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boa_09 17 1973LITTLE ROCK BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT MINUTES SEPTEMBER 171973 MEMBERS PRESENT L. Dickson Flake, Vice Chairman S. Spencer Compton Walter E. Vroman MEMBERS ABSENT Lawrence S. Woolsey M. R. Godwin STAFF PRESENT Don R. Venhaus John L. Taylor Richard W. Wood W. Mike Dooley James P. Light, Jr. Dorothy Light OTHERS PRESNT F. Fulton, Gazette Reporter R. Armbrust, Democrat Reporter David Henry, City Attorney 2:00 P.M, There being a quorum present, the meeting was called to order by the vice chairman. A motion was made for approval of the minutes of the last meeting, which was seconded and passed. Action was taken on the following advertised items: Item No. 1 - Z-23_44�A_. Applicant: Carl Keller Location: 4200 Block West 12th Street (south side) Description: Lots 1 through 6, Block 1, Sidney J. Johnson Addition and all of Lot 1, Block 2, Sidney J. Johnson Addition and all of that portion of Abigail Street lying between said lots Present Classification: "F" Commercial District Variance: Requests a variance from the screening provisions of Sec. 43-21 (H-b) of the Code of Ordinances to permit deletion of parking lot screening requirement Sta Rarnmmenda_ The Staff recommends approval of variance subject to applicant submitting landscaping plan for review and approval by Staff. Mr. Robert Robinson with the firm of Robinson & Wassell Architects, Inc. Little Rock Board of Adjustment Minutes September 17, 1973 _ 2. was present to represent the applicant. He stated that they basically were asking for this variance on screening for two primary reason: (1) the screening requirements from leaving these driveways on a rather high speed street, 12th Street (2) the case history of the 12th Street one-half block is going "F" Commercial. So, because of that we are asking for the variance of the screening only on the north one-half of this block. Mr. Venhaus outlined the Staff's recommendation as follows: The Staff recommends that the 4 ft. fence be waived on the north one-half of this block as requested. In lieu of that, a landscape plan be submitted by the applicant for the Staff's approval. It would not be the Staff's intent, or the Board of Adjustment, that the landscaping be so compact that it would take the place of the screening fence. In other words, the purpose would be to break up the general figuration of the site and provide attractive public exposure on all sides of the site from the adjacent streets. On the west line of the property there is an exist- ing large, heavy, extremely dense hedge, and we have in mind a retention of that hedge. We think it is an exceptional opportunity to provide a good separation between the offstreet parking and the residential use to the west. On 12th Street, there is a 32 ft. area available between the property line and the back line of the sidewalk. This area could be utilized for low -line shrubs interspersed with trees. We are not laying down any spacing requirements at this point and it is not our intention that it be a solid kind of landscaping but it be balanced along 12th Street. The same requirements would apply to the Lewis Street exposure on those areas with the same kind of street treatment that will apply to 12th Street, all of the six islands shown on the parking lot be accorded some kind of landscaping. There was one petition with 25 signatures of objectors. Mr. Compton asked Mr. Robinson if in his opinion, on the west property line where there is some change of grade of maybe 3 ft. where they would have to do some grading to be able to accomplish a parking lot, could they retain that heavy screen? Mr. Robinson replied that this is a wedge-shaped fill from almost zero at West 12th to the alley line of being about a 2 ft. of fill waiving the grade in order to divert all water back toward 13th Street. The area is rather tight between curb and property line. It is also a wedge -shape of possibly 2 ft. down to 4 toward the alley in width. Those property lines are not all 90' to each other. I would say that the screen could be maintained. It is a large growth now and hedge is a very tough plant. We would have to clean some of it out in order to get our fill and curb lines back in. Mr. Compton asked if there was any effort being made to save the trees? Mr. Robinson stated that the applicant has given orders to survey the trees and to shift the islands in order to get the largest amount of trees adjacent to those islands to maintain the healthiest and best trees in the area. That survey has not been done as yet. We drew the islands without having any survey of the existing trees. Little Rock Board of Adjustment Minutes September 17. 