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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes RES 11-07-19 �,\�Q,aivCi9�1C! z of � y of C /No AO Carmel Plan Commission RESIDENTIAL COMMITTEE Thursday, November 7, 2019 Meeting Minutes LOCATION: CAUCUS ROOMS CARMEL CITY HALL,2ND FLOOR ONE CIVIC SQUARE CARMEL,IN 46032 Members Present: Nick Kestner Susan Westermeier-Chair Brad Grabow-Alternate Members Absent: Carrie Holle Tom Kegley Staff Present: Alexia Lopez-Planning Administrator Joe Shestak-Administrative Assistant Mike Hollibaugh-Director of DOCS Legal Counsel: John Molitor Meeting Time: 6:00 p.m. The Residential Committee met to review the following items. 1. WITHDRAWN-Docket No. 18010004 Z: Westbridge PUD Rezone. Development. The site is located at 1281 W. 106th with ISBG Capital, LLC. 2. Docket No. 19080006 PP: Smokey Row Road & Monon Primary Plat The applicant seeks site plan and primary plat approval for a new mixed use development on 27.84 acres,which will include apartments, townhomes, condominiums, single-family homes and retail and office. The site is located on the north side of Smokey Row Road, between the Monon Greenway and Meridian Street and is zoned UR/Urban Residential and PI/Park and Recreation. Filed by Rebecca McGuckin of Old Town Companies, LLC. Petitioner: Justin Moffitt,Old Town Companies, LLC. • Rebecca McGuckin is with me tonight. She is the project lead on the community outreach for this project • We would like to address the comments made at the last Plan Commission meeting • Most of the comments made was about the commercial node on the west side of the development • We started this process two years ago. We wanted to go over what would be the best fit for UR • We wanted to transition the density from commercial all the way to single family residential • We wanted to have a good green space and preserve as many trees as possible. Our green space was planned around the higher quality trees, water streams, and urban farm space. • We want to the use the existing ordinances to define the land use • All of our buildings will have a residential component. The lower levels can be commercial with the upper floors 1 Residential Committee Minutes 11-7-19 being residential. 60%of the overall gross sq. ft. will be residential space. • Our UV request for the BZA is for an urban farm to table restaurant. We want a sustainable use for the existing historic building.This will be an amenity for this development. • Per the UR,we are down-zoning the density by having a single family residential area within this development • We wanted to avoid the PUD process • We looked at providing an alternate access to the NE portion of this development per Staffs request. We wanted more circulation,but we can't do it without eliminating some of our green space and increasing our costs. • We looked at placing another road within the site. There's a very steep grade within this site along the creek. We would have to place a bridge that spans 120' and this structure would cost$3-$4 million. We struggled to find an ultimate decision so we created a loop. • Staff asked for sidewalks on both sides of every road.There is an area where there's only a sidewalk on one side of the street but there's a path that goes around both sides of the building along this road. • There's been a lot of discussion on the amount of parking space design and area. We want to make sure that car headlights would not be shining into the homes. • We've had discussions with the Parks Dept.about providing an extension/connection to Meadow Lark Park. We will provide a 10' wide path along the north side of Smokey Row Road. • There's a 14' grade change from the existing Hagen Burke Trail to the developments property,where there's an existing wetland. To extend the Hagan Burke Trail,we would have to fill in a wetland area,which we don't want to do. That is why there is an offset in the extension of the Hagan Burke Trail and it will come into the site from further north. • We met with the neighbors of Kensington Place(KP)to discuss traffic concerns.Presented a rendering of sight view from leaving the entrance of KP. The buildings directly across from KP would be 3 stories,about the height of a townhome. We are willing to make a commitment to not have a building more than 3 stories high. We are willing not to have any commercial signage facing KP and our signage would not be lit up. • We have had discussions with City Engineering about the drainage and road improvements to Smokey Row. Road improvements will be planned once the Engineering Dept. sees what will happen with this site. The Engineering Dept.would like to do these improvements in 2020. We will contribute to the thoroughfare fund. The construction of the roundabout will help deviate some of the traffic. But there will be traffic problems due to the Cannel High School schedule and the bottle neck effect of Smokey Row/136th Street. Department Report: Alexia Lopez • We had some remaining comments and concerns that they addressed here tonight • They have added sidewalks to the street north of the townhomes and on the west side of the street that loops to the condo building • We could use some input on the