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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDept Report PCC 04-01-257 Carmel Plan Commission COMMITTEE Tuesday, April 1, 2025 Department Report 4. Docket No. PZ-2024-00222 PUD: US 421-WCD PUD Rezone. The applicant seeks PUD rezone approval to allow a new 360-unit apartment community with commercial and retail uses along Michigan Road. The site is located at 9998 N Michigan Road and is zoned I-1/Industrial within the US 421 Corridor Overlay. Filed by Jim Shinaver and Jon Dobosiewicz of Nelson & Frankenberger on behalf of Edward Rose Properties, Inc. *Updates to the report are written in blue. Project Overview: The applicant seeks approval to rezone approximately 22 acres of land to a PUD to facilitate a mixed-use development featuring multi-family residential and commercial components. The property is located west of Michigan Road, south of Retail Parkway extension, and north of 99th Street. The property is currently zoned I-1 Industrial and is within the US 421-Michigan Road Overlay District. To the west and south are I-1/Industrial zoned and used properties, to the north are B-2/Business zoned properties, and to the east is Michigan Road and then B-2 and B-3/Business properties. Please see the Petitioner’s Information Packet for more details. Rezoning Process: The rezone process involves the following: • The Plan Commission will hear the proposal brought forward by the Developer, so long as proper public notice has been given. • Once the public hearing has been held and subsequent committee meetings where the items are fully evaluated, the Plan Commission will then make a recommendation on the rezone to the City Council. • They can vote to send it to the City Council with a Favorable Recommendation, an Unfavorable Recommendation, or No Recommendation. • If this rezone is ultimately approved by the City Council, the developer would have to come back through the Plan Commission process for Development Plan and ADLS approval for the commercial areas, and Primary Plat approvals for the residential areas, to ensure compliance with the PUD. According to Section 9.05.A.3. of the UDO, in considering this PUD rezone proposal, both the Plan Commission and the Common Council shall pay reasonable regard to: • The extent to which the PUD Ordinance provides 1) a mixed use development or 2) addresses unusual site conditions or surroundings; • The Comprehensive Plan and any other adopted planning studies or reports; • The extent to which the proposal fulfills the general purposes of the Subdivision Control/Zoning Ordinances • Current conditions and the character of current structures and uses in each district and its surroundings; • The most desirable use for which the land in each district is adapted; • The conservation of property values throughout the City and the Township; and • Responsible development and growth. Comprehensive Plan Analysis: • The Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan) provides a guide for development and a common vision for the City. • The Policy Goals and Objectives of the Comp Plan calls for a variety of things. Some goals include promoting a variety of housing types, a mixture of land uses, and opportunities that allow more residents to be located within a short walk or bike ride to many daily needs. This can be seen in this development. • It also guides development to ensure the economic opportunities and benefits are available to all through workforce and affordable housing. The apartments in this project will be market rate and not affordable. • Under Development Patterns in the Comp Plan, this area is classified as a Gateway which is intended to feature large lot mixed-use and commercial areas along or near access points into Carmel. 8 • It includes characteristics such as max heights of 5 stories; building coverage between 30% to 60; avoiding parking lot placement between front of building and the road; commercial, residential, retail, and light industrial/manufacturing uses. Additional Analysis: Change of Use: • The proposed PUD would change the use of the site from industrial to residential. • There are pros and cons to this change of use. • Pros: o Additional housing units will be provided. While the project would be market rate units, it would provide options for people that may not be able to afford to buy a single-family home. o The proposed site plan includes a well thought out layout with a boulevard and pedestrian friendly streets, open space and amenities, and tree preservation. We are not guaranteed this with an industrial use. o The architecture of the apartment buildings will enhance the aesthetics as compared to industrial style buildings. o Having additional residents living in this area will boost the businesses along Michigan Road. o Less heavy-duty vehicles that might come with Industrial businesses. • Cons: o Carmel will lose a potential industrial business site. The City already has very limited industrial zoned land. Only 1% of all land in Carmel is zoned I-1.(see map below with I-1 parcels circled.) o This could also lead to a loss of employment opportunities. o New residents in the apartments will be living next to existing industrially used parcels. o While the proposed project will bring additional housing needed to Carmel, it will not fall under the affordable category. o New apartments could limit future growth of Industrial uses as residents may remonstrate against new industrial businesses. 