HomeMy WebLinkAboutDept Report 07-05-11 CARMEL PLAN COMMISSION
SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE
JULY 5, 2011
DEPARTMENT REPORT
2 -3. Docket No. 11020013 DP /ADLS: Woodland Terrace CCRC.
The applicant seeks site plan design approval for a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) on 7
acres. The application also seeks the following zoning waiver request:
Docket No. 11030006 ZW: Ordinance Chapter 23.08.01.D: front building setback.
The site is located at 136 Street (Smokey Row Rd.) and Pro Med Lane, and is zoned B -6 /Business, within
the US 31/ Meridian Street Overlay. Filed by Charlie Frankenberger of Nelson Frankenberger, on behalf
of Justus Homes, Inc.
The applicant seeks site and design approval to construct a 4- story, tall Continuing Care Retirement Community
(CCRC) on 7 acres. Proposed are 185 units total: 59 assisted living and 126 independent living units, with a skilled
nursing care rehabilitation component. In the ordinance Appendix A: Schedule of Uses, a CCRC is not listed, so
it was determined that the Nursing/Retirement /Convalescent Facility land use would be used when referring to
permitted land uses. This land use is permitted in the B -6 zoning district, and is not excluded from the US 31
Overlay Zone. Please view the petitioner's information packet for further detail on the project.
As proposed, no BZA variances are needed for this project. However, there is a zoning waiver request to clarify the
front yard building setback, since the US 31 Overlay Zone requirements are slightly unclear as to what the front
setback is, as it does not call out a build -to line specifically for Smokey Row Road. The Department is in support
of this request.
Context:
The site is located east of the intersection of Old Meridian Street and US Highway 31, at the intersection of Pro
Med Drive and Smokey Row Road (136 Street). The site lies partially within the US Highway 31 Corridor
Overlay Zone. It is adjacent to and just west of the Kensington Place Condominiums (zoned R -4). BehaviourCorp
and the Pro Med offices are located just south and west of this site. Divas Salon and a few homes are located just
north of this site. Meadowlark Park pond is located southeast of this site.
History of Site:
The US 31 Corridor Overlay Zone was established in 1980, and this site was rezoned from R- 2/Residence to B-
6/Business in 1990. Several other recent projects have appeared before the Commission for this site, such as
Jackson Square PUD (denied by Council), Justus Office Building (approved), and Holiday Inn hotel (denied).
With the initial 1990 rezone, some of the commitments made were to keep a 50 -ft wide greenbelt area along the
east side of the site and that building heights are 50 -ft. maximum. If this commitment were not in place, the
permitted building height would be 100 -ft. (The Zoning Ordinance defines Building Height as: The vertical
distance from °the lot ground level to the higher :point of the roof for a flat roof, to the deck line fa mansard roof
and to the mean height between eaves and ridges for gable, hip and gambrel roofs. Also, the parapet that screens the
rooftop mounted equipment is not counted towards the total building height.)
Tree Preservation/Landscaping:
The updated landscape plan, tree preservation plan, and tree preservation plan best management practices (BMP's)
language have been approved by the City Forester. The petitioner has gone above and beyond the tree preservation
best management practices, as well as preserving more trees than is required by the US 31 Overlay regulations. The
site is about 1.45 acres (or 20.5 of tree preservation area on 7 acres. Again, within these areas, 100% of the trees
are preserved, and not just 70% of all trees that are 9 -inch DBH (diameter at breast height) or larger and located
within the greenbelt. (The US 31 Overlay regulations only require that the Landscape Plan preserves not less than
70% of all trees that are a.) 9 -inch DBH (diameter at breast height) or larger, and b.) located within the greenbelt,
planting strips, and perimeter buffers.) Overall, the site will be 46.5% green space planting areas, which exceeds
the Overlay Ordinance requirement of 35 Since the last committee meeting, the petitioner revised the landscape
plan to add several trees /shrubs to the east side of the building, west of the 50 -ft wide tree preservation area, to add
to the visual buffer, even during the winter months.
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Drainage of the Site /Area:
(From the Engineering Dept. on May 16.) We understand there have been additional questions asked regarding the
drainage for the proposed Woodland Terrace. The current plan proposes to collect and convey the majority of the
site to the south and then into the existing detention facility; bypassing Kensington Place. The Kensington Place
development anticipated storm water runoff from a certain portion of the property to the west. This is evidenced by
the existing contours and the inlet provided at the low spot about two thirds of the way up the western property line.
Most of the acreage that presently drains into Kensington Place is being modified with development to drain to
another outfall. The acreage draining from the west into Kensington Place is being reduced, and the peak runoff
rate in the proposed condition is less than the existing condition. The portion of the Woodland Terrace site that will
continue to drain into Kensington Place is composed primarily of the 50 -foot wide tree buffer area. Besides a
reduction in the water shed that drains through this area into Kensington Place, the 50 -foot wide tree preservation
area will remain unaffected by the development. The drainage plan and supporting calculations of Woodland
Terrace is subject to final construction plan review by the Engineering Dept. staff before any construction permits
are issued. The current drainage plan is consistent with the master drainage plan for the Pro -Med development.
May 4 Committee Meeting Recap:
There was discussion about all topics brought up at the public hearing, and the .petitioner also addressed all items
listed in the May 4 department report. The petitioner presented additional info about the garage design,
comparisons of grade changes and height differences, the retaining wall design, and screening of electric meters.
