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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSummary of Variances . . . \ slli(:'. / y~ ~> / "~C~t\) \ 1 \'\ (\~~ ' '~' ~G \ 11\J ; ~ ~,. :~;\ '. ~fJC"" ._ ,/~. , ,,: . . ' '. ; : { . I'. '.. ' SUMMARY OF DEVELOPMENT ST ANDARDS VARIANCES ' " FOR PROPOSED FULL SERVICE HOTEL AND CONFERENCE CENTER "'8 \V I N LCl!\IU)N II~ ," H :\I\\M()N~:' I NC Winegardner & Hammons, a full service hotel development, construction and management company, is proposing to develop a 263 room full service Renaissance Hotel with over 13,000 square feet of conference and meeting space. The proposed hotel and conference center is to be located on an 8 acre site located on U.S. Highway 31 just west of the intersection of 1 22nd Street and Pennsylvania Street. With more than 45 years of experience, Winegardner & Hammons is keenly aware of what is necessary to develop a premier full service hotel property and to provide outstanding service to the community. In order to facilitate the development of the first class full service hotel and conference center proposed, certain variances of the applicable development standards in the Carmel Zoning Ordinance, (the "Ordinance"), are needed. The variances being requested are as follows: 1. Reduction in Number of Required Parking Spaces: This Variance Request is to provide a total of 400 parking spaces as shown on the Parking Concept Plan on Sheet 2. Under the Ordinance, a total of 461 parking spaces are required to accommodate the hotel, restaurant and conference facilities. Based upon the extensive experience of Winegardner & Hammons 461 parking spaces is more than what is actually needed to operate this proposed development. With full appreciation of the critical need for adequate parking, the 400 spaces requested will exceed the cumulative needs of all proposed activities to occur within the development. "Right sized" parking areas have been encouraged in Carniel, to avoid a "sea of asphalt." As such, this variance to reduce the number of parking spaces and subsequently the parking area will not have an adverse effect on the public nor on the general welfare of the community. Additionally, this variance will not have any effect on the use and value of the adjacent properties. A strict application of the ordinance will cause practical difficulties in the overall development of the site and frustrate the aim of the City to avoid large asphalt parking areas that are not necessary for the successful operation of a business. This variance and the proposed plan for 400 parking spaces will provide for responsible parking and site development within the U.S. Highway 31 overlay zone. 2. Transfer of Permitted Sign to the South Fa~ade and Approval of Sign Area: This Variance Request is to place a wall sign on the south fayade. The dimensions of the proposed sign will be 6' -0" in height and 60' -2 1/2" in length. The area of the sign will be 362 SQ. FT. The proposed hotel and conference center will have frontage to the west along U.S. Highway 31 and per the Ordinance a wall sign is allowed to be placed on this . "'H \,\ i,,!\-\.~I)G:ll~,', H/\.\\\hl;'.\ 1,.( Summary of Requested Development Standards Variances Carmel Board of Zoning Appeals August 28, 2006 Page 2 fa9ade. Winegardner & Hammons is proposing to relocate the allowed sign on the U.S. Highway 31 frontage to assure that visibility and readability from U.S. Highway 31 are accomplished. This is critical to serving the customers of the hotel as well as the general public. By installing suitable signage both in location and size, patrons approaching the hotel from the south will ~ow to exit onto 116th Street in order to reach the hotel. The requested sign area will provide visibility and readability at a distance that will allow enough time to safely exit off of U.S. Highway 31. The distance from 116th Street to the hotel is in excess of 2,900 linear feet. Visibility and readability standards from this distance require a letter height of6'-0". Unique to this development is the name of the proposed hotel. The name "Renaissance" contains 11 letters. Subsequently, the sign area is required to be larger to accommodate the length of the name and still meet appropriate identification and readability height standards. This variance is necessary to address the public health and safety and general welfare of the community. This variance is necessary to assure a safe and efficient exit from U.S. Highway 31. Adequate signage will not adversely affect the use and value of the adjacent properties. Strict application of the ordinance will prevent effective identification of the hotel to the public and patrons and result in a critical difficulty in the efficient operation and use of the property as a destination full service hotel and conference center. 3. Transfer of Permitted Sign to the North Fa~ade and Approval of Sign Area: Similar to item 2, this Variance Request is to place a wall sign on the north fa9ade. The dimensions of the proposed sign will be 6'-0" in height and 60'-2 1/2" in length. The area of the sign will be 362 SQ. FT. The proposed hotel and conference center will have frontage along Pennsylvania Street and per the Ordinance a wall sign is allowed on the east fa9ade facing Pennsylvania Street. However due to the fact that most patrons and the public coming to the hotel from the north will utilize U.S. Highway 31, appropriate signage directed to U.S. Highway 31 is absolutely necessary and critical. This sign will be installed on the north fa9ade instead of the allowed sign facing Pennsylvania Street. This is critical to serving the customers of the hotel as well as the general public. By installing suitable signage both in location and size, patrons approaching the hotel from the north will know to exit onto 126th Street in order to reach the hotel. The requested sign area will provide visibility and readability at a distance that will allow enough time to safely exit off of U.S. Highway 31. The distance from 126th Street to the hotel is in excess of 2,600 linear feet. Visibility and readability standards from this distance require a letter height of 6' -0". The proposed wall sign on the north facade is identical to the proposed wall sign on the south facade in design and sign area. The same critical needs and issues concerning readability and visibility expressed above with respect to the south facade sign also apply to the north facade sign. This variance is necessary to address the public health and safety and general welfare of the community. This variance is necessary to assure a safe and efficient exit from U.S. Highway 31. Adequate signage will not adversely affect the use and value ofthe adjacent properties. Strict application ofthe ordinance will prevent effective identification .. .. WH \,\ I--!l ( 1\ 'Dt\.; I n ~ H ,\ \\ '.\( l~!S ! :-.!C Summary of Requested Development Standards Variances Carmel Board of Zoning Appeals August 28, 2006 Page 3 of the hotel to the public and patrons and result in a critical difficulty in the efficient operation and use of the property as a destination full service hotel and conference center. 4. Additiona~ Ground Sign and Approval of Maximum Height: This Variance Request is to place a double faced ground sign at the main entry drive perpendicular to Pennsylvania Street and across from 122nd Street. The dimensions ofthe ground sign will be 5'-10" x 7'- 5 1/2". The area of this sign will be 43.5 SQ. FT. as shown on the Ground Sign Elevation on Sheet 5. The top of the sign will be 10'-0" above grade. This sign is required to further enhance the visibility and accessibility of the Hotel to members of the general public and patrons. To achieve these objectives, Winegardner & Hammons believes that an increase in the permitted height of the ground sign from 6 feet to 10 feet is required. At a height of 6 feet, the ground sign could be blocked by vehicles exiting or entering the parking lot. Thus, if the additional sign is to achieve its objective of enhancing both the visibility and accessibility ofthe Hotel to patrons and customers, such a variance is necessary. Achievement ofthese objectives benefits both public safety and the general welfare of the community. Further, the use and value of the adjacent properties will be unaffected by the addition of the taller ground sign. Without this variance, the visibility of the sign and the corresponding accessibility of the Hotel to members of the general public and patrons will be adversely impacted. This will result in both significant practical difficulties in the efficient and effective operation of the Hotel. on the Site and will adversely affect the ability of the public and patrons to easily locate and enter the Hotel Property. 790955_2