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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDept Report 04-20-10 CARMEL PLAN COMMISSION DEPARTMENT REPORT APRIL 20, 2010 1. Docket No. 09100009 DP /ADLS: Long Branch Market w/ Kroger (Altum's site). The applicant seeks site plan and design approval for a multi- tenant commercial development with out lots. The site is located at 11335 N. Michigan Rd. It is zoned B -3 /Business and located partially within the US 421 /Michigan Rd. Overlay. Filed by Robert Barker of Zinkan Barker Development Co, LLC. The applicant seeks site plan and design approval for a multi tenant service and retail center with a fuel center and two outlots. The site is approximately 22 acres in size. Buildings are designed with a grocery store anchor and a strip of smaller "B" shops, all with retail front facades comprised of mostly cast brick, cast stone, and glass. Bollards will be a natural concrete color and not bright yellow. For now, no site or building plans have been submitted relating to the two outlots, and would be submitted at a later date for review by the Commission. Landscape buffer plantings provided greatly exceeds what the zoning ordinance requires. The petitioner has entered into a traffic signal agreement with the Indiana Dept of Transportation (INDOT) for the main access point onto US 421, which aligns directly east of Bennett Parkway. Adjacent to the site is a church to the west, Weston Pointe townhomes to the southeast, Weston Pointe retail center to the south, a funeral home to the north, single family detached homes (Woodhaven) to the north, and a residential use to the east. Please refer to the petitioner's 03/16/2010 information packet for more detail on the project and revised commitments. Previous 1988 rezone commitments (part of the Altum nursery rezone /project) are proposed to be further clarified with new proposed comprehensive commitments on the type of land uses permitted on the site, a limit to the trash pickup and truck delivery times, specifications on the landscape buffering, architecture requirements, addressing the sanitary sewer line extension, etc. Variance requests will be heard at the April 26 Board of Zonings Appeals meeting for: Signage: Frontage on a public street Signage: copy, multi- tenant building complex Signage: three signs for a single tenant directory sign building (anchor tenant) Signage: maximum height of multi- tenant Signage: three signs facing west (anchor tenant) building complex identification sign Signage: maximum sign area (anchor tenant) Maximum 75% gross floor area permitted for Signage: type of changeable copy for a sign retail uses March 2 Plan Commission Committee meeting overview: After many hours of discussion, the Special Studies Committee voted unanimously to send the plans and commitments to the full Plan Commission with a favorable recommendation, with the inclusion of several revisions to the proposed commitments. February 2 Plan Commission Committee meeting overview: Many hours of discussion were had about the project, including, but not limited to, noise, delivery hours, truck delivery, buffers, mounds, walls, pest control, connectivity, etc. Public comments were taken. (The revised commitments and site plan address all of these items). The Department Report for the Feb. 2 Committee meeting listed an overview of public hearing comments /concerns/ questions voiced at the Jan. 21 Plan Commission public hearing. Most of those items were addressed in one way or another at the Feb. 2 committee meeting or with the revised set of commitments submitted on Feb. 25. Staff comments: l The Forestry Dept. has no issues with the Landscape Plan Tree Preservation Plan. This submittal far exceeds the perimeter buffer yards requirements; the petitioner has attempted to preserve all existing trees (planted'as a buffer for Altum's) and plant additional plant material required as a new buffer. The Forestry Dept. does not want to see the existing trees removed from the buffer yard in order to put in a mound and wall, only as presently proposed by Kroger. The Forestry Dept. would like to see the existing trees 2 preserved as a buffer at the northeast corner of the site; the wall and mound should end where the tree line crosses over the property line, along the east property line. It seems that the existing trees will provide a more complete buffer, and it already exists today. 2. The Hamilton County Surveyor's Office's preliminary review of the plans is positive. While there are some things to work out, they have no issues with the project. Final drainage and Phase II Stormwater Quality approvals would be issued prior to issuance of a building permit. 3. This project is currently located outside the jurisdiction of the City Engineering Dept. 4. The Planning Dept. feels that the internal drive connection to the south is important, and so the Dept. met with Williams Realty Group (leasing rep. for Weston Pointe retail) on March 4 about the internal driveway connection proposed between the two sites. Williams Realty Group followed up with the Petitioner about a month ago, but is not able to come to an agreement. 5. Fire Chief Smith of the Carmel Fire Dept. sent a letter to INDOT requesting authorization for preemptive opticoms to be installed on traffic signals on state controlled roads in our district. (This technology is a traffic control system that provides a green light, and therefore intersection right -of -way, to emergency vehicles.) He has not received any word back from INDOT at this time. CFD contacted the petitioner on Feb. 25. After all comments and concerns are addressed, the Dept of Community Services (DOCS) recommends that the Plan Commission votes to approve this item, with the following conditions: 1. that a copy of the Recorded commitments is provided to DOCS, and 2. that the Petitioner continues to try to work out an agreement with Williams Realty Group on the internal driveway connection between the Long Branch Market/Kroger site and Weston Pointe retail center. (Note: The petitioner should provide a Findings of Fact form to the Commission president the night of the meeting.) 3