|
Broad Ripple Random Ripplings
The news from Broad Ripple
Brought to you by The Broad Ripple Gazette
(Delivering the news since 2004, every two weeks)
|
| Brought to you by: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Converted from paper version of the Broad Ripple Gazette (v10n24)
The 2nd emotion-charged zoning meeting of 2013
posted: Dec. 06, 2013
The room at the Broad Ripple Park family center was standing-room-only for the November 2013 meeting of the Broad Ripple Village Association (BRVA) Land Use and Development (LUD) committee. More than 60 people were in attendance. There were 5 items on the agenda. LUD committee chair Jim Holland called the meeting to order around 6pm.
1) 5915 and 5925 College Avenue [KK23 on map] petition #2013-CZN-821 / 2013-CVR-821 - The Reliant Building. This petition for rezoning has been heard before at the BRVA LUD meetings. The petitioners took the feedback they received and made many substantial changes to the proposal and presented those changes at the November meeting. The majority of the audience was at the meeting to either support or oppose this petition. Participants on all sides of this issue got very emotional and out of control at various times throughout the presentation.
This proposal is to rezone the two properties north of the old Fox Glass building at the corner of College and Kessler. They are currently zoned residential. The request is to rezone from D5 to C3C.
| Brought to you by: |
|
|
|
"The C-3C (Commercial Corridor) District, like the C-3 (Neighborhood Commercial) District, is designed for those professional offices and commercial businesses which typically do not draw customers from beyond their respective neighborhood boundaries. Examples of such types of uses include sales of retail convenience or durable goods, shopping establishments, and personal and professional service establishments. It is planned, therefore, for use in older urban commercial areas, which are located adjacent to established residential neighborhoods on select segments of primary and secondary thoroughfares. Characterized by small-scale commercial buildings abutting the pedestrian walkway and vehicular traffic, these areas often suffer from limited availability of off-street parking. In addition, certain redevelopment areas and infill projects can be suitably located in a C-3C District. To encourage the optimal utilization of these types of commercial areas, residential units are permitted in commercial buildings. This feature and the location of this district within walking distance to residential districts dictate that selected types of offices and other commercial uses which do not generate substantial vehicular traffic locate in the C-3C District. In order to perform its buffering function, floor areas are restricted, screening with fences, walls or landscaping is required and other similar amenities are necessary for optimum compatibility of this district with the adjacent residential development."
This rezoning will allow the bungalows on the properties to be razed and a small office building to be built. The petitioners made a commitment to restrict the uses to daytime retail, not allowing evening restaurant/bar uses. Since the last presentation before the LUD committee the building size has been reduced from a 3-story 7000 sq ft building to 2-story 5700 sq ft. Other changes involve blending the new structure into the neighborhood by matching the front lawn with the residences to the north and matching the facade lines of the commercial building to the south.
The petitioner explained that this rezoning would mimic the commercial space on the west side of College currently occupied by Binkley's and Fine Estate Rugs and the spot where Ubër was before moving into the Fox Glass building. This argument was to alleviate the concern of "commercial creep", emphasizing that this is not a mid-block commercial building project in a residential block, but extending an existing commercial corner to match the commercial corner across the street.
Several residents and nearby property owners spoke against this project. The main arguments were:
- they had purchased their properties with the understanding that the zoning would protect their properties by keeping the majority of the block residential
- that the generally accepted commercial plan for Broad Ripple is to reuse homes as businesses without tearing them down
- only asking for a temporary zoning variance from residential to commercial, rather than a permanent rezoning to commercial
- if this rezoning to commercial is approved, it is likely that every home up and down College will soon be purchased, torn down, and rebuilt as commercial.
After about an hour and a half of letting all interested parties speak, there was a motion for support of the petition, then a vote of 10 for, 1 against. I think it is worth mentioning here that the LUD committee votes to support, oppose, or take no stand for a proposal. That position has no legal authority, but merely affects how the BRVA might participate at the actual zoning hearing at the City-County Building. The approval/disapproval of each zoning petition comes from the City of Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission. That ruling takes into account the MDC staff recommendations, the desires of neighborhood associations, and the testimony of residents attending the hearing.
| Brought to you by: |
|
|
|
|
| Brought to you by: |
|
|
|
|
A rendering by the petitioner showing the scale of the proposed building on the left and the existing Ambrosia/Haus Love building on the right.
Claire Fox voiced her opposition to the razing of two bungalows on College before a standing-room-only crowd at the November zoning meeting.
2) Indy Hostel, 49th and Winthrop Avenue [QQ25 on map], appeared next with an information-only presentation about a rezoning to legally establish the expansion of the hostel that occurred in 2007. The hostel is seeking letters of support from the nearby neighborhood associations. The LUD committee agreed to submit a letter.
3) The Red Room, 6335 Guilford Avenue [G5 on map], appeared next to ask for input on a proposal to expand the restaurant to the outdoor space above the building next door, currently Lucky B. The comments were that it sounded like a good addition to this specific restaurant on this section of Westfield Boulevard, but could set an undesirable precedent making it difficult to limit other bars in Broad Ripple from requesting rooftop seating.
4) Martin Dentistry, 1724 Broad Ripple Avenue [HH29 on map], appeared next with a proposal to purchase the home to the east of the Broad Ripple Masonic Lodge on Broad Ripple Avenue, raze it and build a new building for Martin Dentistry. The proposal calls for a 3000 sq ft building that would have a bungalow style with a pitched roof. The LUD committee voted to support this petition.
5) Sangrita, 834 E. 64th Street [D4 on map], was the final item on the agenda. It was another information-only presentation. The proposal is to completely renovate the old Greek's Pizzeria building on 64th Street for a new restaurant Sangrita. The committee commented that it will be important to the neighborhood for Sangrita to be a family restaurant, instead of an over-21 bar.
There is no December meeting of the LUD committee. The next scheduled meeting is Tuesday, January 28, 2014 at 6pm at the Broad Ripple Park Family Center.
alan@broadripplegazette.com
|
|
|
|
| Brought to you by: |
|
||||
|
Copyrighted Property Of Broad Ripple Publishing
Site terms Broad Ripple Random Ripplings is hosted at Ionos.com |
||||