angle parking in front of the single family homes. Concerns of lights into the homes can be solved if the homes are built on higher ground and shrubs are planted between the parking spaces and homes. • They addressed our comment on the Hagen Burke trail connection and they talked about having a future connection to Meadow Lark Park with a 12' wide multi-use path—they need to show this on their plans. • We want to make sure the multi-use path continues along Smokey Row.Justin Moffett: The ROW exists to include a path along Smokey Row. • They are going to work with the State to add landscaping along US 31, including trees in the State ROW to create a nice buffer and streetscape. Justin Moffett: We can work with the State to install these street trees. • We asked for a traffic analysis. Justin Moffett: The traffic analysis called for a roundabout design in the land plan. We can provide traffic information and some people might still treat it as an opinion instead of fact. We don't want to spend 15k so we will refer to the findings of the City Engineering Department. Mike Hollibaugh: We don't hang our hats on approving this project based on a traffic study. We know what the existing traffic situation is. The traffic is going to exist during the peak hours.The City is designing the street to create a safer situation for the traffic that uses Smokey Row. • We want an official document that states your commitment to have the homes face Smokey Row and the historic home will be preserved. Justin Moffett: We can commit to these items. • Can the path go along the east side of the historic home instead in front of the home? Justin Moffett: We want 2 Residential Committee Minutes 11-7-19 to adjust this on our plans. • Do you have a plan for the parcel to the east and incorporate into the overall plan? Justin Moffett: I do not have a plan,but we can come up with an exhibit. It's an old farm house with a large tree area. • Are you showing how the street will be constructed?Can you label them to show the curbs,gutters,etc.?Justin Moffett: I'm certain they are designed per City Standards since they will be City Streets. • What's the difference between the sight view renderings? Justin Moffett: One has a median with a curb cut option that trees can be planted on and one doesn't have a median. • There are Engineering comments they will need to continue to address • We now understand the grade change that won't allow for another street and access to the NE portion of the site • Staff is pleased with the overall layout of the site plan Committee Comments: Nick: Is it possible to put a multi-use path on the north side along the US 31 frontage road instead of a sidewalk?Justin Moffett: We will present this to you at next month's meeting. Nick: I would like have this path for bicyclists to use to get to the commercial nodes.Alexia Lopez: Staff agrees with this. Nick: Can you present more information about the Urban Farm? Rebecca McGuckin: Its 5.2 acres that have been dedicated in a trust. A non-profit entity holds this land.The majority of this land will stay in its native habitat. We would like to use this space as an amenity but also allow the community at-large to use it. Justin Moffett: The trust component is in place to make sure the land use never changes. We want the farm to table experience. We want to establish a mentoring program.This space will be functional for the community and neighborhood. Rebecca McGuckin: We are asking the BZA for a waiver to have a farm stand. Alexia Lopez: It is shown on the plat as a conservation easement. Justin Moffett: We are involving the Cannel Parks Depart. It's a locally regulated floodplain that you can mitigate at a 1-1 ratio. This is several acres of developable land that we elected to pull out of being able to use other than green space. IVirginia Kerr,Kensington Place resident: May I ask a question?Are you able to connect to Meadow Lark Park here? Points to map. Justin Moffett: There's been discussion about the Parks Dept. acquiring this land to create a connection to Meadow Lark. Dr.Tim Hannon,Smokey Row Road resident: Can I make a comment?I live near here and I'm aware of the flooding,but I don't know if there's anything we can do anything with it. The area naturally floods. I am concerned of not doing a traffic study or plan. You will face a lot criticism for not conducting one. Be thoughtful in waiving any requirements for the approval process. Justin Moffett: We have a desire to have a conversation about the traffic. We struggle in how we arbitrate an agreement. We have talked to civil engineers and City Engineering about the traffic problems. We know the road grade for 15-20 minutes in the morning is a C-unless we do something with the high school traffic. When we add this development, it will be still be a C-/D+. Its zoned UR and this type of development is allowed. The roundabout is not required but we are proactively working with City Engineering on adding a roundabout. We look at different places to line up the access. There's still going to be a bottle neck due to the high school traffic for 40 minutes a day. Mike Hollibaugh: We need to invest on the infrastructure to making it safer instead of