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Carmel Plan Commission
RESIDENTIAL COMMITTEE
Monday, November 13, 2023 Department Report
1. Docket No. PZ-2023-00014 PUD: Andrews PUD Rezone
The applicant seeks PUD rezone approval to allow a new neighborhood consisting of 31 single-family
dwellings. The site is located at 4411 E 146th Street and is zoned R-1/Residence. Filed by Jim Shinaver
and Jon Dobosiewicz of Nelson & Frankenberger on behalf of Schafer Development, LLC.
*Updates to the Report are written in blue
Project Overview:
The Petitioner proposes to rezone the subject property to a PUD classification to allow for the construction of
31 single family homes. The site is located along busy 146th Street. To the north is 146th St. and then an
electrical sub-station and a self-storage business. To the west is a landscaping business and to the east is a tree
and lawn care company and a large lot single family home. To the south and southeast is a residential
neighborhood. Please see the Petitioner’s Information packet for more details.
Comprehensive Plan Analysis:
• The Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan) provides a guide for development and a common vision for the City.
• The Policy Goals and Objectives of the Comp Plan calls for such things as a variety of housing types, a mixture of
land uses, and promoting housing options to support aging in place.
• It also guides development to protect single-family neighborhoods from dissimilar adjacent uses with respect to scale
of buildings, lighting, noise and other incompatible impacts.
• Some other objectives from the Comp Plan that can been seen in this project are: Prioritize installation of street amenities
including benches, street lights and street trees that make walking more convenient and desirable for all ages, Support
local food and agriculture by expanding community gardens, and Consistently require street and multi-modal
connectivity between adjacent developments, to improve residential mobility options, as well as improved access for
delivery, maintenance, and emergency vehicles.
• Under Development Patterns in the Comp Plan, this area is classified as East Neighborhoods which can have
characteristics including lot sizes from 1/8 to 3 acres; building coverage between 20% to 55%; 2.5 story heights; front
yards, gardens, porches, stoops; and residential uses.
• Because this site is along 146th St, it falls into the Typical Corridor classification as well.
• Typical corridors are “Primary E/W and N/S routes that provide connectivity to community assets throughout the City.
These corridors are based on adjacent patterns and serve as transitions between places. They allow expanded
housing options and limited commercial as long as they are consistent with the character of adjacent patterns.”
• Building a residential neighborhood adjacent to another residential neighborhood is a compatible land use.
• Townhouses would be a good fit fort this site as it keeps a residential use in the area and offers a moderate density
development that is only 2 stories and a similar height to what is allowed in the current zoning.
• The 2-story height of the homes, the large setback to the south, and the landscaped buffer area allows for a sensitive
transition from the 2-story single-family homes to the south to this neighborhood and then 146th St.
Additional Analysis:
Site Plan: Site Plan, Parking, Engineering
• The petitioner has made some major changes to the layout of this subdivision.
• Two proposed entrances to the site, one from 146th St. and one from the stubbed right-of-way to the south.
• The UDO requires new developments to connect to existing platted stub streets.
• The UDO also requires developments with 15 or more lots to have at least 2 access points.
• The previous two additional stub streets to the east and west have been removed.
• A traffic impact study was submitted by the petitioner.
• Only single-family homes with 3 car front-load garages are now proposed.
• Common area is planned through a retention pond in the southeast and a large open space to the north along 146th St.
• All homes will have driveways long enough to accommodate guest parking.
• Some tree preservation is shown in the buffer areas around the project and the northern common area.
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Active Transportation
• Sidewalks area required on both sides of the street.
Architectural Design
• The PUD includes Architectural Character Imagery along with Architectural Standards.
• Front facades shall consist of masonry material and 2 other materials like horizontal siding or shake siding.
• A brick or stone wainscot is required, but only on the front of the dwelling.
• Some buildings will have enhanced side facades, and some will have enhanced rear facades.
• Monotony Mitigation standards are provided in the PUD, but the petitioner should define the term elevation. A home
that has the same front façade as another home, but with different materials on the front does not qualify as a different
elevation. A different elevation would entail a change in the form, massing, or layout of the front façade.
Landscaping
• Open space is provided on the site through the detention pond and the northern common area along 146th.
• In the northern common area, there will be a dog park and a community garden.
• A transmission line easement runs within the northern common area and will be kept in a natural condition.
• Per the Department’s request, a minimum of 10 trees per acre shall be provided in common areas. Petitioner, please
require this to be 10 new, native, shade trees.
• Foundation plantings on each lot and street tress will be required.
• A 10 ft. bufferyard is proposed along the east perimeter, 15 ft. along the west, and 25 ft. along the south.
• Native vegetation areas shall be provided along the perimeter of the pond. Petitioner, please label this on the
Concept Plan.
Signage
The PUD requires that all signage shall comply with the UDO.
DOCS Remaining Comments/Concerns: The petitioner has made many changes to the site layout and PUD
standards since the original Plan Commission meeting. The Dept. has not had adequate time to review all of the
changes in the PUD, but we support the original design with more diverse housing options.
New Site Layout
The petitioner has decided to make a major change to their original design by proposing only single-family
homes. While we appreciate their willingness to adjust the project, we believe the original layout was a better
design because it included more diverse housing options that are needed in Carmel. It also provided stub streets
to allow future connections and it provided some rear loaded garages to promote a pedestrian friendly and
aesthetically pleasing street. Housing diversity is essential for creating an inclusive, vibrant, and sustainable
city that caters to the diverse needs of our residents. Not everyone wants, needs, or can afford to live in a large
single-family home. By providing a range of housing options, Carmel can accommodate a wide range of
residents, including singles, families, young professionals, seniors, and people of various income levels. A
diverse housing market can also attract businesses and talent to a city which promotes economic growth.
Housing variety also helps support a variety of local businesses and contributes to neighborhood vibrancy and
vitality.
In addition, the townhomes and duplex design previously presented is supported by the Carmel Comprehensive
Plan. Objectives 1.4.7 states that to reinforce adaptability we should “Add a mix of housing formats, both
owned and rented, to diversify Carmel’s housing stock…” Objectives 1.3.1, 1.3.6, and 1.5.1 also make
reference to the need for different housing types and sizes. The Comp Plan also supports the location of this
project because it is along 146th St., a Typical Corridor, which makes it a good spot for expanded housing
options.
Recommendation: The Department recommends the Committee discusses this item and then continues it to the
Residential Committee meeting on Tuesday, December 5, 2023 for further review and discussion.