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CARMEL BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS
DEPARTMENT REPORT
November 27, 2006
9-10h. West Carmel Center Office Park, Ph II (West Carmel Center, Blk E)
The applicant seeks the following development standards variance approvals:
Docket No. 06100014 V Section 23C.09.D fa~ade offsets
Docket No. 06100015 V Section 23C.I0 and 26.04.05 buffer yard requirements
The site is located southeast of Commerce Dr. and Carwinion Way and is zoned B-5/Business.
Filed by Mike Jett of American Consulting for West Carmel I, LLC.
General Info:
The petitioner seeks approval for a reduction
in the landscape buffer yard requirements and
in a reduction of the fayade bumps outs. The
required building offsets/projections are 8
feet. Phase I of this project has already
received approvals for the exact same
variance requests at the July 25, 2005 BZA
meeting.
Analysis:
The office complex is the second of the two
phases required for this development. The
existing drainage pond located in the rear of
the site provides a water buffer to the
residential neighbors to the north and east. To
the west of the site are more
retail/commercial uses. The Urban Forester
has reviewed the site's landscape plan. The
building fayade is composed of brick and
masonry, which will add to the quality of the development. The 8-ft building bump outs have been
reduced to approximately 4-ft.
Findings of Fact: bufferyards
1. The approval of this variance will not be injurious to the public health, safety, morals and
general welfare of the community because: the drainage pond provides a wide buffer with the
adjacent residences. The site will still be landscaped with multiple shade trees and bushes.
2. The use and value of the area adjacent to the property included in the variance will not be
affected in a substantially adverse manner because: the drainage pond provides a wide buffer
with the adjacent residences. The site will still be landscaped with multiple shade trees and bushes.
3. The strict application of the terms of the Zoning Ordinance to the property will result in
practical difficulties in the use of the property because: the project may not be feasible to
providing buffer yards that are too wide for the site, where buildings may have to be shifted in a
way that will make the project infeasible.
Findings of Fact: fa~ade offset
1. The approval of this variance will not be injurious to the public health, safety, morals and
general welfare of the community because: the building fa~ade projections/recessions will still
be a part of the building footprint and fa~ade, but the width will be closer to 4- ft, rather than 8- ft.
2. The use and value of the area adjacent to the property included in the variance will not be
affected in a substantially adverse manner because: the building fayade projections/recessions
will still be a part of the building footprint and fa~ade, but the width will be closer to 4-ft, rather
than 8-ft.
3. The strict application of the terms of the Zoning Ordinance to the property will result in
practical difficulties in the use of the property because: the buildings and their locations on the
site may have to be modified, which may cause the project to become infeasible.
Recommendation:
The Dept. of Community Services recommends positive consideration of Docket No. 06100014 V and
06100015 v.