Avon commission approves Chase Bank redevelopment after petitioners withdraw lighting waiver

The Avon Advisory Plan Commission approved a redevelopment proposal for the Chase Bank property at the southeast corner of US 36 and Avon Avenue and a related minor plat combining three lots into one. The petitioner withdrew a previously requested waiver on average parking-lot lighting after staff analysis showed the proposed plan exceeded the Unified Development Ordinance's (UDO) maximum average parking-lot lighting level.

Paul (staff presenter) described the site and the staff analysis, noting plans otherwise met UDO standards but that the photometric plan showed average parking-lot lighting above the UDO maximum of 1.6 foot-candles in many paved areas. Staff recommended denial of the lighting waiver but supported approval of the development plan review subject to conditions, including a revised landscape plan.

Chad Mays of Kimberly Horn Associates and Amy Ferguson of The Architects Partnership represented the petitioner. Mays said the project team had revised photometric plans and intended to meet the ordinance; "Our intent is to meet the ordinance," he said. Amy Ferguson added that Chase's security standards initially preferred higher foot-candle levels but that the team had worked with security personnel to lower light levels to meet the ordinance.

Ken Kollander of Chase said the new facility is a modernized financial center reflecting changes in banking and thanked staff for their assistance. After the petitioner withdrew the waiver request, the commission approved DPR 25-16 unanimously and then approved MIP 25-03, the minor plat to consolidate the three lots into a single lot, also unanimously.

Conditions of approval include submission of a revised landscape plan to demonstrate compliance with interior parking-lot landscaping requirements and standard technical conditions; if the waiver had been denied, staff would have required a revised lighting plan to comply with the ordinance.