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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes BZA 03-27-03 Special mtggIVIV�'�' of CAq`� C i ty of arme Carmel /Clay Advisory Board of Zoning Appeals Special Meeting Thursday, March 27, 2003 The Special Meeting was held at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers of Carmel City Hall on March 27, 2003. Those members in attendance: Leo Dierckman, Michael Mohr, Pat Rice, and Charles Weinkauf, thereby establishing a quorum. Earlene Plavchak was absent. Department of Community Services Staff in attendance: Department Director Mike Hollibaugh, Planning Administrators Laurence Lillig and Jon Dobosiewicz. John Molitor, Legal Counsel, was also present. Mr. Molitor reported that the Executive Session prior to this meeting was conducted to discuss strategy with regard to pending litigation. The discussion was limited to that topic. Mrs. Rice wanted to make a comment before the meeting began. She thought it would be helpful to remind the Board and others of the Board's responsibilities. According to the Indiana Code: "A Board of Zoning Appeals shall approve or deny variances of use from the terms of the Zoning Ordinance. The Board may impose reasonable conditions as a part of its approval. A variance may be approved under this section only upon a determination in writing that the approval will not be injurious to the public health, safety, morals and general welfare of the community. The use and value of the area adjacent to the property included in the variance will not be affected in a substantially adverse manor. The need for the variance arises from some condition peculiar to the property involved. The strict application of the terms of the Zoning Ordinance will constitute an unnecessary hardship if applied to the property for which the variance is sought and the approval does not interfere substantially with the Comprehensive Plan adopted under the 500 Series of this chapter." She feels the Department is very helpful, especially understanding the Comprehensive Plan and the details. She feels especially strong about addressing the public health, safety, morals and general welfare of the community. Usually these get resolved. J. Public Hearin lj. There were no Public Hearings on the March 27, 2003, agenda of the Board. Page 1 Carmel/Clay Advisory Board of Zoning Appeals March 27, 2003 Page 2 of 8 K. Old Business. 1 -13k. Carmel /Clay Schools Carmel High School (SUA- 194 -02; V- 195 -02 through V -206- 02) Petitioner seeks Special Use approval to construct a 173,000 square -foot Freshman Center addition to the existing high school. Petitioner also seeks the following Development Standards Variances: V- 195 -02 §25.07.01 -2 12- square -foot traffic directional sign A V- 196 -02 §25.07.01 -2 5- square -foot traffic directional sign B V- 197 -02 §25.07.01 -2 6- square -foot traffic directional sign C V- 198 -02 §25.07.01 -2 19.5- square -foot traffic directional sign D V- 199 -02 §25.07.01 -2 four -foot (T) traffic directional sign D V- 200 -02 §25.07.02- 5(b)(i) eight (8) institutional signs V- 201 -02 §25.07.02- 5(b)(ii) two (2) changeable copy signs V- 202 -02 §25.07.02- 5(c)(i) 29.25- square -foot institutional wall sign V- 203 -02 §25.07.02- 5(c)(i) 24.5- square -foot institutional wall sign V- 204 -02 §25.07.02- 5(c)(ii) 24- square -foot changeable copy sign V- 205 -02 §25.07.02 -5(d) 62" institutional ground sign V- 206 -02 §8.04.01 57 -foot building height The site is located at 520 East Main Street. The site is zoned R -2 /Residence. Filed by William E. Payne of Fanning /Howey Associates for the Carmel/Clay School Corporation. Present for the Petitioner: Barbara Underwood, Superintendent for Carmel/Clay Schools, 5236 Pursel Lane, Carmel, IN. She appreciated this special meeting. Four members of the Board of Education, three additional central office staff, and an assistant principal from Carmel High School were in attendance to answer any questions. Allen Cradler, Fanning /Howey Associates, 9025 N. River Road, Indianapolis, IN. He covered a couple items from the last meeting. The recent purchase of 120 Sylvan Lane is to remain a residential property. The proposed plan provides improvements to the student walkway along the north road and the circular drop -off at the north entrance. This will eliminate bus stacking along Main Street by allowing buses to enter from Smokey Row Road and creating a new drop -off on the north side of the complex. Once construction starts, the school and the construction team will continue to identify and review trees and their location in the layout of the proposed plan and work to protect and preserve as many trees as possible, making minor adjustments as needed. The parking located along the curve of the new interior drive has been eliminated as a safety concern. They had shown preliminary plans to develop a parking lot northeast of the building to provide an additional 152 spaces. In further discussions with the Department of Community Development and analysis, during a school day those additional 152 spaces are not