CARMEL BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS | SPECIAL HEARING OFFICER MEETING DEPARTMENT REPORT
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2021
(V) Napleton Auxiliary Lot and Detail Center Floodplain Variance.
The applicant seeks the following development standards variance approval:
1. Docket No. PZ-2021-000193 V UDO Sec. 5.10 (and City Code Chapter 10 Article 5A(11)(a), Carmel Flood Hazard Areas Ordinance) On-site floodplain compensatory storage required, Off-site compensatory storage requested (in same watershed, at 1342 E. 116th St.). The site is located at 4250 E. 96th Street. It is zoned B3/Business and partly located in the SFHA/Special Flood Hazard Area. Filed by Rick Lawrence of Nelson & Frankenberger, LLC on behalf of Napleton Automotive Group.
General Info & Analysis:
The Petitioner seeks approval for off-site floodplain compensatory storage, when on-site is required by the Carmel Flood Hazard Areas Ordinance. The architecture, design, lighting, landscaping, and signage for the project were all reviewed and approved by the Plan Commission on July 20, 2021, with Docket No. PZ-2021-00048 DP/ADLS. The Petitioner proposes an auxiliary parking lot with a detail/service building and a pad ready site for a new dealership in the future. All parcels to the west, south, and east are also zoned B3/Business and are not in an overlay zone. The surrounding land uses are office and automobile sales, as well as single family residential to the north (Williamson Run subdivision, zoned S2/Residential). Please see the Petitioner’s info packet for more detail on the variance request.
UDO Section 5.10 lists the Floodplain Standards, and it cross references with City Code Chapter 10 Article 5, the Carmel Flood Hazard Areas Ordinance. Article 5 subsection A(11)(a), General Standards, states the following: In all SFHAs and known flood prone areas the following provisions are required: (11) Whenever any portion of the SFHA is authorized for use, the volume of space which will be occupied by the authorized fill or structure below the BFE shall be compensated for and balanced by an equivalent volume of excavation taken below the BFE. The excavation volume shall be at least equal to the volume of storage lost (replacement ratio of one (1) to one (1)) due to the fill or structure. The excavation shall take place in the floodplain and in the same property in which the authorized fill or structure is located.
Site Plan and Engineering:
The proposed 9-acre site plan accounts for two new buildings, their associated parking spaces, as well as overflow/inventory parking. 747 parking spaces are provided. The detail center building will be constructed now, and a new dealership building will be developed in the future. The dealership building will be placed at the southeast corner of the site, more visible to traffic on 96th Street and Randall Drive. The detail center building will be placed in the middle of the site (and behind the future new dealership).
Stormwater detention and water quality for this site is proposed through the dry pond at the northwest corner of the site, which will tie into the existing pond on the SW corner of the site, as well as a new offsite compensatory storage location at 1342 E. 116th Street, located a few parcels east of the Monon Trail. That ‘pond’ will be located west of Rosemeade Commons subdivision and east of Faith Apostolic Church. That off-site location is adjacent to other compensatory storage facilities for the other automobile dealerships around 96th Street and Randall Drive. The Petitioner worked through stormwater detention, water quality, and floodplain mitigation review and approval with the Carmel Engineering Dept. and the Hamilton County Surveyor’s Office. The Carmel Engineering Dept. recently reviewed and approved the off-site mitigation and is supportive of this variance request.
The Petitioner addressed all planning/zoning review comments. The Planning Dept. supports the variance request.
Findings of Fact:
Please refer to the petitioner’s Findings of Facts sheet.
Recommendation:
The Dept. of Community Services (DOCS) recommends positive consideration of Docket No. PZ2021-000193 V, and with adoption of the findings of fact submitted by the Petitioner.