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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-21-22 TAC MinutesPage 1 of 4 City of Carmel Technical Advisory Committee September 21, 2022 CARMEL TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES Date: Wednesday, September 21, 2022 Place: Virtual meeting. Time: 9:00 a.m. (Approximate start times for each item are listed below) 9:00 a.m. Docket No. PZ-2022-00169 DP/ADLS: Chick-Fil-A – US 421 The applicant seeks site plan and design approval for a new restaurant with drive thru on 1.97 acres. The site is located at 9965 N. Michigan Road (previous location of Red Robin), part of West Carmel Marketplace, Block F. It is zoned B-2 and is within the US 421 Overlay District. Filed by Joe Vavrina of HR Green, on behalf of Chick-Fil-A. Joe Vavrina of HR Green presented the project. This project will include a new restaurant with a drive thru off of the corner of Michigan Road and 99th Street. Dave McCoy – City of Carmel Addressing - No comments. Daren Mindham – City of Carmel Urban Forestry - Comments submitted on ProjectDox regarding tree preservation fencing locations and missing landscaping along Michigan Road on the landscape plan that was originally planned from the previous Red Robin project. Mr. Vavrina discussed Mr. Mindham’s ProjectDox comments regarding adding foundation plantings and mulch type used around the drive-thru lanes. David Littlejohn – City of Carmel Alternative Transportation - Comments submitted on ProjectDox regarding bicycle parking needing to be located within 50’ of the main entrance and easily accessible from the paths along Michigan Road and 99th Street. Mr. Littlejohn recommended moving the bicycle parking to the south of the building and ensuring outdoor furniture does not block the accessible route from ADA parking to the building entrance. Mr. Littlejohn also stated that the perpendicular parking spaces along the west side of the building needed wheel stops/stop bars to prevent blocking access to the sidewalk as well as the need to realign the crosswalk from the path along Michigan Road to promote a safer design. Mr. Vavrina stated that the crosswalk could be realigned by relocating the parking island. Mr. Littlejohn agreed that relocating the parking island could solve this issue and inquired if this would disrupt the landscaping plan/requirements. Mr. Mindham stated that relocating the parking island would not cause any issues with landscaping requirements. Page 2 of 4 City of Carmel Technical Advisory Committee September 21, 2022 Mr. Vavrina stated that his concern with adding the wheel stop/stop bars was that these features could potentially become a trip hazard and claimed that Chick-Fil-A had eliminated the use of parking bumpers at their locations due to lawsuits that had been brought upon them in the past and requested that the applicants not have to meet the wheel stop requirement. Mr. Littlejohn stated that Section 5.28 of the Unified Development Ordinance requires wheel stops for parking spaces perpendicular to a pedestrian sidewalk and noted that to eliminate the wheel stop requirement, the sidewalk would need to be widened to 8’. Mr. Vavrina inquired if a 7’ wide sidewalk would be allowable. Mr. Littlejohn stated that he would refer to the ordinance and confirm the minimum width allowable to eliminate the need for the wheel stops. Mr. Vavrina stated the applicants could likely shift the building to accommodate the additional clearance to meet a required width. Mr. Littlejohn located the UDO Section on wheel stops and confirmed that the sidewalk width would need to be a minimum of 10’ with 8’ of clearance to eliminate the need for wheel stops. Justin Lurk of Chick-Fil-A inquired if bollards would be acceptable in lieu of wheel stops. Mr. Littlejohn referred to the UDO Section that specifically requires wheel stops. Ms. Keesling stated that the applicants would likely need to apply for a variance in order to receive relief from meeting this requirement. Ms. Keesling inquired about the width of the drive isle and Mr. Vavrina confirmed the width of the drive isle was 28’. Ms. Keesling stated that the applicants could meet the 10’ wide sidewalk requirement to eliminate the wheel stops, as well as a variance, by shifting the building to the east 2’ and adding 3’ of additional sidewalk and still meet the minimum drive isle width of 25’ for two-way traffic. Ms. Keesling recommended looking into relocating ADA parking to have the accessible route from the path near the pinch