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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes SpecStdy 09-04-12City of Carmel Carmel Plan Commission SPECIAL STUDIES COMMITTEE September 4, 2012 6:00 PM Members present: John Adams, Steve Lawson, Alan Potasnik, Kevin "Woody" Rider, Steve Stromquist DOCS Staff Present: Director Michael Hollibaugh, Angie Conn; Legal Counsel John Molitor Also Present: Ramona Hancock, Secretary, Carmel Plan Commission The Special Studies Committee considered the following items: 1. TABLED TO OCT. 2 -- Docket No. 12080015 ADLS Amend: Cottage Animal Clinic - Signage. The applicant seeks approval to place one new suspended sign on the property. The site is located at 420 N. Range Line Rd. and is zoned B -5 /Business. It is located within the Old Town Overlay Zone, Historic Range Line Sub Area. Filed by Jen Pachynski of CSI Signs on behalf of Cottage Animal Clinic. 2. TABLED TO OCT. 2 -- Docket No. 12070001 ADLS Amend: Abbey Taphouse (D Wilkinson's Addition, Lot 32). 3. Docket No. 12030010 DP Amend/ADLS: The Centre, Part B -- Southeast Corner Retail Building (Walgreen's). The applicant seeks site plan & design approvals for a partial redevelopment of the site. The site is located at 1342 -1430 S. Range Line Road. It is zoned B- 3/Business, within the Carmel Dr. Rangeline Rd. Overlay Zone. Filed by Paul Reis of Krieg Devault, for Kite Realty Co. Present for petitioner: Paul Reis, attorney, Krieg Devault, 12800 North Meridian; Dan Brueggert, project architect; Mark Jenkins, Kite Realty Group. Overview: • Signage not being requested this evening • Walgreens Facility — different design • More glass, windows are lower • Two elevations displayed • Issue is a corner entrance -- entrance needs to be on north end of bldg. HDept Comments, Angie Conn: • Bldg is mostly brick veneer, glass & stone 1 • Dept recommends returning this item to full Commission with a favorable recommendation Committee Comments /Questions: • Comments regarding tower : windows lower, not comparable to any other Walgreens • Walgreens on Range Line at Executive Drive to close? (Probably, but unknown time -frame) • Other tenants to be in the bldg? (not planned at this time) • Dumpster is enclosed • Enter drive -thru from the north — one way in/out Motion: Alan Potasnik to approve Docket No. 12030010 DP Amend /ADLS, The Centre, Part B — Southeast Corner Retail Building (Walgreens) seconded by Steve Lawson, Approved 4 -0 4. Docket No. 12050013 Z: 146th & Gray Rezone. The applicant seeks approval to rezone 11.6 acres from S -1 /Residence to B- 1/Business (with commitments) for a proposed fuel /gas station, with the rest for tree preservation. The site is located at 4927 E. 146th St., at the southeast corner of 146`h St. and Gray Rd. Filed by Joseph Scimia of Faegre Baker Daniels, LLP for L & Q Realty, LLC. Present for Petitioner: Joe Scimia, attorney, Faegre Baker Daniels, 600 E 96`h Street; John Mundell, Mundell & Assoc; John Duffy, Carmel Utilities, wellhead protection; Matt Brown, A &F Traffic Engineers; J. Ricker, Chairman of Ricker Oil Company Overview: • Proposal is for a fueling station & convenience store • 7 %z acres are designated as a conservation/preservation area • Discussed conservation easement with possible recipients: o Carmel Clay Parks Foundation o Indiana Wildlife Federation o Central Indiana Land Trust. • Petitioner would prepare legal document to restrict use of preservation easement • Petitioner willing to commit to limiting uses on site • Petitioner willing to commit to protect aesthetics of area • Discussion at Public Hearing centered around traffic issues and wellhead protection safety Dept Comments, Angie Conn: • Present this evening o John Duffy, Carmel Utilities o Dave Lucas, Hamilton County Highway Dept • Will touch on public comments • Dept recommends Continuing to October 2nd Committee after review & discussion this eve • Memo distributed from City Engineering Dept which gives their opinion/viewpoint regarding traffic flow, widening Gray Road, and the wellhead protection area Traffic Discussion, entrance /exits from site • Where do tanker trucks enter site? (either off Gray Rd or 146`h Street -- turning radius provides entry from either location; but mostly from 146`h Street) 2 [-] 0 • Matt Brown, Traffic Engineer: Nothing seen with this design that would not meet a typical driveway design at 146th Street — will check turning templates to ensure that tankers will fit and all radii are sufficient; if not, right