Whitestown board approves extra parking for Indianapolis Logistics Park NW Building 4

The Board of Zoning Appeals for the Town of Whitestown on the evening of the meeting approved a development-standards variance allowing Indianapolis Logistics Park Northwest Building 4 to increase parking from 248 spaces to 424 spaces.

Staff told the board the request is for a variance from UDO 7.1 (parking standards) to accommodate a nontraditional distribution tenant that will use passenger vehicles for local, rapid deliveries rather than primarily semitrailers. Alan, a planning staff member, said staff found the variance met the required findings and recommended approval.

Petitioner Brian Tuohy, representing the developer, told the board the proposed tenant uses contract drivers in passenger cars to deliver small packages quickly and that the change requires restriping existing paved areas rather than expanding asphalt. "We are not allowed to say the name of this user," Tuohy said, noting a nondisclosure agreement with the tenant. He described the operation as one that will have semis drop off goods, on-site employees working shifts and numerous contract drivers coming and going in passenger vehicles. Tuohy said the site’s paved footprint would not increase and that trailer stalls would fall from 63 to about 26 under the plan.

Board members asked questions about other Whitestown industrial parking requests; staff said no similar parking variances for industrial uses have been requested in the past two years. One board member said the tenant sounded familiar and that, after hearing the petitioner, he was comfortable proceeding. No members of the public spoke in favor or opposition during the public hearing, and the petitioner said staff had mailed about 20 notices to neighboring property owners with no objections reported.

A motion to approve the variance was made by Andrew McGee and seconded by Louis Akins. McGee, Mr. Kingshill and Akins voted in favor; the motion passed. The motion approved the variance consistent with UDO 11.15 F 2, based on the staff report, submitted findings of fact and substantial compliance with the submitted site plans.

The petitioner said the 248,000-square-foot facility’s operation will be different from a traditional warehouse because many deliveries will be parceled out to drivers in passenger vehicles who pick up items on-site for next-day or same-day delivery. Tuohy said the operation could employ up to about 150 people on a shift and that the cars would typically be on-site for short periods, necessitating more striped parking for frequent turnover. Planning staff compared Whitestown’s standards with nearby jurisdictions including Brownsburg, Plainfield, Carmel and Noblesville in reviewing the request.

The board closed the item with the approval and moved on to other business; no additional conditions were imposed on the variance during the meeting.