Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutJPC April 29, 2025 MINUTES OF THE JEFFERSONVILLE PLAN COMMISSION April 29, 2025 Call to Order Board President Mike McCutcheon calls to order the Plan Commission meeting. It is Tuesday, April 29, 2025, it is 5:30 pm in the City Council Chambers, Jeffersonville City Hall, 500 Quartermaster Ct., Jeffersonville, Indiana. The meeting was held in person and streamed live on the City's website and City's Facebook page. Roll Call Board President Mike McCutcheon and board members Duard Avery, Chris Bottorff, Donna Reed, and David Schmidt were present in the City Council Chambers. Members Bill Burns and Steve Webb was absent. Also present were Planning & Zoning Attorney Les Merkley, Planning and Zoning Director Chad Reischl, Secretary Shane Shaughnessy, and Planner Shelby Walsh. (Secretary's Note: All plat maps, public letters, photos, etc. presented before the Plan Commission on this date can be found in the office of Planning & Zoning.) Approval of Minutes Approval of the minutes from March 25, 2025. Mr. Schmidt made a motion to approve the March 25, 2025 minutes, seconded by Ms. Reed. Roll Call vote. Motion passed 5-0. Approval of the Docket Motion to approve the agenda with the addition of OR-1 made by Ms. Reed, seconded by Mr. Bottorff. Roll call vote. Motion passed 5-0. Old Business None. New Business OR-1 Order Mr. Merkley stated that the City is in the process of creating the first residential TIF and that part of the process is that the Plan Commission must adopt an Order recommending and approving the TIF. Following the Plan Commission action, the matter will go before City Council and back to the Redevelopment Commission. This TIF is for the former Eastlawn Elementary School site on 8th Street which is owned by the Redevelopment Commission. The Commission has entered into a development agreement to put affordable single family houses on the property with the condition that the City create a residential TIF to help with infrastructure improvements on the site. Mr. Reischl said that the Plan Commission had already approved a rezoning and plat for this site. Ms. Reed asked how many years the TIF would be in place which Mr. Merkley said that it would be 20 years. Ms. Reed said she has concerns with Senate Bill 1 and how it will affect the City's budget and how this would further affect those issues. Mr. Merkley said that currently the site is not producing the City any revenue and without the TIF, the site is unlikely to be built under the current development agreement. 1 Ms. Reed said she loves the plan but is worried about removing that number of houses from the City's tax base and the length of time of the TIF. Mr. Merkley said that state statute is what mandates the 20 year time frame unlike an abatement that can be of different time frames. Mr. Avery said that he had concerns with how quickly this was added to the docket. Mr. Merkley said that currently the property is producing no revenue for the City as it is owned by a governmental entity and that the TIF will capture the increase in assessed property value which will help with the development of the subdivision. He said the hope is that many of the home buyers will have children who can go to Parkview and keep them in the local school district. Mr. Bottorff said that the money collected by the TIF could be used as equity toward the project. Mr. Merkley said that in order to make this subdivision affordable, help would be needed in the form of a TIF. He said that there are currently no other residential TIFs planned in Jeffersonville and that the unique history of the site is what made the Redevelopment Commission consider using the TIF. He said the City would start collecting property taxes on the development after the TIF drops off after 20 years. He said that TIF is used to help create development on vacant or blighted land and that TIF had been used to help create City Hall, the police station, and fire stations in lieu of property tax increases. He said that removing the existing TIF would not solve budget problems for the City or school district as when a TIF is removed, the funds go to all the different entities including the school district and County. Mr. Avery said that at the Redevelopment meeting, the school superintendent said that the school district anticipates an increase in students and because of that the school district will see an increase in funding. Mr. Merkley said that in Indiana, the money follows the child so if a child goes to a local school, the school district would get money because of that. He said that the superintendent did not necessarily object to the TIF but wanted to state that they had concerns if there were future residential