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Home My WebLink AboutMinutes PC 08-15-23 1 OF ` \GQATNF r...� �� I t of C DIA CARMEL PLAN COMMISSION TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2023 MEETING MINUTES Location:Council Chambers Room,2'd Floor,Carmel City Hall Members Present: Adam Aasen(virtual attendee),Adam Campagna,Dubbie Buckler,Brad Grabow(President),Jeff Hill,Josh Kirsh, Sue Westermeier,Christine Zoccola Members Absent:Leo Dierckman Staff Present:Alexia Lopez,Rachel Keesling,Christina Jesse,Joe Shestak,Mike Hollibaugh Legal Counsel:Aly McGrath,Sergey Grechukhin Time of Meeting:6:00 PM Declaration of Quorum:President Grabow: 8 members present,we have a Quorum. Approval of the previous Meeting Minutes: A Motion made by Kirsh and seconded by Campagna to approve the June 20, 2023 PC meeting minutes. Approved 7-0,absent Aasen,Dierckman. Reports,Announcements&Department Concerns: Alexia Lopez 1. Outcome of Projects at Committees a. Residential Committee: i. Docket No. PZ-2023-00014 PUD: Andrews PUD Rezone. Continued to September 5,2023 b. Committee of the Whole: i. Docket No. PZ-2022-00172 PUD: Conner Prairie PUD Rezone—Fay.Recom.to City Council Public Hearings: Grabow: Explained the Plan Commission's Rules of Procedure for a public hearing. 1. Docket No.PZ-2023-00136 DP/ADLS: The Edge at West Carmel 2. Docket No.PZ-2023-00157 V: UDO Section 2.24: Min.Lot Area 5,000 sq. ft. per multi-family dwelling unit, 2,899 sq.ft. requested. 3. Docket No.PZ-2023-00158 V: UDO Section 5.28: 540 parking spaces required,401 requested. 4. Docket No.PZ-2023-00159 V: UDO Section 2.24:Max Lot Coverage 40%,50% requested. 5. Docket No.PZ-2023-00160 V: UDO Section 3.88(C): 20' Max height allowed adjacent to residential; 27' and 38' requested. 6. Docket No.PZ-2023-00161 V: UDO Section 3.88(D): Buildings facades 90' or greater in width shall have offsets not less than 8' deep, 1.5' requested. 7. Docket No.PZ-2023-00162 V:UDO Section 3.96(B): Min. Rear Yard Setback 52.5'adjacent to residential, 40' requested. The applicant seeks site plan and design approval as well as variances for a new development with an apartment complex(252 units),and one future commercial out-lot. The site is located at 11335 N. Michigan Road. It is zoned B-3/Business and is located within the US 421 Overlay zone. Filed by Rick Lawrence with Nelson& Frankenberger,LLC,on behalf of REI Real Estate Services,LLC. Petitioner:Jon Dobosiewicz,Nelson&Frankenberger,LLC. • With me tonight are Mike and Ryan Wells of REI,Fred Fehsenfeld,property owner,our project engineer,and Rick Lawrence of Nelson&Frankenberger • Presented site location map and site plan, subject site is approximately 23 acres • 2-story buildings are adjacent to residential units,and 3-story buildings are adjacent to commercial properties • We will expand the existing detention pond • We will install a perimeter cedar fence with brick columns every 26-ft 1 Plan Commission Minutes 8-15-23 • Additional landscaping will include a pollinator garden and tree-lined internal drives • Minimum of 141 parking spaces which meets the industry standard • Amenities include a swimming pool,clubhouse, dog park,and walking paths • The area around the pond will be maintained as an environmentally sensitive area rather than a manicured lawn • Presented elevations, mechanical units will be screened on the roofs and building materials will include masonry and fiber-cement siding. We will meet the federal style architecture of the Michigan Rd. Overlay • The minimum required landscape buffer next to Woodland is 15 ft. We will provide at least 25-ft. • We have modified the fence location along the shared property line so existing trees can be preserved • We will continue to work with Planning Staff • We conducted a meeting with adjacent property owners at University High School on August 2. We shared the plans and had discussions with them. We modified the location of the fence line to their liking. • We will continue our discussion at the Sept. 5 Residential Committee Public Comments: Dale Ankrom,Woodhaven Drive: We as homeowners have concerns. The Petitioner has addressed some of our issues. We are not against development,but this project has gone too far due to the need for all the variances. The density is too great. The 3-story building(northwest)that abuts the mortuary is not interior and is less than 200-ft to the neighboring residence and should not be approved.An 8-ft fence will not limit 3-story residents from seeing in our backyard. We want to see some more modifications. Andrew Hall, Woodhaven Drive: We have concerns with the density and the 3-story building that is adjacent to the mortuary. It will look into my backyard where my children play.A fence will not prevent anyone from looking into my backyard. I want to protect the sanctity of the environment we currently live in. Catherine Jones Knox,Townes at Weston Pointe: All the variances they are requesting should be enough to raise a concern. The environment behind our townhomes would be destroyed. I would ask them to preserve more of the existing mature trees along the southeast property line. Rebuttal to Public Comments: Jon Dobosiewicz: • We need to examine which trees to keep along the south perimeter within and outside the fence. We will also identify which trees won't affect the drainage. Department Report,Alexia Lopez: • The changes that have been made since their last proposal include,the commercial lot to the south was removed and will become a pollinator habitat,the perimeter fence and landscape was enhanced and extended further,they rearranged the access drive and added a building for additional units • This type of residential is appropriate next to existing residential • This is a good transition from US 421 to commercial lot to apartment units • It's up to the Plan Commission to decide if these uses are allowed on this land,due to the 1988 commitments • The building architecture will be complementary to the US 