Z-8647 Staff AnalysisFILE NO.: Z-8647
NAME: Good Shepard Short -form PD-R
LOCATION: Located at 2901 Aldersgate Road
DEVELOPER:
Autumn Group, Inc.
7624 Cantrell Road
Little Rock, AR 72227
ENGINEER:
White-Daters and Associates
24 Rahling Circle
Little Rock, AR 72223
ARCHITECT:
Terry Burruss
614 Center Street
Little Rock, AR 72201
AREA: 2.0 acres
CURRENT ZONING:
ALLOWED USES:
PROPOSED ZONING
NUMBER OF LOTS: 1
OS, Open Space
Open Space
PD-R
FT. NEW STREET: 0 LF
PROPOSED USE: Allow grading within the previously zoned OS area
VARIANCES/WAIVERS REQUESTED: None requested.
BACKGROUND:
Ordinance Number 14,624 adopted by the Little Rock Board of Directors on March 20,
1984, rezoned some 100+ acres from R-2, Single-family to OS, Open Space, MF-12
and MF-18. The area proposed for grading with the current request was identified as
Tract 4 and contained 5.617 acres. The OS zoned strip extended along the eastern
FILE NO.: Z-8647 (Cont.
boundary of the Good Shepard property and was indicated with a maximum width of
150-feet. Ordinance Number 15,226 adopted by the Little Rock Board of Directors on
December 16, 1986, appears to be a duplicate ordinance rezoning the properties once
again to OS, Open Space, MF-12 and MF-18.
A. PROPDSAL/REQUEST/APPLICANT'S STATEMENT:
The applicant is now requesting to rezone a 50-foot by 800-foot OS zoned strip
to PD-R. The request is a companion application to a separate item on this
agenda (S-1515-A, Good Shepard Subdivision Site Plan Review). The
requested rezoning is to allow grading within the OS, Open Space zoned area.
The Site Plan Review application request has located the proposed buildings,
parking, stormwater detention and walking trails outside the OS, Open Space
zoned area located along the southern and eastern portions of the development.
The current request is to allow clearing and grading within the open space area.
The applicant's justification for the grading within this area is to allow a
3 to 1 slope behind Buildings 14 through 17 and eliminate the need for retaining
walls. The cover letter indicates once grading is complete the area will be
seeded and replanted with evergreen trees.
The applicant's cover letter states grading in this area will enhance the open
space buffer. He states during the winter months, the proposed units and the
existing Kensington homes will have visibility through the existing open space
buffer. He states with the proposed evergreen screen, homes will be screened
during all times of the year.
The property is not located within a recorded subdivision therefore, there is not a
bill of assurance for this property.
All Utility, Fire Department, Technical Design and Public Works comments are
addressed with the Site Plan Review request Item #2, Case File # S-1515-A.
B. EXISTING CONDITIONS:
The property is wooded located south and east of the existing Good Shepard
residential towers. The property is currently zoned OS, Open Space containing
just over 5 acres. There are single-family homes located to the east within the
Kensington and Twin Lakes Subdivisions. South of the OS zoned property is
property zoned POD owned by Arkansas Hospice which is undeveloped.
Southwest is property developed by Our Way as residential housing. To the
west of the OS zoned property is MF-12 and MF-18 zoned property currently
being considered for development as senior apartment housing as a companion
application to this request.
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FILE NO Z-8647 (Cont.)
C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS:
As of this writing, staff has not received any comment from area property owners.
All property owners located within 200 feet of the site, the John Barrow
Neighborhood Association, the Twin Lake A Property Owners Association, the
Twin Lake B Property Owners Association, the Twin Lakes B Special
Recreational Improvement District and the Kensington Place Neighborhood
Association were notified of the public hearing.
D. SUBDIVISiON COMMITTEE COMMENT: (January 5, 2011)
This item was not specifically discussed at the Subdivision Committee meeting
held January 5, 2011. The item is a result of the Subdivision Committee meeting
and issues raised concerning the placement of improvements within the OS,
Open Space zoned area. For Subdivision Committee comments please see the
companion request Item #2 Case File # S-1515-A.
E. ANALYSIS:
The applicant submitted a revised cover letter and a rezoning request to resolve
issues raised at the January 5, 2011, Subdivision Committee meeting. Based on
the need to grade the site and provide 3 to 1 slopes in lieu of retaining walls the
applicant has filed a companion application for the adjacent site. This request is
to rezone a portion of the OS zoned property to PD-R. The area proposed for
grading and rezoning is a 50-foot by 800-foot strip containing less than 2 acres.
The grading will occur With the development of an adjacent multi -family
development. The grading activities will not Occur until a building permit is issued
for buildings within the Phase I portion of the adjacent development.
The applicant has indicated the grading will take place behind Buildings
14 through 17. Once grading operations are complete, the area will be seeded
and replanted with evergreen trees. The applicant's cover letter states grading
in this area will enhance the open space buffer. He states during the winter
months, the proposed units and the existing Kensington homes will have visibility
through the existing open space buffer. He states with the proposed evergreen
screen, homes will be screened during all times of the year.
Staff is supportive of the requested rezoning. Staff feels there should be
conditions placed on the approval. Staff feels the tree placement should be
15-feet on center and the trees should have a minimum caliper of two (2) inches
and be a minimum of six (6) to eight (8) feet in height at the time of planting.
Staff also feels the reseeding and placement of evergreen plantings should occur
with the completion of the grading activities. To staff's knowledge there are no
remaining outstanding technical issues associated with the request.
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FILE NO.: Z-8647 (Cont.
F. STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the request to rezone the area from OS, Open
Space to PD-R to allow grading within the area. Staff recommends upon
completion of the grading the area be reseeded and evergreen trees be planted
with a minimum caliper of two (2) inches, and a minimum height of six (6) feet
place 15-feet on center.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION-
(JANUARY 27, 2011)
Mr. Joe White of White-Daters and Associates was present representing the request.
There were no registered objectors present. Staff presented the item with a
recommendation of approval of the request to rezone the area from OS, Open Space to
PD-R to allow grading within the area. Staff presented a recommendation that upon
completion of the grading the area was to be reseeded and evergreen trees to be
planted with a minimum caliper of two (2) inches, and a minimum height of six (6) feet
place 15-feet on center.
There was no further discussion of the item. The Chair entertained a motion of approval
of the item as presented by staff. The motion carried by a vote of 9 ayes, 0 noes and
2 absent.
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