HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes RES 10-03-23City of Carmel
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Carmel Plan Commission
RESIDENTIAL COMMITTEE
Tuesday, October 3, 2023 Meeting Minutes
LOCATION: Caucus Rooms, City Hall
Members Present: Sue Westermeier (Chair), Dubbie Buckler, Jeff Hill
Members Absent: Adam Campagna
Staff Present: Alexia Lopez (Planning Administrator), Joe Shestak (Recording Secretary), Mike Hollibaugh (Director of
DOCS), Sergey Grechukhin, (Legal Counsel to the Plan Commission)
Meeting Time: 6:00 p.m.
1. TABLED TO NOV. 13'" - Docket No. PZ-2023-00014 PUD: Andrews PUD Rezone
2. Docket No. PZ-2023-00136 DP/ADLS: The Edge at West Carmel
3. 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.
4. Docket No. PZ-2023-00158 V: UDO Section 5.28: 510 parking spaces required, 406 requested.
5. Docket No. PZ-2023-00159 V: UDO Section 2.24: Max Lot Coverage 40%, 50% requested.
6. Docket No. PZ-2023-00160 V: UDO Section 3.88(C): 20' Max height allowed adjacent to residential; 27'
and 38' requested.
7. 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.
8. 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 (238 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:
• With me tonight are Ryan Wells, Rick Lawrence, Jim Shinaver, Project Architect, and Project Engineer
r We held a neighborhood meeting, where we provided comparison charts of similar apartment communities,
permitted uses for the commercial lot
• Presented Site Plan, building # 1 has been reduced from 3 to 2 stories. The variance for building height is only
needed for Buildings 8, 10, and 11
• Presented landscape buffer area plan along north and southern borders, the buffer area has been set for 25-ft
wide. We will have additional plantings shown in this plan.
• Invasive species will be removed, and additional trees and shrubs will be planted on both sides of the fence
• Presented site plan and pictures for the pollinator garden
• Presented elevation of a typical building
• Presented all the building footprints, which depicts the need for the building offset variance
• We provided a breakdown of all the unit counts of 1, 2, and 3 bedrooms with projected rents
• We provided a list of permitted uses for the commercial outlot
• We have provided the project's open space across the entire site under tab 10 of our info packet
• We have provided a comparison chart of different multi -family densities in this area and beyond. Our
proposal is 13.70 units per acre, with 238 total units on 17.376 acres
• We provided parking comparisons with other multi -family communities in Carmel. We are proposing 406
Residential Committee Minutes 10-3-23
parking spaces, which is 1.71 parking spaces per unit.
• We are proposing 12-ft high lighting poles. Carmel allows up to 20-ft in height
• We provided bike parking chart, and we are meeting the bike parking requirements of the UDO
Department Report, Alexia Lopez:
• The Petitioner has addressed all of our comments. They have Carmel Engineering comments to address.
• They have committed to the public ROW access to the east for whenever that land is redeveloped
• Their lighting plan meets the standards of the UDO
• Staff is recommending this forwarded to the Plan Commission with a favorable recommendation
Committee Comments:
Dubbie: I would like the Petitioner to provide all the additional landscaping and the decreases in building heights that
were asked for by the neighbors. Jon Dobosiewicz: We have decreased the height of building #1 from a 3-story to 2-
story which resulted in a decrease of 14 units. We have supplemental plantings along the northern border on both
sides of the perimeter fence. Sue: Are these additional landscaping a commitment? Alexia Lopez: These additional
plantings will be checked by the Urban Forester and part of their landscape plan. Jon Dobosiewicz: We added a pier
to the detention pond and additional landscape along the internal drive. We added restrictions on the allowed use of
the commercial lot. Hill: I appreciate the changes made for the perimeter landscaping and reducing the building
heights. Will these internal streets be built to City standards? Ryan Wells: Yes, built to City street standards.
Westermeier: Commissioner Campagna could not be here today and had a question: Are they able to provide
clarification on the concerns about the drone shots from the southern border? There was a comment during our
previous meeting about potential discrepancies between how the current photo looked vs. when the project is
complete. Ryan Wells: These views would be different during the winter months. We have provided in Tab 4, the
distances from the various adjacent homes to the proposed apartment buildings. Jon Dobosiewicz: We have provided
all the photos taken by our drone footage.
Westermeier: The black construction barrier on the southside, can the fence go there instead, as requested by the
neighbors? Ryan Wells: I met on -site with the neighbors, the 25-ft is the maximum area we can protect, and still
construct this project.
Westermeier: With the approval of this, would the Commitments establish in 1988 change at all? Jon Dobosiewicz:
We are not asking for a Commitment amendment. Alexia Lopez: These Commitments will remain, but new
commitments will be added. There's a clause that states these are the allowed uses and it's up to the Plan Commission
to determine what uses are allowed.
Westermeier: Are the Engineering approvals moving along? Does Staff have any concerns? Alexia Lopez: If they
can't meet the City's Engineering standards, then they would need to amend their site plan and come back to the Plan
Commission for that approval.
Westermeier: Have your comments for the screening of HVAC units been addressed? Alexia Lopez: Yes, we have
worked with the Petitioner to make sure that all the HVAC units are screened properly.
Westermeier: Will a pedestrian crosswalk be allowed at the light signal at the entrance intersection? Ryan Wells:
We did ask INDOT to allow one, they will allow one on the north side of the intersection. We will continue to work
with INDOT. We don't want to negatively affect the traffic flow if a pedestrian crossing messes with the
synchronization of the existing lights on Michigan Road. Jon Dobosiewicz: We will add at least one crosswalk
subject to INDOT's approval.
Westermeier: We received a concern that the parking space count was off. Ryan Wells: We will have 405 spaces.
Our initial filing was off, but we have corrected that. Alexia Lopez: The number of spaces will be checked during the
construction phase.
A Motion made by Hill and seconded by Westermeier to send The Edge at West Carmel DP/ADLS, DSV back to,
the full Plan Commission on Tue. Oct. 17 with a positive recommendation subject to the Commitments
discussed today, and final approval by Carmel Engineering and TAC. Approved 3-0, absent Campagna.
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Residential Committee Minutes 10-3-23