required. The school would like to have the option to work through the Department on the timing of that lot, but the plan is there if needed. They reviewed with the Department staff those things that everybody felt needed to be further addressed. It was divided into two general areas, three specific points. That's what they wanted to focus on first tonight. Those three items were traffic access, analysis of existing conditions, and analysis of the proposed conditions. A F Engineering was retained by Carmel/Clay Schools to do the analysis and traffic counts in front of the school and analyze the traffic pattern that is created during morning drop -off and afternoon Page 2 Carmel/Clay Advisory Board of Zoning Appeals March 27, 2003 Page 3 of 8 pick -up. There were several sub categories within those and they will be touched upon in the presentation. The other piece was an emergency plan and emergency access to the building. A diagram was shown of the proposed plan with the proposed addition, showing fire hydrants, emergency exit points from the buildings, points where emergency vehicles would first access the school site, and main fire alarm panel to locate the alarm to direct further vehicles to location needed. Fire lanes are marked on pavement around the school for points of access for hydrants. During morning pick -up and drop -off, the area where buses currently drop off can be rerouted if needed for emergency vehicles. A written plan was provided for different situations to the Board members. This is the emergency preparedness plan for the school. It outlines plan of action for several different scenarios. There is one of these booklets in every classroom for teachers to use with a specific route to an exit for each classroom. Once out of the building, the teacher is responsible for maintaining the class group together and taking attendance. They have specific evacuation plans for different situations. He shared a diagram of the main signs already on the school property. Also shown were new signs to be added for the Freshmen Center for directional purposes. The bus areas are temporary hours and then used for parking during non -bus hours. Matt Brown, A F Engineering, 8425 Keystone Crossing, Indianapolis, IN. They prepared an existing traffic flow study and a proposed traffic flow study for the new addition. They took traffic counts from 6:45 -8:00 AM. They did some counts from 2:30 -4:00 PM. These two covered the main peak hours. They found the peak hours are 7:10 -7:45 AM and 2:40 -3:30 PM. They documented the traffic flows in and out. He personally observed traffic for three days. Documented traffic flow diagrams were shown. He showed a comparison of what is going on today and how the situation will be helped when the Center is opened. After the Center opens, there will be a relocation of the buses to the rear of the building. There will be no bus stacking on Main Street during afternoon peak hours. Opening of the north roadway to Smokey Row Road will help. Now it is open only for exiting in the morning. By opening that entrance, people will be able to exit and enter off Smokey Row Road instead of Main Street. The pedestrian path will separate the students from the roadway, increasing safety. The students currently walk in the roadway. The Freshmen Center located to the rear of building will help with the traffic movement off of Main Street. During the afternoon there is some queuing due to one pedestrian flow across Main Street. Also, any vehicles turning into the east drive during the morning or afternoon have to stop for a short time while the left turns come in. There is some queuing during the afternoon due to people showing up early to pick up students. During his two afternoon observations, the traffic never backed up onto Main Street. With the Freshmen Center in the back of the facility, it is an opportunity to move some queuing to the rear of the property on school property in front of the Freshmen Center. Mr. Lillig gave the Department Report. The report remains essentially the same as the one given in February. Mr. Weinkauf questioned how things would change with the roadway coming off Smokey Row Road. Page 3 Carmel/Clay Advisory Board of Zoning Appeals March 27, 2003 Page 4 of 8 Mr. Cradler responded there is a now a 5 -foot sidewalk. In the afternoon when all the students are leaving at the same time, they walk in the roadway. Therefore, the school has closed that street for any vehicular traffic until all the students are gone. In the proposed plan, that walk is expanded and there is a new 15 -foot walk built along that north drive and separated by a guardrail from the road for protection. Then the road can be open for vehicles in the morning and afternoon. There will be no traffic crossing the path of the students. Mr. Weinkauf questioned Mr. Brown why hasn't there been an effort now to use these existing north and west circular drop -offs, instead of waiting until the new Center is opened. Mr. Brown stated that he could not speak about previous efforts made by the school. Smokey Row Road exit is only open