Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes HO 11-22-24 City of Carmel 1 PC & BZA Hearing Officer Minutes 11-22-24 CARMEL PLAN COMMISSION CARMEL BOARD OF ZOING APPEALS JOINT HEARING OFFICER MEETING MINUTES FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2024 Location: 2nd Floor Council Chambers Room PC Hearing Officer: Mr. Mike Hollibaugh BZA Hearing Officer: Mr. Brad Grabow DOCS Staff Present: Angie Conn, Bric Butler CRC Staff Present: Henry Mestetsky Time of Meeting: 10:30 A.M. Public Hearings: 1. TABLED TO DECEMBER 19 - Docket No. PZ-2024-00191 DP/ADLS: Ardalan Plaza. The applicant seeks site plan and design approval for a mixed-use development with retail and residential components. The 1-acre site is located at 311 W. Main St. (not in any subdivision) and is zoned C2/Mixed Use. Filed by Jim Shinaver of Nelson & Frankenberger, LLC 2. Docket No. PZ-2024-00196 DP/ADLS: Civic Square Condominiums. The applicant seeks site plan and design approval for a 4-story tall 24-unit condominium building that will wrap the Civic Square Parking Garage. The 0.49-acre site is located at 50 Red Truck Rd. (not in any subdivision) and is zoned C1/City Center. Filed by Shawn Jones of CEC, Inc. TABLED TO DECEMBER 19 - (V) Ardalan Plaza. The applicant seeks approval for the following development standards variances for a mixed-use development: 1. Docket No. PZ-2024-00192 V UDO Section 2.36 Maximum 80% lot cover allowed; 90% requested. 2. Docket No. PZ-2024-00193 V UDO Section 2.36 Maximum 35-ft building height allowed when adjacent to single family residences; 65-ft requested. 3. Docket No. PZ-2024-00194V UDO Section 1.07 Transportation Plan compliance is required; Requesting Thoroughfare Plan Map, Mobility & Pedestrian Plan Map, Street Topographies, and Streetscape Facilities modifications. 4. Docket No. PZ-2024-00195 V UDO Section 5.21 (C) Minimum bufferyard width shall be equal to the building height of the nearest building to each side or rear lot line, not to exceed 35’; 5’ width requested. Also, minimum planting standard shall be Bufferyard C; Requesting the planting standard be per the submitted landscape plans. The 1-acre site is located at 311 W. Main St. (not in any subdivision) and is zoned C2/Mixed Use. Filed by Jim Shinaver of Nelson & Frankenberger, LLC (V) Civic Square Condominiums. The applicant seeks approval for the following development standards variance for a condominium building: 5. Docket No. PZ-2024-00197 V UDO Section 2.34 Max. 80% lot cover allowed; 88% requested. 6. NOW WITHDRAWN - Docket No. PZ-2024-00201 V UDO Section 5.21.B Shade Trees in right of way required; No shade trees in Monon Green Blvd. ROW requested. 7. Docket No. PZ-2024-00202 V UDO Section 1.07 Transportation Plan Compliance, Reduction of street typologies and streetscape facilities for Veterans Way requested. The 0.49-acre site is located at 50 Red Truck Rd. (not in any subdivision) and is zoned C1/City Center. Filed by Shawn Jones of CEC, Inc. 2 PC & BZA Hearing Officer Minutes 11-22-24 Petitioner: Daniel Morarity – Studio M Architecture: • The condos are to be located around the north and west sides of the existing Veteran’s Way garage. The condos will wrap the building and be four stories in height. • Building materials will match the existing in the area which include brick, cast stone, and Hardie Plank siding. • All units have designated parking space within the existing garage. • The only exterior lighting would be individual unit-controlled balcony sconce lighting. • Full landscaping including street trees will be provided. Variance petition to eliminate street trees was withdrawn. Henry Mestetsky: Carmel Redevelopment Director: • Mestetsky provided a background of the project area that had been over the years transformed from unutilized parking lots to a true urban core neighborhood and that this project was the final piece of the puzzle in the area. He felt the project fit seamlessly into the area and would help address the desires of Carmel’s leadership to have more for sale units in the urban core of the city. • City of Carmel Redevelopment Commission Architecture Review Committee met the night before the current meeting to provide their approval of the design plans. Public Comments: Bill White – White identified himself as a resident of the condo building just to the west of the project site. He had concerns about the height of the building and questioned why the gabled roofing was needed but ended his comments short after Director / Hearing Officer Hollibaugh clarified that the height allowed in the district was up to 100’ and no variance for height was requested. John Folley – Folley identified himself as one of the owners of the building to the east of the development. He inquired about various