HomeMy WebLinkAboutDepartment Report 04-18-231
CARMEL PLAN COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT REPORT
APRIL 18, 2023
H. Public Hearings
1. Docket No. PZ-2023-00039 PV: Town of Bethlehem Partial Plat Vacation, Lots 1-4
2. Docket No. PZ-2023-00040 PP: 1st on Main Subdivision Primary Plat
3. Docket No. PZ-2023-00063 SW: UDO Sec. 6.15 10% Min. Open Space, 0% qualifying open
space requested
4. Docket No. PZ-2023-00064 SW: UDO Sec. 6.15 10 ft. Wide Min. Perimeter Landscaping, 0 ft.
requested
5. Docket No. PZ-2023-00069 V: UDO Sec. 1.07.E Transportation Plan Compliance
6. Docket No. PZ-2023-00071 V: UDO Sec. 2.36 Maximum Lot Coverage 80%, 100% requested
7. Docket No. PZ-2023-00072 V: UDO Section 5.21 Street trees required, No street trees requested.
The applicant seeks a partial plat vacation, a new primary plat, 2 design standards waivers, and 3
variances to remove the 1st on Main development from the original single-family subdivision and plat it
as its own urban, commercial subdivision with 4 lots. The site is located at 41 N Rangeline Rd. and is
zoned C-2/Mixed Use. Filed by Kevin Buchheit with Krieg DeVault LLP on behalf of the owner.
Site Context:
This site is bordered primarily by commercial properties zoned B-1/Business, B-2/Business, B-5/Business, and
C-2/Mixed Use. East of the site are R-3/Residential zoned properties. The R-3 parcel immediately east is a
parking lot owned by Carmel, and further east are residential homes. Please see the Petitioner’s Info Packet
for additional information.
Project Details:
• DP/ADLS approved in 2022 for this site, which included a site plan and architecture for an office
building, parking garage, condo building, and multi-family building.
• Site is currently under construction.
• A portion of the site is still a part of an old subdivision plat in Old Town; the Town of Bethlehem Plat,
Lots1-4.
• Petitioner would like to vacate their part of the subdivision and make a new commercial subdivision
with 4 lots to correspond with the building footprints and common area.
• 4 lots are proposed, one for each building, and a common area.
• The common area includes a plaza at the corner of Rangeline Rd. and Main St. and a linear park in the
middle of the site between the office building and parking garage.
• The Commercial subdivision will clean up the lot lines for this site and allow separate ownership for
each building/parcel.
• 2 waivers are requested.
• 3 variances are requested.
Waivers:
• Commercial Subdivisions require 10% open space and a 10 ft. wide perimeter landscaping area.
• These standards are meant more for a suburban style commercial development on a greenfield site.
• This development is an urban infill development and does not have room for the required open space or
perimeter landscaping.
• The open space and perimeter landscaping would also be out of character for an urban setting like Main
St. and Rangeline Rd.
• The Department is in support of these waivers.
• Please refer to the petitioner’s Findings of Facts included in their info packet.
2
Variances:
• Variances are requested for road right-of-way widths, maximum lot coverage, and street trees.
• These variances are being heard together with the Primary Plat as a combined hearing.
• Transportation Plan Compliance: Main St. required a 76 ft. wide right-of-way (ROW) which would be a
38 ft. half. This project provides a 33 ft. half. Rangeline Rd. required a 98 ft. wide ROW, which would
be a 49 ft. half. This project provides a 33 ft. half. Finally, the north and east side streets require a 28 ft.
half and 18.5 ft., and 20 ft. half ROWs are provided. This project was fully reviewed during the CRC
DP/ADLS review process, and the site plan was designed to fit in with the existing City street system.
A minimum 10 ft. sidewalk is still provided along Main St. and Rangeline Rd. to continue the urban
walkability of this area.
• Lot Coverage: C-2 zoning allows a maximum lot coverage of 80% and the petitioner is requesting
100%. This is a variance of 25%. The increase in lot coverage allows the project to fully utilize this
infill site for an urban, mixed-use development. Stormwater drainage has already been reviewed and
approved by the Engineering Department and will be accommodated through underground detention.
• Street Trees: C-2 zoning requires shade trees to be planted along all streets within the rights-of-way.
However, due to the design of this project, the site was maximized and room was not available for street
trees. A 10 ft. wide sidewalk is still provided along Main St. and Rangeline Rd. The addition of street
trees in the sidewalk area would reduce the area for pedestrians. There will be shrubs and grasses
planted in areas along the rights-of-way.
• The Department is in support of these variances.
• Please refer to the petitioner’s Findings of Facts included in their info packet.
DOCS Remaining Comments/Concerns:
None.
Recommendation:
The Department of Community Services recommends the Plan Commission votes to suspend their rules of
procedure and Approve this item tonight.