 20’ north side yard setback required for surface parking/building required, 5’ proposed in one area and 30’ proposed in another. 6. Docket No. 1909016 V UDO Section 5.07.D At least 2 primary buildings required for wide lot width covering at least 75% of the lot’s width; 45% lot width coverage proposed. 7. Docket No. 1909017 V UDO Sections 2.40 and 5.19.F No parking lot setbacks/bufferyards along future shared property line between buildings. The 2.6-acre site is located at 12166 N. Meridian St. It is zoned MC/Meridian Corridor. Filed by Brad Schrage of American Structurepoint on behalf of Michael Garvey of Diversified Land Acquisitions, LLC. General Info & Analysis: The Petitioner seeks variance approvals related to setbacks/bufferyards and building massing related to a proposed development plan for two new buildings to be constructed on the vacant ADT site located north of the Ritz Charles. A five story hotel with 127 rooms and a three story office building with 48,000 sq. ft. of floor area are proposed. The Meridian Medical Plaza office buildings are located immediately north of this site, to the west is the Spring Lake Estates neighborhood zoned S-2, and to the east across Meridian Street is the Wagner Reese office building, also zoned MC. Please see the Petitioner’s informational packet for more detail on the variance requests. North Side Yard Setback Variance: A minimum 20’ wide north side yard setback is required for surface parking/building and a 5-ft width is proposed in one area and 30’ proposed in another. Many existing trees exist on the site today and should be preserved within the required setback areas . Petitioner: Why can’t the site plan be amended to show the 19 parking spaces located along the north side of the building becoming angled parking and the drive becoming a one-way drive aisle (reducing the pavement width in that area)? The Planning Dept. is not supportive of this variance request. At the Plan Commission hearing, one neighbor spoke in remonstrance, concerned about the number of large mature trees on site that will be lost. The trees also provide good sound and visual buffers to the homes located west of Illinois St. from the noise of US 31. Building Massing Variance: : At least 2 primary buildings are required for wide lot width covering at least 75% of the lot’s width; 45% lot width coverage is proposed. The two buildings will be provided. However, the challenge is fitting the required amount of parking spaces, landscaping, etc. on a site, while still trying to construct buildings that are wider in frontage width and usable by an end client. The Planning Dept. is supportive of this variance request, as two buildings will be provided. Shared Property Line Setback Variance: If the overall development plan is approved, the petitioner would like to split the existing parcel into two lots for separate ownerships of each building. This will cause a property line to run east/west down the middle of the site. No parking lot setbacks/bufferyards will be provided along that future shared property line between buildings. The Planning Dept. is supportive of this variance request, because the overall site plan (development plan) would still be in compliance. Petitioner’s Findings of Fact: Please refer to the petitioner’s Findings of Facts included in their info packet. (The BZA attorney will write up any negative findings of fact.) Recommendation: The Dept. of Community Services (DOCS) recommends negative consideration of Docket No. 19090015 V (north bufferyard width/setback). And, DOCS recommends positive consideration of Docket Nos. 19090016- 17 V (building massing and shared property line setback).