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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDept Report PC 04-15-253 CARMEL PLAN COMMISSION DEPARTMENT REPORT APRIL 15, 2025 3. Docket No. PZ-2024-00241 ADLS: Gramercy – Multi-family (Section C). 4. Docket No. PZ-2024-00242 DP: Gramercy. The applicant seeks ADLS approval for the Multi-family (Section C – 13.49 acres) buildings within the overall development. The applicant also seeks Development Plan approval for the overall (19.33 acres) urban residential project with townhomes, multi-family, and mixed-use buildings. The site is and is located at the southeast corner of City Center Drive and Kinzer Avenue. It is now zoned PUD/Planned Unit Development – Gramercy (Z-493-06). Filed by Patrick Sowinski of Kimley-Horn on behalf of Erik Dirks of Buckingham Properties, LLC. *Updates to the report are written in blue. Project Overview: The Petitioner is bringing phase 1 of the new Gramercy development for review and approval. This proposal lays the groundwork for where each type of housing unit will be built. For the multi-family section, it will blend 4 existing and 9 new buildings into the central part of the development. Townhomes are proposed along to front along City Center Drive. For reference, north across City Center Drive are single family homes zoned R- 2/Residential. To the west is the Gramercy West single family and townhome development (Z-630-18). East are the original Gramercy apartment buildings. Please see the Petitioner’s Information packet for more details. Planned Unit Development (PUD) Standards this project MEETS: Section 4: Design & Development Standards, Uses • Site Plan proposed follows master plan • Parking: 1.3 spaces per multi-family dwelling unit required (404 units proposed) = 525 parking spaces required, 530 spaces provided • Streets proposed follow master plan • Building designs generally follow Exhibit D: Architectural Character Imagery (see below for requested alterations) • Multi-family uses allowed as proposed • Maximum building height: 50’ allowed, 41’ proposed Section 5: Accessory Buildings • Maintenance building, trash enclosure and mail kiosk are all architecturally compatible with primary buildings Section 6: Landscaping • Complies with PUD requirements Section 7: Lighting • Acorn style top light poles will be provided as streetlights, max height at 18’ which complies with 25’ or less requirement • Style matches existing lights in Gramercy West Section 8: Parking • Bike parking – Short term shall comply with UDO: 0.1 spaces per bedroom (552) = 55 short term spaces required, 72 spaces provided • Bike Parking – Long term shall comply with UDO: 0.5 spaces for each bedroom for units without garages (534) encouraged = 267 recommended, 167 spaces provided Section 9: Signage • Ground sign and clubhouse sign are proposed PUD Standards NOT MET: None. Site Plan, Parking and Engineering: • The proposed site plan closely follows the concept plan approved as part of the PUD. • Three existing apartment buildings and one garage will be removed for the new buildings. • Some of the existing roads and parking areas will remain as part of the new site plan. • A minimum of 1.3 parking spaces per dwelling is required = 525 spaces required 4 o 474 surface spaces o 18 garage spaces (new) o 5 garage spaces (existing) o 33 on-street spaces o Total = 530 spaces provided. • Nearly all Engineering Dept. and Crossroad Engineers (drainage) review comments have been addressed. We anticipate the next set of plans will be updated accordingly. Active Transportation: • A multi-use trail will be constructed on the west side of the property, adjacent to the new park. This will line up with the existing trail constructed by Gramercy West. • Bike parking requirements must comply with UDO. • Multi-family dwellings require: o Short term: 0.1 space per bedroom  552 bedrooms = 55.2 spaces required, 72 provided o Long term: 0.5 spaces for each bedroom for units without garages  18 garages are provided.  552 beds – 18 beds (for garages) = 534 beds x 0.5 = 267 long term spaces recommended  167 long-term spaces will be provided • 160 within a retrofitted car garage • 7 covered long-term spaces at NW dumpster enclosure. • After receiving the long-term bike parking garage plan, David Littlejohn issued a few more comments in Project Dox regarding the safety and security of both people and property at the bike parking garage. Concerns include: o At least two points of access are needed o Window to see into the room before entering o Security measures such as key fob entry and/or security cameras • Short term bike parking spaces will be in front of each building and adjacent to common areas. • The plan has extensive pedestrian connectivity, providing sidewalks around each building, connecting main entrances and units to perimeter sidewalks. Architectural Design: • The building designs submitted were nearly identical to the approved character images in the PUD. • Architectural review comments have been addressed: o Brick has been added back to the second floor except at balconies. o