HomeMy WebLinkAboutDept Report 05-27-25
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CARMEL BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS REGULAR MEETING
DEPARTMENT REPORT
TUESDAY, MAY 27, 2025
(V) Harvest Church Sign Variances.
The applicant seeks the following development standards variance approvals for additional signage:
6. Docket No. PZ-2025-00077 V UDO Section 5.39(H)(2) One (1) sign allowed per street
frontage; Four (4) requested (1 existing ground sign, 1 proposed ground sign, 2 proposed wall signs).
7. Docket No. PZ-2024-00080 V UDO Section 5.39(H)(2) Signs not facing any public
street right of way not allowed; Two (2) requested (2 wall signs)
8. WITHDRAWN- Docket No. PZ-2024-00081 V UDO Section 5.39(H)(6) Ground sign
masonry base shall be at least equal to the width and depth of the sign; ground sign doesn’t meet
requirement requested.
The 12-acre site is located at 14550 River Road. It is zoned Legacy PUD/Planned Unit Development, Z-
679-22. Filed by Marty Baker of Harvest Bible Chapel of North Indianapolis, Inc.
General Info:
• Petitioner seeks approval for a total of four signs (where one exists today).
• The 12-acre site comprises mostly of two main buildings and two separate parking lot areas.
• Variances are requested related to a new proposed sign package.
• The site has one street frontage – River Road to the east.
• The site is not located in any platted subdivision.
• Surrounding this site are business/commercial uses to the north, residential uses to the south, an open space
stormwater park to the west, and Connor Prairie owned land to the east.
• Please see the Petitioner’s info packet for more details on the variance requests.
Variances Requested:
Number of Signs –
• The UDO allows one sign per street frontage, so only 1 sign is allowed.
• 4 signs are requested: 1 existing ground sign, 1 proposed ground sign, and 2 proposed wall signs.
• Regarding the Ground Signs, one currently exists at the north parking lot entrance, and one is proposed at
the newly created south parking lot (at its entrance).
• Regarding the 2 proposed wall signs, one will face south, and one will face north.
• Sign designs will be mostly white letters and an H logo.
• The proposed sign sizes comply with the UDO’s Sign Standards.
• The Petitioner will remove three existing signs as part of this proposal - the “Office” sign, the canopy
“Worship Center” sign, and the “You Are Loved” wall sign.
Signs Not Facing Public Street -
• The UDO states that signs not facing any public street right of way are not allowed.
• The street frontage is to the east of the site, along River Road.
• Two (wall) signs are requested to not face a public street, and to instead face north and south.
• The wall signs will meet the requirements of not being more than 70% of the spandrel panel height and not
more than 85% of the spandrel panel width.
• The wall sign sizes proposed are around 79 sq. ft. and 143 sq. ft. in area.
• The Wall Sign designs will be mostly white letters that read ‘Harvest Church’ and an H logo with an orange
design element.
• Only the word ‘Harvest’ will be internally illuminated at night; the rest of the sign will be unlit.
• The north and south side property lines are around 376 feet and 640 feet away from where the wall signs
will be installed. (For reference, a football field is around 360 feet in length).
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Remaining Review Comments:
• All Planning/Zoning comments have been addressed.
Final Comments:
• The Petitioner has been working with Planning Staff to come up with a sign package that makes sense and
can now be supported by Planning Staff.
• The Petitioners are foregoing one proposed sign and exploring the possibility of installing a wall mural,
instead, in the future, which will require an ADLS Amendment Application submittal (with Plan
Commission committee review/approval required).
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 favorable consideration of the variance requests,
with the condition of the Petitioner addressing the remaining Unresolved review comments in ProjectDox,
and with adoption of the Findings of Facts submitted by the Petitioner.