aspects of the project. o Timing: Mestetsky stated the developer intended to begin in spring of 2025 and full build out be completed within an 18-to-20-month period. o Staging Plan: Mestetsky assured staging for the construction of the project would occur within the existing garage and further to the west to try and have as minimal impact as possible on the active retail area to the east. o Parking: Mestetsky assured him that contractors would be directed to park on the very top level of the garage or lots further away from the site to protect parking space for the retail in the area. He also stated that 48 gated off spaces would be reserved for residents of the condos while the rest of the garage would remain public. Director Hollibaugh interjected that the public comment time was not intended to be a back-and-forth discussion. Folley and Mestetsky came to the agreement to speak in more detail about his concerns after the meeting. Petitioner Rebuttal: Daniel Morarity – Studio M Architecture: • Trash disposal room will be located in a room on the northwest corner of the building and will be closed off from the outside with swinging doors to help conceal the area from nearby residents, workers, pedestrians, etc. • Gable roofing was included for aesthetic purposes and to break down the massing of the building. Department Reports: Angie Conn: • Carmel Redevelopment Commission approval letter has been provided. • All staff review comments has been addressed excluding final sign off from Carmel Engineering. Final approval from Carmel Engineering suggested as a condition of approval. • Condominium application must be submitted and completed by the petitioner prior to selling the units. Hearing Officer Comments: Hollibaugh: What is left on the engineering side? Conn: I believe it is final sign off with the stormwater permit and the final piece of that process. Hollibaugh: I know Crossroads has signed off which is who normally does the detailed stormwater review. Alex Jordan has signed off as well. We are just looking for a formal like thumbs-up? 3 PC & BZA Hearing Officer Minutes 11-22-24 Conn: Yes, but before they can pull the building permit, they would need the stormwater permit, which is a separate case number. Mestetsky: Prior to going to CRC architectural review approval we met with the City Engineer and there were no red flags raised. So, we had those discussions this is just some final formalities. Grabow: Similar question Angie, in the department report for the variances requested there is reference to some open review comments in Projectdox but what are those? Conn: Since the writing of the staff report all those review comments have been addressed. There is nothing lingering. Grabow: Just for orientation I had no idea there was a street named Red Truck Road, but Monon Green is the east-west street on the north edge of the property and Red Truck Road is the east-west on the south end of the property? (Conn indicated that was correct.) The question about on-street parallel, I assume parallel parking, on Monon Green Boulevard, where does that – I guess that was offered as a question or as a recommendation? Where does that stand? Conn: It was more internal dialogue among staff members. It was determined that on street parking along Monon Green Blvd. on that stretch would not really make sense and if that were to be put in they would have to take out the street trees which is what we coordinated with them to put in so that they didn’t need that variance. Grabow: The question about adding that parking, was it because its more typical of that type of cross section, or is there thinking more parking is needed here, or is it a matter of convenience? Conn: Yes, more of an added convenience, but as you know there is a parking garage – the project would wrap a parking garage – and there is also a parking garage just north across the street. Grabow: I am always sensitive to ensuring that Carmel’s retail merchants have adequate parking. Parking garages are still someplace on the learning curve for Carmel residents, but I think most are getting used to that option and certainly learning where those options exist. I would prefer as I think the department has implied the addition of the street trees over five or six on street parking spaces. Hollibaugh: Docket No. PZ-2024-00196 DP/ADLS: Civic Square Condominiums. APPROVED 1-0 on condition of final Carmel Engineering sign off. Grabow: Docket No. PZ-2024-00197 V APPROVED 1-0 Docket No. PZ-2024-00202 V APPROVED 1-0 Meeting adjourned at 11:02 a.m. ________________________________________ Bric Butler PC/BZA Secretary ________________________________________ Mike Hollibaugh PC Hearing Officer ________________________________________ Brad Grabow BZA Hearing Officer