HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes PC 04-17-07
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City of Carmel
CARMEL PLAN COMMISSION
April!7, 2007
Minutes
The regularly scheduled meeting ofthe Cannel Plan Commission met at 6:00 PM, April 17 , 2007 in
the Council Chambers, City Hall, Cannel, Indiana. The meeting opened with the Pledge of
Allegiance.
Members present: Leo Dierckman, Jay Dorman, Wayne Haney, Kevin Heber, Brian Mayo, Rick
Ripma, Carol Schleif, Madeleine Torres, Susan Westermeier, thereby establishing a quorum.
DOCS Staff Present: Matt Griffin, Christine Barton-Holmes, Rachel Boone. John Molitor, legal
counsel was also in attendance.
The minutes of the March 20,2007 meeting were approved as submitted.
There were no announcements from either Legal Counsel or the Department.
Leo Dierckman reviewed the process for public hearing for the benefit ofthe public.
H. Public Hearings:
tH. Docket No. 07020003 DP/ADLS: Carmel Orthodontics
The applicant seeks to construct a 2-story medical office building on 2.59 acres.
The site is located on the southwest comer of Carmel Drive and Guilford Road, and is zoned
M3.
Filed by Ashton Fritz of Schneider Engineering for Carmel Orthodontics.
Paul Reis, attorney, Bose, McKinney & Evans appeared before the Commission representing the applicant.
Also in attendance: Dr. Ronald Miller, Carmel Orthodontics; Ashton: Fritz, site engineer; Tony Grimes,
project architect, Ratio Architects; Gary Murray, Schneider Engineering.
The applicant is seeking approval to construct a two-story medical office building located within the Carmel
Science & Technology Park at the southwest comer of Carmel Drive and Guilford Road. The site is zoned
M-3; permitted uses in the M-3 District include professional offices, therefore, no rezone is necessary.
The building has been designed by Ratio Architects. The building elevations were shoWn with various
building materials to be used. The windows are masonry, aluminum frame. The building materials can be
discussed in greater detail at the Committee level.
The trash enclosure is complementary in design and nature to the building being proposed.
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industrial district are much more intense.
Jay Dorman questioned access to/from the site - 421 - there is no rear entrance at all?
Paul Reis responded in the affirmative, there is no rear access at all.
Matt Griffin said the Department would require access easements going north or south so that in the
future, there could be an access street that runs parallel to 421 through the properties.
Susan Westermeier made formal motion to suspend the Rules of Procedure in order to bring this
item to a vote this evening, seconded by Rick Ripma, Approved 9-0.
Susan Westermeier made formal motion to forward Docket No. 07030001 Z, 10212-10218 North
Michigan Road Rezone to the City Council with a positive recommendation, seconded by Rick
Ripma, approved 9-0.
I. Old Business
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The applicant seeks to construct a 4-story, 150,802 square foot independent and
assisted living facility on 4.10 acres.
The site is located at the northeast comer of Old Meridian Street and US 31, and is
zoned B6 within the US 31 Overlay.
Filed by Mary Solada of Bingham McHale LLP for Sunrise Development, Inc.
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The ap lcanrseeks a waiver to Increase the Floor Area Ratio from 0.70 to 0.84, a
20% increase, in the construction of a 4-story continuing care facility with
underground parking.
The site is located at the northeast comer of Old Meridian Street and US 31, and is
zoned B6 within the US 31 Overlay.
Filed by Mary Solada of Bingham McHale LLP for Sunrise Development, Inc
Mary Solada, attorney, Bingham McHale, 2700 Market Tower, Indianapolis appeared before the
Commission representing the applicant. Also in attendance: Tim Hedges, Sunrise Communities,
Tim Fennel, BeeryRio architects, and Gary Murray, Schneider Engineering.
This particular docket had public hearing in February and was reviewed by the Special Studies
Committee on March 6th and March 29th. The petitiot:ler received a favorable recommendation from
the Committee on March 29th.
The site is located at the northeast comer of US 31 and Old Meridian. The petitioner is proposing a
140-unit senior facility-78 assisted living units, and 62 independent living units. There are two,
four-story buildings with an underground parking garage.
The petitioner is seeking approval this evening for Development Plan/ADLS, and a Zoning Waiver
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to increase the Floor Area Ratio by 20%. Because the site is on two thoroughfares, both of which
require a fair amount of right-of-way, it constrains the site in terms of available land for
development. Right-of-way easements as opposed to dedicated right-of-way are not included in the
land included for calculation; hence the request for the Zoning Waiver.
