Loading...
Minutes PC 10-18-22 2. Docket No. PZ-2022-00119 DP/ADLS: Flora on Spring Mill—cont.to Nov. 1st RES COM 3. Docket No. PZ-2022-00147 OA: Legacy PUD Amendment—cont.to Nov. 1st RES COM Public Hearings: 1. Docket No.PZ-2022-00169 DP/ADLS: Chick Fil-A—US 421. The applicant seeks site plan and design approval for a new restaurant with drive thru on 1.97 acres. The site is located at 9965 N. Michigan Road(previous location of Red Robin),part of West Carmel Marketplace, Block F. It is zoned B-2 and is within the US 421 Overlay District. Filed by Joe Vavrina of HR Green, on behalf of Chick- Fil-A. Petitioner: Justin Lurk,Chick-Fil-A, and Joe Vavrina,Project Engineer • Presented Site Plan with present Aerial View, this is the former Red Robin site • Plans are to redevelop this site with a 5,000 sq. ft. building • We will have new pedestrian connections around the site • We will have an isolated dual flex drive-thru that is safer and keeps the guests separate from drive-thru traffic • Order point canopies will be located throughout the drive-thru area to provide protection from the weather • Presented landscape plan, order point canopy, building, & dumpster enclosure elevations, and signage • We will continue to work with Staff on any outstanding comments Public Comments: None Department Report: Rachel Keesling • We have been working with the Petitioner on the design and site to bring the proposal into compliance • Staff believes we can reduce their number of proposed variances • Staff is in support of the drive-thru location variance request • 80 parking spaces, and 46 drive-thru stacking spaces are being proposed and is in compliance with the UDO • We will continue to work with the Petitioner on the outstanding items listed in the Department Report • Staff recommends this is continued to the Nov. 1st Commercial Committee with final voting authority given to the Commercial Committee Committee Comments: Josh: I'm in favor of the dumpster location. Are you thinking of any traffic calming devices within the drive-thru lanes? Jeff: How will garbage trucks maneuver safely within a fully parked parking lot? Consider the safety issues for the employees working outside in the drive-thru lanes and for customers walking to the building entrances. Justin Lurk: The owner will direct employees to park the farthest away from the front door and leave the spaces closest to the door for customers. Kevin: Restaurant owners request that trash pickup is done during non-operating hours. A Motion made by Hill and seconded by Kirsh to continue Docket No.PZ-2022-00169 DP/ADLS at the Nov. 1st Commercial Committee with final voting authority. Approved 7-0,absent Grabow,Westermeier. 2. Docket No.PZ-2022-00172 PUD: Conner Prairie—PUD Rezone. The applicant seeks PUD rezone approval for a west side expansion of Conner Prairie to include a farm to table restaurant, a White River Education Center,Lodge hotel, cabins, a modern farm,parking, walking trails,and more. The site is located at the southeast corner of 146th Street and River Road and is zoned S-1/Residence. Filed by Jon Dobosiewicz and Jim Shinaver of Nelson& Frankenberger on behalf of Ken Alexander, Site Master Plan Manager for Conner Prairie Museum, Inc. Petitioner: Norman Burns,President& CEO of Conner Prairie: • We have a partnership with the Carmel Clay Parks Dept. on the White River Vision Plan • Our proposed Site Master Plan came out after extensive research by our Board • We want to teach the history of our resources located within our site. Our mission is to inspire curiosity and foster learning by providing engaging and individualized experiences for everyone. • We are one of the most visited outdoor historic sites in America • Our Board started in 2016 to look at ways to develop our 1,046 acres to the best use to educate the public and to 2 Plan Commission Minutes 10-18-22 preserve the land. 260 acres of land will remain as agriculture. • Presented the Site Master Plan, we came up with a concept plan to do in a 30-year period • We have identified 3 zones,presented map and renderings. Zone 1 for Food, Farm, & Energy District. Zones 2 & 3 are for Land, Water, & Energy Innovation District. • Presented contemporary prairie style architecture images • Presented rendering of River Road and Cherry Tree Blvd roundabout and future roundabout at Community Drive Public Comments: Charles McHenry,Prairie View: I'm against this proposal. I hope we are not getting played by the City of Fishers. Why don't they develop on Fishers side? I don't want to see a parking lot and a 6-story building if they are going bring down my property value. Joe Luchik, Prairie View: This proposal is insensitive to the nearby residents. They completely ignoring the fact that they are developing in a residential area. They did not reference that the hotel and commercial retail area are right across the street from Prairie Trace Elementary. The kids walk to school in this area. This will create a lot of traffic we can't accommodate that in a residential area. Michael Porter, Prairie View: I have concern with the commercial aspects in the southern two zones. I have concerns for the additional traffic in the area, safety of kids, and noise from buses and delivery trucks. Is this project economically viable without the Hotel and Commercial aspect?It doesn't seem to fit with the idea of conservating the land. Shanna Davidson, Prairie View: I have a toddler that will attending Prairie Trace Elementary School. I have concerns with safety in having a conference center and hotel nearby. This is a residential community with families everywhere. Any child within a mile radius of the school must walk, bike,or drive. We have a neighborhood filled with nature. Dr.Deidre Pettinga, Indiana Forest Alliance: Carmel has lost so much of its forest and wildlife areas already. We should Iencourage Conner Prairie to conserve as much forest space as possible. The proposed hardscapes will create runoff into the White River. Bill Kulsrud, Prairie View: If Conner Prairie expansion occurred in 1997,would Carmel Schools have built Prairie Trace Elementary School at its current location?Absolutely not. There's too