turn lane could be flared out and would increase the turning radius • Petitioner has committed that this site will be a one - tenant, single use site Dave Lucas, Hamilton County Highway Dept, 1700 South Tenth Street, Noblesville, regarding curb cuts on 146th Street: • Curb cuts have NOT been approved on 146`h Street for this site • Curb cuts are sole decision of Hamilton County Board of Commissioners • Petitioner must submit request for curb cuts, meeting specific requirements and criteria before sending on to Board of Commissioner for a decision • Petitioner would be required to provide a traffic study that would be sent to Board of Commissioners • At this time, no access has been granted to this site • Again, County Highway can be asked for a recommendation, but curb cuts are the sole decision of the County Commissioners • 146th Street is a main arterial and the main objective is to move traffic; the more curb cuts provided, the less efficient traffic flow Note: Joe Scimia stated that the petitioner has done everything that has been asked of him, but access will not be granted until the zoning is in place because it is not a viable use. Petitioner will go thru the ADLS process; the use is intended as single tenant & single use only John Duffy, Director, Carmel Utilities, regarding Wellhead Protection Area: • Wellhead Protection Area stretches from roughly 1,000 feet south of 146`h Street down to 96th Street • Closest wellhead to this site is 1,000 feet away • Closest well is probably 8,000 feet away • There are time travels for contaminants — one year, 5 year • Wellhead delineation done in 2011 which showed that this corner is in a 5 -year time travel • Utilities would treat this area as a one -year time travel • Under Carmel's Ordinance, the proposed use is permissible at this location • Even though it is permissible, it does not mean that there are no concerns • There are concerns with Mitchner Ditch to the east of the site; also retainage area • Drainage issues cited from City Engineer — storm sewer, ground water, impact on well water, etc. • Utilities will review proposal in -depth and work with developer • Considerable dollars have been spent on wellhead protection studies; there is concern • When it comes to wellhead protection, we wish our wells were in the middle of a cornfield, but we know that is not practical Committee Members' Comments: • Concerned with practicality of this location both from traffic & suitability of use • Traffic load on Gray Rd to accommodate traffic in/out of site? • Gray Road narrows significantly south of this intersection • Wellhead protection — reducing problems not good enough -- need to eliminate possibilities • Need a lot more discussion & review • Possibility of enlarging buffer area close to Gray Road? • Buffer /Isolate adjoining residents 3 • How many pumps (8 total) • Canopy to cover all pumps – would not extend to bldg, only over pumps and slightly beyond • Restaurant or cafe proposed as part of convenience store? (No – no intention of selling hot food) • Operation would be open 24/7 – canopy would be lit 24/7 – light spillage? (Specified by Ordinance, would use down - lighting, point one candle, led lights in use at other facilities, would comply with Ordinance • LED lights are flush with canopy and less likely to spill -over • Number of parking spaces? (16 spaces including employees parking – no car wash) • Type of Sub - surface storage? (two gasoline, one small diesel, no water or septic tank) • Property has some inherent, environmental hazards – main concern centers around specific use of this property – request topographical map; also request a shadow study or 3 -D perspective on what residents would see Public Comments: • Caesar Turrin, President, Woodfield HOA – Site and Use need to be addressed. How many visits to site (gas & convenience store) to break even? Quantity of fuel to be dispensed annually? Unusual in Carmel to have strict planning/zoning codes and approve a gas station. In order to permit traffic to entrance on Gray Road, center stacking is in middle of street – consider subdivision recently approved across the street – how conducive is gas station to a residential area. Compare corner subject site and business area at northwest corner of Gray Rd & 146th Street. Proposal is controversial; gas station does not fit surrounding land uses: church, landscaping business, northwest corner shopping center. Will there be more people coming to church because of gas station or