HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes SpecStdy 09-16-04 Special1,1`I y G`'`y of Cq,9y C o
CARMEL PLAN COMMISSION
SPECIAL STUDIES COMMITTEE
Minutes
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2004 (Special Meeting)
REPRESENTING THE CITY OF CARMEL:
Jerry Chromancz
Mark Ratterman
Wayne Haney
Madeline Torres
REPRESENTING THE DEPARMENT:
Michael Hollibaugh
Jon Dobosiewicz
REMONSTRATORS:
Dolores Ray, 2410 Winfield Drive
Francis Ray Jr., 2410 Winfield Drive
Dee Fox, 11289 Royal Court
Dave Fox, 11389 Royal Court
Carl Calcamugjio, Village of WestClay resident
Docket Nos. 04060035 OA and 04060036 Z: Village of WestClay
Filed by Brandon Burke of The Schneider Corporation
REPRESENTING THE PETITIONER:
David Warshauer, BARNES THORNBURG
Jennifer Pyrz, EDWARDS KELCEY
George Sweet, BRENWICK
Tom Huston, BRENWICK
Keith Lash, BRENWICK
Kevin Krulik, BRENWICK
The applicant seeks to amend their PUD ordinance. The applicant also seeks to Rezone 30 acres
from S -1 /Residence Estate to PUD Planned Unit Development. The site is located at 131st
Street and Towne Road.
Chomanczuk: Can we first hear from the Department?
Dobosiewicz: The Committee Members were sent the written correspondence that spoke
at the last Committee Meeting along with a petition circulated from Laurel
Lakes. Some information you should have available to you from the last
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Carmel /Clay Plan Commission Special Studies Committee Agenda
meeting showing a map of the Traffic Study Intersections and Summary of
the Funded Improvements, 20/20 Vision Plan, Township Land -use Map,
and Build -out Area Map along with Subdivisions approved in 2001, 2002,
and 2003, in color. I would like to show through the Comp Plan the need
for neighborhood serving commercial in this part of the Township as it
develops. Getting into the Petition, another issue would be what uses are
provided within the existing PUD and what uses are provided for in the
proposed additional retail area at 131 st Street and Towne Road.
Chomanczuk: Petitioner comments?
My name is David Warshauer here on behalf of Brenwick; next to me are Tom Huston, Chairman
of Brenwick, Keith Lash, Vice President of Operations and George Sweet. It is clear by the
comments that some believe the Village of WestClay was a mistake and these changes would only
compound the mistake. The project is a benefit to the City of Carmel. The Mayor considers it a
showpiece for visitors to Carmel. The Comp Plan of 1991 was replaced in 1996 we are now eight
years past the 1996 plan I would respectfully suggest the current plan is even more obsolete than
the one replaced in 1991. You can see by the map that Jon Dobosiewicz has prepared that Clay
Township is built -out. The Comp Plan projected the population in Carmel Clay Township to
reach 85,000 in the year 2015. In July 2003 according to IU's Kelly School of Business, Clay
Township had a population of over 75,000, which is an increase of 16.2 more than the 2000
Census. In Mayor Brainard's "State of the City address he estimated the City's population in
2014 would exceed 100,000 people. We think this plays into the additional services neighborhood
to commercial. More people more services. Since the 1996 plan the biggest change has been in
Annexation.
In her letter, Miss Anderson talks of the Village of WestClay as the "straw that broke the
Camel's back" in terms that some had these feelings in Clay Township and had attempted to form
their own town. As I recall, the irony that one of the centerpieces of that separate town in Clay
Township was going to be the Village of WestClay which would provide the commercial tax base
for their said town.
We believe that the City of Carmel and the residents of the Township are served by the annexation
that has occurred that will be complete when you complete your southwest annexation with the
exception of the area of Westfield and 96 Street. Greatly different in that almost all of Clay
Township will be in the City of Carmel that means several things as we talked about the issue with
road improvements and the lack of improvements by the County. The City has come in and taken
a number of major steps to improve major intersections and has more plans underway to do more
of that. As the City annexes and extends its services into the Township a lot of the issues we
believe that were raised in 1996 go by the wayside.
