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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOctober 31 Supplement20 CITY OF CARMEL, INDIANA PART 2: COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ESSENCE Policy 6: Inspire Community Character Introduction: Community character is the quality(ies) and feature(s) of a neighborhood, district, or the entire communi- ty that distinguish it from other areas. Community charac- ter is desired and often helps build local pride, encourages investment, and improves quality of life. Objective 6.1: Discourage homogeneous development and cor- porate brand prototypical architecture. In residential areas, architectural guidelines should be instituted to discourage monotonous development. Commercial and residential areas should be subjected to architectural standards that require unique and appropriate designs fi tting Carmel’s character goals. Objective 6.2: Promote a unique community with unique neighborhoods and subareas. Already the City’s infrastruc- ture and planning investments are bearing fruit in the Old Town Arts and Design District. The community will identify appropriate character goals, subareas, and neighborhood boundaries for the East, North Central, South Central, and West Carmel Districts. Objective 6.3: Encourage high quality and well designed landscaping to help beautify the City and promote healthful environments. Objective 6.4: Promote the planting and care of canopy trees throughout Carmel. Encourage their placement even in urban streetscapes, parking lots, and other enclosed areas by promoting proper soil volumes and/or the use of constructed soil technologies. Canopy trees are desired because they add a great deal of character and comfort to the built environ- ment. Additionally, they also provide relief from heat, soften noise and light, help purify the air we breathe, reduce stress, and increase property values. This is a particularly impor- tant objective because so many mature trees are lost through development. Objective 6.5: Promote the use of public art in both public spaces and within private developments. Also, encourage designers to include public art in their buildings and sur- roundings. Objective 6.6: Enable healthy choices through the use of inno- vative design and planning. For instance, provide pedes- trian access to parks, recreation, schools, the workplace and amenity centers so that people do not have to use their cars. Also, designing structures to capture natural light and air enhances healthy lifestyles. Objective 6.7: Encourage electrical utility lines to be buried throughout the community, especially in urbanizing areas. Care must be given to the location of underground trans- former boxes so pedestrian infrastructure is not precluded by confl icts with power facilities. Objective 6.8: Protect the character, safety and function of the Monon Greenway. Objective 6.9: Enhance the aesthetics of employment and vitality districts by requiring parking lots to be located at the rear and side of the property, or underground, thereby encouraging the architecture to be the dominant feature. Policy 7: Inspire Environmental Awareness Introduction: Being environmentally aware includes under- standing the benefi ts of protecting natural areas, emphasiz- CARMEL CLAY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 21 PART 2: COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ESSENCE Objective 7.7: Continue to protect regional surface and ground water sources to ensure safe drinking water for Carmel and adjacent municipalities. Institute regulations that further protect the delineated wellhead protection areas from contaminants and land uses that have a higher risk of contaminating water resources. Objective 7.8: Set the precedent for environmentally sensitive buildings when developing municipal facilities by striving for the highest feasible level of LEED certifi cation. Also encourage other public entities to achieve the same. Objective 7.9: Develop and maintain an Environmental Action Plan to implement actions that reduce pollution, conserve energy, and preserve the natural environment. Objective 7.10: Explore the use of alternate sources of energy such as active solar, geothermal, and wind. Objective 7.11: Reduce heat island effect by preservation of Carmel’s urban forest and by encouraging the use surfaces that retard the absorption of heat. Objective 7.12: Increase effectiveness of wastewater treatment and discharge by combining master plans of both sanitary sewer districts. Objective 7.13: Reduce unnecessary removal of trees on lots, encourage preservation of mature trees, and require replace- ment of trees that have to be removed for development. Objective 7.14: Promote the movement toward sustainable development and architecture. Reward land developments and building designs that use or reuse land responsibly by discouraging patterns of sprawl, conserving potable water, reducing energy consumption, and utilizing reusable or recyclable