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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDepartment Report 08-18-201 CARMEL PLAN COMMISSION DEPARTMENT REPORT AUGUST 18, 2020 1. Docket No. PZ-2020-00076 DP/ADLS: Avant Phase II The applicant seeks site plan and design approval for a multi-family building with 94 apartments. (14 townhome plots are also shown on this DP, but additional applications will be filed for Secondary Plat & ADLS approval at a later date.) The building is 135,243 gross sq. ft. and 4 stories/55’4” tall. The overall site is 3.82 acres in size. It is located just north of 12890 Old Meridian Street (Avant Phase I) and is zoned PUD (The District Z-587-14). Filed by Steven D. Hardin, Esq., with Faegre Drinker, on behalf of Edward Rose Development. Project Overview: The Petitioner proposes to construct the second phase of the Avant multi-family apartment development. Also included in this development plan are 14 lots for future townhomes. To the immediate south of this building is the open space/pond area for the entire PUD development. To the west are townhomes and the Fairfield Inn & Suites hotel. All land west and south are zoned PUD, part of the same “The District” PUD. North is the Olivia mixed use development, zoned UC/Urban Core. To the east across Old Meridian Street is the Meridian Design Center commercial buildings, home to Bru Burger and Rise restaurant, under construction currently and zoned UC/Urban Core. Please refer to the Petitioner’s informational packet for more details. Planned Unit Development (PUD) Standards this project MEETS: • Permitted uses – Multiple Family Dwellings and Attached Dwellings • Minimum building height – 28’ and 2 occupiable floors required, 4 stories proposed • Max. building height – 70’ allowed, 55’4” proposed • Minimum Front Yard – 4’ required and 15.5’ south and 16’ east proposed • Maximum Front Yard – up to 20’ allowed • Minimum building footprint – 2,000 sq. ft. required; 33,520 sq. ft. proposed • Max. building footprint – up to 200,000 sq. ft. allowed • Side Yard setback – 4’ required, 10.3’ proposed on north • Rear Yard setback – 5’ required, about 350’ proposed • Bike parking – Long term – in compliance with UDO and 1/3 of required spaces shall be covered – 75 spaces required and 80 proposed (40 through Bike Garage and 40 through individual garages) • Parking – 1 space per unit (94 units) – 94 spaces required, 151 spaces proposed (131 surface and 20 garage) • Architectural requirements – o Building must have a base, middle and top o Permitted materials – brick, fiber cement siding, stone, glass, storefront, metal and metal panels o Variety of building materials and design elements to create a pedestrian scale o Secondary facades finished in colors compatible with the colors of the Primary Façade o Building entrances defined o Rooftop equipment screened o Fiber cement not installed between ground and bottom of first floor windows o All upper level units have balcony • Lighting complies with footcandle requirements and is of uniform design • Signage complies with UDO • Trash enclosure compatible with the principal building PUD Standards NOT MET; therefore, variance must be requested or adjustments made: 1. Section 6.4. – Adjacent/adjoining parking lots shall be interconnected either by alley or internal driveway. No vehicular connection to the north provided. 2. Bike parking – Short Term – In compliance with UDO – 0.1 space per bedroom required, 150 bedrooms proposed, 15 spaces required, 10 spaces provided 2 Site Plan and Parking: The proposed apartment building is very similar to what was shown in the PUD concept plan. It is a large (slightly modified) L Shape structure pulled up to the corner of Fairfax Manor Drive and Old Meridian Street. Parking is tucked behind the building with 131 surface parking spaces and 20 first floor garage spaces, that can be rented by the residents. On-street parking is also existing/provided along both streets. There are 6 spaces directly in front of the apartment building on Fairfax Manor Drive and 12 spaces in front of the future townhomes. There are 20 spaces along Old Meridian Street. Vehicular access will be primarily from Fairfax Manor Drive. A secondary access point to Grand Vue Drive is provided at the far west end of the property, behind the future townhomes proposed to the west. (Grand Vue Drive connects to Main Street and is lined with townhomes.) The site plan also shows where 14 townhomes are proposed to complete the streetscape of Fairfax Manor Drive. These are intended to follow the development pattern of the other townhomes in Grand & Main. They will have garages accessed from the rear (north) and front doors opening onto Fairfax Manor Drive. The design of these townhomes has not yet been completed but will return to the Plan Commission for approval at a later date. The dumpster enclosure is provided in the middle of the site, at the end of the driveway into the parking area from Fairfax Manor Drive. This will be a large compactor and enclosed in a brick surround. Staff is working with the Petitioner to enhance the architectural design of this enclosure, as it will be a main view as one enters the site. The Petitioner is open to improving this by providing additional brick detailing or height to the structure. Vehicular Connection to The Olivia development: When The District PUD was originally brought before the Plan Commission in October of 2013, The Olivia was not yet submitted as a project. Staff worked with the Developer, Edward Rose, at that time and said a vehicular connection between this site and that site (to the north) would be required per the Old Meridian District masterplan. The Developer agreed to show the connection on their Concept Plan and wrote a requirement for connectivity into their PUD (Section 6.4). When The Olivia project came through a few months later, that Developer, Keystone Group, was told the same thing – that a connection to the south (the District) is required. At that time, this parcel was not fully planned yet, and Keystone Group did not want to put in a connection that didn’t work with the future development on the District side. Keystone Group committed to providing a vehicular connection point, location