This particular site is at a junction that is busy in the sense of development but also busy in the sense
that there are two plans that sort of meet in terms of the City's goals for the US 31 corridor and also
some of the great things that are now happening along the Old Meridian Street corridor. At this
juncture, the petitioner had to review carefully with the Department and with the Committee how
they best combine the goals of both of those Districts.
The petitioner meets the US 31 Overlay requirements and has added some "architectural
embellishments" to the buildings that add somewhat to the urban village atmosphere that is
consistent with what is being developed north on Old Meridian. The petitioner has also refined his
ideas about how residents of the proposed facility would best utilize open space such as further
emphasizing walking paths, patios, gazebos, resident gardens, making use of the outdoor area along
31, and creating more green area by installing a pervious paver material that will allow grass to
grow on top. This is significant because it would meet the requirements of the Fire Dept. in terms
of emergency access, but it would also look like a lawn so that more green space is captured that
way. The petitioner has already received the Fire Department's approval of this proposal.
Since the petitioner has appeared at Special Studies Committee, two things have happened. The
lighting plan has been finalized and distributed this evening; the other is that the petitioner has
committed to trash pick-up within the parking garage area-a site plan shows how this area will be
accessed.
Committee Report, Susan Westermeier: Is the Department comfortable with the lighting plan and
the changes for trash pick-up?
Matt Griffin responded that the trash pick-up situation is OK, and the lighting plan complies with
the Ordinance and is not a problem.
Susan Westermeier commented that this is being changed from suburban residential to more of an
urban feel, demonstrated by more detail and more patterns--the pitch of the roof, the gables, the
porches, and more brick color differentiation-things that really make this project look a little better
and requested by Carol Schleif. Susan said she still had problems thinking that this site was the best
place for this development. It could probably be considered a transition from the office buildings to
commercial. The Committee voted unanimously to move this forward with a positive
recommendation.
Department Comments, Matt Griffin: There are no outstanding issues at this time and the
Department is recommending approval.
Jay Dorman asked for a determination of the color of the metal roof.
Tim Fennel, Beery/Rio Architects, responded that the metal roof is a gray-ish color; more a steel-
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gray than a blue-gray.
Jay Dorman asked for clarification ofthe process-the request for a zoning waiver rather than a
variance. When does a petitioner request the use of a waiver as opposed to a variance? Jay said he
had received an extensive email from John Molitor-,-as long as the petitioner is within 35% of
range of change, the Plan Commission is not required to send it to the Board of Zoning Appeals.
Are there other instances--any comments from the attorney?
John Molitor responded that it is fairly routine for developers to ask for waivers up to 35%
maximum when there is a standard that can be measured, quantitative or dimensional as the
Ordinance reads. This allows the developer to work out a development plan with the Committee
that is hopefully a win-win for both the community and the developer. Whereas, when the BZA is
involved, it is more an adversarial proceeding and the developer must prove to the BZA that he is
entitled to a variance-a win-lose situation.
Susan Westermeier made formal motion to approve Docket No. 07010009 DP/ADLS, Sunrise of
Carmel and Docket No. 07020006 Zoning Waiver, Sunrise of Carmel, seconded by Kevin
Heber, APPROVED 9-0.
21. Docket No. 07020012 Z: 1328-1440 W. Main Street Rezone
The applicant seeks to rezone property from OM/SU and S2 within the US 31
Overlay to B6 within the US 31 Overlay.
The site is located at the NE comer of US 31 (Meridian) and W. Main Street and is
zoned Old Meridian Special Use (OMSU), S2, and is within the US 31 Overlay.
Filed by Eugene Valanzano of Baker and Daniels for Browning Real Estate Partners
and the City of Carmel
Jamie Browning, 6100 West 96th Street appeared before the Commission representing the applicant.
The site is approximately 27 acres located at US 31 and 131 st Street. The property is currently
zoned Old Meridian Special Use and S-2, within the US 31 Overlay Zone.
The petitioner is requesting a rezone to the B-6 Business District. There is a conflicting zoning
standard at this location where the underlying zoning is residential and the US 31 Overlay does not
allow residential.
Special Studies Committee Report, Susan Westermeier: The Committee voted unanimously to
approve the rezone; details of the development would be seen when the petitioner returned for
Development Plan and ADLS approval. There is nothing that can be done at the US 31 location
because it is owned by the State.
Department Comments, Matt Griffin: No concerns at this time-the Commission will see again at
the Development Plan/ADLS stage. The Comprehensive Plan supports this and the zoning code
encourages it as well. At this time, the Department is recommending that item be forwarded to the
City Council with a favorable recommendation.
Susan Westermeier made formal motion to forward Docket No. 07020012 Z: 1328-1440 West
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