TIFs. Mr. Reischl said that from a planning perspective this is a good way to use TIF to enable a specific project. Mr. Bottorff made a motion to approve Order OR-1, seconded by Mr. Schmidt. Roll call vote. Motion passed 5-0. PC-25-16 Rezoning Brent Holderman filed a Rezoning application for the property located at 130 and 132 Harrison Avenue. The current zoning is R3 (Single Family Residential—Small Lot); the proposed zoning is IN (Industrial - Neighborhood). The Docket Number is PC-25-16. Scott South, representing Brent Holderman of Too Fast For You, Inc., said that they are wishing to rezone the property to put in a private maintenance shop to service a fleet of around 100 FedEx vehicles. They would be building a 120'x60' building on the property. Mr. Reischl said that Planning staff is not in support of this application as we should not be tearing down homes in a residential neighborhood to put in an industrial use. It goes against the City's Comprehensive Plan and Unified Development Ordinance as the IN district is meant to be a placeholder and not something that should be expanded on. He said that the plan they have presented as part of this application would require a number of variances which may negate the idea that use should be there in the first place. Open Public Comment No comments. Close Public Comment 2 Mr. Bottorff asked where the planned ingress/egress would be located which Mr. Scott said that it would have 5 bays that would enter and exit onto Mitchell Street. Ms. Reed said that there were numerous residential homes around this site and asked if there had been any thought to how this would affect the residents of the area's quality of life. Mr. Scott said there was and said that they only work from 10am to 3pm and the current situation on the lots is that the homes on the lots are not inhabitable. Ms. Reed asked if he had any conversations with the neighborhood which Mr. Scott said that they had spoken to the church that was located to the rear of the property and said that they had discussed working with him to improve the church's parking. He also said that they had spoken with the neighbor across the alley who has done work for them and that the business across the street supported them going there. He said that the only other people he saw in the area were homeless people and that the rest of the neighbors stay inside. Mr. Schmidt asked how long they had the contract with FedEx which Mr. Scott said they have had it 25 years. Mr. Schmidt asked if they had proper Hazmat protections which Mr. Scott said they would have oil/water separators, proper plumbing and storage. Mr. Scott said that he would be investing around $750,000 into the project. Ms. Reed asked Mr. Reischl what his vision for the area is which he replied that his concern is that in a rezoning case, the Board shouldn't be looking at the use at hand but every potential use in the zone district. Mr. Avery asked about the staff opinion which said the rezoning would go against the Comprehensive Plan, Unified Development Ordinance, and Future Land Use Plan which Mr. Reischl said was correct and that he wouldn't want to open the door to others buying properties in low income areas, rezoning them, and begin eating away at the neighborhood and that this would set a bad precedent. Mr. Bottorff said that there is already an industrial use across the street which Mr. Reischl said was correct but ultimately the decision is whether these uses should be expanded. Ms. Reed said they were just talking about affordable housing and supporting that growth and that this would go against that goal. Mr. Scott said that he feels that the project would help the home values of the neighborhood. Ms. Reed made a motion for an unfavorable recommendation, seconded by Mr. Schmidt. Roll call vote. Motion failed 3-2 with Mr. Schmidt and Mr. Bottorff opposed. Mr. Schmidt made a motion for no recommendation, seconded by Mr. Bottorff. Roll call vote. Motion passed 4-1 with Ms. Reed opposed. PC-25-17 Rezoning Renaissance Design Build, Inc. filed a Rezoning application for the properties located at 3611 and 3618 Utica Sellersburg Road. The current zoning is R3 (Single Family Residential —Small Lot); the proposed zoning is M2 (Multi-Family Residential — Medium Scale). The Docket Number is PC- 25-17. Robert Reilly III, of Renaissance Design Build, and Jared Portukalian, the owner of the property, introduced the case. Mr. Portukalian said they are planning to combine the two lots to develop a 46 unit apartment complex that will include an office, gym, and dog walking area. Mr. Reischl said that the property is in between the new Bridgepointe Commons commercial area and residential neighborhoods. He said this is a transitional