much concern of the commercial aspect. Picture a Hampton Inn, and the parking that surrounds it. This will produce additional traffic. I have concerns for the safety of the school children. Sue Finkam,Northeast City Council Representative: With this development,the entire east side will entirely change. This project is unlike any other project we have ever seen come through. My residents have concerns with the hotel and commercial district in close approximately to the elementary school. I'm available if anyone has questions about what the residents are saying to me. This is the first time in my 11 years with CC that I am speaking at a PC meeting. Christine Altman, Hamilton County Commissioner: I am on the Conner Prairie Board and have worked hard on this project. I have worked with the Township and Parks Dept. I'm very excited about this project and our involvement with the White River asset. Having this asset so close to the kids' school and all the citizens of Carmel is tremendous. Jim Roehrdanz, Overlook at the Legacy: Our 31-home subdivision is the most affected by this development. I would invite each one of you to my home to see the natural area next to my home. Each person who purchased a home here did it for the adjacent nature and greenspace. We would like this project scaled back. We object to a hotel,conference center, and the other commercial aspects. Rebuttal to Public Comments: Kent Alexander, Site Master Plan Project Manager • We have publicized this project since 2018 on our website and have had numerous public meetings • We have partnered with Carmel Clay Parks • This is the first step and know this will be a lengthy process. This is a concept plan we are presenting. • We are committed to work with the Carmel Engineering Dept. and Planning Staff on traffic • We take safety seriously and is a key component we will work on. We will continue to work with the Police Dept. • We will adapt our development plans with the existing wetlands,trees, and farmland 3 Plan Commission Minutes 10-18-22 • We've been partners with IDEM, DNR, White River Alliance, and Fish& Wildlife. We redesigned our trail around an eagle's nest in the past. We take our archeological study very seriously. • We have discussed forestation with IDEM and DNR and these are incorporated in our designs • We don't have any 6-story buildings proposed on our campus • We are here to work with you as this process moves forward. We believe this does not need to be rushed. Department Report: Rachel Keesling • Part of this site is zoned S-1 and part Legacy PUD. Some of their proposed uses are currently allowed. • Much of the site is within the floodway and floodplain of the White River. The buildable areas are located primarily close to and along River Road. • We have seen other developers who want to fill in wetlands and this Petitioner will embrace the existing wetlands and preserve and enhance these features as is • The Comp Plan identifies this area under the White River Development Pattern. The purpose of this is for a clean, ecological,historic, connected,and active asset for the residents of Carmel and greater region to experience, reside in, and enjoy. The Petitioner's proposed plan aligns with this purpose statement. • The C-3 plan identifies the White River Corridor to be studied and planned in detail • The White River Study was started in 2016 and released in 2020. The City was an active member in this process. • Staff has proposed many changes in the PUD document and will continue to review this. Staff agrees that this process will take some time. • Staff recommends this is continued to the Nov. 1st Commercial Committee for further review Committee Comments: Kevin: This will be a long process,and we will take in everyone's comments Josh: I look at this as a really unique opportunity to do something very special for generations to come. It should be a long process. To note for people who are fearful of what may happen,to remind them that we will shoot for the stars and leave something that we are really proud of I challenge us to really push in what we can do. Carrie: We can create something very special, but we need to be mindful we are in residential area and protect these eastside neighbors. We need to be very careful of the commercial aspect of this. Can we look into if we have restrictions in what we can be built next to schools?Benjamin Legge,City Legal Dept.: We can look into this. Christine: This project has the potential to be great. I have concerns of the PUD text being very vague. As the PUD gets approved,this is the referencing zoning document,and we need to be mindful this is what will be approved and built. I feel development done around schools needs to be mindful. Ken Alexander: We will continue to work with Staff on the PUD text and imagery. Jeff: I agree with Christine,that we need to work on the PUD text and images, so we know what we are getting. Can our infrastructure handle the additional traffic?Ken Alexander: We will continue to work with traffic engineers. Alan: There are so many things involved with this project that will have a huge impact in this area. We need to take our time with this and be methodical in our study of the PUD. This will take a long time. Do you have a traffic impact study? The Committee would like to see one prior to our meeting.Not only it will impact the west side of the river,but from the east side of the river. Ken Alexander: We won't have it by Nov. 1st but will continue to work traffic engineers and have that done. Josh: I feel bummed out that this will only be reviewed by the Commercial Committee. Can we ask Staff to have this reviewed by the Committee as a whole? Norman Burns: We are happy to move past Nov. 1 St and have our meeting at a later time once our traffic studies are done. Kevin: Research if there are any other options for less intense development for the southern part of this site. A Motion made by Kirsh and seconded by Rider to continue Docket No.PZ-2022-00172 PUD at future date TBD to the Committee of a whole with final voting coming back to the full Plan Commission. Approved 7-0,absent Grabow,Westermeier. 4 Plan Commission Minutes 10-18-22