421 Overlay Federal Style that includes red brick, masonry base, and hardy-lap siding • Existing evergreen trees will be preserved along the north and east perimeter • Staff recommends this is continued to the Sept. 5 Residential Committee for further review and discussion Committee Comments: Buckler: Can you explain how Docket No. PZ-2023-00161 V(building offsets)is applicable to the design layout?Jon Dobosiewicz:Presents elevations, the 2-story building meets the requirement. The 3-story building offsets does not meet the minimum spacing requirement. We will bring the exhibits to the Committee meeting and our architect can explain them further.Kirsh: How far does the 3-story facade stick out?Ruth Mueller,Architect: Points to elevation exhibit, 3-4 ft for this facade bump out and approximately 10 ft. for this facade bump out. Buckler: Come prepared to address reducing the height of building#1 and relocating the pollinator habitat.Jon Dobosiewicz: We will bring in sight lines from building#1 to the adjacent residential properties. Grabow: Help us understand the building height verse how far from the building line. The line of sight and distance to an actual home 2 Plan Commission Minutes 8-15-23 would help us understand these issues.Jon Dobosiewicz: We can bring this to the Committee meeting. Campagna: Are you proposing 401 parking spaces?The agenda listed 394 spaces.Jon Dobosiewicz: 401 is correct. IHill: We are normally brought with a variance request where there's a site constraint that can't be meant.It's subjective if these variances are excessive or not. If there were less variances to consider, it would make this more palatable. We now have more units to consider since the last request. If there are less buildings,this might become more sellable for us.The architecture looks better than the last time. I look forward to continuing this dialogue at the Committee meeting. Zoccola: I'm trying to wrap my head around the increase in density.This means more asphalt and less trees. What's the reason for bringing the fence within 25-ft.of the property line?What's the best way to preserve all the trees?What looks the best for the surrounding neighbors, and as well as for the future residents?Jon Dobosiewicz: This fence location would not affect the existing trees.The fence being moved 25-ft from the shared property line was requested by the adjacent property owner.Moving the fence in allows additional plantings and preserving the existing trees. We are adding space where landscaping can be planted on the Woodhaven side. We will bring additional details to the Committee. Zoccola: Come up a plan where the pollinator habitat can look great for all 4 seasons of the year. Grabow: The fence does not need to be continuous if certain mature trees could be preserved can be argued.Examine where these opportunities exist, if any.Jon Dobosiewicz: Our desire is to have the fence be continuous.We can work with Urban Forester during construction and if we find a group of trees that should be saved,we can offset that fence by a few feet to save those trees.Grabow: How far interior are the 3-story buildings compared to 2-story buildings situated at the building line?What do those sight lines from the neighbors look like for a 2-story and 3-story?Make sure each building is adequately parked.Look for places to have additional parallel parking or angled spaces. Under tab 9,the calculations for total bedroom counts for building type 1,4,and 5 were off.If so,the bike parking space count would be off.Jon Dobosiewicz: We will audit the bike parking number and present it to the Alternative Transportation Planner. Grabow: Under tab 12, it would be helpful to add The Seasons,and North End to the density comparison chart. IWestermeier: What's the size of the proposed pool?Is there a clubhouse?Who lives on the other side of the dog park? Any low-income reservations for these units?The 3-story building on the north side should be reduced to 2-story.Jon Dobosiewicz: We will bring the actual size of the pool,clubhouse,workout facility and other amenities. We can bring in numbers. We won't have any low-income reservations but some of the units will be handicap accessible. Westermeier: Will there be an access connection to the south,to Weston's?The fire department showed concerns about only having one access to Michigan Road.Jon Dobosiewicz: When and if the owner of the south is required to connect. We went through the TAC process,and we didn't hear any comments concerning this. Westermeier: We need to discuss the allowed uses of the commercial lot.I want you to have another neighborhood meeting with the surrounding neighbors. Kirsh: What was INDOT's stance on a signal light at Michigan Road?Jon Dobosiewicz:A signal is authorized at this intersection. Kirsh: For the native plantings around the pond and pollinator garden,these areas are in-sustainable.A prairie will eventually turn into a forest. Are you removing invasive species and dead trees around the property line?I want to set up this area for success.Who's going to maintain these areas along the fence,pollinator garden,and pond? A Motion made by Hill and seconded by Kirsh to send Docket Nos.PZ-2023-00136 DP/ADLS,and PZ-2023-00157 V thru-00162 V to the Sept.5 Residential Committee with the full Plan Commission having voting authority. Approved 7-0,absent Aasen,Dierckman. 8. Docket No.PZ-2023-00110 DP Amend/ADLS Amend: Rosie's Gardens Business Expansion. 9. Docket No.PZ-2023-00155 PV: Plat Vacation for a portion(18 lots)of Harry Bowser's Northridge Addition. The applicant seeks site plan and design approval to remodel and expand the current business. Plat Vacation of 18 lots in Harry Bowser's Northridge Addition is needed for the expansion to occur.The site is located at 10402 College Avenue. It is zoned B-3/Business and is within the Homeplace Business Overlay District. Filed by Eric Carter of Weihe Engineers on behalf of Lawrence Hughes, owner. 3 Plan Commission Minutes 8-15-23