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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDepartment Report 07-20-21 3 CARMEL PLAN COMMISSION DEPARTMENT REPORT JULY 20, 2021 2. Docket No. PZ-2021-00048 DP/ADLS: Napleton Auxiliary Lot and Detail Center. The applicant seeks site plan and design approval for a new auxiliary parking lot and detail and service center. The site is located at 4538 E. 96th Street (north of the Napleton Hyundai dealership). It is zoned B-3/Business District. Filed by Jon Dobosiewicz and Rick Lawrence of Nelson & Frankenberger on behalf of EFN Crossroads Property, LLC. *Updates to the Dept. Report are in blue. Project Overview: The Petitioner proposes to an auxiliary parking lot with a detail/service building and a pad ready site for a new dealership in the future. All parcels to the west, south, and east are also zoned B-3 and are not in an overlay zone. To the north is the Williamson Run subdivision, zoned S-2/Residential. Please see the petitioner’s information package for more information. Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Standards this project MEETS: B-3/Business: • Permitted use: Auto/boat sales, auto/truck repair (indoor) • Minimum lot area: 10,000 sq. ft. required, 394,653.6 sq. ft. (9.06 acres) proposed • Minimum lot width: 100’ required, 654’ proposed (south) • Minimum front yard: 60’ required, 100’ (south) and 82’ (east) proposed • Minimum side yard: 0’ required, 252’ proposed (north) • Minimum rear yard: 15’ required, 393’ provided (west) • Maximum lot coverage: 80% allowed, 73.9% requested • Minimum ground floor area: 900 sq. ft. required, 13,515 (detail building) and 18,000 (future dealership) sq. ft. proposed • Maximum Building Height: 18’ allowed and proposed (detail building) • Pedestrian connectivity: Paved walkway from the sidewalk to the front door required and provided to Randall Drive • Vehicular parking: 122 spaces required (1 space per 300 sq. ft. of indoor area plus one per 2,000 sq. ft. of outdoor sales area), 747 spaces provided • Bicycle parking: 2 spaces per building required and 2 racks per building are provided • Lighting: 0.3 footcandle maximum and 0.1 footcandle maximum at property lines met • Signage: 1 sign proposed and allowed, meets sign size criteria UDO Standards NOT MET, therefore adjustments are required: none. Site Plan and Engineering: The proposed site plan accounts for two new buildings, their associated parking spaces, as well as overflow/inventory parking. 747 parking spaces are provided. The detail center building will be constructed now, and a new dealership building will be developed in the future. The dealership building will be placed at the southeast corner of the site, more visible to traffic on 96th Street and Randall Drive. The detail center building will be placed in the middle of the site (and behind the future new dealership). The site plan has been revised to reorient the dumpster to face south, away from Randall Drive, as requested. Detention and water quality for this site is proposed through the dry pond at the NW corner of the site, will tie into the existing pond on the SW corner of the site, as well as a new offsite compensatory storage location at 116th Street and the Monon Trail. This offsite location is adjacent to other compensatory storage facilities for the other dealerships in this area of 96th Street and Randall Drive. The Petitioner is still working through detention, water quality, and floodplain mitigation review and approval with the Engineering Dept. and the Hamilton County Surveyor’s Office. The access easement for the pond at the NW corner of the site has been modified to no longer encroach into the tree preservation area. Active Transportation: Sidewalks are required for pedestrian access to the buildings from Randall Drive, both from the east at the proposed new curb cut and from the south, connecting to the other dealerships. Modifications have been made to now have the sidewalk 4 connect along the east side of each building. After consultation with the Urban Forester, the location of the required sidewalk along Randall Drive will be placed further west, adjacent to the property line. This will help ensure that the mature street trees will be impacted as little as possible. Bike parking racks are now placed at the SE corner of each proposed building, meeting ordinance requirements. Architectural Design: The detail center building will be constructed out of pre-cast concrete panels with simple line work details. The line-work will be patterned over three panels to create interest in the façade. The Petitioner is not desirous of traditional windows due to the type of work done inside the building. They have incorporated a clerestory glass block “ribbon” for some natural ambient light to come into the building. The Petitioner has stated the glass block will not negatively impact the detail work done in the building. This site is not located in an overlay zone, therefore there are no architectural requirements for this building to follow. The Petitioner has updated the plans to show the precast concrete walls as painted white, to match the surrounding Kia and Hyundai buildings. A new change is the addition of small windows facing east. Windows are all spandrel glass with exception of one. Lighting: Site lighting is provided throughout the new parking area. LED lights on poles mounted at 24’ tall are proposed. The light will have a 90-degree cut off lens. The photometric plan is in compliance, meeting the 0.3 footcandle requirement at the