1973 _ 3. Mr. Thomas B. Jamison, 4305 West 12th Street, was present in opposition. He stated that he owns Lots 2 and 3, Block 2, which is the property on 12th Street just west of the first one that is requesting omission of the screening. The hedge they are talking about is more honeysuckle than it is hedge. Theneis no fence or physical barrier that would keep people from going through it. My house is about 12 ft. from that property line. Since Mr. Keller owns the land back of me facing 12th Street and the lot next to me, he has got me in an "L" where the people will be coming across my lot going to the store. My driveway is on the west side of the house. Personally, I don't see any use of any screen- ing on 12th or Lewis Streets. They are separated there from the property owners by streets. But here, I am sitting right out in the middle of his parking lot. He will be on the east and south side of me, and the traffic will come right through my yard if they don't stop it with some kind of physical barrier. I am not going to maintain 140 ft. of hedge for this store area. If you waive this screen then I will have to put a fence across there. In my opinion, I should not be required to do it. Mr. Robinson said that they would offer to get a price for a fence and perhaps split the difference with Mr. Jamison (opaque or wooden type of fence). Mr. Robinson stated he would like to withdraw the ordinance request on the west property line. A motion was made to approve the variance provided the applicant submit a landscape plan for the West 12th Street and Lewis Street sides of block. This plan is to provide for landscaping the area between the sidewalk and property line with low shrubs intermingled with trees. The traffic islands within the parking lot to be located in such a manner as to save as many existing trees as possible. Motion carried. DEFERRED MATTERS Item No. 1 - Z-2756 Applicant: Various owners by J. C. Burckart Location: 1100 Block North University Ave. (west side of street) Description: Lots 7R and 8R of a replat of Block 8, Pleasant Hills Addition Present Classification: "E-l" Quiet Business District Variance: Requests a variance from the Sign Area Provisions of Sec. 43-6 of the Code of Ordinances to permit sign larger than permitted 8 sq. ft. Staff Recommendation: This case was deferred at the August 20th Board meeting in order to provide proper, notice to adjacent property owners. The Staff reaffirms its previous recommendation: "The Staff recommends denial of variance request as filed. The proposed signs would be out of character with signing in this area of University Avenue. The Board in the past has generally maintained the ordinance requirement of 4. Little Rock Board of Adjustment Minutes September 17, 1973 _ 8 sq. ft. in this area, and the Staff position has been that 8 sq. ft. is not in all cases sufficient or appropriate. The Staff would inter- pose no objection to a sign area larger than 8 sq. ft. provided such sign were building mounted and designed as an integral part of the structure. There were several objectors present. Mr. Burckart was present and said that he wished to put the signs in the parkway area rather than mounted on the building. Lettering to be about 8 inches in height. The building is used frequently in the evenings and we felt like the signs placed in the parkway would be seen more easily by the car lights. Mrs. Fred Morrow, 1100 North Arthur Street, was present in opposition. Her property is directly behind subject property. She stated that they had not been shown what he proposes to do. She asked to see a copy of the proposal. She also asked to have a letter of opposition read from Mr. Gayle Windsor. She made reference to the following things that had not been done in the development of this property; saving of certain trees, planting of certain trees, and construction of wall. The Board denied the requested variance and approved the erection of 2 signs, one for each street frontage, not to exceed 12 sq. ft. each F in area. The signs to be building mounted. OTHER MATTERS Board review of Staff proposal to amend By -Laws to provide for a new property owner notification procedure and other items. Mr. Wood presented the proposed amendments regarding notification of l property owners, and the design of signs which are placed on the subject property. A member suggested that the date of the meeting be placed on the signs if possible. The Board made several suggestions and indicated the Staff should present this issue to the Planning Commission for their comments and then the Board would consider this item at the following meeting. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:25 p.m. k Don R. Venhaus, Secretary L. Dickson Flake, Vice Chairman