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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