HomeMy WebLinkAboutDept Report 5-1-07 CARMEL PLAN COMMISSION
SPECIAL STUDIES COMMITTEE
DEPARTMENT REPORT
May 1, 2007
2. Docket No. 07040018 ADLS Amend: Merchants' Square—signage
The applicant seeks approval for directional and multi-tenant center identification
ground signs. The site is located at 2160 Keystone Way and is zoned B-8/Business,
partially within the SR 431 Overlay. Filed by Amanda Gates, Sign Craft Industries.
The applicant is requesting ADLS Amendment approval for six new monument and directional
signs at/near the subject location. Landscaping is required at the center ID sign bases. Please
see the informational packet distributed with the agenda. Currently, shopping center ID signs
exist that do not need to be changed. There is also a 39-foot 7-inch tall multi-tenant pylon sign
with an electronic reader board along Keystone Ave/SR 431, a highly traveled corridor.
Multiple variances were required for the signs and some may be withdrawn with this new sign
package proposal. Previous variance requests were for: total number of monument signs, all
tenants not on represented on sign, sign height, square footage of monument sign, total number
of directory signs, off-premise signs, and setback(signs in road right of way). At the March 26
BZA meeting, the BZA Board decided to table the variance requests and have the Plan
Commission special studies committee review the ADLS amendment petition before voting
upon the variance requests. The BZA board was comfortable with the directions signs. They
were not comfortable with the center identification sign sizes and heights, although they did
acknowledge the fact that a sign is needed near AAA Way and 116th Street, due to the
construction of the road median on 116th Street,just east of AAA Way.
The maximum height of a ground sign can be 6 feet tall, per the Sign Ordinance. The proposed
center ID monument signs will be 4.96 feet tall. Also, the maximum height of a directional sign
can be 5 feet tall, per the Sign Ordinance. The proposed directional signs will be 4.33 feet tall.
Two, perhaps three,proposed signs will be off-premise and within the road right of way.
Currently, there is an off-premise sign at Carmel Drive &AAA Way (by Fazoli's)that fits into
its context by not being too tall or large in square footage. The Department recommends that the
off-premise monument sign at AAA Way & Carmel Drive remains the same. Its off-premise
location is "grandfathered". Then, the proposed sign at 116th St. & AAA Way, if approved, will
also need Consent to Encroach approval from the Engineering Dept. to encroach into the
proposed road right of way(it is a 70-ft half R/W).
• The Department recommends that the Special Studies Committee approve the request,
only after all comments and concerns have been addressed.
Note: The item only requires final approval by committee, and not the full commission.
This item also requires variance approvals from the Board of Zoning Appeals.