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HomeMy WebLinkAboutProject DescriptionEXHIBIT “D” 670 1st Avenue NE - Development Standards Variances Project Description The applicants, Jeff and Molly Cooke, (collectively, the “Cookes”), own a parcel of real estate identified by the Hamilton County, Indiana Auditor’s Office as Tax Parcel Identification Number 16- 10-30-05-01-006.000, which parcel has a common address of 670 1st Avenue NE, Carmel, IN 46032 (the “Real Estate”). The Real Estate is zoned R2/Residential and is within the Old Town Overlay - Character Sub-Area. The Cookes plan to construct a new custom home on the Real Estate and Old Town Design Group will be the builder. It should be noted that the Cookes obtained variance approval from the BZA on April 26, 2021, for the building width to be increased from 55’ to 83’. However, after the 2021 BZA variance was granted, the Cookes did not advance the plans for constructing the new home, so the prior width variance has lapsed and is no longer in effect. The Cookes are now prepared to advance construction of the new custom home and in addition to seeking a variance from the maximum building width requirement, based on their specific 2-story Arts and Crafts Style home designs, they also are seeking variances related to the roof slope and maximum building height. In order to construct the new custom home on the Real Estate, the Cookes are seeking the development standards variances that are described below: 1. UDO Section 3.64 (C)(1)(b) – Maximum Building Width: 55’ permitted; requesting 81’ (not including covered porch). The design of the home is based on an Arts & Crafts style of architecture. This style is keeping with the historical character of the Old Town Sub-Character Overlay and many of the new homes in the District. The lot is approximately 132’ in width. The proposed home is divided into two (2) principal and distinct wings with a connector hallway and basement. The north wing is approximately 25’ wide, the south wing is approximately 40’ wide. The two wings are connected by a basement and hall that is approximately 16’ wide. The combined width of the two (2) wings and connector is approximately 81’ not including a covered porch attached to the south wing. While the combined width exceeds the 55’ limit, the individual wings do not. The connector hallway is located 35-40’ behind the building line of the two wings, so the two (2) wings will appear to be two separate structures from the street. This layout, along with having separate utilities for each wing, will allow the current or future owners to subdivide the parcel into separate lots, if desired. Limited remodeling and eliminating the connector hallway, would result in two (2) individual homes on two (2) separate lots. Staff has confirmed that splitting the lot in two would require Primary Plat approval from the Plan Commission, which is a public hearing approval process, as well as Secondary Plat approval. 2. UDO Section 3.64 (C) (9) (a) – Roof Pitch: 8:12 pitch required; requesting 6:12 The design of the home is based on an Arts & Crafts style of architecture and a 6/12 roof pitch is customary and consistent with the Arts & Crafts design theme. Some key elements of Arts & Crafts architecture include low-pitched roofs, multiple windows, prominent porches with prominent columns and natural building materials (stone, brick, and craftsman front doors), which elements are present in the Cookes custom home design. The UDO standard for the required roof pitch, as strictly applied to the proposed custom home, presents practical difficulties because designing the home with an 8:12 roof pitch would be inconsistent with the Arts & Crafts style of architecture. The design of the Cookes home is aesthetically appealing and consistent with the Arts & Crafts design style. 3. UDO Section 3.64 (C) (11) (c) – Building Heights shall not exceed the height of the tallest dimension of the nearest two (2) Character Buildings in the same block, or across the street by seven (7) feet: Height Permitted based on nearby Character Building heights: 25’6” would be permitted up to roof peak; requesting 34’4” up to roof peak for the central portion of the home. The design of the Cookes custom 2-story home is consistent and compatible with other homes in the vicinity of the Real Estate and the proposed height of the home is not out of character for the other homes in the vicinity. Existing home heights in the vicinity of the Real Estate include homes with heights of 31.1’; 29.8’; 26.8’; 19.1’; and, 18.6’. The two shorter homes are two the north of the proposed homes nearest the 1 -story wing of the house. The proposed home height does comply with UDO Section 3.64 (C)(11)(b), as the proposed building height is 28’1” as measured to the midpoint of the fascia and ridge and the maximum building height would allow for a 35’ building height. However, the UDO standard in Section 3.64 (C) (11) (c) requires that building heights shall not exceed the height of the tallest dimension of the nearest two (2) Character Buildings in the same block, or across the street by seven (7) feet. Based on the approximate heights of the nearby Character Building heights, a height of 25’6” up to the roof peak would be permitted for the Cookes home and they are seeking an increase of this height to 34’4’ up to the roof peak for the central portion of the home. If the Old Town Character Subarea height standards were strictly applied to the Cookes home, the practical difficulty that is presented is that while the height of the home may be taller than some of the surrounding homes, it would not be out of character or inconsistent for the area, as a 2-story homes are consistent with the design theme and common for the area.