pc_03 22 1988LITTLE ROCK PLANNING HEARING
MARCH 22, 1988
1:00 P.M.
I. Roll Call and Finding of a Quorum
A quorum was present being nine in number.
II. Approval of the Minutes of the Previous Meeting
The minutes were read and approved as mailed.
III.Members Present: David Jones
Bill Rector
Martha Miller
Rose Collins
Stephen Leek
Richard Massie
Jerilyn Nicholson
Fred Perkins
Walter Riddick, III
Members Absent: Grace T. Jones
John Schlereth
City Attorney: Pat Benton
March 22, 1988
PLANNING HEARING
Item No. A - Revised Master Street Plan
NAME: City of Little Rock
LOCATION: Planning Area of Little Rock
REQUEST: Adopt a New Master Street Plan
STAFF REPORT:
After review, the City Engineering and Planning staff
proposed that the City of Little Rock revise the Master
Street Plan to: (1) resolve conflicts with the existing
plans, (2) have an easily understood map, and (3) make sure
the plan reflects a network which serves the needs of Little
Rock and conforms to statewide legislative standards. The
plan shows the locations of existing and proposed roadways
by functional classification (expressway/freeway, principal
arterial, minor arterial, collector, and local streets).
The accompanying text describes the standards for each
classification and lists the roadways.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Deferral - Staff has recently learned that the Highway
Department will have additional data on traffic demands
ready in the next few weeks which could indicate
modifications are necessary. In addition, the local
engineering community has expressed a desire to review the
plan with staff. To allow time for this review, additional
time is needed.
The staff requests that the item be deferred to the
December 29, 1987, Planning Commission hearing.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (November 17, 1987)
This item was moved to the end of the agenda. Due to the
lack of time, no discussion occurred. All Commissioners
with changes were asked to meet with staff after the
meeting. The item was deferred to the December 29 meeting.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Presentation and review of the plan map and text with final
action to be made at the February 9 meeting of the Commission.
March 22, 1988
PLANNING HEARING
Item No. A - Continued
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (December 29, 1987)
Staff went over changes to the text. The Commission asked
that copies of the plan be sent to local developers. The
item was deferred to the February 9 meeting on a vote of 10
ayes, 0 noes and 1 absent.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION:
(February 9, 1988)
Staff reviewed the changes to the text and discussed Phase
II of the street plan. A discussion of opening Capitol
Avenue and Main Streets followed. A motion to defer a final
vote on the Master Street Plan to the March 22 meeting was
made and seconded. The motion was approved on a vote of 12
ayes, 0 noes. A second motion was made for staff to attend
the February 25 Metrocenter meeting and present the
information as well as give a recommendation concerning the
opening of Capitol and Main Streets in the present Main
Sreet Mall. The motion passed on a voice vote.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (March 22, 1988)
Jim Lawson introduced the street plan and asked if there
were any questions. A discussion of Capitol Avenue and Main
Street followed with Sterling Cockrill of Metrocentre
presenting Metrocentre's position. In order to not hold up
the street plan any further, the Commission decided to leave
the downtown streets section out. On a voice vote, the
Master Street Plan as amended was approved unanimously.
March 22, 1988
PLANNING HEARING
Item No. 1 - Gever Springs West Land Use Plan
NAME: City of Little Rock
LOCATION: An area bound by the County
Line (south) a line
along Forbing Road continuing
a mile west (north) Geyer
Springs Road (east) a line
along Heinke Road continuing
a couple of miles north
(west).
REQUEST: To approve a land use plan for
the District.
STAFF REPORT:
As part of the continuing effort to provide land use plans
for the entire Little Rock planning area, this plan is
presented for consideration. The District is in Southwest
Little Rock between Heinke and Geyer Springs Roads and the
County Line to Forbing Road. (see sketch)
The plan recommends maintaining the existing land use
pattern north of Mabelvale Cut-Off Road. Only buffer (open
space) and transition use areas have been added to the
existing land use pattern in the northern portion of the
District. The southern area is mostly undeveloped at this
time. The plan recommends most of the southern area to be
residentially developed with a small amount of commercial to
provide necessary services to the residents.
Several small lots/small units subdivisions have been
proposed for this area and the plan encourages a variety of
low-density multifamily and high-density single family uses
included in the same subdivision. A large park is also
proposed for an area south of Mabelvale Cut-Off Road along
Geyer Springs Road as regional park for Southwest Little
Rock.