for exiting morning traffic today. When it can be open for both ways, it will help. Right now freshmen can be dropped off in front of the school and go to their classes. Bunching the freshmen in the rear will substantially reduce the drop -offs in the front of the building. Lee Lonzo, Assistant Principal at Carmel High School, 11348 Fieldstone Court, Carmel, IN. He has not been directly involved, but has heard discussions. When planning the new traffic flow, they asked Mr. Cradler about widening the sidewalk and adding a guardrail to keep the students on the sidewalk. Originally the school allowed traffic both ways, but the students walked in and out among the cars. The small roundabout is not used because the school was trying to steer traffic away from Audubon Drive, preventing cars from getting intertwined with the buses and neighborhood traffic. Mr. Weinkauf asked if it is possible to make a concerted effort by the Administration and School Board to try to get more students to ride the bus. The concerns were about the amount of traffic from students, parents and the neighborhood. More students riding the bus would be safer and eliminate some of the car traffic. Is it possible to limit the use of personal vehicles to upper classmen, juniors and seniors, and possibly even try to tie that privilege of driving to school and parking on school property to grade point average? Mrs. Underwood stated that several issues are involved. They do encourage students to use the transportation system provided. In some cases it is students coming to school with big band instruments, some social issues, and the capacity of the transportation system. There would be a financial issue if all the students rode the bus, even the freshmen. Nothing precludes them from talking about how they can encourage the students to ride the bus. It becomes a parent choice /issue in most cases. Even if the students cannot drive, nothing prevents someone else from bringing them. It is a good question, but she did not know the answer. She did not know what the problems would be at this time and she could not give a definite answer. Mr. Weinkauf stated that he hoped that perhaps more study could be undertaken. He understands there are not enough buses. But the concern is the amount of traffic and number of vehicles. Maybe more could be done in the way of carpooling and maximizing the buses. Mr. Dierckman asked the Carmel Police Chief about the concerns relative to impacting Keystone and wanted the Chief s assessment of this new plan versus what is currently going on and the impact on the situation. Page 4 Carmel/Clay Advisory Board of Zoning Appeals March 27, 2003 Page 5 of 8 Michael Fogarty, 12552 Brompton Road, Carmel, IN. In his opinion, the plans would have a positive impact to some degree on the traffic situation. Two things from his perspective were the moving of the bus loading off Main Street onto the west side of the building. The other thing that he thought would be of considerable significance, and only time will tell, is the opening up of the trail from the north side of building to Smokey Row Road. It will help take traffic off Main Street, which today is the only venue. It will make smoother embarkation and disembarkation for the students. Mr. Dierckman stated there is a huge amount of stacking opportunity that is related to that road that goes back to Smokey Row Road. A lot of people do not like stacking on a public road and will take advantage of the private road and relieve the stacking. He also asked for the Carmel Fire Chief's report on the safety plans with the new building and signage. Doug Callahan, 1015 E. 106 Street, Indianapolis, IN. He has spent time with the Fire Marshall, his other staff and Chief Fogarty. His biggest concern was a driveway all the way around the school. He was concerned the streets were wide enough for the equipment and restricted parking along those lines. He sees no problems, from their standpoint, with the roadway or signage. He appreciates all the fire lanes marked around the school. Mrs. Rice had questions regarding going to the school, locating the panel and then finding where the fire is located. Chief Callahan stated those are called annunciator panels. They are in all large buildings. The Battalion Chief goes to that panel and it will tell him the location of the problem and the information he needs. There will be another one in the Freshmen Center, so the Department will send someone to each one. Some buildings tell the Department when they call in where the problem is located. They have prints of the school system and can locate each area. The panel does not send a signal to the Fire Department. Mrs. Rice asked about the plans in case of any type of emergency. Chief Callahan stated the Department has a book and it provides a checklist of procedure. Mrs. Rice asked about what parents have in case of an emergency. She would like to see more signs. Discussion continued regarding the safety procedures. Chief Callahan stated that the staff within the organization has the plans. Someone from the Administration