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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDepartment Report 02-07-23Carmel Plan Commission COMMERCIAL COMMITTEE Tuesday, February 7, 2023 Department Report 1. Docket No. PZ-2023-00001 ADLS Amend: Majestic of Carmel Renovations. The applicant seeks approval for exterior building modifications and site improvements, including a port cochere. The site is located at 12999 Pennsylvania St. It is zoned UR/Urban Residential. Filed by John Seib of Majestic Care of Carmel. Project Overview: The Petitioner proposes to freshen up and update the site and building exterior of this existing nursing home and assisted living facility, which also contains a skilled nursing component. In addition to adding a new portico / porte cochere, changes proposed are to the building exterior, fencing, lighting, landscaping, signage, and trash/generator screen wall. Please see the Petitioner’s Information Packet for more details. This 8.46 acre site is comprised of a nursing home facility, parking lot, and detention pond. The site is surrounded by residential and commercial uses. Edward Rose apartments are located to the north and east, office buildings are located to the west, and Meijer grocery store and commercial outlots are located south. Unified Development Standards (UDO) Standards this project MEETS: • Permitted Use • Setbacks • Lot coverage • Building Height • Trash enclosure • Fence design/location • Lighting • Mechanical equipment screening UDO Standards NOT MET, therefore variances will be required or plans need to be modified: • Signage • Bicycle Parking • Landscaping • Path along Pennsylvania St. Site History: The existing building used to be un-painted brick. It was called Manor Care at Summer Trace. That project was approved in the late 1980s. The Plan Commission approved the DP/ADLS (Development Plan and Architecture, Lighting, Landscaping, and Design) application for this project in 1987 under Docket No. 101-87 DP/ADLS (for carports). A 1985 BZA variance allowed for two matching ID signs at the Pennsylvania St. entrance, totaling 48 square feet. The Property received variance approval for an additional entry sign and for a parking spaces reduction from the BZA under Docket Nos. V-7-85 and V-83-95 in 1985 and 1995. Changed signage was approved in 1986 and 2006 under Docket Nos. 78-86 ADLS and 06060007 ADLS Amend. The recent/new owners of the property obtained the property around July 2021. The building exterior was painted a bright white over a year ago, without approval from the City or Plan Commission. Black window shutters were also added. Google Streetview shows what the building exterior looked like before that. When the sign company that was hired by the owner requested changes to signage over a year ago, the Planning Dept. was made aware of the building color change. Active Transportation: • A 635-ft long sidewalk exits along Pennsylvania Street. However, a multiuse path along Pennsylvania St. is required per UDO Section 1.07 – Compliance with the Transportation Plan (found in the Comprehensive Plan). The Petitioner needs to install a path (where the sidewalk currently exists), or pay what it would cost to construct the path into the city’s non-reverting thoroughfare fund, or seek BZA variance approval. • Bicycle parking is also required. UDO Section 5.29 lists the complete set of bicycle parking requirements. 0.1 bike parking spaces is required per each unit, for a minimum of 4 bike parking spaces (2 inverted U shaped racks). One inverted U-shaped rack can hold 2 bike spaces. (Per the Indiana State Department of Health consumer report, there are 194 beds in the facility – 104 are comprehensive care beds and 90 are 2 residential beds. There are 52 comprehensive care resident rooms.) Architectural Design: • The Petitioner requests approval to add a portico / porte cochere, change the exterior color of the building, and amend the trash dumpster/generator enclosure wall. • Wood, stone, and metal materials will be used as accent materials for the wall and for the portico / porte cochere. Stone bases around the bottoms of the columns of the portico are proposed. (Petitioner, please make the portico / porte cochere column widths more 'beefed up' and wider, so that they look more in proportion with the massive roof.) • White, gray, and black paint colors are proposed for the building exterior. Most of the colors change horizontally, but a few color block areas will change vertically. The Petitioner is also agreeable to painting the window trims and mullions black (which Planning Staff prefers), to match the window shutters that were also added over a year ago. The overall proposed changes to the building exterior will help break up the large building and the large areas of painted white brick. Lighting: • Low level landscape lighting and up-lighting is proposed, as well as string lights in the patio area. Landscaping: • The site needs to be brought into compliance with the original landscape plan. Any dead, dying, or missing plants need to be replaced. • The Petitioner proposes upgraded landscaping around the main building entrance and the new portico/ porte cochere, as well as throughout the site. • The Petitioner continues to work with the Urban Forester to address a few remaining review comments. Signage: • A signage plan has been provided, however, the number of signs allowed is exceeded. A BZA variance is required to have the wall sign, in addition to the existing ground sign. • The Petitioner continues to work with Planning Staff to address remaining review comments and to refine the signage design/plan. Fencing: • The current black chain link fence is proposed to be replaced with a black decorative aluminum fence. • The proposed fence height needs to be 6-ft tall or less, if located on the side/rear property lines. TAC Review: • The Petitioner submitted plans to the Technical Advisory Committee for technical review. Members of TAC include utility companies, the Fire Dept., the Engineering Dept., Forestry Dept., etc. The Petitioner continues to address the remaining review comments. Recommendation: After all comments and concerns are addressed, the Department of Community Services (DOCS) recommends the Commercial Committee votes to approve this item this evening, with the conditions of the Petitioner: • Addressing all remaining TAC review comments, • “Beefing up” the porte cochere column widths, • Adding 2 inverted U bicycle parking racks (for 4 bike parking spaces), • Coming into Multiuse Path compliance, • Seeking necessary BZA variances, and • Finalizing permits/approvals needed for portico construction.