materials. Encourage architects and designers to green design standards, such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) or similar standards to promote sustainable and healthful buildings and neighborhoods for people to shop, work, eat, recreate, and live. Policy 8: Inspire Healthful Living Introduction: Inspiring healthful living is a response to the obesity rate in Indiana and the Midwest, and also recognizes increases in cancer rates, lung diseases, heart disease, and stress related disorders. Objective 8.1: Strive to provide: multiple types of facilities for exercise, opportunities to immerse oneself into nature, sport facilities and leagues, access to recreation programs, access to health education programs, and encouragement to succeed in ones personal health goals. Objective 8.2: Work corroboratively with local hospitals to of- fer outreach services, health and wellness clinics, screenings, classes, smoking cessation programs, dietary support, mental health clinics, immunization programs, and the like. Objective 8.3: Encourage mixed-use, compact development making it easier for people to walk or ride their bicycles. This will provide a healthy lifestyle by providing the option for exercise in people’s daily routines. Objective 8.4: Develop programs and improve infrastruc- ture to encourage children to walk or ride their bicycles to school. This will increase their physical activity, improve their health, and will potentially reduce the automobile trips made to and from school. Objective 8.5: Promptly work to obtain park land while unde- 22 CITY OF CARMEL, INDIANA PART 2: COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ESSENCE Policy 6: Inspire Community Character Objective 6.1: Reinforce suburban character including tree- lined curvilinear streets, sidewalks separated by tree lawns, and neighborhood parks. Also, maintain the dominant pres- ence of high quality single-family residential form. Objective 6.2: Allow density transitions from single-family residential form along East 96th Street and 146th Street , but encourage context sensitive buffer development along these corridors to help soften the visual impact to lower density residential neighborhoods. Policy 7: Inspire Environmental Awareness Objective 7.1: Aggressively protect the riparian corridor and fl oodplain along the White River from encroachment. Objective 7.2: Continually monitor mining practices to ensure balance between the legitimate needs of the resident and re- gional need for local materials. Also, encourage reclamation planning for quarry sites to better coordinate public facilities and infrastructure improvements, and public recreation or residential opportunities. Objective 7.3: Expand East Carmel bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, especially in areas adjacent to institutional nodes such as schools and churches, and neighborhood- serving commercial. Objective 7.4: Establish an East Carmel recycling and hazard- ous materials drop-off station in conjunction with the City’s sewage treatment facility. Objective 7.5: Locate an East Carmel satellite facility for Car- mel Street Maintenance and other public services. This will help conserve fuel and distribute manpower more equally over the community. Policy 8: Inspire Healthful Living (no additional objectives apply to East Carmel) EAST CARMEL POLICIES AND OBJECTIVES Introduction The following sections convey the policies and objectives for the East Carmel District. It is important to note that these sections share some of the same policy headings as the City-Wide section, but the content is specifi c to East Carmel. Policy 1: Manage Community Form Objective 1.1: Protect the integrity of the suburban form and land uses. East Carmel is an area where redevelopment of residential districts is discouraged, and where investment in single-family homes is strongly encouraged. The City will identify projects, policies, and programs that will maintain the existing stability and encourage investment by hom- eowners. Objective 1.2: Support and encourage Allow neighborhood service nodes in context appropriate areas. The objective of these nodes is to allow limited neighborhood-serving commercial, mixed-use, and public amenities within walk- ing distance to residents living in surrounding suburban neighborhoods. Lighting, parking, architecture, landscaping, size of buildings, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities will be strictly regulated to help ensure the nodes blend in with existing residential uses. Policy 2: Be a Leading Edge City Objective 2.1: Embrace the White River greenway and off- street trail to provide another notable linear park and non- 24 CITY OF CARMEL, INDIANA PART 2: COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ESSENCE SOUTH CENTRAL CARMEL POLICIES AND OBJECTIVES Introduction The following sections convey the policies and objectives for South Central Carmel. It is important to note that these sections share some of the same