Z-8769 Staff AnalysisMAY 21, 2012
ITEM NO.: 2
File No.: Z-8769
Owner: Welspun Tubular, LLC.
Applicant: Terry Watson/Cromwell Architects Engineers
Address: 8200 Frazier Pike
Description: South side of Frazier Pike, east of Thibault Road
Zoned: 1-3
Variance Requested: A variance is requested from the buffer provisions of Section 36-
522 to allow a building addition with reduced street buffer.
Justification: The applicant's justification is presented in an attached letter.
Present Use of Property: Vacant Industrial Buildings
Proposed Use of Property: Pipe Manufacturing
STAFF REPORT
A. Public Works Issues:
No Comments
B. Landscape and Buffer Issues:
1. The zoning street buffer requires an average fifty foot (50') wide, and in no
case to be less than half, street buffer along Frazier Pike Road. The site
plan proposed doesn't meet this minimal ordinance requirement.
2. An automatic irrigation system is required for all the newly landscaped
areas.
3. A landscape plan with the Seal of a Registered Landscape Architect from
the State of Arkansas per Chapter 15, the Landscape Ordinance, is
required prior to the issuance of a building permit.
4. The City of Little Rock and the City Beautiful Commission recommend and
appreciate any/all additional trees being planted on the site.
5. The site plan appears to meet the minimal green space areas to meet
Chapter 15, the Landscape Ordinance.
MAY 21, 2012
EM NO.: 2 (CON'T
C. Staff Analysis:
The 1-3 zoned property at 8200 Frazier Pike is occupied by a multi -building
industrial development. A large industrial building is located within the west half of
the property, with paved vehicular use/parking areas on all sides of the structure.
Smaller buildings are located northeast, southeast and west of the large industrial
building. Access drives from Frazier Pike serve the site.
The applicant is proposing to construct an addition to the south side of the large
industrial building, as noted on the attached site plan. As part of the project, the
storage building at the southeast corner of the large industrial building will slightly
be reduced in size. A small equipment building will be relocated to the west side of
the large industrial building. Additionally, a gravel storage yard will be created
within the east half of the property.
Section 36-522(b)(4)b. of the City's Zoning Ordinance requires a 50 foot wide
average street buffer along the north, Frazier Pike, property line based on the
proposed building expansion project. The minimum street buffer width is 25 feet.
The existing and proposed street buffer ranges in width from 10 feet (adjacent to
the employee parking lot) to 35 feet (adjacent to the new gravel storage yard and
at the northwest corner of the site) as noted on the attached site plan. The
applicant has noted that the average street buffer as proposed is 25 feet.
Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to allow the reduced street buffer
as proposed in conjunction with the building expansion and redevelopment project.
Staff is supportive of the requested buffer variance. Staff views the request as
reasonable. Except for the new gravel storage yard, no new elements of the
redevelopment project will be located along the street frontage. A new landscaped
area will be located at the northwest corner of the site as well as additional interior
landscaping to be installed within the existing employee parking lot. The applicant
will install the required number of plantings within the proposed/existing street
buffer areas. The site is completely surrounded by industrial uses and zoning. As
such, no land use buffers are required along the interior property lines. Staff
believes the redevelopment plan for the property, as proposed with decreased
street buffer will have no adverse impact on the adjacent properties or the general
area.
D. Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommends approval of the requested street buffer variance, subject to the
following conditions:
1. Compliance with the City's Landscape Ordinance (Chapter 15) with
respect to the number and size of plantings required within the
existing/proposed street buffer area.
2. Compliance with the Landscape comments as noted in paragraph B. of
the staff report.
MAY 21, 2012
ITEM NO.: 2 (CON'T.
BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT: (May 21, 2012)
The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the
application with a recommendation of approval, with conditions.
The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and approved, as recommended by staff,
with a vote of 4 ayes, 0 nays and 1 absent.