The City has placed a Maintenance Garage at 131 st Street and Towne Road. We have Fire
Stations and Schools in Western Clay. These things were dots on a map in 1998 they are a
physical reality now. In 1998 we argued that the Village of WestClay met the goals of the plan.
The plan also provides that development proposals are to be reviewed on a case -by -case basis. So
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we are asking you tonight instead of going back and looking at whether or not the decision was
correct in 1999 look at what has been done at the Village of WestClay. Has it been developed as
Brenwick said it would be developed? There are times when density is appropriate in connection
with other things that benefit the community. ROSO limits it to open space, which allows a trade-
off of open space for higher density. Every subdivision that I have been involved with has come
through for approval since 1998 has come in under the ROSO at a density greater than 1.3 units
per acre, 30% higher then what the Comp Plan showed for that area. Heather Knoll at Towne
Road and 141S Street is 1.95 units per acre the additional density in that case was warranted by
the public interest in benefit of obtaining a collector road. Stanford Park at 131 st Street and
Towne Road was rezoned from S -1 to R -2 which has a base density of 3.9 units per acre we also
have Trails at Hayden Run at1.6 density, The Lakes at Hayden Run 1.37 and The Ridge at
Hayden Run 1.41. So density is something that has been modified over the years beyond what was
contemplated in the Comp Plan.
Given the added number of houses in the area is a reason to create the peripheral retail area. We
believed initially that we needed to be selective in our retail choices and have found the contrary
that residents like walking to those retail areas. The Village Center however is not ideally suited
for a number of neighborhood retail uses. The Comp Plan requires location of retail to be on
major arterials regardless of common belief the 20 -Year Thoroughfare Plan shows that 131 st
Street and Towne Road are to become major streets. By the County's Standard Towne Road was
going to be a four -lane road with a design speed of 55 mph to connect traffic quickly from 96
Street to US 32. Carmel `s plan is to make it a parkway. The same with 131S Street it is to
connect traffic from Michigan Road into Carmel. It is our understanding that IDOT has concluded
that the interchange for US 31 should be at 131S Street. This will be a major traffic carrier. At
131S Street and Towne Road you have these two major roads coming together. We think at that
point it becomes a logical place to put neighborhood retail services. There is benefit for closer
retail. We believe that if someone is going to develop a retail center in western Clay Township
Brenwick is a logical choice for the quality of what it has done, for willingness to design outside
the box, and the willingness to meet and satisfy requirements.
Brenwick had come before for approval of a service station and the request for one at 131 st Street
and Towne Road the existing Ordinance page 17, Section 5, 1 -D permits within the Village
Center one Automobile Service Station including the sale of gasoline. Current language is being
deleted because we are requesting approval to move, that which is already permitted in the
Village of WestClay to a spot that makes more sense in light of the population that exists in that
area. Section 1.71 of the Comp Plan says that the neighborhood serving office and retail should be
located in residential community areas. This is an incredibly basic point to what we are talking
about here. We have a specific concept it is in the Comp Plan for neighborhoods serving uses in
residential areas they should be in density and scale with surrounding land uses. The schematic
plan shows retail at the corner of 131S Street Towne Road and has located the commercial uses
close to that intersection. There is a buffer in place, which meets Carmel's requirements. The
other buffers to the north are constant with Carmel's requirements. We have met the Ordinance
requirements for Carmel. We have tried to provide a Development Plan, which becomes part of
the Ordinance that shows individual buildings not a strip center. We have proposed architectural
guidelines that would make this area similar in design to the 1920's Art Deco style. 1.7.2 reads,
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"Neighborhood serving commercial areas should have access with primary and secondary
parkways based in part by comparable retail facilities We are proposing retail at a neighborhood
scale and character. I would like to introduce Jennifer Pyrz, Traffic Engineer for Edwards
Kelcey has provided us with a summary that I would like to go through.