Notices have been put up in the District and published in
the Arkansas Gazette.
March 22, 1988
PLANNING HEARING
Item No. 1 - Continued
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approval.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (March 22, 1988)
Walter Malone of the Planning staff presented the plan for
the West Geyer Springs District. A discussion about the new
park site and addition of nonresidential nodes at the
arterial intersections with the South Loop followed. Staff
asked that a Parks Plan amendment be made later when
specifics will be discussed. Mrs. McCaleb of the Pulaski
Homeowners' Association expressed her opinion that it was
unconstitutional for the City to plan outside the City
limits and requested that the areas outside of Little Rock
be deleted from the plan. The Planning Commission amended
the plan to include node areas at the intersections of the
South Loop with Chicot and Geyer Springs Roads, which should
be studied further at a later date for more exact
delineation. A motion was made to approve the plan as
amended. The motion passed unanimously by voice vote.
March 22, 1988
PLANNING HEARING
Item No. 2 - Arch Street District Land Use Plan
NAME: Arch Street District Land Use
Plan - City of Little Rock
LOCATION: East of Arch Street Pike,
South of I-30, West of U.S.
65/167, North of the Saline
County Line
STAFF REPORT:
The Arch Street District Land Use Plan is one in a series of
plans designed to cover all sections of the City of
Little Rock. The Arch Street District encompasses roughly
nine square miles in the extreme southeastern portion of the
City of Little Rock. It is bounded, approximately, by I-30
and the Little Rock city limits line on the north, Arch
Street Pike on the west, U.S. 65/167 on the east, and the
Saline County line on the south.
The majority of the district is currently occupied by mining
and mining related uses. These land use types are expected
to remain and to dominate the northern two-thirds of the
district. Single family uses dominate the southern
one-third of the district. This section is shown as
predominately single family with existing mobile home parks
being shown as MH/LDR. The plan would support the
conversion of overcrowded mobile home parks to other low
density multifamily uses. The plan seeks to provide
adequate areas for both neighborhood commercial uses and
public recreational uses. Commercial uses are indicated in
selected areas on Arch Street Pike and Sweet Home Cutoff.
Park areas are shown along the southern portion of Arch
Street Pike.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
The staff recommends approval of the plan.
March 22, 1988
PLANNING HEARING
Item No. 2 - Continued
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (March 22, 1988)
Ann Razer of the Planning presented the plan. General
discussion followed on the plan. Mr. David Smith expressed
some concern about the City having a land use plan outside
the City and expressed his opposition to the plan.
Ms. Elizabeth Emerson expressed her concern that the City
would force her out of her home and that she was against the
City planning outside the City limits. Mrs. Catherine Ort
said she had the same concerns Mrs. Emerson had expressed.
Mrs. Annette McCaleb stated that she felt the plan was
unconstitutional because it was outside the City limits.
She asked questions about what requirements property owners
would have to fulfill for additions, opening a garage, etc.
Mrs. McCaleb asked that there be a meeting in the area.
Mr. Tommy Evans spoke in opposition to the plan stating that
nothing good had come from Planning and that the City was
only preventing him from further use of his property as he
wishes. The Commission asked those opposed to the plan if
they would talk about the land use plan and alternatives or
only debate the legality of planning outside the City
boundaries if a meeting was held. They further stated that
if there would be a useful exchange then a meeting could
prove useful to all. Mrs. McCaleb and Mr. Evans for the
Pulaski homeowners said if the staff came without an already
locked-in plan there could be a discussion. A neighborhood
meeting is scheduled for April 21 at 7 p.m. at Green's
Family Restaurant on Arch Street Pike.
The Commission approved the motion to defer to May 17, 1988,
the Arch Street Pike Plan and called on staff to meet with
the property owners to discuss the plan prior to that time.
March 22, 1988
PLANNING HEARING
Item No. 3 - Fourche District Land Use Plan
NAME: City of Little Rock
LOCATION: South of Asher /Roosevelt/
MoPac Railroad to the
mid-section line of Sections
19 through 22 and east of
University Avenue to Arch
Street.
REQUEST: Approve the recommended land
use plan.
