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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDepartment Report 12-17-192 CARMEL PLAN COMMISSION DEPARTMENT REPORT DECEMBER 17, 2019 2. Docket No. 19100008 DP/ADLS: Lakeside R & D Building The applicant seeks site plan and design approval for a 20,000 sq. ft. R & D building. The site is 1.57 acres in size. It is located at 635 West Carmel Drive. It is zoned PUD (Atapco Z-581-13). Filed by Jim Shinaver and Jon Dobosiewicz of Nelson & Frankenberger on behalf of the owner, Atapco Carmel, LLC. Project Overview: The Petitioner seeks approval to build a new research and development building. Located immediately west of this building is the existing Lakeside Office building (Docket No. 14120002 ADLS Amend), to the north is the Lakeside Retail building (Docket No. 15120009 DP/ADLS), and the Lakeside Apartments (Docket No. 14030017 DP/ADLS). To the east of this building are two existing office buildings along Carmel Drive, also part of the Atapco PUD (Docket No. 13040021 Z). South of this site is a single family residential parcel, zoned R-1. Please see the Petitioner’s Information Packet for more details. Background Info: The tenant for this proposed R & D building is BraunAbility. BraunAbility is a global company and industry leader that specializes in research and development and manufacturing of wheelchair accessible vehicles and wheelchair lifts. In October of 2019, BraunAbility moved its global headquarters to the City of Carmel with offices at 645 West Carmel Drive. BraunAbility plans to occupy the proposed 20,000 square foot building with research and development functions within a short distance of its corporate office. Planned Unit Development (PUD) Standards this Project MEETS: Section 5 – Office and Residential Use Block Use Table: • Permitted Use – Research Laboratory/Facility and General Offices Development Standards Matrix: • Minimum tract size – 1.54 acres (overall 11.48 – this parcel) • Minimum building setback from Carmel Drive – 10’ required and proposed • Maximum Front Building Setback – 30’ required, 10’ proposed • Minimum Side/Year Yard Building Setback – 30’ required, 400’ west/600’ + east side proposed and 235’ rear proposed • Maximum building height when Building is adjacent to R-1 zoned property – the lesser of 40’ or 3 floors required, 36’6” to top of screenwall/30’6” to top of building proposed • Maximum lot coverage – 80% allowed, 78.95% total proposed • Minimum distance between buildings – 20’ required, 170’ proposed to the west and 100’ proposed to the east Architectural Standards: • Permitted materials – storefront and curtain wall, exposed structure (pre-cast concrete panel) • No building façade will extend for a distance greater than two times its average height without a vertical offset, material change, or color and texture change – provided through brick, faux windows, glass, smooth concrete panels • Vertical offsets shall be a minim of two feet in depth, 2.5’ proposed • No building façade will extend for a distance greater than 5 times its height without a change in elevation – 106’ and 80’ proposed, up to 152.5’ allowed • All rooftop HVAC will be screened from view Section 7 – Landscaping Requirements • Meets all with exception of two mentioned below (expected to be resolved with Urban Forester) Section 8 – Lighting Requirements • Coordinated throughout development • Light fixtures not to exceed 25’ Section 9 – Signage Requirements • No signage proposed at this time Section 10 – Parking Requirements • Parking must be located behind the front building setback • Bicycle parking shall comply with UDO Section 11 – Pedestrian Circulation • Sidewalks to connect to sidewalks within the public right-of-way and paths internal to the real estate • Coordinated and provided to adjoining properties Section 13 – Additional Requirements & Standards • Minimum half ROW for Carmel Drive – 50’ required and proposed (dedication necessary) 3 Planned Unit Development (PUD) Standards NOT MET: None Site Plan and Parking: The location of the proposed R&D building will be in roughly the same spot as the office building that used to be in this location until it was removed in 2016. The building is brought up to Carmel Drive with parking in the rear. Access into the site is through the common drive, which is directly across from Clark Street. No new curb cuts are proposed. The new building will have a garage door entry on the west building elevation, but it will be accessed through the interior parking lot. This will be used to bring vehicles in for study and research in order to modify them for consumer needs. The existing parking lot will be modified, with 22 parking spaces removed for the addition of this building and the reconfiguration of the drive aisle into the site. 57 new spaces will be added, primarily to the west of the new building, for a net