There was a question about the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and actual acreage of the site, and there was also some
discussion by the committee to possibly shift the building to the west, in order to help with construction equipment
not encroaching into the tree preservation area and to help with the building not `looming' over the Kensington
neighborhood., (But, most likely, this was cause the need to seek several variances and waivers.) Then end result
was a Committee vote of 3 -1 favorable recommendation, with the conditions to `strengthen' the tree preservation
plan best management practices (BMP's) language and plan and to present a zoning waivers option/site plan to the
plan commission to possibly shift the building west, to even further protect the 50 -ft wide tree preservation area
(but would cause the need for several waiver requests). A May 4 Committee Update: After reviewing the site plan
for possibilities to move the building west, away from Kensington Subdivision, the petitioner is only able to move
the building between 3 to 5 feet, and that would have to be with the plan commission's approval of several zoning
waivers. In an effort to try to increase the buffer view in lieu of moving the building, the petitioner will add
additional landscaping along the east side of the building (the west side of the 50 -ft wide tree preservation area) to
enhance the view from Kensington, even in winter months. The landscape designer worked with the City Forester
to select plants which will grow well in a shaded area, such as this buffer area.
June 21 Plan Commission meeting recap:
a) There is still some question about the skilled nursing component and contracted employees.
b) Some concern that. the Engineering Dept. review is not complete. It is typical for the Plan Commission to
approve a petition subject to Engineering Dept. approval of the final construction documents.)
c) Concern of the grade change of this site in relation to Kensington Place.
d) h was noted that other areas of the US Overlay zone :(between 1-465 and 131st Street) within the 13-6 district
have a maximum building height of one hundred fifty (150) feet, except that the maximum height may not
exceed forty percent (40%) ofthe distance from any residential use or zone.
e) There was a comment about needing a revised traffic study. (The Engineering Dept. will not require a traffic
study for this use, which generates much less traffic at peak hours then the prior approved office use. Also, the
proposed US 31 improvements will improve the safety and traffic flow in the immediate area.)
f) Tree Preservation Area comments that it should extend wider than 50 -ft to address the tree drip lines.
g) Parking ratios what about the outside consultants that come in; are they accounted for?
h) Do they have the easement or road right of way secured yet to build the path along BehaviourCorp property?
i) This item was sent back to the Subd. Committee to review concerns brought up at the meeting, address the 3
levels of care as defined in ordinance for CCRC, look at land bank parking or do underground parking.
Potential Ordinance Amendment:
Here is some additional information in light of Woodland Terrace CCRC going back to Committee and the
discussion regarding a potential amendment of building heights in the US 31 Overlay.
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Timeline:
June 1985 Kensington Place Rezone: R2 -R4 (Z -207, 17 -85 Z)
1989 Kensington Place Subdivision Platted
August 1990 Tri- County/Pro Med Rezone: R2 -B6 (Z -252, 40 -90 Z)
1996 US 31 Task Force Established, begins process of recommending amendments to the US 31
Corridor Overlay Zone
Dec. 1997 US 31 Height Regulations amended to include 40% distance requirement from any residential
property line (Z -324, 80 -97 OA)
June 1999 US 31 Height Regulations amended to increase height between I-465 131', and stipulate 40%
distance from S -2 R -1 residential. (Z -334, 105 -98 OA)
May 2000 US 31 Height Regulations amended the 40% distance language to apply to any residential use or
zone. (Z -340)
Considerations, Should an Ordinance Amendment Occur:
1. Should the 40% distance from residential caveat supersede the underlying zoning height maximums? B -5
and B -6 districts outside of the Overlay do not carry that restriction.
a. B -5 45' (80' when in overlay between I-465 131")
b. B -6 100' (150' when in overlay between I-465 131st
2. Should the 40% distance from residential caveat supersede minimum building heights?
a. 38'/3 occupiable floors along US 31 I-465
b. 26'/2 occupiable floors along adjoining streets such as Pennsylvania Illinois Streets.
Staff's Outstanding Comments for the Petitioner:
1. Note: Petitioner will eventually need to submit a Replat application, in order to combine the two platted lots
into one, to remove the middle property line, and also to remove part of the non access easement (n.a.e.). (This
will be reviewed administratively.)
2. On the construction plans, please continue the short segment of 5 -ft wide sidewalk to the south property line,
along Pro Med Drive, south of the southernmost entry drive.
3. The Carmel Dept. of Engineering (DOE) is close to approving the plans and offer these comments:
a) A traffic study is not required. DOE analysis has determined the use will generate less traffic than the
uses previously proposed for the real estate, and that further study should not be required. (The original
traffic study in 2008 accounted for a hotel with conference center and an office building, which are
considered more intense uses. Since then, there have also been improvements to the intersection of
Smokey Row Old Meridian Street.)
b) DOE has no comment related to the access from 136` Street for deliveries and for emergency access;
traffic associated with deliveries is expected to be low volume.
c) DOE is still working through the drainage approval; but the overall management plan is consistent with
the master. plan of the development.
d) :DOE &rid the petitioner &we di9r..assed compliance with the City's 20 -year Tt noughfare Plan. These
discussions are on- going.
e) DOE supports the removal of the "cul -de- bulb" on Pro -Med Lane.
f) DOE supports the location of the path on the east side of Pro -Med Lane.
g) Provided that the proposed signage at the entrance does not affect safe stopping sight distance, DOE
supports the location of the sign within the existing right -of -way. The petitioner has indicated that they
will consider pursuing vacation of the right -of -way associated with the "cul- de- bulb If such right -of -way
is vacated, the sign will not encroach in the right -of -way.
h) The Stormwater Quality plan is consistent with the previous version of this plan.
i) A small amount of additional road right -of -way along the 136` Street frontage needs to be dedicated.
Recommendation: Since the quantitative requirements of the Zoning Ordinance are met, the Dept of Community
Services (DOCS) recommends that the Committee forwards this item to the July 19 Plan Commission meeting with
a favorable recommendation and a condition of: the Engineering Department's approval of the final construction
documents.
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