Question: Why was the intersection of Shelborne and 116 Street omitted? The Departments
of Engineering and Community Service provided us with 23 Intersections to count and analyze
and that intersection was not on the list.
Question: Why "F" level of service "F meaning worst. Our report recommends stop
controls or roundabouts at the "F" level intersections. Brenwick's commitment of almost 2.4
million dollars if this is approved will go to improve those intersections that are not scheduled to
be improved or have not already been improved.
Question: The study was based on current traffic studies during all peak times morning lam
9am and evening 4pm 6pm at all the intersections in May of 2004. We provided this complete
traffic report to M. McBride in City Engineering in June 2004. We also provided him with traffic
volume studies directionally by approach. There was a study done by NF Engineering in 2002
indicated the intersection of 131st Street and Towne Road rating is "F Signals are required to
increase the rating to "B Our Traffic Study suggests dual lane roundabout or turn lanes.
Brenwick is willing to work with the City to construct a roundabout.
Question: Were cars counted that left the areas of Village of WestClay to get to the
peripheral retail areas and the answer is yes. No reductions were taken for internal trips at the
proposed 131st Street and Towne Road development.
Question: On trip generation for goods and services the Institute of Transportation Engineers
has a Trip Generation Manual that gives us those numbers taken from actual sites of all vehicles
This is not Edwards Kelcey's option.
Question: Specifically for a trip generation for a Bank or Gas Station or Fast Food
Restaurant. Edwards Kelcey has provided a break down from each of those proposed uses. M.
McBride in City Engineering has addressed all these questions.
Huston: Looking at the letter from D. Creamens where he makes the statement that a Gas
Service Station has been denied on every repeated request by the petitioner. You also have the e-
mail from Ms Anderson that says, "When this PUD was last revised the Plan Commission was
adamant there would be no Gas Station in the Village Center. Although Mr. Sweet fought for this
the Plan Commission Members serving during the time of the initial PUD where so certain that
the Gas Station was not to be built there that additional language stating this was added to the
PUD. I would like to pass to you the original copy of the proposed amended in 2002 notice on
page D -6 original language reads, "one Automobile Service Station including the sale of gasoline
and other automotive petroleum products and such other retail consumer goods as permitted sales
in a general store but excluding auto repair This was adopted by the City Council in 1999. In the
approved Development Plan in 1999 showed a rendering of a Gas Station. We are authorized
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today to put that in the Village Center. The email from Mr. Neal referencing the senior housing
and the menials associated with Nursing Homes as socially undesirable nor did we need a three
story High School type building. I would like to point out that the only restriction on the west
side today is a height restriction of 40 feet. Forty feet can easily accommodate three stories. Ms
Anderson's four -page email, she states on page 13 of the Building Requirements, "all building
facades shall be of the same materials and similar in detail except where inappropriate to the
historic style or sharing a party wall drops all facades becomes the front and side, no just no. On
the right side of this documents is shows this has been deleted (interrupted)...
Chomanczuk: I believe we get the inconsistencies please restrict your comments to facts.
Dee Fox: We are submitting to you a petition signed by 48 households in the Huntington
Chase Subdivision opposed to this Rezone.
Carl Calcamugjio: Moved here a year ago and I like Brenwick's VOWC and neighborhood
type developments. Wondering why they have changed their minds on this
style. We would like to see VOWC keep the Gas Station in the Village.
Traffic Study did not include destinations on directionals. Would like this
petition Tabled until a complete set of drawings is made and allow the
Community to vote.
Warshauer: In every new development there are people opposing the project and think
better of it after it is developed. We have had this petition in front of you
since June 2004 with a mail distribution of 3,500 postcards inviting you to
the Community Meetings explaining this project with only one hundred or
so showing up. We sent hundreds of Legal Notices. To be accused of
hiding facts and the probability of "paying people off' frankly make us all
very angry.