point. Mr. Vavrina inquired about requirement for path connection to 99th Street and cited locations nearby that only had path connections to Michigan Road stating that he thought the path connection to 99th Street was redundant. Mr. Littlejohn stated that the ordinance specifically requires bike racks shall have direct connections that are easily accessible and convenient for cyclists to access and noted that the path along 99th Street is in the public right-of-way, is a path facility, and is a pedestrian and ADA accessible route. Mr. Littlejohn cited that ADA standards state that there should be accessible routes from all adjacent public facilities. Mr. Littlejohn inquired about the removal of the existing connection on the site to 99th Street. Mr. Vavrina confirmed that the connection on 99th Street was to be removed and that there is a planned connection to Michigan Road. Mr. Vavrina brought up again that he had seen other projects along Michigan Road that did not have multiple connections. Mr. Littlejohn stated that we was not aware of the reasoning for any discrepancies. Mr. Vavrina stated that other towns he had worked within interpreted ADA standards as requiring at least one connection to public sidewalk that is ADA accessible. Mr. Littlejohn reiterated that ADA standards state that there should be accessible routes from all adjacent public facilities and reminded Mr. Vavrina that the site would require two accessible routes as the parcel has two public facilities/rights-of-way adjacent to it. Mr. Vavrina requested Mr. Littlejohn look into the surrounding projects along Michigan Road that did not have multiple connections once again. Dave Lucas – Hamilton County Highway Department - No comments as the project lies outside of the Hamilton County Highway Department’s jurisdiction. Ryan Murt – City of Carmel Streets - No comments. Page 3 of 4 City of Carmel Technical Advisory Committee September 21, 2022 Sam Clark – Hamilton County Surveyor’s Office - Comments submitted on ProjectDox. Rodney Johnson – AES Indiana - Mr. Johnson requested 10’ clearance in front and 5’ clearance on the other three sides of the transformer. Mr. Johnson also stated AES Indiana might request a couple of bollards depending on how close the front of the transformer is to the curb. Rachel Keesling – City of Carmel Planning & Zoning - Ms. Keesling stated she would aim to finalize review comments soon. Ms. Keesling inquired if the bump outs met the required 8’ depth. Mr. Vavrina confirmed that he thought there would be flexibility to the requirement due to the building layout and operations along with site constraints. Ms. Keesling stated another major comment would be related to the location of the drive thru as the site fronts two public streets and would likely require a variance filing. Ms. Lopez stated that Alex Jordan with City of Carmel Engineering could not attend the TAC meeting and recommended the applicants reach out to him with any questions regarding his review comments on ProjectDox. 9:15 a.m. Docket No. PZ-2022-00172 PUD: Conner Prairie – PUD Rezone The applicant seeks PUD rezone approval for a west side expansion of Conner Prairie to include a farm to table restaurant, a White River Education Center, Lodge hotel, cabins, a modern farm, parking, walking trails, and more. The site is located at the southeast corner of 146th Street and River Road and is zoned S-1/Residence. Filed by Jon Dobosiewicz and Jim Shinaver of Nelson & Frankenberger on behalf of Ken Alexander, Site Master Plan Manager for Conner Prairie Museum, Inc. Jon Dobosiewicz of Nelson & Frankenberger presented the project. This project will include an expansion of the Conner Prairie development of approximately 260 acres and include a restaurant, education center, hotel, cabins, farm, and walking trails through a rezone from S-1 to PUD. The property is planned in three zones: food-farm-energy district, innovation district, and hospitality district planned to be developed over a 25-year time period. Dave McCoy – City of Carmel Addressing - Mr. McCoy stated that he needs to be contacted regarding future street names later in the development process. Daren Mindham – City of Carmel Urban Forestry - Comments submitted on ProjectDox regarding perimeter bufferyards and open space percentage. David Littlejohn – City of Carmel Alternative Transportation - Comments submitted on ProjectDox requesting long-term bicycle parking be incorporated to the PUD language. Mr. Littlejohn reminded the applicant that the Unified Development Ordinance