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CARMEL BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS HEARING OFFICER
DEPARTMENT REPORT
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2024
(V) Worrell Residence Variances.
The applicant seeks the following development standards variance approvals to construct a new home:
3. Docket No. PZ-2024-00200 V UDO Section 3.64(C)(3)(c)(i) Maximum 45%
lot cover allowed; 49% requested.
4. Docket No. PZ-2024-00210 V UDO Section 3.64(C)(1)(b) Buildings shall
generally be longer than they are wide, with the narrow dimension facing the street. Building widths
shall not exceed 45-ft; 50.75-ft requested.
5. Docket No. PZ-2024-00211 V UDO Section 3.64(C)(11)(c) Buildings shall
not exceed the height of the tallest dimension of the nearest 2 Character Buildings by more than 7
feet. 31’ up to roof peak allowed; 35’ 2½” height up to roof peak requested.
The site is located at 235 1st Ave NW (Henry Roberts subdivision, Lot 6). It is zoned R4/Residence and lies
within the Old Town Overlay – Old Town Character Sub-Area. Filed by Jon Dobosiewicz of Nelson &
Frankenberger, LLC. on behalf of Jeff & Shari Worrell, owners.
General Info:
• The Petitioner seeks approval to demolish the existing house and construct a new house with attached garage.
• A Demolition Permit was applied for, permit B-2024-01351.
• Variances are requested for lot cover, house width, and house height.
• The site is in Henry Roberts subdivision; an HOA (Homeowner’s Association) does not exist.
• The lot has frontage on two alleys.
• Surrounding this site are single family residential uses and office/commercial uses.
• Please see the Petitioner’s info packet for more details on the variance requests.
Variances Requested:
Lot Coverage -
• The UDO allows a maximum 45% lot coverage, and 49% is requested. This is a 4% increase.
• The house will have a front porch wrap and a back porch area, as well as an attached 2-car garage.
• The driveway will encroach slightly into the east alley area.
• Since the site will exceed the allowed lot cover percentage, the Carmel Engineering Dept. is also going to
require on-site stormwater detention or payment into the Stormwater Fund/Fee.
House Width -
• The UDO allows a maximum 45-ft wide house on lots that are less than 80-ft wide in the Character Subarea.
(This lot is 66-ft wide.) A 50.75-ft wide house is requested. This is a variance of 5.75 feet or a 13% change.
• All other setbacks can be met. And, the window wells are the appropriate side setback.
• The front façade of the house will utilize mostly painted brick and stone materials, with some horizontal
siding and EIFs accent areas. The main colors will be a white/off-white and black trim.
• Two trees will also be planted in the front yard, adding to the streetscape.
House Height -
• The UDO’s definition of Building Height is: The vertical distance from the lot ground level to the highest
point of the roof for a flat roof, to the deck line of a mansard roof and to the mean height between eaves and
ridges for gable, hip and gambrel roofs.
• The UDO allows a maximum 30’ tall building; however, it goes on to say that buildings shall not exceed the
height of the tallest dimension of the nearest two Character Buildings by more than 7 feet. A 35’- 2½” height
(up to roof peak) is requested. And, the proposed building height (as measured from the ground up to a point
that is halfway up between the ridge and peak) is around 29’- ¼”.
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• The nearby Character Buildings are 241 1st Ave NW, 230 N. Rangeline Rd., and 220 N. Rangeline Rd. They
are all around 1.5 to 2 stories tall, built in the early 1900s.
• Things that contribute to this house height are taller ceiling heights for each floor, including the basement’s,
as well as a steep sloped roof with 9:12 pitch.
• From the street, the house will still appear to be 1.5 stories tall.
Remaining Review Comments:
• All Planning/Zoning comments have been addressed.
Final Comments:
• The Planning Dept. supports the variance requests, as long as the existing alley rights of way are preserved
and not vacated. (The Petitioner has confirmed that no alley vacation is requested.)
• The house architecture and site plan will also be administratively reviewed and approved with the Site Plan
& Design Review process that is required for residential Old Town Overlay properties (SDR).
Findings of Fact:
• Please refer to the Petitioner’s Findings of Facts included in their BZA Info Packet.
Recommendation:
• The Dept. of Community Services (DOCS) recommends positive consideration of the variance requests, with
the condition of the Petitioner paying into the Stormwater Fund or providing on-site stormwater detention,
and with adoption of the Findings of Facts submitted by the Petitioner.