to be determined and agreed upon with Edward Rose, and had it recorded at with Hamilton County on October 27, 2014. The commitment states they will work with the landowner to the south upon approval of a Development Plan for the south adjoining parcel. That time is now, and there is hesitation to comply with their commitment. A vehicular connection will provide for cross-site access and inter-connectivity, similar to the Michigan Road Overlay Zone and other districts. It will be helpful in allowing residents, delivery services, and trash trucks to safely and conveniently travel between properties rather than have to go back out onto Old Meridian Street. Staff is continuing to work with both parties to find a location for a vehicular connection that will benefit everyone. Engineering: Detention and water quality for this project is handled through the large pond to the south of this proposed building. The large pond was master planned for the entire Grand & Main project. The Petitioner will continue to work with the Engineering Dept. through construction plans approval phases. Active Transportation: This development will provide the missing pieces of the Grand and Main project pedestrian network. 5’ wide sidewalks will be provided along Fairfax Manor Drive to connect to existing sidewalks. A10’ wide concrete sidewalk will be provided across this frontage along Old Meridian Street. The site plan currently shows a 16’ gap between the edge of the sidewalk and the vehicular entry to Olivia. Petitioner, this connection must be made. Please revise plans to complete this sidewalk. First floor units will have sidewalks connecting them to the sidewalks along Old Meridian Street and Fairfax Manor Drive. A sidewalk will be provided from the rear entry of the building across the parking lot to connect to the Olivia site to the north. When the Olivia was built, the developer installed a sidewalk connection up to their south property line. This pedestrian connection will now be completed, providing an alternative way to reach Main Street. Staff would like the Petitioner to make this connection a fully protected sidewalk, by adjusting where the landscaping is placed in order to 3 have landscaping on both sides of the sidewalk. Exterior bike parking (5 racks/10 spaces) is provided on the southeast side of the building. It is adjacent to the sidewalk along Old Meridian Street and near the main pedestrian entry at the southwest corner of the building. 5 additional short- term bicycle parking spaces are needed to comply with the UDO. A bike garage with room for 40 bikes is provided at the northwest corner of the building. This garage space will also have a bike repair stand for residents to work on their bike if needed. Residents can also utilize their garages on the first floor to store their bikes. Architectural Design: Avant Phase II is designed to complement the existing Avant apartment building to the south. It will not be an exact match but will have similar features and design style (guided by PUD requirements). It will have many of the same materials, including the use of oversized masonry units, brick, fiber cement siding/panels, metal panels, and metal wire mesh for the balconies. Similar to Phase I, the ends of the buildings will have focal elements with the larger mixed red fiber cement panels. Balconies or outdoor spaces will be provided for all the units. The oversized masonry units will range from the first floor up to the third floor, depending on which side of the building one is looking at. The PUD requires masonry materials as a base and does not allow for fiber cement to go all the way to the ground. Off white and dark gray colored fiber cement panels will be used on the fourth floor on all sides and in the rear on the second through fourth floors. The red fiber cement siding will be used at focal points of the building, primarily the corners. Staff would like the Petitioner to examine using additional red fiber cement paneling on the rear (west) elevation to break up the large amount of white on the façade. There are two single “bays” or “columns” where it might look appropriate and not overdone. Lighting: Site lighting will match Avant Phase I with LED street lights and parking lot lights proposed. Down lights will be installed along the face of the building under canopies. First floor units will have a sconce light on their patio. No other building accent lighting is proposed. The photometric plan meets the 0.5 footcandle limit along the property lines. Landscaping: Street trees will be provided along Old Meridian Street and Fairfax Manor Drive. Trees will also be installed along the north property line, which will help to enhance the view between the parking lot of the Olivia and this project. Building base plantings will be provided around the exterior of the building where there is not communal plaza/patio space. First floor units will have landscaping at their individual lawn/patio areas similar to Avant Phase I. There will be an outdoor amenity green space/patio area on the north end of the project. This will include an additional sidewalk to the rear of the property, outdoor seating area and grass area. The Urban Forester has not yet approved the landscape plan. Signage: Three signs are proposed for Avant Phase II. This project is a Residential Complex and is allowed one sign per entrance at 50 sq. ft. per the UDO. All three entrance signs are 48.77 sq. ft. A Spandrel Panel will still need to be identified, and Staff is working on that with the Petitioner. The south Entrance is proposed to have two signs, similar to the entrance for Avant Phase I. DOCS Remaining Comments/Concerns: 1. Enhanced trash enclosure design 2. Vehicular connection to the north needed 3. Pedestrian connection with ADA ramp all the way to The Olivia’s vehicular entrance 4. Adjust sidewalk connection through parking lot to be a fully protected walk 5. 5 additional short term bicycle parking spaces 6. Rear façade – additional color exploration to break up expansive white façade Recommendation: The Department of Community Services recommends the Plan Commission sends this item to the Commercial Committee meeting on Tuesday, September 1, 2020 for further review and discussion.