area where this kind of use is appropriate and that there is another similarly sized apartment complex just north of the property and that this would be a good use in this area. Open Public Comment 3 Calvin Gould of 3617 Utica Sellersburg Road stated that he lives next to the subject property. He said that he thinks the property should remain zoned R3. He said that there are already a number of apartments in the City and that the Comprehensive Plan references the number of apartments that have been built already. He said that the Plan says that single family areas should be preserved and that multi-family uses should be small scale which is not what a 46 unit complex is. He said this would negatively affect his home value and that there would be approximately 92 new neighbors and 92 new cars on the road. He said that he has lived at the home for 40 years and that he would like to stay where he's at instead of being forced out or have to live next to an apartment. Close Public Comment Mr. Reilly said that there is a housing shortage that could be helped with the new apartment but recognizes that waking up to a new apartment is something that would require an adjustment. Mr. McCutcheon asked about the size of the complex which Mr. Portukalian said they would be two stores and the buildings would be 40'x120'. Mr. Bottorff asked how the outside of the units would be designed and landscaped which the Mr. Reilly said they would follow the development standards found in the Code. Mr. Reischl said their drawings would meet the City's setback and buffer requirements and would have to meet the City's landscaping standards. Mr. Bottorff asked how far the other apartments on that road were from this property which Mr. Portukalian said there were three lots in between the two, about 150 feet. Mr. Schmidt made a motion for a favorable recommendation, seconded by Mr. Avery. Roll call vote. Motion passed 5-0. PC-25-18 Rezoning Austen Dockens filed a Rezoning application for the properties located at 4219 and 4223 Utica Sellersburg Road. The current zoning is R2 (Single Family Residential — Medium Lot); the proposed zoning is M2 (Multi-Family Residential — Medium Scale). The Docket Number is PC-25- 18. Paul Gerard and Austen Dockens with KGF Homes introduced the case. Mr. Gerard said their vision for the land was to build a small cottage community. Currently there are abandoned houses on the properties that are in very bad condition which would be demolished for this project. There would be 9 small cottages on the property that will provide affordable housing for the community. Mr. Dockens said they recognize that the M2 is an open ended zoning that would allow more density than what they're requesting and are open to conditions being placed on the rezoning to only allow what they're seeking to build. Mr. Reischl said that because they are putting multiple structures on the property, they had to rezone to the M2 district as the M1 only allows one structure. He said he has mixed feelings about this project. He said the City has just spent a lot of money on improving Utica Sellersburg Road and it would be great to see investment on the corridor, however the Comprehensive Plan defines this area as a commercial and industrial corridor and many of the existing uses in the area are commercial and industrial and questions if they should be expanding residential uses in the area. He said there are a number of pros and cons that should be weighed. He said that ultimately in a rezoning they shouldn't really be considering the development plan, but the potential uses of the district and may want to put conditions on any approvals. Open Public Comment Barry Hullett of 4225 Utica Sellersburg Road said he lives next to the subject property and said his family have lived there 4 and a half years and moved there because of the low population 4 density and that they were strongly opposed to rezoning this property to multifamily. He said that there are only single family homes on the road. He said the location on a curve would lead to traffic and safety issues. He said he had spoken to the neighbors in the area and all were opposed to the rezoning. He said that the project like this would be better suited in an different area that would be within walking distance of stores and groceries. Close Public Comment Mr. Dockens said they are doing something similar in Hanover by renovating a mobile home park and a similar project in Louisville . He said these units are very efficient and use high quality materials. He said that the project had won the Hoosier Excellency Award for Best Problem Solved for affordable housing. He said its different than apartments or single family houses and would be the first