policy headings as the City- Wide section, but the content is specifi c to South Central Carmel. Policy 1: Manage Community Form Objective 1.1: Allow the careful integration of neighborhood service nodes and the advancement of Home Place’s commercial area to better serve the South Central neighborhoods and the employment corridor along I-465. Objective 1.2: Protect stable single-family residential neighborhoods in South Central Carmel as much as possible through buffering, use of transitional design, strong code enforcement of property maintenance issues, targeted infrastructure investments (e.g. drainage, sidewalks, and street lights), and landscaping beautifi cation projects. Protect and enhance the integrity of single-family residential neighborhoods in South Central Carmel through strong code enforcement of property maintenance issues, targeted infrastructure investments (e.g. sidewalks and drainage), and beautifi cation projects. Objective 1.3: Strive for additional street, bicycle and pedestrian connectivity in South Central Carmel. Objective 1.4: Allow greater development intensity on the north, west, and south edges of the district to serve as a transition from more intensely developed areas. Objective 1.5: Carefully transition from the intense fringe areas mentioned in Objective 1.4 to single family residential. Policy 2: Be a Leading Edge City Objective 2.1: Encourage reinvestment and maintenance of strong residential areas, so as to discourage redevelopment. Objective 2.2: Promote a high quality employment corridor along U.S. 31 and I-465 and utilize zoning overlays, parks and parkways to help buffer strong residential areas. Objective 2.3: Strive for bicycle and pedestrian facilities to be installed throughout the South Carmel district, especially on the north, south and west edges of the district that abut more intensely developed areas. Also, strive for connectivity to Central Park and Monon Center. Objective 2.4: Plan for the integration of a transit stop near the intersection of 96th Street and Keystone Parkway. Policy 3: Perpetuate Economic Vitality (no additional objectives apply to South Central Carmel) Policy 4: Be a City of Neighborhoods Objective 4.1: South Central Carmel should be planned as a collection of neighborhoods applying select traditional neighborhood design principles to the historic suburban form. Particularly, the principles of connectivity, transitions, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities would benefi t this district. Objective 4.2: Endeavor to plan neighborhoods, gateways, boundaries, and service areas through more detailed subarea plans. Policy 5: Be an Adaptable City (no additional objectives apply to South Central Carmel) CARMEL CLAY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 25 PART 2: COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ESSENCE WEST CARMEL POLICIES AND OBJECTIVES Introduction The following sections convey the policies and objectives for West Carmel. It is important to note that these sections share some of the same policy headings as the City-wide section, but the content under each heading is specifi c to West Carmel and adds to other city-wide objectives. Policy 1: Manage Community Form Objective 1.1: Preserve the estate character of West Carmel by protecting large-lot residential areas and by requiring new subdivisions to have large setbacks from and quality land- scaping along perimeter roads. Further, require extensive re-vegetation along perimeter roads and within each new development. A larger open space requirement should also be considered. Objective 1.2: Allow limited neighborhood service nodes in context with or adjacent to appropriate areas. The objective of neighborhood service nodes is to allow limited neighbor- hood-serving commercial, mixed-use, and public amenities within a short distance to residents living in surrounding suburban neighborhoods, not adjacent to Estate Residential. Lighting, parking, architecture, landscaping, size of build- ings, orientation of buildings, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities will be strictly regulated to assure compatibility. Objective 1.3: Conservation subdivisions and innovative residential community designs that protect vegetation, slopes and are non-monotonous in terms of architecture and mate- rial selection are preferred. Objective 1.4: Subdivision connectivity and transitions between proposed developments and existing subdivisions should be scrutinized to a greater degree in West Carmel. Objective 1.5: West Carmel has many non-connecting subdivi- sions. The proliferation of this pattern of development is more tolerable in this district; however, critical connections shown on the Thoroughfare Plan will be absolutely required. Although there is less emphasis on vehicular connectivity, bicycle and pedestrian connectivity will be strictly required. For instance, where road connectivity between a proposed development and an existing development is not required, bicycle