pc_07 26 1988LITTLE ROCK PLANNING HEARING
JULY 26, 1988
1 :00 P.M.
Roll Call and Finding of a Quorum
A quorum was present being ten in number.
II. Approval of the May 3, 1988 Minutes
The minutes were read and approved with the following
amending Worth Jones to Worth James.
III. Members present: David Jones
Bill Rector
Martha Miller
Rose Collins
Stephen Leek
Richard Massie
Grace T. Jones
John Schlereth
Fred Perkins
Walter Riddick, III
Members absent: Jerilyn Nicholson
City Attorneys
Present: Mark Stodola
Stephen Giles
IV. Presentation.
Richard Massie who has resigned from the Planning
Commission was presented with a plaque for his service
to the City.
JUNE 26, 1988
PLANNING
Item No. 1A
Request: Board of Directors consideration of an
amendment package providing for thirty -
four amendments of the subdivision
regulations dealing with discretionary
authority of the Planning Commission.
This package of amendments was generated
by action of the Arkansas Supreme Court in
the Richardson Case.
Content: This amendment package provides for the
elimination of most entries in the
regulations where "may" should be "shall ".
There are six instances where a provision
is entirely deleted.
There is one instance of a design standard
being modified. (cul -de -sac length)
Staff Recommendation:
The staffs of the City Attorney's Office and the Planning
Department have spent many hours in reviewing each provision of
the Subdivision Ordinance with a veiw toward elimination of those
that conflict with the recent Richardson court ruling.
The staff is comfortable with the revisions as presented and
recommends approval.
Planninq Commission Action: (7- 26 -88)
There were no objectors in attendance. The proposed amendments
were presented by Mark Stodola, City Attorney. Mr. Stodola
presented an overview of the process leading to preparation of
the amendments and reminded the commission that they had reviewed
part one of this effort two weeks earlier. That part dealt with
modifying the variance section of the Subdivision Ordinance
providing for the Board of Directors approval of all variances.
Mr. Stodola offered general comments on the content of this
Ordinance Package to the effect that the various changes
eliminate discretionary language and inserts shall in place of
may. He responded to questions as to why certain paragraphs
would retain the word "may ". He stated that his charge was to
eliminate the discretionary may when it had a direct financial
impact on the project.
Several Commissioners then questioned Mr. Stodola about various
entries and the effect of their application.
JUNE 26, 1988
PLANNING
Item No. 1A Continue
Some Commissioners expressed a continued concern about the loss
of control over the platting process and casting them in the role
of review for conformance to fixed standards.
The discussion included comments on possible legislation at state
level to correct the circumstances.
A general discussion then followed.
A motion was made to recommend approval of the amendments to the
Board of Directors. The motion passed by vote of 9 ayes, 1 naye,
1 absent.
July 26, 1988
Item No. 1B - Zoning Ordinance Amendments /1988
SUBJECT: Annual Planning Commission review and
recommendations on amendments to the Little Rock
Zoning Ordinance text
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (July 26, 1988)
There were no objectors present. However, there were
several persons present representing the League of Women
Voters. The Planning staff offered the Amendments Package
by way of a brief overview of the actions taken by Staff
during the deferral period since the May meeting.
The several subjects reviewed for further development were
identified as:
1. The ByLaw Amendments dealing with notices to
adjacent property owners,
2. Church parking standards,
3. Zero lot line developments,
4. Enclosure of car washes in "C-3” districts.
A lengthy discussion followed wherein several members of the
Planning Commission expressed concern about some 12 -14 of
the proposed amendments. They expressed feelings that these
items required further review and input, both by the
Commission and others. Mrs. Kathleen Oleson and Mrs. Ruth
Bell, representing the League of Women Voters, offered
comments on several of the items. These were items they had
raised earlier in a communication to Staff. They felt that
their concerns needed additional consideration. The
principle areas identified were in buffering and notices to
adjacent neighbors on rezoning cases.
The Chairman suggested that, in the interest of expediting
the hearing and moving most of these items to the next level
of review, the list be reviewed item by item. The result
would be a separation of the package with the recommended
items to be forwarded to the Board of Directors.
The process produced a list of items from the package that
will be held over until the next Plans meeting in September.
The remaining items consisting of the following will be
forwarded to the Board of Directors for their consideration.
The main body will consist of thirty-four amendments dealing
with technical and procedural items, three attached separate
July 26, 1988
Item No. 1B (Continued)
ordinances will deal with the restructuring of the Planned
Unit Development section to separate short and long form, a
second ordinance dealing with the requirement for dedication
of floodway within subdivision plats, and an ordinance which
will provide for the expansion and continuance of non-
conforming uses through a conditional use process. A motion
was made to recommend the modified Amendments Package to the
Board of Directors. The motion passed by a vote of 9 ayes,
0 noes, 2 absent.
July 26, 1988
PLANNING HEARING
Item No. 2 - Parks Plan Amendment Package
NAME: Park System Master Plan
Amendments
LOCATION: Various
STAFF REPORT:
Three changes to the Master Parks Plan will be presented for
the Commission's review. They are:
1. The relocation of the Port Park Site.
2. The addition of a community park for Southwest Little
Rock.
3. The removal of the Worth James Airport from the Fourche
Bottoms Park.
