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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDepartment Report 01-04-223 Carmel Plan Commission RESIDENTIAL COMMITTEE Tuesday, January 4, 2022 Department Report 2. Docket No. PZ-2021-00204 PUD: Flora on Springmill PUD Rezone. The applicant seeks PUD rezone approval to allow a new subdivision consisting of townhomes, duplex homes, and single-family homes. The site is located at 9950 Spring Mill Rd. and is zoned S-2/Residence. Filed by Jim Shinaver and Jon Dobosiewicz of Nelson & Frankenberger on behalf of Pittman Partners and Onyx and East, LLC. Project Overview: *Updates to the Dept. Report are in blue This proposed PUD seeks to create a mixed residential neighborhood of single-family homes, duplex homes, and a variety of townhomes. There will be a minimum of 15% open space plus tree preservation areas designed into the neighborhood. Currently the property is zoned S-2, which only allows for single-family detached homes on large lots, and the petitioner would like to build a neighborhood with a mix of unit types, including townhomes, on smaller lots. Surrounding the site is Interstate 465 to the south, Meridian Corridor zoning to the east, S-2/Residence zoning to the north and S-2 and S- 1/Residence zoning and Williams Creek to the west. Please see the petitioner’s information package for more information. Comprehensive Plan Analysis: This area is shown as Areas Excluded from the Land Classification Map in the current Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan) and so we look at the previous version of the Comp Plan. The previous Comp Plan classified this area as Very Low Intensity Residential which is generally characterized by single-family detached housing with densities between 1.0 and 1.3 units per acre. North, south, and west of the project the land is also classified as Very Low Intensity Residential. East of the project, the land is classified as Employment Node. The proposed subdivision would fall under a mix of classifications of Urban Residential and Attached Residential. Urban and Attached Residential are not considered a conditional fit or a best fit next to Low Intensity Residential, but there will be a large, natural buffer to the west provided by Williams Creek and a tree preservation buffer to the north. To the east is the Employment Node, and Urban and Attached Residential are considered conditional fits. There are several Policies and Objectives of the Comp Plan that the PUD helps fulfill, such as: 1. Be very sensitive to connectivity and transitions between adjacent areas. Discourage unplanned or harsh contrasts in height, building orientation, character, land use, and density. 2. Continue to encourage a variety of housing options to meet the needs of the marketplace. 3. Enhance a bicycle- and pedestrian-connected community through expanded installation of multi-use paths, sidewalks, bike lanes, and off-street trails. 4. Discourage homogeneous development and corporate brand prototypical architecture. In residential areas, architectural guidelines should be instituted to discourage monotonous development Please note that the Comp Plan states that the Land Classification map should not be construed as representing the precise location of land classifications but used as a foundation for support and influence with land use and development form decisions and zoning map changes. The Land Classification Map does not establish the right to a certain density or intensity. The Comp Plan is a broad-brush approach to future land planning. Each development proposal should be reviewed with consideration of all sections of the Comp Plan in addition to site features, context, design standards, transition, buffering, and development standards. Additional Analysis: Site Plan: The site plan consists of a mix of residential uses from 4 story brownstones as you enter the community to duplexes and rooftop deck townhomes near the middle of the site, 3 story pitched roof townhomes along Springmill and 465, and single-family detached homes toward the west and Williams Creek. There is a public street that enters the neighborhood and loops around with alleys coming off the street for garage access. The PUD allows for a maximum of 129 total dwelling units. There is one entrance into the project proposed from the roundabout at Spring Mill Rd. and Illinois St. 4 A large tree preservation area is planned along the northern border with additional tree preservation along the western and southern borders. Stormwater drainage is accommodated by utilizing a large detention pond on the north side of the project. Petitioner, please consider requiring the pond to be landscaped with native aquatic plants for a more natural rather than engineered appearance. There will be sidewalks along all the public streets, and the proposed street cross section for the subdivision will meet the City’s requirement at 56 ft. wide. This allows for 5 ft. sidewalks and 6 ft. tree lawns on both sides of the street, as well as parking on both sides of the street. Active Transportation: Additional sidewalks throughout the project will connect the residents to each other as well as to the open spaces and out to Spring Mill Rd. A 10 ft. wide asphalt path will be installed along Spring Mill Rd. and on the south side of the detention pond. Short term bicycle parking will be provided throughout the site. Architectural Design: The PUD includes Architectural Character Imagery for each dwelling type and requires all structures to be developed in substantial compliance with the Character Imagery subject to ADLS approval. This means that what is seen in the PUD is what we can expect to be built. The style of architecture is more contemporary with a diverse mix of materials, black vinyl windows, metal canopies and porch roofs, and less ornate detailing. Because there are so many dwelling types proposed, there is a lot of diversity throughout the development. All of the homes have garages that are rear loaded, and many have front porches, which enhances the streetscape and adds to a pedestrian friendly neighborhood. The petitioner has been working with us to tweak the architectural design and has incorporated many of staff’s comments. We recently received the elevations for the sides and the rears of the buildings, which need a little work. We will continue to work with the petitioner to improve these. Landscaping: The PUD requires a minimum of 15% of the development to be open space. This is made up through the large pond, and 3 central common areas as shown on the Open Space Plan in the PUD. Tree preservation is also required as illustrated on the Tree Preservation Plan and shall be a minimum of 20% of the development. The tree preservation is mostly limited to the outer edges of the development, but the Dept. would like to see as many trees as possible preserved, such as in the internal common areas. Street trees and lot and foundation plantings will be required in the PUD. There will also be a 10 ft. bufferyard along the eastern property line and a minimum 15 ft. bufferyard along the southern property line. Petitioner, please increase this south buffer to maximum tree preservation and help shield the residents from I-465. Signage: All signage shall comply with the UDO. December 21, 2021 Public Hearing Recap: The Petitioner gave an overview of the project. There was one person that spoke in remonstrance about the density, change along Springmill Rd., tree preservation, and the wildlife along Williams Creek. Plan Commission members had concerns about the amount of tree preservation, lack of amenities, the single entrance/exit, and screening the rear of the townhomes from 465. They requested a path around the pond and other amenities, pockets of tree preservation, different street cross sections that could reduce the right-of-way and save more trees, and parking and overflow parking information. The Plan Commission voted to send this item to the Residential Committee with the full PC having final voting authority. DOCS Comments/Concerns: The Dept. continues to work through the PUD, site plan, and architectural review comments with the Petitioner. Some key items that still need addressed include: - Improvement of the side and rear elevations. - Increase in the amount of masonry required on the buildings. - Increase in the width of the southern bufferyard. - Submission of a Zoning Comparison Chart. Recommendation: The Department of Community Services recommends the Committee discusses this item and then continues it to the Residential Committee meeting on Tuesday, February 1, 2022 for further review and discussion.