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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDepartment Report 03-17-21 12 CARMEL PLAN COMMISSION DEPARTMENT REPORT MARCH 17, 2020 7. Docket No. 20010015 DP/ADLS: Extra Space Storage The applicant seeks site plan and design approval for a new 3 story (40’), 59,650 gross square feet storage facility building, to replace the existing 1 story storage building. The site is 0.91 acres in size. It is located at 147 West Carmel Drive. It is zoned I-1 and is located within the Range Line Road Overlay zone. Filed by Jim Adams of Adams & French Property, LLC. Overview: The Petitioner seeks approval for a three story, self-storage warehouse facility, which is a permitted land use in the I- 1/Industrial zoning district. However, indoor storage/warehousing is not an approved use in the Rangeline Road Overlay District. Access to the site will be made from the existing driveway cut. North of this site across Carmel Drive is the Kirby Office Park. East of this site is the General Shale Brick masonry supply yard. West of this site is the US Automatic Fire & Security building. All these sites are also zoned I-1 and located in the Range Line Overlay District. To the south of the existing one-story storage buildings is the Fairgreen Trace residential subdivision, zoned R-1. Please see the Petitioner’s Information Packet for more details. Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Standards this project MEETS: Article 3 – Rangeline Overlay District: • General Architectural standards • Building Orientation • Floor Area Ratio: 0.5 required, 0.51 proposed • Maximum footprint: 40,000 sq. ft. allowed, 20,121 sq. ft. proposed • Height: 2 occupiable floors required, 3 provided • Minimum height: 26’ required, 34’8” provided • Maximum height: 3 stories or 38’ when adjacent to R1 zone (Fairgreen Trace located to the south) allowed, 34’8” to roof provided • Parking standards: 1 space per employee required, 10 spaces provided Article 5: • Signage – 1 sign allowed, 1 wall sign proposed (main) & 2 incidental signs (Loading and Office) I-1 District: • Maximum building height: 60’ allowed, 34’8” proposed to roof • Minimum year yard: 15’ required, about 55’ proposed • Maximum lot coverage: 87% proposed, 90% allowed UDO Standards NOT MET (or Information not provided), therefore Variances will be required if adjustments cannot be made: 1. Docket No. 20010016 UV: UDO Section 3.66 – Prohibited Uses in Overlay Zone. 2. Docket No. 20010017 V: UDO Sections 3.75 & 3.79 – Landscaping & Parking Standards (East Bufferyard). 3. Docket No. PZ-2020-00018 V: UDO Section 3.72.B – Construction Materials, metal panel as primary material requested, brick/stone/concrete required. 4. 12’ sidewalk along Carmel Drive required 5. Lighting details and photometric plan needed 6. More information needed on screening of rooftop mounted equipment 7. Maximum build to line: 10’ required, 15’ proposed 13 Site Plan and Parking: The proposed site plan has one building lining the west side of the site, leaving the existing drive aisle to the rear parcel in place. A gate will be installed at about 130’ back, past the customer parking spaces on the east side of the building. 6 spaces are shown in this front area. (Another four spaces are shown on the south side of the building, past the gated entrance.) The gate will be black in color, wrought iron in design, and about 6’ tall. Petitioner, please provide confirmation on proposed gate and fencing height. The office is located at the front of the building looking out to Carmel Drive. Engineering: There is a small section of open space on the west edge of the back (south) parcel, which is where a new detention pond will be created. The site is currently shallow and sits below Carmel Drive by about 3’. The site will have to be raised for proper drainage flow back to this new detention pond. The Petitioner is still working with the Engineering Department on their outstanding review comments. Active Transportation: There is an existing sidewalk along Carmel Drive, which due to the width of the site, is very short in length – only 100’ long. Replacing this sidewalk with 12’ wide sidewalk is required by the Thoroughfare Plan. Petitioner, please provide confirmation if you will install this enhanced sidewalk. A sidewalk from this path will lead back to the front door of the building. Another sidewalk will take pedestrians around the office located at the front of the building to the parking spaces located along the east side of the building. This sidewalk is tucked under the building, providing safe separation from the driveway along the east border of the site. This sidewalk extends to the extent of the parking spaces in front of the secure gate. Once a person/vehicle is through the gate, there are additional parking spaces on the south end of the building, leading to the loading area. Proposed Use & Architectural Design: The Use of this building – Indoor Storage or Warehousing, is a prohibited use in the Rangeline Overlay District. The use does exist today in the form of one-story storage buildings set back from this parcel where the new development is proposed. Those are grandfathered in and may remain. Any changes to those buildings will require a Use Variance, as is requested for this parcel, which has a small storage building and office located on it currently. The proposed use would be for a three-story storage building, brought up to the street and occupying most of the lot (87% when 90% is allowed). While we are in general support of this form, the design of the building still needs some work. The building design is a mix of modern and industrial. The front of the building looks very industrial, with two shades of brick and great detailing around the windows and at the floor levels. The windows will be faux/spandrel glass, due to the storage use behind them. This site is located within the Rangeline Road Overlay Zone, which has strict requirements for architectural design. Brick, stone or concrete is required on the front and sides, and the rear elevation may vary, however, must be coordinating and complimentary to the rest of the building. The petitioner has requested a variance for a different material – metal panel – to be a primary material. While the Dept. is open to different architectural styles and ideas, this design does not quite blend the two styles as well as we would like. At present, we are not in support of the variance request or design of this building. Additional work will need to be done through the Committee process in order to gain Dept. support for this building design. Lighting: Lighting plans have not yet been provided for this project. Wall pack and under-canopy lights are listed on the ADLS Application; however, no specification sheets or photometric plan has been submitted. Petitioner, please provide lighting details. Landscaping: The Petitioner is requesting variances from the landscaping requirements due to the small width of the site. Screening is required along the west property line adjacent to the parking spaces on the south side of the building. It would also be required along the east, but they are requesting a variance from that requirement in order to have the proper drive aisle width. The Urban Forester has not yet signed off on the plan. 14 Signage: One sign is allowed for this site as it faces one public street. It will be located at the top of the building. Two additional awning signs are also proposed, one identifies “loading” and one identifies the “office.” Awning signs are allowed in addition to wall signs, if there is enough square footage left over to accommodate them. The Sign Permit Specialist is still reviewing the plans for size compliance with the UDO. DOCS Remaining Comments/Concerns: The architectural design of this building is our primary concern right now. The Rangeline Overlay District is very clear on what materials are allowed. If we are to support a departure from these materials, we want to ensure that the design is exceptional. We are open to a modern looking building, or a combination of modern and traditional, if it blends well into a cohesive design. Other remaining review comments are described above. Recommendation: The Department of Community Services recommends the Plan Commission sends this item to the Commercial Committee meeting on Tuesday, March 31 for further review.