Chomanczuk: I believe our continued meetings like this reinforces that we are trying to
do this in good faith with the population and communities in mind.
Ellen Watson: I live at 136 and Towne Road and have lived out here for 29 years on
what was zoned Agriculture. I now live on a five -acre estate property.
They are clearly estates we cannot sell them as farms. We believe we are
being force into a direction that suits big business. We see ourselves in ten
fifteen years having to sell to a Developer like Simon Malls. I would like to
see the Gas Station stay in the Village. I do not believe a commercial
development will be good for my estate property.
Ray Thoman: 13124 Towne Road and I own 10 acres of the 30 acres in question. I sent a
written letter to the Committee and would like to say in 1969 we purchased
this property. We like the lifestyle and what the Building and Zoning
Commission have done through the years. We have had people moving into
our area from that time forward and It would be unfair of us to say to those
people you are not allowed to make your life the way you see fit but let us
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have ours. You cannot stop progress and the fact that people want to live
in communities in the country is progress. You cannot stop progress and
you will have a strip mall out here if you do not allow Brenwick to
continue to develop with esthetically pleasing architecture.
Chomanczuk: I will now close the Public portion of this meeting and open it to the Committee.
Ratterman: I do like the changes. Mr. Warshauer why does State Government require and
what is the goal of Comp Plans?
Warshauer: The theory is you cannot regulate land use. They are only planning documents not
ordinances themselves. They reflect a certain view at a certain point in time. They
do require updating and re- examination. They are setup to provide perimeters for
good planning.
Ratterman: State of Indiana requires zoning and the Planned Unit Development (PUD)
replaces the ordinance with your own that you have written in order to do new and
improved things, would that be accurate?
Warshauer: No, it must go through the same controls as any ordinance. The PUD becomes the
law of the community it serves and must be amended the same as any ordinance.
Ratterman: I wanted everyone here to understand the PUD Ordinance and by its design it
should reflect compatibility and flexibility as goals of a plan. Can you give me
some history on the original ordinance? In the original ordinance this was or was
not approved?
Warshauer: In the original ordinance the Plan Commission recommended against approval.
Changes came at City Council level.
Huston: The original ordinance was adopted by the Commission with a negative
recommendation to the Council and affirmed in 2001. We went back to the Plan
Commission for amendment of the Development Standards in the Ordinance and
the Plan Commission approved those changes. 2002 we went back to the Plan
Commission with further changes and text amendments with Council approval.
Ratterman: Have you ever received a negative vote?
Huston: Never.
Ratterman: Is that with the gas station?
Huston: The Gas Station was added in 1999. What we changed in 2002 was the language
allowing us to provide a car wash, and enclosed auto service.
Ratterman: Mr. Warshauer you said and I quote, "some of the uses proposed are not suited for
the Village retail uses What were you saying?
Warshauer: Not suited meaning architecturally does not work as well in the Village Center as
would somewhere else.
Chomanczuk Can you give an example?
Huston: I believe suitability is inappropriate. The present ordinance provided you could not
have a drive -thru so Starbucks with a drive -thru is unacceptable.
Ratterman: Mr. Warshauer what currently exists and what is proposed for the southeast and
southwest corners of this intersection?
Warshauer: Southeast corner there is a pond and on the southwest corner is proposed with the
amenities center, tennis courts, and pool. Southeast corner is platted.
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Ratterman: Mr. Warshauer you said earlier that you would commit to something not to
occur... (interruption),
Warshauer: There was a concern expressed by the residents of Hayden Run that the area we
show west of the retail buildings that we show as residential would some day
driven by slumping residential sales would come back through with retail.
Ratterman: What is the difference in that commitment and what you are here for tonight?