Soldier course brick detailing has been added back as headers for doors and windows. o Material transition details have been provided. o Gutter and downspout colors have been revised to match primary building color. • The Clubhouse building is 1.5 stories tall (about 26’). o It is designed with a brick first floor and siding accents on the upper story portions. o The south elevation opens to the pool and amenity area. • Garage buildings will have a brick wainscot, fiber cement siding, and a pitched roof. • A Maintenance garage is also proposed and will be designed to have the same brick wainscot, fiber cement siding and pitched roof as the other accessory buildings. o It will have one garage door opening and one large overhang/portico area. o Pedestrian doors and windows will also be provided on two of the elevations. • A trash enclosure is proposed, it will be constructed of dark brick and pre-finished steel gates. • A mail kiosk building will be constructed out of fiber cement siding and will have a pitched roof. 5 Lighting: • Lighting must comply with the standards of the original Gramercy PUD. • Acorn-style top lights will be provided throughout the development as streetlights. • An updated photometric plan has been provided to show four light bars to illuminate a future mural to be installed on the south wall of the Clubhouse building. • Wall mounted lights will be small, round fixtures, with up and down lights for building accents. The size of the fixture is 4” in height. • The same style of round fixture will also be proposed with a single direction (down) in some areas. Landscaping: • Landscaping must comply with the standards of the original Gramercy PUD, and all general landscaping requirements have been met. • This first phase will include the new park, which is located on the west side of the property. Improvements include 2 shelter structures, sidewalks, and bike racks. • An additional tree has been added to the southwest corner of the pickleball courts. • Plans have been updated to show native planting signs around the detention areas. Signage: • Signage must conform to UDO standards. • A Ground sign is proposed. It will meet the 50 sq. ft. requirement. • A Clubhouse sign is proposed. It will meet the 20 sq. ft. requirement. • At the Clubhouse, a mural is proposed. Petitioner, please note that this mural will need a separate ADLS Amendment for approval prior to installation. February 18, 2025 Public Hearing recap: • The Petitioner gave an overview of the project. • Neighbors spoke to voice concerns about: o The width of Kinzer Ave. – feels too narrow and unsafe o Gramercy West has many unresolved issues – streetlights out, crime, dead trees, flooding, etc. • The Petitioner addressed the concerns: o Kinzer Ave. was designed to make people drive slower o Buckingham is working on a park/kids play area o They will investigate the concerns at Gramercy West and report back to the PC on how those issues will be fixed • PC Members had questions/concerns about: o Ensure that prior sections (Gramercy West) are dealt with appropriately o Sidewalk connectivity o Address long term bike parking o Amount of green space preserved or provided? o What is happening with Section B buildings?  Those buildings will be vacated and renovated  The new design will complement the apartment buildings under review currently • PC voted to send to the PC Committee on March 3, 2025 with the final vote back at full PC. March 4, 2025 Committee meeting: TABLED to April 1, 2025 6 April 1, 2025 Committee meeting: • The Petitioner showed the missing light fixture and bike parking plans • Buckingham is working through the issues at Gramercy West o 27 new trees were planted last fall and are waiting to see how they fared through winter o Working on repairing fractured curbs and drainage issues near Auman o A dead tree was removed, and lights are being repaired o The Petitioner will return with other sections of the project and continue to provide updates. o Please note: the day after the PC Committee meeting, there was a tornado that caused damage within Gramercy West and other parts of Carmel. Buckingham is actively helping homeowners to understand who is responsible for what, and who to contact regarding warranties and home exterior repairs. o Buckingham has also begun the process with the City to transition the HOA over to the Owners. The kick-off meeting will take place on Thursday, April 17, 2025. • One member asked what the total open space amount is and if there are outdoor play areas provided as requested by the Urban Forester. • Committee voted 5-0 to send back to full PC with a Favorable Recommendation. Update since last Committee meeting: • Petitioner has provided both an Open Space plan (4.9 acres) and an Amenity plan • Civil plans have been updated to show native planting signs at detention areas DOCS Remaining Comments: • Bike parking garage safety concerns listed above Recommendation: The Department of Community Services recommends the Plan Commission Approves this item subject to addressing all remaining review comments on Project Dox.