HomeMy WebLinkAboutDepartment Report 07-09-201
Carmel Plan Commission
COMMERCIAL COMMITTEE
Thursday, July 9, 2020 Department Report
1. Docket No. PZ-2020-00038 DP/ADLS: KinderCare Learning Center – US 421.
The applicant seeks site plan and design approval for a 12,784 sq. ft. childcare and educational facility. The
overall site is 1.33 acres in size – an outlot of the Michigan Rd. Retail project, Docket No. 19020009 DP. It is
located at approximately 10910 N. Michigan Rd., just south of the newly constructed Weston Pointe Drive. It is
zoned B-3/US 421 Overlay Zone. Filed by Jon Szutarski of 814 Development.
*Updates to the report are in blue
Project Overview:
The Petitioner proposes a new childcare facility along Michigan Road. To the west is the Aria Apartment project owned
by Cityscape Residential and located in Zionsville (Boone Co.). North is the existing JDF Retail building – zoned B-3 and
within the US 421 Overlay. South is the Christian Bros. Automotive site, which is also zoned B-3 and in the US 421
Overlay. To the east across Michigan Road is another JDF retail building that is now under construction. It is zoned B-2
and within the US 421 Overlay Zone. Please see the Petitioner’s Information packet for more details.
Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Standards this project MEETS:
US 421 Overlay Zone:
Permitted use: Day Nursery/Day Care Facility
Architectural Design Theme: complementary to
Georgian style
Minimum building height: 20’ (mean height)
required and proposed
Building Offsets – 8’ required at intervals of 60’
if wall is 90’ long or greater, this is provided
Building materials chosen – brick, split face
CMU, stone, wood siding, glass, shingled roof
proposed
30’ greenbelt required & provided
Minimum site acreage for DP: 3 acres required;
6.68 acres proposed through overall DP for site
(Docket No. 19020009 DP)
Minimum Lot Area for Day Nursery/Day Care
facility: 1 acre required; 1.33 acres provided
Vehicular parking: 46 spaces required; 48 spaces
provided
Minimum front yard: 30’, 40’7.5” proposed
Maximum front yard: 120’ allowed, 58’
proposed
Minimum side yard: 15’ required, 27’ north
proposed
Minimum rear yard: 15’ required, 34’ proposed
south
Access road to rear of parcel provided for
connectivity
Minimum gross floor area: 2,500 sq. ft. required;
12,784 sq. ft. provided
Maximum gross floor area: 85,000 sq. ft.
Lighting plan meets 0.3 footcandle maximum at
property lines
Trash Enclosure is architecturally compatible
with principal building
B-3/Business:
Minimum Lot Area: 10,000 sq. ft. required, 1.33
acres (57,934.8 sq. ft.) provided
Minimum Lot width: 100’ required, 175’
provided
Maximum Building Height: 35’ allowed, 15’
(mean height) proposed
Maximum Lot Coverage: 80% allowed, 56%
proposed
Bicycle parking: 6 spaces required & 12
provided
UDO Standards NOT MET, therefore variance must be requested or adjustments made: none.
US 421 Overlay Zone and Comprehensive Plan analysis:
It is the goal of the US 421 Overlay Zone to provide coordinated, quality development along the highway, and to
encourage efficient land usage with the creation of a special sense of place. This should be accomplished through a
coordinated set of design principles, which is why we have specifications for architectural styles and building setback
requirements, among other items. The Comprehensive Plan calls for this area to be a Community Vitality Node. The
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Petitioner is proposing a use that will serve the needs of the general community and follows the intent of the Overlay Zone
by complying with the building form and design requirements laid out in the ordinance.
Site Plan, Parking and Engineering:
The Petitioner is seeking approval the development plan for a new daycare facility. This site is on the west side of
Michigan Rd., adjacent to the Boone County border. This is one of three recently formed outlots, and will now be split
into four, as there is a sub-parcel proposed north of the KinderCare. The extension of Weston Pointe Drive will provide
access to the site going east/west, and the continuation of Redd Road going north/south along the west edge of the
property line will provide direct access. Redd Road will be a publicly dedicated street running along the backside of these
new developments and will provide compliance with access requirements of the UDO for inter-parcel connectivity.
The main entrance for KinderCare is at the west end of their parcel. 48 parking spaces are provided, when 46 spaces are
required. Daycare uses require one space/six students plus one space per employee. Up to 146 students will be allowed,
with 22 staff members. Connections to the new north sub-parcel are proposed at the west and east ends of the site. At the
south end of the parking lot, the Petitioner has revised the plans to continue the driveway all the way to the property line
for future internal connection to the next parcel.