and pedestrian connections will be required. Objective 1.6: With the success of the Monon Greenway, other off-street facilities are in demand. West Carmel has an op- portunity to utilize portions of several pipeline corridors for such a trail. These corridors are shown as off-street trails in the 2020 Vision Plan and in the Alternative Transporta- tion Plan initially adopted in 2001, and are supported in the C3 Plan as well. Integrating this type of facility in some ar- eas will be relatively easy, but in already built environments may prove to be more diffi cult. Objective 1.7: Carmel should partner with neighboring Westfi eld and Zionsville to plan and implement a signifi cant greenway along Little Eagle Creek. Objective 1.8: Continue expansion of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure to connect neighborhoods with schools, parks, WestClay’s Secondary Core, and other destinations. Policy 2: Be a Leading Edge City Objective 2.1: Maintain and protect sub-areas in the City of Carmel for estate character housing. These areas are es- DRAFT Thi p r fl t relimin y nd un e ifie onte t It i for d lib r ti pu p es only CARMEL CLAY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MAP LEGEND 1 MILE 1/2 MILE 3/4 MILE 1/4 MILE Map Prepared by Ground Rules, Inc. Secondary Core Primary Core Area for Special Study Major Street Minor Street River Monon Trail Land Classification Plan Map Parks and Recreation Estate Residential Low Intensity Suburban Residential Suburban Residential Urban Residential Attached Residential Neighborhood Support Center LAND CLASSIFICATION MAP 45 Last Revised 10-29-2008 Neighborhood Service Node Institutional Node Community Vitality Node Employment Node Regional Vitality Node Core Support W 96th St W 116th St E 116th St Gray Rd Gray Rd W 146th St Towne Rd E 126th St College Ave Carmel Dr River Rd Old Meridian St W 106th St Ditch Rd West Rd W 126th St Clay Center Rd W 141st St W 136th St Spring Mill Rd Pennsylvania St CARMEL CLAY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 55 PART 4: TRANSPORTATION PLAN RESIDENTIAL PARKWAY General Description A Residential Parkway is designed to maintain residential character and to effi ciently convey residential traffi c to more major roads. Driveway access should be reduced when possible and on-street parking can be permitted when deemed safe. Residential Parkways primarily connect Residential Streets with Collector Streets, Secondary Parkways, Primary Parkways, Secondary Arterials and other Residential Parkways. Street Features • Minimum Right-of-Way: 100 feet • Maximum Number of Lanes: 2 lanes • Minimum Lane Width: 11 feet • Curbs: Required • Sidewalks and Paths: Required as per the Bicycle and Pedestrian Facility Plan • On-Street Parking: Optional on one or two sides; 7 feet each • Minimum Tree Plot: 6 feet • Street Trees: Required • Buffer Planting: Required Typical Cross Section See illustration below Primary Priorities Within Right-of-Way • Neighborhood character • Sensitive to context • Bicycle and pedestrian facilities • Width of tree plots • Median planting • Street trees Secondary Priorities Within Right-of-Way • Width of travel lanes • On-street parking • Bicycle lanes Traffic Management Options • Roundabouts • On-street parking • Narrower lane widths • Curb extensions at traditional intersections (bump-outs) • Bicycle lanes • Signs Recent improvements to Oak Ridge Road typify Residential Parkway design. Millbrook Parkway provides the residents of Brooks Bend an attractive and safe connection to 99th Street. 100 feet of Right of Way 16 feet Min. Curb: 2 feet Side Path: 10 feet Min. Lane Width: 16 feet Min. Lane Width: 11 feet Min. Tree Plot: 6 feet Min. Bike Lane: 6 feet Min. 86 CITY OF CARMEL, INDIANA PART 5: CRITICAL CORRIDORS AND SUBAREAS U.S. 31 CORRIDOR Description The U.S. 31 Corridor has been identifi ed as a critical corridor because it: • Serves as major regional north/south arterial; • Provides an abrupt transition between the urbanizing central part of Carmel and sensitive low density residential neighborhoods and estates; • Creates an undesirable barrier for east/west vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian transit; and • Is a major employment corridor and economic engine. U.S. 31 is slated to be upgraded to freeway status, requiring interchanges as the only access points. This is a positive improvement to reduce traffi c congestion, yet will result in numerous challenges as well. For instance, Carmel will likely lose some access points along the corridor. It will be important for Carmel to maintain suffi cient access to U.S. 31 and to ensure the City’s character is not compromised. Further, it will be important to provide numerous means for east/west access for vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. Critical Area Boundaries The U.S. 31 Corridor boundaries are depicted on the Orientation Map on the following page. Strategy Utilize Roundabout Interchanges: The City of Carmel will work with the