of 35 additional spaces. New parking aisle end-cap planters will be added back, to help define the drive aisle and guide patrons through the site, as it does today. Engineering: The drainage of this site is master planned with the rest of the Atapco PUD to accommodate stormwater in the pond located north of this site (surrounded by the apartments). The Petitioner is currently working with the Engineering Dept. to address their remaining review comments. Active Transportation: The Thoroughfare Plan for the City requires a 10’ asphalt path along Carmel Drive. The Petitioner is proposing to pay into the Non-reverting Thoroughfare Fund for the cost of the path instead of building it, as there is an existing sidewalk in place along Carmel Drive. Two new sidewalks will connect with the existing sidewalk along Carmel Drive. One will go from the front door facing Carmel Drive and one will be on the east side of the new building, adjacent to the existing trees that will be protected along the vehicular entrance drive. A sidewalk will be added along the back side of the building, adjacent to the new parking spaces on the south side of the building. This sidewalk will be extended to the west to connect to the sidewalk in front of the one-story Lakefront Office building. Four bicycle parking spaces are proposed at the south entry to the building, which is one of the main entrances and complies with UDO requirements. Architectural Design: The building will be constructed of pre-cast concrete panels with reveals, matching the aesthetic created by the Lakeside Office building to the west. In the Petitioner’s info packet under Tab 6, there is a photo of the existing office building to show the relationship between the design of that office building and this proposed new R & D building. A stone base is provided around the entire building. The first floor will be brick with openings for windows, as well as some faux window openings. The faux windows will be part of the concrete panel, painted a dark gray to match the faux windows of the second story. The inside of the building will be completely open; there is no actual second floor. However, the owner wants the building to be able to be converted to a two story in the future if needed. The faux window openings could be removed with real windows installed. They are designed appropriately and line up with the windows on the first floor. The corners of the building project out and have two stories of real windows in the NW and NE corners. The back side of the building has faux windows on all bump-out elements. There are four entries into the building, one on each side. The West and East elevations are simple, single doors. The north and south elevations have larger glass panels spanning the two stories for a grander entrance. The north elevation has an upper metal cornice/trellis feature that matches the office building to the west. This gives a more prominent presence along Carmel Drive. Lighting: Six new parking lot light poles will be added around the new parking area and drive aisles. They will be 22’6” tall, black pole and head, with LED lights. The photometric plan meets the requirements of 0.3 footcandles at the property line. Landscaping: Building base landscaping is proposed on all four sides of the building. Around the new parking areas, trees and shrubs will be added to screen the view of these parking spaces. 10 new street trees will be planted along Carmel Drive, with five in front of the new parking area and five in front of the new building. Four new trees will be added back in to the parking lot islands that are being replaced. The Urban Forester has two minor outstanding comments from his review of the 4 plans. The first is to change out the proposed species for street trees. This is to ensure a tall variety that will not block the road as it grows. The second is to add tree protection fencing to all pages of the plan set in order to ensure contractors protect the existing trees next to the vehicular entrance. Signage: Signage is not proposed at this time. If the tenant would like to install signage, locations have been called out on the elevations for future signage to be placed. It would need to meet all requirements of the UDO and apply for sign permit approval. DOCS Comments/Concerns: The Department has reviewed this project and has no major outstanding items to address. The Petitioner has been working with the Department on the design of the building to make modifications to improve the aesthetics prior to submittal for Plan Commission approval. The existing site plan needed minor modifications to fit this building onto the pad ready site. Recommendation: The Department of Community Services recommends the Plan Commission votes to suspend its Rules of Procedures to vote to Approve this item this evening, subject to Urban Forestry and Engineering Dept. approvals.