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CARMEL PLAN COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT REPORT
JUNE 16, 2020
2. Docket No. 19120006 PP: Legacy Townhomes– Primary Plat
3. Docket No. 19120007 ADLS: Legacy Townhomes– ADLS
The applicant seeks primary plat and site & architectural design approval for 142 lots (single-family attached) on
12 acres. The site is located south 146th Street and west of Community Drive. It is zoned Legacy PUD/Planned
Unit Development (Z-501-07). Filed by Jim Shinaver of Nelson and Frankenberger on behalf of Lennar Homes
of Indiana.
*Updates to the Dept. Report since the first Plan Commission meeting are written in blue
Project Overview:
The petitioner is proposing to build new townhomes in the Legacy PUD District. The Legacy PUD permits this use as
attached dwellings and requires not only primary plat approval, but also ADLS approval for review of the design. The
project is located north of Cherry Creek Blvd. and west of Community Dr. To the east of the site is the Play School at
Legacy, South is an unbuilt section of The Grove at the Legacy, and north is undeveloped land. Please see the
Petitioner’s Information packet for more details.
PUD requirements the project MEETS:
• Minimum front yard
• Minimum perimeter yard
• Maximum height of building
• Permitted building materials
• Required window openings
• Each entry will have a covered stoop
Primary Plat, Site Plan, Parking and Engineering:
This primary plat includes 142 townhome units in 22 buildings, common areas, sidewalks, guest parking, and private
streets. The Legacy PUD specifically allows for private streets with approval from the Plan Commission. There is
currently only one way in and one way out of the development by way of Equality Blvd. In the future, the subdivision
will connect to the south through 2 other streets, however The Grove at the Legacy Subdivision will need to be completed
to build those street connections. The drainage will be handled through a master planned swale to the south of the
property that is shared by other developments. Only part of the swale is built today, and it is not on the land included in
this project. Therefore, the subdivision would not be able to get their stormwater permit until there are plans to build the
drainage swale.
The minimum amount of parking required is 1.5 spaces per dwelling. The subdivision meets this requirement by
providing garages for all units, driveways behind the garages, and 36 guest parking spaces. There will also be on street
parking along Equality Boulevard, which the developer enlarged that street per the request of staff.
Active Transportation:
A 12’ bike promenade is required along Larson Drive per the PUD. This path will eventually connect 146th Street with
Cherry Creek Blvd. Sidewalks are provided throughout the townhome development along the public and private streets to
connect common areas as well as provide access to the guest parking. Staff has requested short term bicycle parking be
added, and the petitioner has added these to the site plan.
Architectural Design:
The proposed townhomes incorporate 2 main materials; brick and siding. Both are permitted materials in the PUD. The
front elevations of the townhomes alternate the material between units from brick to siding. A small pediment is located
above the front entry doors to act as a covering for the stoops.
The rear loaded townhomes have brick along the garage level in the rear, and the rest of the rear façade is siding. All the
backs of the front-load townhomes have siding as the only material. This makes for a very plain rear façade as can be
observed in the previously built townhomes in the Prairie at Legacy. (See photos below). The petitioner has added color
variation as well as a trim board detail between the upper floors on the rear facades. This helps break up the façade and
adds more architectural interest, however, the rear facades are still all siding. The Department requested some brick be
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incorporated into the rear facades that are visible when traveling on the street, but the PUD does not require this and the
Residential Committee was comfortable with the elevations as is. The petitioner has added brick to the first 2 floors of the
side elevations that face a street. Windows are provided on every level on every façade, per the requirements of the PUD.
The PUD also requires trim around windows, and the petitioner has agreed to add trim around all front windows.
Lighting:
Lighting will be provided with streetlights and wall mounted lights on the fronts and rears of the townhome units. The
street lights will be an acorn style street light with a lite lid in the top of the acorn to reduce light loss and light pollution
into the homes and the night sky.
Landscaping:
Landscaping is provided per the requirements of the PUD for townhomes. Trees and shrubs will be planted along the
front elevations of the townhomes that abut a public street. The petitioner has added landscaping to the rear load
elevations as well as to the front and rear of the front load units. This will help screen the a/c units in the back and soften
the look of the rear facades. There are some trees proposed in the common areas, and the petitioner has added more
landscaping adjacent to the guest parking areas.
Signage:
Entry column signs will be provided at the main entrances to the subdivision and will complement the other signs in the
Legacy development.
April 21, 2020 Public Hearing Recap:
The Petitioner went over the proposed project and site plan. There were no letters submitted from adjacent property
owners. The Plan Commission members asked questions about the architecture related to adding additional colors on the
elevations, size of the front stoops, masonry water table for front elevations with siding, and the monotonous ridge line of
the 8-plexes. The Plan Commission also asked about pedestrian connectivity for the front load garage buildings, how
buses will access the neighborhood, and how these townhomes compare to the others built in Legacy. The Plan
Commission forwarded this item to the Residential Committee meeting on May 5th, with the full Plan Commission having
final voting authority.
May 5, 2020 Residential Committee Recap:
Petitioner presented changes made to the site plan and architecture including adding more brick colors and siding colors,
showing sidewalk locations, bike parking locations, and landscaping near guest parking. They also showed a comparison
to the existing Legacy Townhomes. The Committee asked for more landscaping in the common areas, reducing the
amount of colors on the buildings and improving the architecture, and if the front stoop sizes could be increased. The
Committee continued this item to the next Residential Committee meeting.
June 2, 2020 Residential Committee Recap:
Petitioner presented several changes that were made to the plans; including additional landscaping, locations for
mailboxes, and architectural details such as color variations to brick and siding facades, trim board detail, and brick to the
first 2 floors on side elevations facing a street. The front stoops will be 6 ft. by 4 ft. The addition of brick on the rear
elevations of those units visible from a street was discussed. The petitioner considered this but did not see the value in
adding brick to the rear facades. They don’t want the housing prices to be too expensive and they stated that they are not
required to have brick as a material per the PUD. The committee asked about dusk to dawn lights and the petitioner stated
that the lights by the garage doors will be dusk to dawn. The Committee voted 4-0 to send the project back to the Plan
Commission with a Favorable Recommendation.
DOCS Remaining Comments/Concerns: Planning Staff has no remaining comments.
Recommendation:
The Department of Community Services recommends the Plan Commission votes to Approve this item.