9 Concept Plan: • The site plan consists of 7 multi-family buildings with 360 units and a retail outlot. • A new north/south boulevard street will be built to connect the Retail Parkway extension to 99th St. • Parking is accommodated through surface parking lots, perpendicular parking along private streets, garages in Buildings A, B, and C, and parallel parking. • The PUD will require 1.5 parking spaces per dwelling. • A traffic letter was completed by a third-party consultant to review the number of vehicles that will be generated and the surrounding roadway system. • The traffic letter states that the proposed project would not negatively affect the surrounding street system and would generate less traffic during the AM and PM peak than the existing office building. • 5 acres of common area are shown and include a central pond, 2 dog parks, a pool, and tree preservation. • Stormwater drainage will be accommodated through the central pond with native landscaping around it. • Future development of the retail outlot in Area B will be required to follow B-3/Business district standards as well as the Michigan Road Overlay standards. Active Transportation: • Sidewalks are shown throughout the development, and the developer has added additional connections per staff’s request and we continue to work with them on our comments. • They have agreed to provide a separate sidewalk and bike path exhibit so that it is clear where the pedestrian infrastructure is, and we look forward to reviewing that. • Petitioner, please investigate having a signalized pedestrian crosswalk across Michigan Road. • The PUD has been updated to provide short-term and long-term bike parking per the UDO, but long- term bike parking is only encouraged in the UDO and staff would like to see it required in the PUD. Architectural Design: • The PUD includes Architectural Character Imagery with modern style apartment buildings that appear to have quality building materials and well-designed architecture, but no standards were written into the original PUD. • Petitioner recently submitted Architectural standards per staff’s request and those are under review. • Maximum building height per the PUD is 60 ft. and the apartment buildings will be 3 and 4 stories. • The future retail outlot will follow the Michigan Road design standards. Landscaping: • About 5 acres of the development will be common area. • Required amenities are listed in the PUD and include a pool, fitness area, roof terrace, and pet park. • Native vegetation areas shall be provided in select areas along the perimeter of the pond. • A minimum of 1.5 acres of tree preservation will be provided in the northwest corner of the site. • 10 ft. bufferyards will be provided along the north and west perimeter. • Foundation and parking lot plantings will comply with the standards in the UDO. Signage: • All signage will comply with the UDO. Sustainability Measures: • The petitioner has stated they are not able to commit to green or sustainable site or building design aspects at this time. 10 March 18th Public Hearing Recap: The petitioner presented the concept plan, conceptual building architecture, and an additional rendering of the development. A neighboring business to the south spoke in favor of the development and several letters were received before the meeting in support. Plan Commission members had questions about how many bedrooms were in each unit, what will it look like at night, potential for workforce housing, and if the list of uses in B-3 could be reduced for this PUD. They also wanted to see a walking path or amenity area by the tree preservation area, architectural standards, and a well-designed, destination retail area on the Area B outlot. The Plan Commission voted to send the project to the PC Committee with the final vote back at full Plan Commission. DOCS Remaining Comments/Concerns: The Dept. continues to work with the Petitioner on remaining comments as this project moves onto Committee. Some of the outstanding comments include: 1. Add Architectural standards to the PUD. Submitted and under review. 2. Add a sidewalk and path exhibit that clearly shows where 5 ft. sidewalks or 10 ft. path will be required. 3. Increase the minimum tree preservation acreage if possible. 4. Provide a cross section for the main north/south boulevard street. Submitted and under review. 5. Provide a conceptual retail layout to show how it can integrate with the walkable design of the apartments or provide standards to require certain layout designs for the retail. Submitted and under review. 6. Clarify which street cross-section will be used for the private streets. 7. Please add a signalized crosswalk to allow residents to safely cross Michigan Rd. from your development. 8. Please investigate including a minimum number of affordable units within the proposed development. 9. Please update the PUD to require Long-term bike parking. Recommendation: The Dept. of Community Services recommends that the Plan Commission Committee discuss this item and then continue it to the Plan Commission Committee meeting on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 for further review and discussion.