CBC_03 03 2016
The City Beautiful Commission held its regular meeting at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday,
March 03, 2016, at Curran Hall, 615 E. Capitol Avenue. Chairman Ed Peek called the meeting
to order.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Ed Peek Chris Morgan
Steve Homeyer Janet Wilson
Chris Hancock Bob Winchester
Wally Loveless Carrie Young
MEMBERS ABSENT: Jordan Thomas
Becka Webb
One Open Position
ALSO PRESENT: Beth Carpenter, City Attorney’s Office
D. Tracy Spillman, Plans Development Administrator, Department
of Planning and Development, City of Little Rock
Dana Carney, Zoning and Subdivision Manager, Department of
Planning and Development, City of Little Rock
APPROVAL OF THE MAY MINUTES:
Chairman Peek entertained a motion that the Minutes from the previous month be approved.
Motion: Commissioner Winchester made a motion that the February 04, 2016 Minutes be
approved.
Second: Commissioner Loveless seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Variance Request: CBC Case # 646, Coulson
FINDINGS:
The UU zoned property at 800 South Broadway is currently occupied by an existing convenience
store that takes a large portion of the block. There is a vacant fast food restaurant on the south
portion of the block (not under this applicant’s ownership) and a vacant non-residential building
located along West 9th Street (owned by this applicant). Currently the store is located along South
Broadway Street with two (2) fuel locations, (1) one on West 8th Street and one (1) on South
Broadway Street.
The applicant has requested a rezoning from the UU (Urban Use District) to a PCD (Planned
Commercial Development) to allow the redevelopment of an existing convenience store with gas
pumps with a new convenience store with gas pumps. The new construction is proposed to follow
the design concepts of the UU Zoning District by bringing the building up to the street frontage,
placing the vehicular use area behind and to the side of the building, incorporating street trees and
adding green space (landscaping) in areas that currently have no landscaping.
While proposing to increase the landscape areas the applicant is also requesting that a portion of
the proposed shrubs be less than the required eighteen (18) inch height minimum at installation
and also specifying shrub material that will not reach a mature screening height of thirty (30) to
forty-two (42) inches. The shrubs proposed between the drive lane and the South Arch Street right-
of-way are specified to reach a mature height of thirty (30) to thirty-six (36) inches while the shrub
material adjacent to the drive and parking south of the West 8th Street right-of-way are specified
at mature height of eighteen (18) to twenty-four (24) inches. In addition to the reduction of the
plant material height it is also being requested that breaks be allowed in the required continuous
vehicular screen adjacent to the South Arch and West 8th Streets right-of-ways. The applicant and
owner of the development believe that by reducing the height and screening requirements adjacent
to these streets in the back portion of this property security will be increased for patrons not using
the Broadway entrance.
The applicant is also requesting that the building landscape areas be allowed at the north and south
ends of the structure rather than between the public parking and the area immediately adjacent to
the building. The facade of the building is approximately eighty-five (85) linear feet facing the
parking area. The required landscape area would be approximately two hundred and fifty-five
(255) square feet. As proposed the building landscape areas consist of approximately five hundred
and ninety (590) square feet and introduce twice the amount of plant material that would be
required for the building.
On February 25, 2016 (file no. Z-9104) the Planning Commission reviewed the request to rezone
the property from UU (Urban Use Zoning District) to PCD (Planned Commercial District). This
request addressed variations from the UU concerning signage, transparent window display,
driveways, the spacing of street trees, the elimination of a street tree on Broadway due to a conflict
with the building canopy, and the elimination of street trees along South Arch and West 9th Streets
due to existing overhead and underground utilities. Staff was supportive of the applicants request
and felt that the applicant had done and adequate job in addressing and adhering to the design
development standards of the Urban Use Zoning District. The Planning Commission voted
unanimously to approve the applicant’s request.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff is supportive of the request to allow a height reduction in the shrub material at installation
and maturity, to allow breaks in the vehicular use area screening shrubs adjacent to the West 8th
Street and the, South Arch Street right-of-ways, and to allow the building landscape areas to be
located at the north and south ends of the structure and not directly between the parking and the
building.
Presentation:
Mr. Kyle Blakely of Development Consultants, Inc. introduced himself, Mr. Robert Brown also
of Development Consultants Inc., and representatives of Coulson Oil. Mr. Blakey went on to
briefly describe the proposed development and the reasons for seeking the variances. Mr. Blakely
noted that the UU guidelines are being followed and stated the request for smaller plant materials
and breaks in the screening was due primarily for security reasons. He also stated that trees will
be placed in the screen breaks. Mr. Blakey then went on to explain that the request to move the
building planting beds to the sides of the structure was due to the overhead canopy placed between
the entry and the parking area.