measuring what's coming in and out. Brad: We can assure this project is designed to access Smokey Row at the appropriate points and minimalize the negative impact of Smokey Row. The need to redevelop Smokey Row is already here. Justin Moffett: We would like to create additional traffic calming mechanisms by adding street table top crossing at the roundabout and by Meadow Lark. Dr.Tim Hannon: Make sure there's a very clear discussion at these public meetings. Virginia Kerr: Is the road getting widened? Justin Moffett: Yes,and we have dedicated the extra ROW and it's not required by us, but it's beneficial to us to have these road improvements. Brad: Is there a public safety concern that came up in TAC about having another access point? I know Staff wanted another access point. Justin Moffett: This is not a public safety concern. The way its setup now is the outgoing traffic of this development will have to exit out through the roundabout. IBrad: Is there any ribbon curbing for surface draining?Justin Moffett: I don't have an answer to that. Our design preference would be chair back curb. Brad: Where would all the trash and delivery trucks park for the restaurant? Justin Moffett: We will present that in our 3 Residential Committee Minutes 11-7-19 ADLS process when we bring that forward. Brad: Are you willing to commit to the 3 story height of the office building? Justin Moffett: Yes,just for the office component. We are allowed 4-5 stories for the multi-family buildings. Brad: What's the grade difference between the north side of Smokey Row and KP? Justin Moffett: The goal is to have the buildings along US 31 to be higher than the highway to provide a sound buffer. Virginia Kerr: What's the height difference between KP and the office building? Justin Moffett: We can provide a Smokey Row Road cross section along the west portion of this development,just north of KP. Nick: Are all the sidewalks 5' or 6' wide? Justin Moffett: I need to confirm with our engineers and get back with you. Brad: Will there be a greenspace strip between the nose end street parking and sidewalk? Justin Moffett: Our plans shows a 16' paved surface,with a 6' green space and a 5' sidewalk. We need to correct the 5' sidewalk to 6'. Brad: We need to make sure the sidewalk is wide enough and functional if the parked car is hanging over the sidewalk. It could be as simple as adding a parking block. Justin Moffett: I'll get back with you on this. Brad: Are the single family houses front or rear loading? Looks like there's no opportunity to include a sidewalk in front of the front loading houses. Justin Moffett: We can include a sidewalk in front of those 3 homes. We will update our plans to show this. Brad: What other uses can the restaurant be if it were to fail? Justin Moffett: The foundation we are partnering with is functioning as a non-profit type use. The urban farm and historic building will stay and we could use it as a community gathering space. If it doesn't function as a restaurant,there's no loss. Sue: Can it be used for commercial use,such as a bank? Justin Moffett: We are willing to make a commitment to not develop this building as a business. It will serve as a community clubhouse. Alexia Lopez: The UR does allow for mixed use building,but they filed for a variance to use it as a standalone restaurant. Brad: We do need to address what the options are for this building, for the sake of the neighbors. Justin Moffett: We did meet with Planning Staff this week to discuss this and make sure that doesn't happen. Sue: We want a more detail map of the surrounding areas. Justin Moffett: I followed up with Mr. Potasnik to find out his intentions of his inquiry. The most relevant neighbors are KP. Sue: This development will bring in 300 additional homes, so the concern is what else is around this development so we don't overlook anything. What else can be done with the traffic,because I know it's not just the high school students. I'm not asking for a traffic analysis. We know the traffic grade is a C or D. We know Smokey Row is not going to get wider. Will Smokey Row be improved before construction is started on this development? Mike Hollibaugh: The road will be improved first but that won't solve the traffic. Justin Moffett: The roundabout design will help calm the traffic coming through this area. Sue: How do you visualize the parking in UR development? I don't see them walking. How much is the parking reduced? Alexia Lopez: There's less parking because of the UR zoning district. Brad: There's a shared parking concept,per the UR. Justin Moffett: We are designing to the UR standards. We are looking to have 20%of the units for affordable housing for adults with developmental disabilities who don't drive,about 48 units. We also live in a walkable community that has many walkable employers from our site. The idea is you don't need a car. Sue: Come up with some creative ideas for the traffic concerns and patterns. Docket No. 19080006 PP will continue to the Dec.3,2019 Residential Committee. The meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m. o 'er"' _ laAbl\PIM2VL, oe Shestak—Recording Secretary Susan Westermeier—Chair 4 Residential Committee Minutes 11-7-19