more people at shopping center on northwest corner? Does gas station complement surrounding area? Gas station will produce gas fumes, benzene, a carcinogen – when loading/filling tanks. Water pollution is a huge concern – no mention in Mundell documents as to how much pollution there is. Potential of criminal activity; fire hazard, impact on Woodfield entrance & exit – in/out at intersection is already a problem. Concern with strangers in the neighborhood, property values, etc. • Dave Sickelsteil: Conservation proposal is nice, but all deciduous trees – would be ineffectual; also area is partial floodplain, tremendous grade from comer to adjacent neighborhood; would create pollution and lighting. Gas /fumes /emissions would be a concern – currently 278 names on petition in opposition to proposal – over 120% of people in area responding. Nobody wants this —it is not safe, not attractive, and traffic & speed of traffic is a concern. There have been traffic deaths at this intersection which is elevated north/south and a dangerous situation • Connie Martin – agrees with comments made by Dave Sickelsteil • Steve Dauby, why rezone entire property if only 7 acres will be used for gas station? • Holly Schneider, Woodfield, stated concern with noise pollution, trucks, cars, slanuning doors, people at all hours in the vicinity • Linda Avenhouse – what will be sold at the convenience store? Traffic is a huge concern – just trying to get out of her driveway now is difficult, during rush hour will be horrendous. Concerned that people will tum around in her driveway; gas station seems incongruent with residential properties on 146`h St. Joe Scimia, attorney: Most comments this evening are the same issues already brought up and discussed at public hearing -- safety and traffic. Petitioner has gone thru Technical Advisory Committee and had independent engineer traffic study – no one actually presented a study to refute the study of the experts. Solution is to not allow this property to be developed? Experts have all signed off on this use – there are two football fields between the residents and this proposed facility. 4 9 Woody Rider requested that the residents adjacent to this site send emails to him and let him know what the residents would like to see on this property....previous proposals for residential, bank, office —all have been opposed – now a gas station. What would the residents support on this corner location? Residents to include their phone number and Woody will return calls & address comments. Docket No. 12050013 Z, 146th and Gray Rezone was continued to the October 2, 2012 Special Studies Committee meeting. 5. Docket No. 12070021 OA: Carmel Dr -Range Line Road Overlay Sunset Amendment. The applicant seeks to amend the Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 23F: Carmel Drive -Range Line Road Overlay Zone in order to modify development standards and remove the sunset clause (expiration date). Filed by the Carmel Department of Community Services. Present for Petitioner: Adrienne Keeling, DOCS • Overlay has been in effect now for several years • Actual proposed amendments included in August 10 Memo to Commission • Range Line Road is an important Carmel corridor – identified as an urban arterial—long term vision could include on- street parking • Bring bldgs to the street, push parking to the rear, change the streetscape • Provides mix of uses • Component of Overlay also allows residential for flexibility of uses Committee Members' Questions /Comments: • Not in agreement with primary comer entrance & wall of glass which limits shelf space • Second floor area will probably never be used • There should be flexibility in design & second stories should be rentable • Agrees with bldgs being brought up to the street • Needs more fine - tuning – agree with needed flexibility • Can encourage comer entrance but not dictate or make it a rule • Suggest keeping at committee for further work before sending to Plan Commission Motion: Woody Rider to delete corner entrance requirement on Docket No. 12070021 OA, Carmel Drive - Range Line Road Overlay Sunset Amendment, seconded by Steve Lawson, Approved 4 -0 Motion: Woody Rider to send Docket No. 12070021 OA, Carmel Drive -Range Line Road Overlay Sunset Amendment back to full Plan Commission with a positive recommendation, keeping sunset clause in effect for another year; seconded by John Adams, Approved 4 -0. Meeting adjourned at 8:00 PM. ona ancoc , Secretary Steve Stromquist, airp on 5 D