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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12.20.23 TAC MinutesPage 1 of 3 City of Carmel Technical Advisory Committee December 20, 2023 CARMEL TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES Date: Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Place: Virtual meeting. Time: 9:00 a.m. (Approximate start times for each item are listed below) 9:00 a.m. Docket No. PZ-2023-00282 ADLS Amend: Capital Group Solar Canopies. The applicant seeks design approval for the installation of over 100,000 sq. ft. of solar canopies within the existing parking lots. The site is located at 12811 N. Meridian St. and 12911 N. Meridian St. It is zoned MC/Meridian Corridor and is not located within an overlay zone. Filed by Aaron Wilson of Solar One. Aaron Wilson, Anita Cano of Capitol Group, Kris Turner of Capitol Group presenting. Mr. Wilson presented a solar system mounted on steel carport structures across the parking lot of building 12811 N. Meridian St. and 12911 N. Meridian St. It will aim to supply over 3million solar kwh to Carmel campus. There will be 27 canopy structures, with same height but vary width depending on orientation of landscaping islands. Dave McCoy – City of Carmel Addressing - No comments. Damon Davers – Duke Energy - No comments. David Littlejohn – City of Carmel Transportations Systems Administrator - Mr. Littlejohn asked if there was an opportunity to cover the walkways to provide shade and protection from precipitation for anyone going from the path to the building. Mr. Wilson said they contemplated covering the walk paths, but there will be gaps in the walk through the parking lot. Covering those areas would require a variance due to landscaping standards. Nick Mishler – City of Carmel Building Permits - Mr. Mishler said they will permit this as one large accessory structure and they will need to go to the State of Indiana to get their Construction Design Release before submitting to Carmel. Daren Mindham – City of Carmel Landscaping - No comments yet on Project Dox. Comments on proposed changes to the islands and adding space adjacent to the parking lot islands for tree space. Mr. Mindham will have a lot of comments but needs to work with the department as a group before submitting his comments, so everyone is on the same page. Solar panels take away sunlight which is what the trees and flowers and bushes Page 2 of 3 City of Carmel Technical Advisory Committee December 20, 2023 need. The solar panels are sealed which means all the water from sides or splash from cars driving by will not go into the landscape islands. Will the landscape islands be irrigated or not irrigated? They are usually a dry space. Taking away sun and water will affect the landscaping. Originally, Mr. Mindham thought the solar panel were covering the islands so they would change the parking lot islands to parking, and remove parking to add a double row of soil and trees adjacent to Pennsylvania St. The plans show they want to remove all the trees on every island. He does not know if they want the trees there or not. He said they have promoted in the past that the smaller islands and group two together and take a quad group of trees and make it a soil line for all the trees and eliminate some of the parking lot islands. If they want to keep the islands, there are plenty of trees that should be preserved. Kris Turner said they are going to move a lot of trees to other areas of the property, and they are going to redesign with new trees and new landscaping that will support the solar car ports. Mr. Mindham asked if there is irrigation in there, if so, they will have to remove the irrigation as well. The tree spade cannot fit on a little island. A 90-inch tree spade is standard for a good size tree. There may be a mechanical side that limits the ability to do it properly. Mr. Mindham said they are always able to plant more trees, they just need to fit the minimum amount trees. He would like to go out and look and see what will happen with solar panels, where trees will be growing large. He does know if it is a positive or negative long term for the city. Mr. Wilson addressed the conversation about extending the dimensions of landscaping along Pennsylvania, and they did not want to lose a parking space and it would be detrimental to their ability to service the staff on site. Mr. Mindham said his recommendation is to remove the islands and add parking in where those islands are so it would be 1 for 1. Closer parking to the building where the current islands are and adding landscaping space closer to the road. Design-wise, Mr. Mindham wants more space between those islands for tree growth and canopy based on what is designed already. He will put together a few options for the presenters. Angie Conn – City of Carmel Planning & Zoning - No comments. Rachel Keesling – City of Carmel Planning & Zoning - Differ all comments to Christina Jesse. Christina Jesse – City of Carmel Planning & Zoning - Ms. Jesse wants to see a photometric plan showing the lot levels for all the existing parking pole lot lights and all the under-canopy lighting to verify the spillover and make sure the property line doesn’t exceed what is allowable. She wanted to see the site plan updated with ADA parking and the landscaping. The dimensions need to be labeled for the canopy. The goal is sustainability and preserving trees that are healthy. Ms. Jesse asked if the canopy structures will break at the property line incase of both parcels are under different ownership or extending over the property line. Mr. Wilson said there will be a break in the structures. There will be a gap of a couple of inches. The decking underneath will not have a break to keep the watertight nature of the structures. Mr. Wilson asked to maintain the landscaping ordinance of each parking space be within 66 feet of a shade tree, would the city staff like them to maintain that distance or widening the islands as a greater preference. Ms. Jesse said they could cover some of the walkways as a compromise. Planning and Zoning would like to see a tree survey for which trees have been replaced and which are the most mature Page 3 of 3 City of Carmel Technical Advisory Committee December 20, 2023 and healthy. They want to weigh the options best for the site. Mr. Wilson said the landscaping contractor is Brightview that will help assist with the scope of work. Mr. Mindham said it is not 66 feet parking left and right. The trees along Pennsylvania west towards the building; it is a circle of 66 feet and not 66 feet of parking. Anita Cano asked on the photometrics plan, what is the timing. Should it be submitted with the permit package or prior. Ms. Jesse said it will be expected to be with this submission. One of the Ls in ADLS is landscaping and the other is lighting. Planning and Zoning does need to verify that the lighting proposed in the canopies and parking lot pole lights does not exceed what is allowable at the right of way property line. No excessive spillover is the intention of that. She does not need this right at this moment. They can go into the committee on January 2nd with approval contingent upon finalizing the plan administratively afterward. They do need the plan approved before they can move into any sort of permitting. Ms. Cano asked Ms. Jesse to restate the comment about the parking spots. She said they may have used a different plan by accident. One plan in the docs accurately reflects all the ADA parking. Ms. Jesse said they will need to have David Littlejohn to review and verify the ADA parking. Ms. Cano said they did not intend to remove any parking spots. Ms. Jesse said when they receive their comments on Project Dox, Ms. Cano can add comments to the reviewers. Ms. Cano asked about the next steps. Ms. Jesse said the next step is the Commercial Committee which is being held on January 2nd. Their deadline for the packet is December 22nd. Mr. Littlejohn added regarding ADA parking, parking lots with 501-1000 spaces require 2% of the total, which they have 973 spaces on the application, showing they need 20 spaces, and the plans show they have 30 ADA spaces shown so they are in compliance.