west, south, and east property lines, and the 0.1 footcandle requirement at the north property line (due to residential zoned property). The light poles that conflicted with the sidewalk at the southeast corner of the site are no longer in conflict as the sidewalk has been relocated to adjacent to the building. Landscaping: This site has a previous commitment for preservation of 50’ of trees at the north property line as a buffer between the commercial site and the residential subdivision to the north. The proposed landscape plan is in compliance with this requirement. All sitework and grading will be done outside of the tree preservation area on the north. There will be about 4-5’ grade change from the tree preservation area and the street level on Randall Drive to the new parking lot level. Shrubs and trees will be planted all around the site boundary. Islands are proposed at the end of all rows of parking as well as between the rows of parking. Shrubs and trees will be planted through these areas. Building base plantings are also proposed where there are not vehicular drives or entrances into the building. The sidewalk at the SE corner of the site has been moved to be adjacent to the buildings, so additional shrubs and plantings were added to that area. It has also been determined that clearing [the brush] for the Randall Drive sidewalk is preferred for the health and viability of the street trees. Signage: One wall sign is proposed to face Randall Drive (east) for the detail building. It will be back lit and fits within the spandrel panel dimensions for the building. Signage for the future building will be reviewed when that ADLS is brought forward. May 18, 2021 Public Hearing Recap: The Petitioner went over the site plan, discussing compliance with the UDO, the modern design of the building, that rooftop mechanicals will be screened by the building parapet, and preservation of 50’ of trees/buffer at the north property line, as was committed to previously for this site. Members of the public submitted their letters and two people spoke at the meeting. Concerns were regarding additional fencing or evergreens needed along the north border due to raised site level (from grading), transport trucks blocking Randall Drive currently and the site plan looking too tight to accommodate these trucks, enhanced architectural design needed, concern for drive thru (car wash) facing Randall Drive, lighting and sound (PA system) concerns. Plan Commission members had comments and questions about the buffer along the north – what else can be done to enhance it/screen winter view, need enhanced architectural design for the building, easement around the NW corner pond goes into the tree preservation easement – concern for trees removed if access is needed, signage could be more attractive – too industrial looking, more evergreen shrubs/trees along north half of the property facing Randall Drive to screen the parking. This item was sent to the Commercial Committee meeting on June 1, then coming back to full PC for final approval. 5 June 1, 2021 Commercial Committee meeting recap: The Petitioner went over changes that were made to the plan such as: the easement area removed from overlapping with the tree preservation area, the dumpster enclosure now faces south, willing to work with staff on Randall Drive sidewalk as well as move sidewalk to in front of buildings, lower light poles will be used to be sensitive to the neighbors. New drawings provided show the building superimposed onto the site and a section view showing the neighboring homes and the proposed building. Committee members had concerns about sidewalk connection, bike parking location, architectural design needs enhancement, need agreement that the unloading of cars on Randall Drive ceases, and lastly, to have someone who works at this facility to be at the next meeting. It was continued to the July 6, 2021 Commercial Committee meeting. July 7, 2021 Commercial Committee meeting recap: Jim Shinaver presented updates for Rick Lawrence, who was on vacation. Sidewalk connectivity, short term bicycle parking, windows added to the east elevation, building (concrete panels) will be painted white, 24 additional evergreen trees will be planted along the north property line, sidewalk along Randall will be installed between property line and the existing trees, additional shrubs along south/entrance on Randall, and light pole and sidewalk conflicts have been resolved. Discussion with the architect was had regarding then new windows on the east façade. Three of the four will be spandrel glass, one will be vision glass into the break room. Committee members had concerns about sidewalk connectivity (crosswalk striping will be added), the protection of existing trees along Randall Drive and the longevity of the new sidewalk, and confirmation that cars will no longer be unloaded in Randall Drive right-of-way. With a 4-0 Favorable Recommendation it was sent back to the Plan Commission meeting on July 20, 2021. DOCS Final Comments: Staff discussed with the Urban Forester the concern of the sidewalk being disturbed by the tree roots of the existing street trees along Randall Drive. In short, he is confident the tree root will not cause issues to the sidewalk. Generally, he stated the City should be more concerned about how well the sidewalk is constructed, rather than the tree root causing any issues. All other concerns have been addressed. Recommendation: The Department of Community Services recommends the Plan Commission votes to Approve this item this evening.