State of Indiana to ensure the use of roundabout- style interchanges. These interchange designs are expected to save cost, reduce acquisition of land, disturb less of the built environment, and best match the character goals of the City. Another expected advantage is effi ciency of vehicular traffi c, reducing emissions and fuel consumption. Extend Illinois Street from 106th to 111th Street: As U.S. 31 is upgraded, Illinois Street will be necessary to provide north/ south access to the employment corridor on the west side of U.S. 31. Illinois Street also establishes the transition from intense offi ce corridor to low density residential areas to the west. Maintain Strong East/West Connectivity: As a major arterial, U.S. 31 acts as a barrier for bicycle and pedestrian traffi c. When the highway is upgraded to freeway status, it may also reduce east/west connectivity for vehicles. The City will work with the State of Indiana to establish six interchanges and three overpasses for adequate vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian access. Two additional bicycle and pedestrian grade-separated crossings are necessary. Require 6- to 10-Story Buildings: Require all buildings in em- ployment corridor to be 6 to 10 stories in height. However, building heights should be reduced as they encroach on Illinois Street and Pennsylvania Street; and building heights should not exceed 3 stories when adjacent to existing resi- dential neighborhoods (see illustration below). This offi ce and medical corridor provides essential employment oppor- tunity and portrays a positive community character. Park- ing areas should be de-emphasized and, when appropriate structured to make room for additional buildings. Limited opportunity for business-serving and employee-serving com- mercial should be allowed (e.g. restaurants and print shops) 88 CITY OF CARMEL, INDIANA PART 5: CRITICAL CORRIDORS AND SUBAREAS 96TH STREET CORRIDOR Description The 96th Street Corridor has been identifi ed as a critical corridor because it: • Serves as a major east/west arterial; • Establishes a division between stable residential neighborhoods and commercial areas; and • Traverses in and out of sensitive neighborhoods. Through the early 1960’s, 96th Street was an uninterrupted cross-county connector between the Boone County line and the White River. In the mid-sixties, Interstate 465 was constructed resulting in the current disrupted confi guration near Westfi eld Boulevard. As northern Marion County and southern Hamilton County urbanized, 96th Street’s importance as a major east/west corridor was rekindled. Today, 96th Street continues to evolve into a major arterial, especially east of Keystone Parkway. In the study area of the 96th Street Corridor Plan, there are three segments that refl ect commercial character and correspondingly carry higher volumes of traffi c: • Between Michigan Road and Shelbourne Road; • Between Spring Mill Road and College Avenue; and • Between Westfi eld Boulevard and Keystone Parkway. There are also two segments that maintain residential character and carry lower volumes of traffi c: • Between Shelbourne Road and Spring Mill Road; and • Between College Avenue and Westfi eld Boulevard. Critical Area Boundaries The 96th Street Corridor boundaries are depicted on the Orientation Map on the following page. Strategy Encourage Redevelopment Along Michigan Road: The City of Carmel should encourage the redevelopment of property on the northeast corner of Michigan Road and 96th Street. A high quality development at this location would enhance this gateway into Carmel. It is hoped that a quality development in this strategic location will act as a catalyst for similar quality to the south, north and east where several “tired” and under-utilized buildings are located. Buffer Residential Areas from Commercial: As commercial areas near Michigan Road evolve or are redeveloped, special attention should be given to transitions or softening potential negative effects to adjacent residential areas. Enhance East/West Connectivity: Where 96th Street (the Real Street leg) connects with Westfi eld Boulevard south of I-465, the City of Carmel should look for ways to improve connectivity to the new roundabout north of I-465 on Westfi eld Boulevard. The best solution may be another roundabout at Real Street (Marion County’s jurisdiction) at Westfi eld Boulevard to allow for more fl uid, uninterrupted vehicle fl ow. The above described enhancement is most likely the best alternative when considering fi nancial resources. However, if the funding could be obtained, the City would prefer a straight alignment over I-465, eliminating the need for the Real Street segment (see Alternative Alignment on the next page). Although this alignment would be more costly, it would better enhance east/west connectivity, and restore 96th Street to its original confi guration prior to the construction of I-465. Connect Pennsylvania Parkway to Westfield Boulevard: This linkage would