The site currently shown for the east Little Rock
neighborhood or Port Park is no longer available for park
use. However, within the same park sub -area, a site has
been located, the east end of Gate Island, to provide the
neighborhood park needs of the area. (See sketch 2 -A)
The Airport currently owns this property and has been
receptive to developing a park on the site. (with Parks
Department maintenance)
The second amendment results from the recommendations of the
Geyer Springs West Land Use Plan for additional park
facilities in the area. The Parks and Planning staffs met
with representatives of Hendrix College about a large park
site west of Geyer Springs Road and south of Mabelvale
Cut -off. At the meeting the representatives suggested
adding an area east of Geyer Springs Road as well. The
Staff worked up legal descriptions of both sites which were
forwarded to Hendrix in mid -May. To date, all parties have
supported the park use for these two sites. (See sketch
2 -B)
The third amendment comes from a request from Mr. Gaston
Gibson, Trustee for the Worth James Trust, to remove the
Worth James Airport from the Parks Plan. (See sketch 2-C)
This request would remove approximately 200 acres of the
Fourche Bottoms between Mabelvale Pike and the Union Pacific
Railroad tracks from the Fourche Bottoms Park. Mr. Gibson
July 26, 1988
PLANNING HEARING
Item No. 2 - Continued
has informed the City Staff that the site shall be
maintained as an airport.
An exhibit is attached with the generalized legal
description for each amendment. These legals will be added
to the Parks Plan text if the Commission and Board of
Directors approve this amendment package.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approval of the amendment package.
LANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (July 26, 1988)
There was discussion about the removal of the Worth-James
site from the Fourche Bottoms Park and about access and uses
for the Gates Island Park site (boat ramps, etc.). Items
two and three were combined and approved together by
unanimous voice vote.
July 26, 1988
PLANNING HEARING
Item No. 3 - Revision to the Extraterritorial Plan
NAME: Extraterritorial Plan Revision
LOCATION: West of the City of Little Rock
STAFF REPORT:
The extraterritorial Land Use Map is one of the City's most
in demand plans. Since Realtors, developers, and other
citizens seem to be using this document to make key
decisions in the area, it is important that this plan
reflect accurately the City's plans. There are two major
problems with the map.
1. It does not and has not accurately reflected the City's
adopted Master Street Plan.
2. The Chenal Valley Zoning Plan is somewhat different
than the Extraterritorial Plan would indicate.
Therefore, a plan amendment is presented to make the
Extraterritorial Plan conform to the other adopted City
Plans - Master Street Plan, Upper Rock Creek Plan, and
Chenal Valley Zoning Plan.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approval of the revisions to the Extraterritorial Plan.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (July 26, 1988)
This item was placed with Item two and passed without
comment. The vote was unanimous and by voice.
July 26, 1988
PLANNING HEARING
Item No. 4 - Geyer Springs West District Amendment
NAME: Geyer Springs West District
Amendment
LOCATION: Southwest corner of Geyer Springs
Road and Mabelvale Pike
STAFF REPORT:
An area of + 13.5 acres southwest of the Geyer Springs
Road /Mabelvale Pike intersection is shown as "LMF" Low
Density Multi- family. The owner of the property questioned
this proposal and feels that commercial use would be more
appropriate. A City of Little Rock Board Member has also
asked if some other use than multi - family could be found for
the location. Since the site is at the intersection of two
arterials and a park is to be located adjacent to the site,
Staff would recommend a PUD be required for any non-
residential use. Also, Staff questions the need for
additional commercial since adjacent zoned commercial land
shows no signs of developing. Therefore, a mixed
office /commercial, PUD required, designation has been agreed
to by all parties. The PUD is to make sure access points
are carefully designed and that the site, et cetera, is
appropriate for the proposed adjacent community park.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approval of amending the plan to show the + 13.5 acres
southwest of the Mabelvale Pike /Geyer Springs Road
intersection as office /commercial, PUD required.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (July 28, 1988)
Walter Malone of the Staff presented the proposed changes.
Commissioner David Jones questioned why the change was
requested and stated that he felt it should be considered as
a zone change request so that all issues could be addressed.
Commissioner Rector moved that the item be withdrawn without
prejudice. The Commission approved the motion unanimously
(8, 0, with 3 absent).
July 26, 1988
PLANNING HEARING
DISCUSSION ITEMS
A. NEW PLANNING DISTRICTS
The City recently added areas to the west and south to
the planning area. Since the current planning
districts use the old planning area boundary as the
district boundary, new planning districts are needed
for those areas added to the Little Rock Planning Area.
The Staff will present a new Planning District Map
showing the new districts at the meeting for your
comment.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (July 26, 1988)
No discussion due to the length of time consumed by Item
No. 1.
B. EXTRATERRITORIAL ZONING
The Staff will update the Planning Commission on the
progress made toward zoning the extraterritorial area.
A review of the process used, and to be used, will be
conducted to get the Commission's comments before the
Staff brings the first extraterritorial area to the
Commission for zoning.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (July 26, 1988)
Jim Lawson of the Planning Staff presented a map of the area
showing the area of the first extraterritorial zoning and
described the process which will be followed. Staff will do
a Land Use Plan for the area. After approval of the plan
the area will be zoned "R -2" with property owners allowed to
request different zoning if they provide a legal description
of their site.
July 26, 1988
PLANNING HEARING
DISCUSSION ITEMS
C. THE CITY COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE MAP
Staff will present a mock-up of the map and proposed
support literature to be placed on the map for
discussion.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (July 26, 1988)
Jim Lawson of the Planning Commission Staff talked about
what was going to be put on the map and displayed a mock-up
for the map and layout for the back of the map. No
Commission action was required.
There being no further items, the Commission adjourned at
4:15 p.m.
Date
Secretary Chairman