HomeMy WebLinkAboutDept ReportCARMEL /CLAY BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS
17 -20h. East 96th Street Auto Park, Lot 3 -Tom Wood Volvo/Land Rover /Jaguar
V- 40 -03, V- 41 -03, V- 42 -03, V- 43 -03)
Petitioner seeks the following Development Standards Variances:
V 40 03 03050018 §25.07.02 08(a) Jaguar icon sign
V -41 -03 03050019 §25.07.02 -08(b) 6 5 identification signs
V -42 -03 03050020 §25.07.02 -08(b) 5 4 identification signs oriented south
V -43 -03 03050021 §25.07.02 -08(b) 1 identification sign oriented east
The site is located at 4620 E 96 Street and is zoned B- 3/Business. Filed by Thomas Engle of Barnes
Thornburg on behalf of Tom Wood Jaguar /Land Rover /Volvo.
The subject site is east of Keystone on the north side of 96 Street, opposite H.H.Gregg and Palmer
Dodge. The site is immediately north of the Tom Wood Volkswagen, Lexus, Tom O'Brien Chrysler
Dealership. The western parcel is being developed as a group of office buildings providing additional
buffer from the residential area to the northwest. The site to the east is the future site for CarMax. There
are also condominiums north and east of the subject site and the Williamson Run Subdivision is opposite
the pond to the northwest. A 2.5 -acre, triangular parcel is a landscape buffer and there will be no
development in that area. There is a drainage area between the site and the commercial site to the west
and, again, the pond to the northwest...
...Tom Wood Jaguar is to be developed as a high -end, low volume dealership, seeking to attract an
affluent customer base. As required by the manufacturer, there is a showroom for each of the
manufacturers and a corporate sign...
June 23, 2003
Carmel /Clay Board of Zoning Appeals Department Report
DEPARTMENT REPORT
June 23, 2003
12
General Information:
Tom Wood Jaguar /Land RoverNolvo is
located on a Primary Arterial Road, but is set
back on Lot 3, which is the furthest away from
the road in East 96 Street Auto Park. The
Comprehensive plan list this area as a medium
to high intensity employment area. Tom Wood
is seeking to install six identification signs,
when only one is allowed in the B -3 /Business
zone. Most of the signs will provide the brand
name of cars: Jaguar, Land Rover, and Volvo.
Background Information:
(Excerpt from May 20, 2003 PC Meeting
Minutes): Larry Lawhead, 13199 Ditch Road,
Carmel, attorney, appeared before the
Commission representing the applicant. Mike
Billay, Architect, and Brian Cross of Roger
Ward Engineering, were also present.
c
...Regarding signage, there is a Volvo sign in blue, 11'8" X 1'6" not internally lit but back -lit. The
Jaguar sign is smoked bronze metal on dryvit, back -lit and measures 10'7" X 1'8 Land Rover has two
signs; green with white lettering icon sign that is 7'10" X 3'10" and internally lit, and the location sign
that is 7'1" X 1'6" white metal with plastic face. The name listed on this sign is "Indianapolis." There is
only one Range Rover in Indiana, traditionally located on the south side of 96 Street, close to the subject
site. This area has an Indianapolis mailing address, and Range Rover has requested using "Indianapolis"
on the sign. Mr. Lawhead said the size of the sign was created by the manufacturer without input from
the client. Other signs shown are identification signs to designate service location. There is an additional
sign, however, and that is the Jaguar logo icon —the "leaping jaguar." The material is chrome and not
illuminated. The sign is approximately 1800 feet from 96 Street and not readily visible...
...Jon Dobosiewicz reported for the Depai lment. Many of the concerns have been addressed; however,
the identification of the site is not Indianapolis but this should be researched at the Committee level. The
lighting has been addressed by the petitioner and additional information has been provided to the
Departutent. Scott Brewer has reviewed and granted approval for the landscape proposal. The petitioner
has agreed to offer additional plantings on the residential side —this should be specified and details agreed
upon at Committee. The Department is not in favor of the leaping jaguar on top of the building. In
addition, the screen walls for the rooftop equipment are questionable as far as integrating it into the
building. The Depaittuent would like to see specific elevations provided by the petitioner to show the
number —if there is a "farm of fences" on top of the building that screens each individual unit, it is
probably not preferable to raising the parapet wall on the building. The Depai lment is recommending this
item be forwarded to Special Study Committee on June 3rd.
Ron Houck asked about the "leaping jaguar." How is that viewed in terms of the Ordinance is it logo,
how does it fit into the signage?
Jon Dobosiewicz said the "leaping jaguar" is defined as a single sign, rooftop mounted. The petitioner
has applied for variances, and these will be heard by the BZA upon completion of the Plan Commission
process. The petitioner is to have a proposal to the Department for the ground sign along 96 Street.
There are 7 or 8 dealerships that will occupy this site. The Depat fluent is not anticipating that all 8 of the
dealership names will fit on one ground sign. Perhaps we should just call it "East 96 Street Auto Park"
and leave it as we would a subdivision sign.
Pat Rice also had comments about the signage. The jaguar could be incorporated in terms of logo into the
sign on the building itself. Ms. Rice asked the Committee to look at the "Land Rover" sign. The
petitioner considers only the oval to be a sign —Pat Rice considers the green to be the sign and this needs
to be addressed by the Committee.
Leo Dierckman commented that unless "Indianapolis' is removed from the sign, he could not make a
positive vote for this...
...Docket No. 68 -03 DP /ADLS, East 96 Street Auto Park, Lot 3, Tom Wood Jaguar was referred to the
Special Study Committee for further review at 7:00 PM on June 3, 2003 in the Caucus Rooms of City
Hall.
Analysis:
Tom Wood Jaguar/Land Rover /Volvo should revise their plans to reflect the concerns of the Plan
Commission. If Tom Wood wants to keep the word `Indianapolis' on his building, maybe he could use
the words `Carmel /Indianapolis' as a way to describe his service region. The concerns of the Plan
Commission lead us to believe that the Jaguar icon sign/sculpture should be placed at the door entrance to
the Jaguar showroom, rather than on the roof, since it is for Jaguar patrons.
June 23, 2003
Carmel /Clay Board of Zoning Appeals Department Report
13
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Findings of Fact:
1.) The approval will not be injurious to the public health, safety, moral and general welfare of the
community; The existence of the multiple wall signs on this site will not be injurious to the public health,
safety, morals and general welfare of the community.
2.)The use and value of the area adjacent to the property included in the variance will not be
affected in a substantially adverse manner; and It is the Department's opinion that the use and value of
the area adjacent to the property will not be affected in a substantially adverse manner by allowing the
multiple signs.
3.) The strict application of the terms of the Zoning Ordinance will result in practical difficulties in
use of the property. The strict application of the Zoning Ordinance will not result in practical difficulties
in the use of the property.
Recommendation:
The Department recommends unfavorable consideration of V- 40 -03; the petitioner requests to withdraw
V-40-03, Jaguar Icon sign.
The Department recommends favorable consideration of Docket Nos. V -41 -03 to V -43 -03 with the
following conditions:
1.) That the applicant removes the word `Indianapolis'.
June 23, 2003
Carmel /Clay Board of Zoning Appeals Department Report
14
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