likely help relieve traffi c on 96th Street between College Avenue and Westfi eld Boulevard. The right-of-way for this street extension exists in some locations north of I-465. An alternate east/west connection is reestablishing the original alignment of 96th Street by building a new bridge over I-465. Install Side Paths: There is an ever-increasing demand for bicycle and pedestrian facilities in Carmel. The 96th Street Corridor provides an opportunity for Side Paths to be added between the Monon Greenway and Keystone Parkway. With the Monon Greenway functioning at capacity at times, the 96th Street Corridor would provide (once Side Paths are installed on Keystone Parkway) a highly desirable circuit. Maintain Residential Character: In the residential areas noted on the 96th Street Corridor Plan, the City should maintain a 2-lane confi guration with residential sensitivity (e.g. minimize right-of-way impacts, and add street trees and Side Paths) for as long as possible. Based on the 96th Street Corridor Study (1999), the 2-lane confi guration would result in congestion during some periods, but would be manageable up to the year 2020. Design Guidelines • Protect and enhance residential character in the street sections between Shelbourne Road and Spring Mill Road, and between College Avenue and Westfi eld Boulevard. • Add Side Paths, especially along the north side of 96th Street. • Sensitively transition between commercial and residential uses with vegetation, distance, screening and buffering land uses. Because this corridor plan was completed in 1999, some infl uenc- ing factors have changed. in existing buildings or small nodes along the corridor. Design Guidelines • Protect and enhance the green corridor aesthetic created by large lawns and consistent landscaping. • Ensure safe means for bicyclists and pedestrians to cross U.S. 31. • Transition the scale and mass of structures between U.S. 31 and Illinois Street to minimize impact to residential development to the west. • Require high quality, urban offi ce architecture and campus design between Illinois Street and Pennsylvania Street. • Prohibit “branded” architecture. • Allow clearly visible signs for major tenants. • Encourage “green” architecture for all new buildings. • Sensitively integrate amenity nodes along Illinois Street and Pennsylvania Street for convenience and enjoyment of corridor employees and nearby residents. • Prepare for a context sensitive mass transit line. • Respect transitions to adjacent neighborhoods and require appropriate buffering. • Integrate bicycle and pedestrian facilities along U.S. 31 corridor. 2 Story Home 3 Story Building One-quarter distance between Illinois St. and U.S. 31 R.O.W.s U.S. 31 R.O.W. (270 ) Illinois St. R.O.W. (130 ) Spring Mill Road R.O.W. (100 ) 10 Story Building 8 Story Building One-half distance between U.S. 31 and Illinois St. R.O.W.s Half-distance between two street R.O.W.s Maximum Height When adjacent to Commercial Maximum Height When adjacent to Residential 2,050’ 122nd St E 136th St Main St Carey Rd Oak Ridge Rd Ditch Rd Westfield Blvd Hazel Dell Pkwy Hazel Dell Pkwy E 131st St E 146th St W 131st St Shelborne Rd Illinois St Range Line Rd S Guilford Rd 111th St Keystone Parkway Meridian St US 421 Michigan Rd US 31 I-465 sential to attracting high quality businesses, providing the desired quality-of-life for senior employees. Objective 2.2: Encourage more custom home developments to balance the housing inventory which has been slanting in recent years toward production homes. Custom home neigh- borhoods will also add character to West Carmel by reducing monotony. Concurrently, allow carriage houses and other compatible forms of accessory dwellings to provide fl exibil- ity and a range of housing options. Objective 2.3: Adopt residential architecture standards to ensure compatibility, a high quality aesthetic, energy ef- fi ciency, and durability. Policy 3: Perpetuate Economic Vitality (no additional objectives apply to West Carmel) Policy 4: Be a City of Neighborhoods (no additional objectives apply to West Carmel) Policy 5: Be an Adaptable City (no additional objectives apply to West Carmel) Policy 6: Inspire Community Character Objective 6.1: Reinforce rural character including tree lines, fence rows, barns, pockets of open space, and preservation of wood lots. Residential intensity can exist, but generally should not be obviously portrayed from perimeter roads. Objective 6.2: Protect single-family residential character along West 96th Street between Spring Mill Road and Shelbourne Road. Objective 6.3: Require commercial buildings along Michigan Road to be constructed of durable materials and designed to refl ect “village” character. Continue to strengthen the exist- ing zoning ordinance overlay to implement the requirements. Objective 6.4: Require large setbacks and lot sizes, and only residential uses along 116th Street from Spring Mill Road west to the Boone County Line. Utilize a zoning ordinance overlay to