meets the Fire Department at the panel. Mrs. Underwood stated that during various times of the year, each of the principals sends notices to parents on what to do in case of any emergency, how to contact the school, how to pick up their student, and what to do in certain generic situations. There are parent and student handbooks that go home with the students that give generic information. Page 5 Carmel/Clay Advisory Board of Zoning Appeals March 27, 2003 Page 6 of 8 Mrs. Rice was primarily concerned about signs at the school and in the neighborhood for emergency situations. Mrs. Underwood stated there are different cases depending upon the nature of the emergency. Some emergencies there are Police Officers directing the parents. The handbook tells the parents how the Police will be in charge in certain situations. Each building has outdoor staging areas for the students in case they need to evacuate the building. Ron Farrand, 5304 Underwood Court, Carmel, IN. There is no specific signage on site. In most instances, it relies upon traffic officers to direct the traffic. The fire lanes are marked and cars are ticketed in those areas. Mrs. Underwood stated that a few years ago during lock downs, the school used the media. They encourage parents to listen to media whenever there is an emergency. Sometimes they will not allow parents to enter the school. Mr. Mohr asked if the City has a way to notify parents of students in case of an emergency? The Police and Fire Chiefs affirmed that. Mr. Weinkauf felt the fire lane was narrow, especially on the east side of the building and wondered if it was adequate in a fire emergency. Chief Callahan responded that it is narrow, but they can get all the way around the building. There are a number of hydrants and they would not have to move a piece of equipment. Mr. Farrand added they would be widening the road in the vicinity of the new addition and he did not believe it would be completely out of use during construction. Mrs. Rice asked about the plans to deal with traffic during this construction. Mr. Farrand stated the work would be done in phases. They will try to maintain traffic. A lot of the road building will be done this summer when traffic is not there. A parking lot will be established for construction equipment and materials. The workers will be required to park at the stadium. The hours for construction traffic for deliveries will be during off -peak hours. Mr. Weinkauf asked about the additional parking to the northeast of the existing parking. Mr. Farrand stated that had not been totally scrapped. They were in discussions with the Department of Community Services. They would see if the need developed for the parking lot for teaching staff that comes on board. There is design work for it if there is a significant need. It would not be student parking. Mrs. Rice heard an assumption that freshmen are the majority of the students being the dropped off. Page 6 Carmel/Clay Advisory Board of Zoning Appeals March 27, 2003 Page 7 of 8 Mr. Lonzo stated most students get their license during sophomore year. Students go where they need /want to be. When the Freshman Center is built, that is where they will need to be for classes. For the freshman orientation, they may simulate freshmen drop off. He also stated that during a fire drill, the Principal, four Assistant Principals, two Administrative Assistants, and two Athletic Directors each have a designated area on the first floor and radios with 14 channels. They all turn to the in -house channel first. The custodial and maintenance staff has all been trained to read the annunciator panel. They can get to the panel within one minute and tell the others exactly where something is going on. They check things before the Fire Department even gets there. The only time there has been a fire in the eleven years he has been an administrator, before the Fire Department even got there, they had administrators out on the street directing them down to the numbered door and right to the source of the fire. They also can communicate with the Fire Department through their security channel and their 14 channel is 911. Mr. Dierckman asked if they could vote on all of the petitions at one time? Mr. Lillig stated they could vote to suspend the rules. Mr. Dierckman moved to suspend rules to vote on the petitions as a group. The motion was seconded by Mrs. Rice and APPROVED 4 -0. Mr. Weinkauf moved to approve SUA- 194 -02; V- 195 -02 through V- 206 -02, Carmel/Clay Schools Carmel High School. The motion was seconded by Mr. Dierckman. The Vote: SUA- 194 -02; V- 195 -02 through V- 204 -02 and V- 206 -02 were APPROVED 4 -0. V- 205 -02 was APPROVED 3 -1, with Mr. Weinkauf casting the opposing vote. Mrs. Rice and Mr. Mohr thanked everyone for coming to explain and clear up some issues. L. New Business 1L. There was no New Business on the March 27, 2003, agenda of the Board. M. Adiourn Mr. Weinkauf moved to adjourn. The motion was seconded by Mr. Dierckman and APPROVED 4 -0. Meeting was adjourned at 7:40 PM. Michael Mohr, President Connie Tingley, Secretary Page 7