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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDept Report 01-08-02 CARMEL/CLAY PLAN COMMISSION SPECIAL STUDIES COMMITTEE DEPARTMENT REPORT January 8, 2002 3. Docket No. 135-01 Z, 136-01 CPA; Home Place District Overlay Zone & Comprehensive Plan Policies Petitioner seeks a favorable recommendation for the establishment ofthe Home Place District Overlay Zone & Comprehensive Plan Policies. The area affected is generally known as Home Place. Filed by the Department of Community Services for the Home Place Task Force. The public hearing for this item was held at the December 18th Plan Commission meeting at which time the item was forwarded to the Special Studies Committee. The Department recommends the following amendment to the Home Place District Overlay Zone (shown in underline text). Section 2.0 District Boundaries The Home Place District Overlay Zone is generally bounded by the following streets; to the West by Pennsylvania Parkway, to the North by 1 16th Street, to the East by the Monon Greenway, and to the South by 1-465. Propertie~ located within the TIS 11 Overlay Zone are exclllded from the Home Place ni~trict Overlay Zone This addition would alleviate any potential conflicts between the two Overlay Zones. James Browning of Browning Investments Inc. in a letter dated December 18,2001 raised the following issues. A. Building Height-- The proposed overlay zone would limit building height to 45 feet but allows for a Plan Commission waiver of up to 35% of this standard which means the developer could achieve a building height of60.75 feet. This would allow the companion building to be nearly as tall as the existing building. The US 31 Overlay Zone limits building heights along Pennsylvania Street to 55 feet. B. Parking Restriction--Again, the 35% waiver allowance would provide some flexibility if site constraints caused parking to be required in the front setback. C. Buffer Areas--Although not expressly stated in the Overlay Zone, existing trees are used in the calculation of buffer-yard requirements. If the committee deems it necessary, the Overlay Zone could be amended to state: Section 8.1. Sites with existing trees or stands of trees shall protect and incorporate them into the overall site design. Rxi~tine tree~ can he lI~ed in ca1clllatine the reqllired amollnt land ~caping Committee Report 2002-1-8.rtf The Department finds that the proposed Overlay Zone currently provides the flexibility needed to accommodate the requests made in this letter. The following is a reprint of the Department Report on this item to the full Plan Commission for the December 18th meeting. It provides a brief overview of the process relating to the development of the Overlay Zone and amended Comprehensive Plan policies. The Home Place Task Force was formed to create Comprehensive Plan policies and an Overlay Zone that would serve the Home Place area. Several factors make this area particularly sensitive now and in the future for redevelopment. First, the US 31 upgrade with a potential interchange to be located at 106th Street. Second, the recent road improvements on Pennsylvania Street. Last, the availability of relatively reasonably priced real estate. These factors will make the Home Place area even more viable for commercial development in the future. Recognizing this and the need to protect the established neighborhoods, the Task Force set out to establish basic design standards to guide commercial development and redevelopment in the area. Within the entire area (bounded on the east by the Monon Trail, on the west by Pennsylvania Street, on the south by 1-465 and on the north by 116th Street), commercial development, redevelopment, renovations, and additions would be required to comply with the general guidelines for landscaping, lighting, parking, pedestrian circulation, and material storage. Those properties falling within the Home Place Business District (around the intersection of 106th Street & College Avenue) and the West Home Place Commercial Corridor (east side of Pennsylvania Street) would have, in addition, site design, architectural, and buffer standards that would ensure commercial development would be compatible with and sensitive to nearby neighborhoods. The proposed Overlay Zone and Comprehensive Plan policies attempt to foster growth in this area by focusing commercial development in areas where it already exists and establishing reasonable design standards to protect residential areas. The standards proposed are drawn from the Comprehensive Plan policies and from standards established in other Overlay Zones throughout the Township. The standards are based on significant public input and by examining development patterns within the area. The goal is to maintain the urban village character while accommodating future development or redevelopment. The Depart;ment recommends that the Special Studies Committee forward this item back to the Full Plan Commission with a favorable recommendation upon their full review and amendment to the plan. We fully recognize that this process will take more than one month and encourage the committee to consider all proposed modifications as suggested by the public, commission members, etc. Committee Report 2002-1-8.rtf t ~t.Ct.Ntt) Ut~ \?, ~~\. \)QCS ..?I . 'BltOWNlNG INVESTMENTS, INC. December 18. 200 I SuJu= 200 Oaphal Cater 251 Militia JIIiaoiI SINcI Ift.l:......, Iadiaaa <t6204 Gm 2aN800 Members of the City of Cannel Planning Commission Ms. Kelli Habn One Civil Square Carmel, IN 46032 ~Q RellBaa. ~I tcuIaJ PnapIIty ~t Re: Home Pillet District avultty Zone Dear Members of the Plan Commission: I am writing on behalf of Standard Management Corporation C'SMC") as it relates to their Corporate Campus which resides within the proposed district. Upon our review of the proposed ordinance, we are concerned about the affect of c:ertain guidelines on SMC's future development plans which include a second building. Specifically, the building height restriction of 45 feet is far more constraining than the height restriction in the existing US Highway 31 Overlay Zone Ordinance. The current SMC building is 63.S feet. This new height restriction would inhibit our ability to build their proposed companion building using similar architectural features as contemplated in our originally submitted development plan. In this particular case, it seems that this restriction will actually dissuade high density buildings or buildings of prominence within the proposed distriet. . Secondly, the parking restriction which proh1oits parking inside the ftoont setback will also have a negative effect on our CUIl'ent development plan. The US Highway 31 Overlay Zone at least allows for some flexibility within this guideline. As it has been determined with some buildings which have been constmcted on US Highway 31, flexibility has been required. This is either because of inherent site ~strictioDS or because companies need visitor parking in front of their buildings. It is sometimes difficult or impractical to design a building which complies with the existing architectural standards and have the entrances to the building in the rear. In SMC's case there is an underground gas line running through the property which dictated the placement of the buildings on the site. Ultimately. this will require some parking spaces in front of the second building. ~'d 61~~~1~ lN3W1S3r"lN I 9N I NMIH1 9v:91 1002-81-~3a ~B'd It:llOl Ms. Kelli Hahn December 18, 2001 Page 2 of2 The proposed buffer areas should not be required if a tree line already exists between the site and a residential area. This site already has many mature trees along the property line and the requirement for nine (9) trees and fifteen (15) shrubs for each 100 feet is not appropriate. Requiring specific numbers of plantings and ignoring the existing environment is not in either parties best interest. In this case, the requirement to install additional trees and shmbs would be costly and ineffective as a buffer area currently exists. In any event, if the intent of creating this district is to enhance and promote economical development in this area, we believe several of the guidelines have the opposite result. Thank you for your attention in this matter. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at (317) 237.2828. Sincerely, BROWNING INVESTMENTSt INC. lames W. BrowniDi Vice President Real Estate Development ~ co: Ron Hunter Ed Stahl JwbllcIfl:rsIhaJIII121 a.doc ~'d 618~~1~ lN3WlS3flN I ~I NM~a 9v:91 lBBG-81-~3a