implement. Policy 7: Inspire Environmental Awareness Objective 7.1: Strive to protect wood lots, wetlands, and other valuable natural features in West Carmel. These features contribute to the district’s rural character, but they also pro- vide habitat for plants, birds, and other animals. Objective 7.2: Establish neighborhood-serving commercial Allow limited neighborhood service nodes to conserve fuel, reduce emissions, and promote healthy life styles. Policy 8: Inspire Healthful Living Objective 8.1: Promptly work to obtain park land in the north western portion of Clay Township while undeveloped land is still available. Policy 6: Inspire Community Character Objective 6.1: Protect the existing character of the strong single family neighborhoods in South Central Carmel. Objective 6.2: Protect the residential character along Keystone Parkway and Westfi eld Boulevard, and maintain these corridors’ existing tree canopies as part of an overall urban forest network. Objective 6.3: Require signifi cant numbers of canopy trees to be planted after development to maintain the substantial tree canopy that gives character to the South Central Carmel district and urban forest. Policy 7: Inspire Environmental Awareness Objective 7.1: Aggressively protect the Monon Greenway’s tree-lined corridor and environmental features on the Central Park site. Objective 7.2: Strongly encourage existing mature trees in the district to be preserved during development and redevelopment as part of an overall urban forest network. Policy 8: Inspire Healthful Living (no additional objectives apply to South Central Carmel) motorized transportation corridor which connects parks as well as acting as the foundation for a larger, regional green- way. More off-street trails are expected to contribute to the overall network of paths, especially in the natural corridor of the White River. Objective 2.2: Promote a high quality mixed-use neighborhood development on the Legacy property, achieving the same recognition as the Village of WestClay. Unique uses or a combination of uses should be designed into the context of the natural environment and surrounding suburban develop- ment. Policy 3: Perpetuate Economic Vitality (no additional objectives apply to East Carmel) Policy 4: Be a City of Neighborhoods (no additional objectives apply to East Carmel) Policy 5: Be an Adaptable City (no additional objectives apply to East Carmel) veloped land is still available. ing use of native plant material into the urban environment, reducing energy consumption, encouraging energy and natural resource conservation, and utilizing “green” building materials to lessen our impact on the environment. Objective 7.1: Encourage the use of durable materials and construction methods that prolong the life of buildings. A paradigm shift is necessary to change the current 30-year life expectancy of commercial buildings and some produc- tion homes to a more substantial life expectancy. Carmel has already had some success in encouraging 100-year build- ings. For instance, that standard is currently being applied to several buildings in the City Center and the Old Town Arts and Design District. Objective 7.2: Continue the policy emphasizing that City ve- hicles be energy effi cient and low emission cars and trucks. With the introduction of hybrid vehicles, the City now has a viable and visible means for improving the environment through energy conservation. Also, idling should be discour- aged when possible. Objective 7.3: Develop a bicycle network to allow non-vehicu- lar trips to be made by encouraging small-scale and requir- ing large-scale employment nodes to install covered and secure bicycle parking, and shower and changing facilities for cycling commuters. Concurrently, ensure that adequate bicycling facilities exist to allow safe and effi cient bicycle commuting. Objective 7.4: The City should encourage use of water-saving devices, and request that citizens reduce water consump- tion by proper (“smart”) lawn sprinkling and exploring alternative landscapes which require less water. Encourage rainwater (i.e. grey water) recycling to reduce potable water consumption. Objective 7.5: Strongly encourage developers to build envi- ronmentally sensitive buildings, such as LEED (Leader- ship in Energy and Environmental Design) guidelines or similar programs. These “green” buildings conserve energy resources, provide more healthful inside environments, last longer, utilize products made from recycled material, and use products that can be safely disposed of or recycled when the building is eventually dismantled. Green buildings also strive to use local material to reduce the transportation impact. For instance, importing marble from overseas has an enormous environmental impact compared to delivering Indiana limestone from southern counties. Objective 7.6: Set the precedent for environmental protection or re-vegetation when developing municipal facilities like parks, fi re stations, and maintenance facilities.