STAFF REPORT:
The Fourche District Plan is presented as part of the
continuing efforts to provide land use plans for the entire
Little Rock planning area. The District is located in the
Fourche Bottoms to University Avenue and Asher /Roosevelt
Road. (see sketch)
The plan recommends industrial or light industrial use for
the northern portion of the District with some commercial
along the major arterials. In addition, two areas of
multifamily use are shown. One of these is currently a
single family area surrounded by industrial uses and the
second area is just north of 49th Street overlooking the
Fourche Bottoms with single family uses adjacent. These
multifamily areas could provide needed UALR housing stock.
Most of the area within the District is floodway land and is
thus shown as open space and/or park land. A revised
Fourche Bottoms Plan is included (updated by the Parks
Department).
Notices have been posted and public notice published in the
Arkansas Gazette.
March 22, 1988
PLANNING HEARING
Item No. 3 - Continued
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approval.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (March 22, 1988)
Walter Malone of the Planning staff presented the plan with
Julius Breckling and Bill Bunten outlining the Fourche
Bottoms Park Proposal. Some concern was expressed about
showing the Worth James property as open space /parkland.
Staff said that the Land Use Plan was only showing what the
adopted Parks Plan had called for as open space and parkland
and nothing more. Staff informed the Commission that a
request for rezoning of the Asher Avenue Drive-In had come
in and that staff would recommend that the plan be amended
to show the area commercial in conformance to their request.
A motion was made to approve the plan as amended showing the
area west of Coleman Creek commercial except the Coleman
Dairy site. The vote was 8 ayes, 1 no, and 2 absent to
approve the plan.
March 22, 1988
PLANNING HEARING
Item No. 4 - Oak Forest Plan Amendment
NAME: City of Little Rock
LOCATION: North of Asher from Fair Park
Boulevard to Washington.
REQUEST: Modify the Oak Forest Plan
STAFF REPORT:
At the request of the City Manager, the Planning staff
examined the Asher corridor from University Avenue to Elm
Street to recommend a future land use pattern for the area.
A Sketch Plan was completed and some differences between the
adopted Oak Forest Plan and the Sketch Plan appeared. After
further review, the following changes appeared appropriate
due to the existing zoning and land use patterns.
1. Commercial to multifamily - the west side of Anna
Street south of 32nd Street.
2. Multifamily to duplex - the west five lots on the south
side of 31st Street west of Madison.
3. Duplex to single family - the south side of 30th Street
west of Adam.
4. Single family to office - Lots 16 and 17 on the north
side of 30th Street west of Washington.
5. Single family to commercial - Lots 18 through 22 on the
north side of 30th Street west of Washington.
6. Multifamily to commercial - Lots 1 through 3 on the
west side of Washington south of 30th Street.
7. Multifamily to single family - three lots south of 31st
Street on the west side of Madison.
8. Multifamily to commercial - the north side of 30th
Street from Peyton to Washington.
March 22, 1988
PLANNING HEARING
Item No. 4 - Continued
The neighborhood committee chairman has been notified of
these amendments and a notice published.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approval.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (March 22, 1988)
Walter Malone of the Planning staff presented the amendments
to the Oak Forest Neighborhood Plan. After some discussion
of why the staff was recommending the amendments, a motion
was made to approve the amendments. It passed by a vote of
8 ayes, 1 no, and 2 absent.
March 22, 1988
PLANNING HEARING
Other Items
A. Changes in the Planning Commission Calendar
A discussion about conflicts with the May 3 and June 14
meetings followed. In order that Commissioners might
attend the Planning Workshop, the June 14 meeting was
cancelled by unanimous vote of the Commission.
B. Clarification of "OS" Buffer Area (Z-4577)
Mr. Greeson, Director of Planning, explained that a
conflict had arisen over a 180-foot "OS" zone on the
Port District Plan (and the official zoning map of the
area). After discussion, the Commission decided (1)
that in order to have a smaller "OS" buffer, a zone
change is necessary, and (2) to remove the numbers
representing the width of "OS" buffers on the Port
District Plan map.
C. Distinguished Development Award Criteria and Process
Mr. Greeson, Director of Planning, presented the new
award form, criteria, and process, and briefly reviewed
their contents. Some concern was expressed that the
award should not become an architectural award. On a
voice vote, the Commission approved the new award
form, criteria, and process.
There being no further business before the Commission, the
meeting was adjourned at 3:30 p.m.
Date
Secretary Chairman