Commissioner Hancock stated that he believed this development would be an esthetic
improvement to the area.
Commissioner Homeyer inquired if the planters shown on the east side of the structure would be
raised or at grade. Mr. Blakely explained that these would be at grade
Commissioner Loveless inquired about the buildings adjacent to the project and the commissioners
briefly discussed these.
Commissioner Winchester inquired about street lighting and it was noted that this was not within
the realm of Chapter 15, or what the CBC could consider.
Chairman Peek stated that he was supportive of the variance as presented and the Staff
recommendations.
CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION ACTION:
Motion: Commissioner Homeyer made a motion that the variance be approved as requested and
as recommended by Staff.
Second: Commissioner Hancock seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
TREASURER’S REPORT:
Expense Report:
In the absence of Commissioner Thomas no report was delivered.
COMMITTEE REPORTS: UPDATES:
Community Projects
City Hall South Yard:
In the absence of Commissioner Thomas no report was delivered.
Public Relations
Website:
Commissioner Morgan stated that the CBC website is no longer active and the link from the City
website should be removed and replaced with a link to the CBC Facebook page.
Commissioner Hancock stated that CBC Facebook page now has 398 “Likes” and Commissioner
Morgan noted that this is exceptional as compared to other city’s Facebook pages.
Commissioner Loveless suggested that other groups who are working on behalf of city
beautification could be recognized on the CBC Facebook page.
KLRB:
In the absence of Commissioner Thomas no report was delivered.
Commissioner Loveless noted that the City wide pick up is scheduled for March 12.
Adopt-A-Street:
Commissioner Loveless stated:
That seven commissioners and two guests turned out to help with the pick-up and it was very
successful.
Eye of the Beholder:
Commissioner Young stated:
There has been no new activity.
Landscape Awards:
Commissioner Homeyer stated:
There has been no new activity.
T.R.E.E Fund:
Commissioner Homeyer stated that the funds have remained unchanged.
Commissioner Loveless stated:
That he is still working on the T.R.E.E Fund project area at Bowman Road and Markham. In
addition, surveys would need to be obtained in order to determine where trees may be place. The
commissioner continued to state that the PAgis system was not accurate concerning the Walgreens
property line on Bowman Road and he has been trying to contact Walgreens headquarters to try
and secure an accurate survey
City Beautiful Exhibit:
Commissioner Loveless stated:
He is in the process of registering all items but has not yet finished.
Other Cities Committee:
Commissioner Morgan stated:
That he had investigated the Birmingham, Alabama equivalent to Little Rock City Beautiful
Commission. This committee is known as The Keep Birmingham Beautiful Commission and was
formerly known as The Birmingham Beautification Board. This commission is comprised of
public and private entities with representatives from Birmingham schools, different power
companies, and businesses alliances. Part of their function is to sponsor city events, cleanups and
competitive landscape awards. In addition they partner with different organizations throughout the
City of Birmingham such as waste management to sponsor events such as urban forestry fairs and
landscape education. It was stated that other than beautification this organization also promotes
city wide events on their Facebook page. Commissioner Morgan then suggested that the CBC also
use its Facebook page to promote Little Rock city events.
Commissioner Morgan then presented his thoughts on how to update the CBC Facebook page by
removing links to the obsolete CBC webpage, having the page “verified” and adding an address
and phone number.
The commissioners discussed possible events and promotions that could be presented on the CBC
Facebook page and verification.
NEW BUSINESS:
Chairman Peek stated:
The CBC retreat will be Wednesday, March 09, 2016 from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm at Mangan Holcomb
Partners in Riverdale. He also stated that he will provide the commissioners with a location map
and will forward last year’s Minutes to Facilitator, Julie Robbins to serve as a guide for this year’s
meeting.
ANOUNCEMENTS:
The next meeting will be, April 07, at 11:30 am.
Adopt-A-Street Pickup will be scheduled at next month’s CBC meeting.
ADJOURNMENT:
Motion: Commissioner Loveless made a motion to adjourn.
Second: Commissioner Young seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:12 pm.
LITTLE ROCK CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT - 723 WEST MARKHAM - LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS 72201
PHONE: 501 371-4864 FAX: 501 371-6863 E-MAIL: DSPILLMAN@LITTLEROCK.ORG
WEBSITE: WWW.LRCITYBEAUTIFULCOMMISSION.ORG