project of its type in the city. Ms. Reed asked if they would be sold and the price to which Mr. Dockens said that they would be for rent and rent would be below the average for Jeffersonville somewhere between $1100 to $1400. Mr. Schmidt asked the size of the units which Mr. Dockens said would be around 500 square feet and one story but that the roof would be pitched and have a vaulted ceiling. Mr. Schmidt asked about the layout which Mr. Dockens said they had two layouts, one bedroom and two bedroom. Mr. Schmidt said he likes the concept but isn't sure if the location is appropriate. Mr. Avery asked Mr. Reischl about other similar projects the Plan Commission had rejected in the past and if he thought the development would fit in to what Jeffersonville is wanting to promote. Mr. Reischl said that the development Mr. Avery was referencing was the redevelopment of a hotel that would have 200 square foot units which had been denied by the Board and that these units would be similar to a one bedroom apartment. He said that the 500 square feet units would require a variance from the BZA. Ms. Reed asked if these would fill a roll for housing p p eo le in the commercial and industrial area which Mr. Reischl said it's likely that there would likely be workers from River Ridge who would want to rent there. Ms. Reed said they this would allow people in these jobs to live close to their work but does understand the neighbor's concerns and would be more concerned if the properties were used for commercial or industrial purposes. Mr. Avery said that it would provide a number of good sized units and that not many properties would be affected. Mr. Avery made a motion for a favorable recommendation, seconded by Ms. Reed. Roll call vote. Motion passed 4-0 with Mr. Bottorff abstaining. PC-25-19 Primary Plat This docket item was tabled by the applicant prior to the meeting. PC-25-20 Rezoning Klein Homes filed a Secondary Plat application for the property located off at the intersection of Mystic Falls Drive and Mystic Falls Circle. The application is for a 43-lot multi-family residential subdivision of Mystic Falls, Section 3. The current zoning is M1 (Multi-Family: Small-Scale). The Docket Number is PC-25-20. Brad Reinhart with Blankenbeker and Associates on behalf of Steve Klein said that they were looking for an approval for an updated final plat. The new plat has four new lots near Charlestown New Albany Pike and some small changes to other lots. Mr. Reischl said this is pretty straightforward and that these would be consistent with the rest of the subdivision. Open Public Comment 5 No comments. Close Public Comment Mr. Avery made a motion to approve the secondary plat, seconded by Ms. Schmidt. Roll call vote. Motion passed 4-0 with Mr. Bottorff abstaining. ZO-25-03 Downtown Jeffersonville Master Plan The City of Jeffersonville Planning and Zoning Department filed a request for recommendation for the adoption of the Downtown Jeffersonville Master Plan. The Docket Number is ZO-25-03. Mr. Reischl stated that about a year ago, he had notified the Board that the Planning Department was working on a master plan for Downtown Jeffersonville. He said that there had been a number of planning efforts around downtown but nothing specific to downtown. He said the plan provide a framework for projects and programs which will help to improve the vibrancy of the area. He said the area of the plan was Planning District 1 found in the Comprehensive Plan plus areas around Quartermaster Station and the hospital. He said that the process included reviewing the various planning efforts that had been done over the year and that this document brings those plans together in one cohesive document. Outreach was done via focus groups, neighborhood meetings, and public participation. The Plan includes an overview of downtown, various recommendations, and an implementation matrix. He said the plan groups recommendation categories into transportation and mobility, redevelopment and land use, and quality of life. He said that one of the biggest proponents of this plan was Jay Ellis of the Main Street Association and that this plan will help him secure grants for projects downtown and supporting small businesses. Ms. Reed said that it is great that all of the plans had been combined into one document. Open Public Comment No comments. Close Public Comment Mr. Reed made a motion for a favorable recommendation, seconded by Ms. Schmidt. Roll call vote. Motion passed 5-0. Administrative Review Update None. Report from Director's and Staff None. Adjournment There being no further business to come before the Plan Commission, the meeting was adjourned at 6:40 pm. J\ C( Mike McCutcheon, Chair Shane Shaughnessy Secre ry I 6 4