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HomeMy WebLinkAboutProject Description and Comp Plan Statement EXHIBIT “D” PROJECT DESCRPITION AND COMPREHENISVE PLAN STATEMENT The applicant, Hoffman Developer, LLC, (“Hoffman”) has filed an rezone application pertaining to two (2) parcels of real estate that consist of approximately 60 acres that are located south of and adjacent to 146th Street and approximately 1/8 mile east of Towne Road (collectively, the “Real Estate”). The Real Estate is shown on the enclosed Site Location Map and is currently zoned S-1 Residential. The current use of the property is agricultural and it is across from property on the north side of 146th Street zoned for intense commercial development including large retail and office uses, to the east is the Autumn Wood Farms subdivision, the Saddle Creek subdivision abuts the Real Estate to the east, south and west and west of the site along 146th street is an approximately 16 acre undeveloped agricultural parcel adjacent to Towne Road. Hoffman is seeking to rezone the Real Estate to the “Ambleside Point Planned Unit Development Ordinance” (“Ambleside Point PUD”) in order to develop a high-quality, for sale, Single-Family Residential and Attached Residential community on the Real Estate that will consist of a maximum of two-hundred and sixty-five (265) homes. Expected prices for homes will start in the high $200,000’s for the townhomes, from the mid $300,000’s for homes on internal lots and from the $400,000’s for homes on lots along the east, south and west perimeter of the Real Estate as illustrated on the enclosed Concept Plan. As illustrated on the Concept Plan, three (3) home product areas are proposed including single-family lots shown in yellow along the east perimeter of the site next to lots in the Saddle Creek subdivision, north of the expanded existing pond to the south, and along the woodlot conservation area on the west side of the Real Estate. The woodlot, and internal common space, including walking paths and other passive amenities, will provide a minimum of 25% Open Space within the community. Single-family lots are also proposed within the interior area shown in brown on the Concept Plan. These lots are smaller than the lots along the perimeter of the Real Estate adjacent to Saddle Creek and will accommodate home product similar to the homes seen today within the Village of West Clay. The area shown in orange, closest to 146th Street on the Concept Plan, is planned for 2-story and 3-story Townhomes. The fronts of the townhomes will face 146th Street with garages to the rear of the dwellings. Character Illustrations of all potential home products are included as exhibits to the Ambleside Point PUD Ordinance. Access to the Real Estate will be provided by: (i) an existing “stub street” to the east connecting to Saddle Creek; (ii) the extension of a Collector Street (Beaument Boulevard) from 141st, as illustrated on the City of Carmel Thoroughfare Plan, within right-of-way previously dedicated as part of the Saddle Creek subdivision specifically for this purpose; and, (iii) connections to the frontage road along the south side of 146th Street which provide access to Towne Road to the west and Ditch Road to the east. The subject Real Estate and surrounding area south of 146th Street is designated on the Comprehensive Plan’s Land Use Plan map as Vision “2020 Plan Very Low Intensity” residential. Although the Comprehensive Plan designates the Real Estate as “Vision “2020 Plan Very Low Intensity” residential, it is noteworthy that: (i) surrounding the site to the east, south and west, as noted above, is the Saddle Creek neighborhood which is “Suburban Residential” in character per the Land Classifications of the Comprehensive Plan; (ii) the Real Estate is located south of and adjacent to the 146th Street Primary Arterial as identified on the Thoroughfare Plan, a major east/west traffic corridor; and, (iii) the area north of 146th Street includes property zoned for intense retail and office uses as illustrated on the enclosed Site Context Map. As previously noted, the Real Estate is approximately 60 acres in area and presents a unique opportunity for development of multiple for-sale residential home products that provide appropriate transitions: (i) between the surrounding neighborhoods to the south and east; (ii) internal to the development; and, (iii) adjacent to 146th Street and future higher intensity retail and office uses. The proposed Ambleside Point community, as evidenced by the enclosed Ambleside Point PUD and Concept Plan, includes design standards which meet the land use suggestions found in the Comprehensive Plan for “Suburban Residential” and “Attached Residential” development as applicable, including but not limited to: (i) diversifying housing opportunities including proposed single family and attached residential land uses; (ii) appropriate density next to major thoroughfares and less density adjacent to existing subdivisions; (iii) a variety of home products including one and two-story homes with enhanced architectural standards next to existing subdivisions; (iv) positioning the fronts of dwellings facing 146th Street; (v) providing internal and external bicycle and pedestrian connectivity; and, (vi) protecting existing environmental features. The single-family area of the plan falls under the “Suburban Residential” description of the Comprehensive Plan which is a “Best Fit” next to existing Suburban Residential (Saddle Creek) and the townhome area adjacent to 146th Street falls under the description for the “Attached Residential” classification under the Comprehensive Plan and is considered: (i) most appropriate when adjacent to major thoroughfares and commercial centers; and, (ii) a “Conditional Fit” next to Suburban Residential. Conditional Fits are deemed appropriate when the more intense development (the townhomes) is designed with sensitivity to the adjacent land classifications (to the east and internal to the south and west, as applicable in this case). In addition to the Land Use Plan considerations, the proposed Ambleside Point community meets certain “City Wide Policies and West Carmel Polices and Objectives” of the Comprehensive Plan, including but not limited to: (i) providing an innovative community design sensitive to appropriate transition between 146th Street and adjacent residential uses utilizing multiple design principals to soften transitions; (ii) including the conservation of existing wood lots; (iii) providing enhanced architectural quality; (iv) providing critical subdivision connectivity as illustrated on the Thoroughfare Plan; (v) expanding the variety of available housing options and styles with mixed-use residential; and, (vi) continuing the expansion of both bicycle and pedestrian connectivity in the community and in areas within a close walking or riding distance to future commercial and retail services resulting in increased mobility further enhancing quality of life.