The plan meets lot coverage requirements at roughly 56%, when 80% coverage is allowed per the B-3 zone. Drainage for
this site is coordinated through planned detention for the Aria apartments project to the west of this site in Zionsville’s
jurisdiction. The detention will be coordinated and provided for all the outlots in conjunction with the installation of Redd
Road by the property owner, Cityscape Residential.
Active Transportation:
There is an existing sidewalk along Michigan Road. The Petitioner proposes a 6’ wide sidewalk along the north side of the
building to connect the site from east to west to Redd Road. Additional sidewalk is provided west of the building, adjacent
to the parking lot, and now continues to the south property line for future internal connection to the next parcel. Six
bicycle racks are provided adjacent to the front door, which can house 12 bikes.
Architectural Design:
The design of the building is complementary to the Georgian architectural style. Some of these features are the pediment
or crown with pilasters at front entry, brick walls, water table (base), symmetrical form of building and window
placement, and side gabled roof (north). Staff has been working with the Petitioner prior to their filing to ensure
compliance with the US 421 Overlay Zone. Additional windows have been added, dormers appropriately scaled and
placed, bump outs for additional façade relief, reduced the pitch of the roof, and enhanced brick detailing throughout are
some of the proposed improvements.
The building will be constructed of brick (red/brown color) with a concrete masonry unit (CMU) block base in a tan color.
A stone sill is proposed between the block and brick as a decorative edge. Siding will be an accessory material used on the
dormers and fronts of the gables in a tan color. The Petitioner has changed the material from vinyl siding to a cement
wood board siding to comply with the US 421 Overlay Zone. The roof will have asphalt shingles on the main roof in a
gray/brown color. Brick detailing will be provided around the windows, above the main entry, at the rooflines, and on the
corners of the building projections.
The height of the building is varied, ranging from about 11’ to 29’. Because of the pitched roof, the height is measured at
the mean of the eave and the ridges. (The height to the top of the roof is 29’ and to the top of the cupola is 30’.) Taking
the average of all the means, the overall height is at 20’, which now meets the minimum building height requirement.
The dumpster enclosure is located at the west end of the site. It will be constructed of brick to match the building with a
concrete top to resemble stone. The gates will be constructed of cedar boards. No other accessory buildings are located on
the site.
Lighting:
Decorative wall sconces will be provided at the entry on the north side of the building. All other building lighting will be
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down lighting under the soffit. The parking lot will be lit by 13 pole lights placed around the site at 12’ tall. The maximum
height allowed for pole lights is 24’. The photometric plan is in full compliance with the maximum 0.3 footcandle limit at
the property lines.
Landscaping:
The Urban Forester has reviewed the landscaping plan and now stamped them approved after adjustments were made.
Signage:
Once Redd Road is built and dedicated to the City, the KinderCare site will be eligible for two signs, because it will have
two public street frontages. One wall sign and one ground sign are proposed. The wall sign will be placed on the north
façade of the building, visible primarily to south bound traffic on US 421. The sign will be individual, internally
illuminated white letters mounted directly to the face of the building. The proposed size is about 25 sq. ft. and it will be
placed above the entry door. The Sign Ordinance allows 70% in height and 85% of the width of the spandrel panel area.
Final steps for signage approval will be to get sign permits through DOCS, where we will ensure the proposed size meets
the percentage requirements allowed by the UDO.
The ground sign proposed is 6’ tall and about 31 sq. ft. overall. The UDO allows up to 6’ tall and 75 sq. ft. It will be
placed about 20’ from the right of way with landscaping around it. The internally illuminated sign cabinet will sit on a
brick base to match the design of the building. The cabinet will have a white opaque background, where only the letters
and logo shine through.
June 16 Plan Commission meeting recap:
The Petitioner gave an overview of the project. The building size has increased slightly to 12,274 sq. ft. and there will be
nearly 1,000 sq. ft. of outdoor space broken down by age group for the kids to play. Changes have been made to address
comments from the Department Report – south driveway to be extended, changing building height to comply with
ordinance standards, and modified landscape plan. Please also note that up to 146 students and 22 employees at peak staff.
No public comments were submitted. Plan Commission members had questions about the path along Michigan Road, the
sidewalk along Redd Road, and the purpose of the NE connection point to the sub-parcel to the north (Fire Dept. turn-
around and future connectivity, not a connection to Weston Pointe Drive). The item was sent to the Commercial
Committee with final voting authority.
DOCS Remaining Comments/Concerns:
All outstanding comments have been addressed.
Recommendation:
The Department of Community Services recommends the Commercial Committee votes to Approve this item this
evening.