HomeMy WebLinkAboutDepartment Report 07-22-24
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CARMEL BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS REGULAR MEETING
DEPARTMENT REPORT
MONDAY, JULY 22, 2024
(V) Ozwell Fitness Sign Variances.
The applicant seeks the following development standards variance approvals:
2. Docket No. PZ-2024-00111 V UDO Section 5.39(H)(3)(h) Wall sign – 70% of
tenant’s Spandrel Panel height allowed; 82% requested.
3. Docket No. PZ-2024-00112 V UDO Section 5.39(H)(2)(a) 1 sign allowed per street
frontage; 2 requested (1 existing wall sign, 1 proposed ground sign requested).
The 1.86-acre site is located at 1077 3rd Ave SW. It is zoned I-1/Industrial and is not located within any
overlay district. Filed by Krissy Roberts of Studio M Architecture and Planning, on behalf of Ozwell
Fitness, owners.
General Info:
• The Petitioner seeks approval for wall sign size, and for a ground sign out by its entrance drive.
• The site is in an Industrial-zoned area, abutting the Monon Trail, and only has street frontage on 3rd Ave SW.
• The site only allowed one sign, since it only has one street frontage.
• The site is not located in a subdivision; there is no HOA (Homeowners Association).
• Surrounding this site are office and warehouse uses, as well as City Hall to the east.
• Related Plan Commission docket no. is PZ-2022-00190 ADLS Amend.
• Please see the Petitioner’s info packet for more detail on the variance requests.
Variances Requested:
Wall Sign Size -
• The UDO requires the following for Wall Signs’s Height and Width: Seventy percent (70%) of tenant’s
Spandrel Panel height. And Eighty-five percent (85%) of tenant’s Spandrel Panel width.
• A Spandrel Panel area is defined as an opaque rectangular wall panel area in a facade filling the space
between architectural elements, usually above and below windows or between building expansion joints.
• The Spandrel Panel area for this site is delineated by the brick pattern architectural features on that wall.
• Wall Sign Location: west façade.
• Wall Sign Dimensions: The sign is a circle, with a 9’4” diameter.
• Wall Sign Area: 68.4 sq ft.
• Wall Sign Design: The wall sign is a brick/stone inlay in the wall. It is comprised of the letters ‘O’ and ‘z’ to
represent the company’s logo.
• Wall Sign Lighting: the sign will not be illuminated.
Number of Signs -
• 1 sign is allowed per street frontage, and 2 are requested (1 existing wall sign, 1 proposed ground sign).
• Ground Sign Location will be located near the entrance drive, several feet off of the sidewalk/street.
• Overall Ground Sign Dimensions are 9-ft wide sign base and 5.25-foot sign height to top of cornice.
• Ground Sign Area proposed is a 23 sq. ft. sign panel.
• Ground Sign Design/Colors/materials – tan/grey brick like base and dark blue sign panel with white letters
and aqua blue logo. Cornice on sign is also proposed.
• Ground Sign Lighting: only the letters and logo will light up at night. The rest of sign panel will be opaque.
• Ground Sign Landscaping: the sign base will need to be landscaped with at least 23 sq. ft. of area.
Final Comments:
• In general, the Planning Dept. supports the variance requests, since the building sits back 186 feet from the
street, and a sign near the driveway entrance by the street makes sense. Also, the wall sign acts more like art.
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• The Planning Dept. is comfortable with BZA variance approval, with the condition of the Petitioner
addressing all remaining variance review comments in ProjectDox (our electronic plan review software) and
addressing the issues with the Carmel Building Safety Dept.
• The Petitioner should also address the outstanding issues of the Carmel Building Safety Dept. as soon as
possible. These issues include passing a bike parking inspection, paying remaining permit fees, getting a
Certificate of Occupancy for the building, installing the rest of the sidewalk along the street (or paying into
the Thoroughfare Fund via the Carmel Engineering Dept.), and dedication of street right of way (via the
Carmel Engineering Dept.), to name a few.
Findings of Fact:
• Please refer to the Petitioner’s Findings of Facts included in their BZA Info Packet.
Recommendation:
• If all building permit issues can be addressed before the BZA meeting (listed above in Final Comments), then
the Dept. of Community Services (DOCS) can recommend positive consideration of the sign variance
requests with the condition of the Petitioner addressing the remaining sign variance review comments in
ProjectDox (our online plan review software), and with the adoption of the Findings of Fact submitted by the
Petitioner.
• If they cannot be addressed in time, then the sign variance items should be tabled to the Monday, August 26
BZA meeting.