Huston: I would refer you to Section 4, of our ordinance we have the right to come back as
we deem appropriate to modify our Development Plan. This agreement was setup
and agreed too by the City of Carmel, the public and Brenwick laid out in Section
4. The difference is if you have Deed Restrictions or Restrictive Covenants that
run with the land then that is a contract in perpetuity it cannot be changed. We are
saying that if approved we will make it a contract in perpetuity a recordable
instrument where it will be setup as residential or open space.
Open discussion on Traffic Improvements:
Traffic Study: Brenwick to make 1.3 Million Dollar Improvements several
improvements still outstanding. Commitments tied to development of the Village
under tab 6, of the Commitments. On page 2, Scheduling we show various
timeframes. The Commitments also have the supplemental zoning commitments as
well. Brenwick will do the work or reimburse the governmental entity. Brenwick
has always worked with the City to meet the requirements and improvements and
do not foresee any changes in that relationship.
Ratterman: Would like to have continuous updated schedules on completion of each
improvement.
Open discussion on Traffic Study.
Pyrz: See Traffic "update" Study by Edwards Kelcey their determination is figures are
accurate.
Chomanczuk: I am going to stop the discussion. We have gone over the arbitrary two -hour limit
we set for ourselves. We can continue to move forward. We need to set a date for
the next Special Studies meeting... (interruption).
Ratterman: I just have one more question, I want to see hard numbers. If you took out the
commercial or single family in the 30 acres what would be the density?
Warshauer: We can compute that for next time. Without the senior housing component the
maximum density would be 2.3 units per acre.
Ratterman: Traffic counts are very important to me.
Chomanczuk: Current ordinance has a complex formula where it introduces 10 or 20 percent
factor commercial, retail, and office based on a per unit addition. I would like to
know who is monitoring that, what is the current status, and what are the current
numbers. It seems to me that if the Village Center is well under its allowance then
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why is our focus going elsewhere? We can continue this discussion at the next
Special Studies meeting. Are there any more questions from the Department?
Dobosiewicz: Yes one, I am passing out to you a Connectivity Exhibit that was submitted for a
subdivision along 141S and 146 Streets. This encompasses all the subdivisions
west of Towne Road and north of 126 Street that have been approved in the last
four years with the exception of an eight -lot subdivision. The overall developed
density of these approved subdivisions is between 1.5 and 1.6 units per acre. The
density at Huntington Chase is 1.3 units per acre Laurel Lakes is 1.22 units per
acre. The unique thing you will find in this Exhibit is the philosophy of the
Residential Open Space Ordinance. Carmel adopted planning and zoning in 1959
and shortly thereafter the Township entered into an Enjoinder Agreement. Since
that time there has never been an exclusively Agricultural Zone within the
community nor zoning class larger than one unit per acre on subdivisions not
serviced by sewer and water.
Chomanczuk: Thank you for your clarification. I would like to set a time for the next meeting.
How about Thursday, October 7, 2004 at 7:00 p.m? I would like Mike Hollibaugh
to answer this question as quick as possible. Mike, what is the 20/20 Plan that the
Developer is relying upon for commercial, retail in the area and with the
tremendous amount of growth in the area of Carmel and Hamilton County the
validity and reliability of the 20/20 Plan ten years later, do many of these same
issues provide a good guideline for us to fall back on?
Hollibaugh: We believe the City, the Plan Commission, and Council have kept the promise of
the Comprehensive Plan. The 20/20 Plan allows for extraordinary uses or
interesting features like the Village of WestClay. We believe that the Plan that
exists today has been implemented with the zoning and density.
Chomanczuk: Thank you our next meeting is October 7, at 7:00p.m.
Meeting adjourned 10:45 p.m.
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Docket No. 04050053 DP /ADLS: North Meridian Medical Pavilion
Filed by Tom Eagley
REPRESENTING THE PETITIONER:
The applicant seeks approval for a medical/office building. The site is located northwest of Old
Meridian Street and Meridian Street (US 31). The site is zoned B -3 and B -6 /Business, within the
US 31 Overlay Zone.
TABLED.
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