HomeMy WebLinkAboutVariance Request 6-12-19
7325 Janes Avenue, Woodridge, I llinois 60517 | 630.724.9200
V3 | Visio, Vertere, Virtute … The Vision to Transform with Excellence
May 17, 2019
Alex Jordan
Engineer
City of Carmel Engineering Department
1 Civic Square, First Floor
Carmel, Indiana 46032
RE: Estates at Towne Meadow | Board of Public Works Waiver Request
Dear Mr. Jordan
V3 Companies, Ltd. (V3), on behalf of the developer PLP UHS Properties LLC is requesting waivers from
the following section of the City of Carmel Stormwater Technical Standards Manual:
1. Section 302.08.(2) requires that for residential developments, the maximum planned depth of
storm water stored shall not exceed four (4) feet. A variance is requested to allow us to store
greater than four feet of water in the “Southwest Basin BMP.” The basin is an expansion of an
existing detention facility that has transformed into a wetland. Coordination with the Indiana
Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) made it clear that the proposed expansion
would only be allowed if we leave the grading in the bottom of the wetland untouched. The extra
depth within the southern portion of the existing wetland will create a small area that exceeds the
maximum depth matching a conditions that even exists today. This conflict between IDEM
requirements and the need to detain water during peak storms creates a hardship and a variance
is requested. Since we cannot vary the amount of water entering the basin, nor change the wetland
per IDEM requirement we are asking for a variance.
2. Section 501.01. requires that there should be no less than 2.5 feet of cover along any part of the
pipe from final pavement elevation or final ground surface elevation to the top of the pipe. A
variance is requested in regards to storm sewers that run between storm structures 604, 604A,
617, 618, and 601. For 617, 618, and 601, such a requirement creates a hardship by restricting our
ability to adequately capture off site runoff from the northern property while also maintaining
minimum pipe capacity. These structures are part of a continuous drainage chain which begins with
street inlets and discharges into a basin called "Northwest Basin BMP." Due to the relative
elevations of the road verses the bottom elevation of the Basin it is impossible to maintain cover
as well as minimum discharge capacity. We have designed such that we maintain discharge
velocity, maximizing cover, yet maintain a swale that is low enough to capture offsite runoff. Inlets
Page 2
Alex Jordan
5/17/2019
7325 Janes Avenue, Woodridge, Illinois 60517 | 630.724.9200
V3 | Visio, Vertere, Virtute … The Vision to Transform with Excellence
of the subject drainage structures must hold their current elevation to allow for offsite drainage
encroaching our site from the property to the north. For structures 604 and 604A, the pipe is also
controlled by a downstream outlet condition that does not allow us to install a pipe at a lower
elevation. Despite running at minimum slopes, the cover is still less than 2.5’. With all inlets listed
being located in rear yards and away from vehicular traffic, we request a reduction in minimum
cover to no less than 1.5’.
3. Section 302.05 states “Runoff from all upstream tributary areas (off-site land areas) may be
bypassed around the detention/retention facility without attenuation. Such runoff may also be
routed through the detention/retention facility, provided that a separate, secondary outlet system
is incorporated for the safe passage of such flows, i.e., not through the primary outlet of a
detention facility.” Due to the existence of a regulated drain with existing detention running
through the center of the site currently, capturing the offsite runoff and rerouting it around the
site would create a severe hardship due to the inability to provide slope for such reroute and the
negative impact on usability of land that would need to be set aside for the rerouted regulated
drain. Additionally, the depth of the existing dual pipeline running generally perpendicular to the
regulated drain easement restricts crossing locations. Therefore we request an allowance to be
able to provide a combined multistage outlet for both offsite and onsite water to minimize pipeline
crossings while still providing adequate detention for the proposed improvements.
4. Section 302.11 requires the design to provide emergency overflow facilities designed to handle
1.25 x the peak inflow from the entire contributing watershed. The proposed design provides 1.25
x the peak inflow after accounting for upstream detention instead of an undetained watershed.
For this project the upstream contributing watershed is large and contains a significant amount of
existing and proposed detention that will drastically reduce peak inflows flows making an
undetained analysis excessive. Due to significant upstream detention and the excess storage
provided in the onsite detention system we ask for a waiver from the standard in 302.11 to allow
us to consider the detained inflow for upstream / offsite watersheds when sizing emergency
overflows.
5. Section 303.07 requires the design to consider a fully clogged condition when providing emergency
overflow routes. Two large parallel pipes connect the North and Southwest basin across Towne
Meadow Drive. Due to the unlikely event that both pipes would be clogged, we requests that we
Page 3
Alex Jordan
5/17/2019
7325 Janes Avenue, Woodridge, Illinois 60517 | 630.724.9200
V3 | Visio, Vertere, Virtute … The Vision to Transform with Excellence
be allowed to not consider these pipes clogged in the emergency overflow analysis. Additional
freeboard exists within the North basin and the proposed homes in the area are already elevated
due to the localized flood routing analysis. Reducing the road to provide a lower overflow path
would cause cover issues with infrastructure in the area. For these reasons we request a waiver
that would eliminate the need to analyze this crossing using a fully clogged condition.
It is requested that the above variances be granted by the Board of Public Works. V3 has, and will continue
to coordinate closely with City Staff in determining appropriate and agreeable solutions to infrastructure
in the City of Carmel. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Jim Rinehart
Project Manager
V3 Companies