requires long-term bicycle parking for hotel uses. Mr. Littlejohn also noted a bicycle and pedestrian plan would be useful in future submissions to illustrate facilities and connections on the site. Kenneth Alexander of Conner Prairie stated that a bicycle and pedestrian plan could be complied once the applicants finalize details with Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation. Mr. Alexander stated that the applicants are working with Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation to extend the greenway along the White River through the hospitality district (zone 3) and cross over the innovation district (zone 2) to meet at the roundabout at River Road and Cherry Creek Boulevard and run along River Road through the food-farm-energy district (zone 1) to 146th Street. Page 4 of 4 City of Carmel Technical Advisory Committee September 21, 2022 Mr. Alexander stated that the food-farm-energy district (zone 1) will be a ticketed area and will have private walking paths. Mr. Littlejohn stated that private and public sidewalks can be noted on the future bicycle and pedestrian plan. Dave Lucas – Hamilton County Highway Department - Mr. Lucas stated that he did not have comments regarding the rezone but wanted to advise that the right-of-way along 146th Street stays clear of landscaping and trees that are not currently existing. Mr. Lucas also advised the applicants that there may be a future improvement at the intersection of 146th Street and River Road. Mr. Dobosiewicz inquired about designs for the future intersection improvements and Mr. Lucas stated that no designs have been determined. Mr. Alexander requested signage setback requirements for the intersection. Mr. Lucas stated he would share design details once the improvement was further along. Ryan Murt – City of Carmel Streets - No comments. Sam Clark – Hamilton County Surveyor’s Office - Comments submitted on ProjectDox. Mr. Clark recommended the applicants set up a meeting with his office when the development plan comes through for review regarding the property’s position in the floodway. Mr. Dobosiewicz stated his understanding was that building improvements are only located outside of the floodway. Rachel Keesling – City of Carmel Planning & Zoning - Ms. Keesling inquired if the applicants had an exhibit where the concept plan overlays with the floodway. Mr. Dobosiewicz stated the applicants would be able to provide this exhibit. Ms. Keesling recommended the applicants work with Mr. Clark and Mr. Jordan from City of Carmel Engineering to discuss expectations now before the project gets to the development plan phase. Ms. Keesling commended the project’s features and amenities. Ms. Keesling inquired about the proposed setbacks and if they corresponded with the locations of the buildings shown on the concept plan. Mr. Dobosiewicz stated the applicants would verify if the setbacks were gauged on existing or future right-of-way. Ms. Keesling noted that the architectural requirements proposed for the PUD did not focus on types of buildings and that the building materials listed seemed generalized and not specific to the modern-farm style shown in the character imagery. Ms. Keesling also stated that the signage section did not feature any standards. Mr. Dobosiewicz stated that the majority of the signs will be wayfinding signs on the site and were working on a plan for the public realm signage. Ms. Keesling recommended writing into the PUD language allowing staff to administratively work through signage so all signage requests do not need to go directly to the Plan Commission. Ms. Keesling stated she would finalize her review task shortly. Aaron Kowalski with MKSK inquired about Ms. Keesling’s requests regarding architectural standards. If there is a specific design aesthetic desired to work toward, Ms. Keesling requested the applicant be specific about what that design looks like in the language of the PUD to prevent future interpretation issues with architectural design materials/features. Mr. Kowalski stated that the overall architectural style would be modern prairie and would work on connecting that style with the materiality. Mr. Alexander stated that he had been meeting with HOAs and Carmel City Councilors. The HOA directly across from the innovation district (zone 2) requested Conner Prairie plant buffer landscaping on their side of River Road. Ms. Keesling stated that this type of request has been made and accommodated in the past. Mr. Dobosiewicz stated this could be done with a commitment.