Z-8782 Staff AnalysisSUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENTS
JUNE 27, 2012
ITEM NO.: 7. WILLIAMS TEMPLE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT
NW CORNER OF 19T" AND COMMERCE STREETS Z-8782
Planning Staff Comments:
1. This property was replatted as Lot 1, Williams Temple Church of God in Christ Single Lot Addition for
this church on September 15, 2011. There is no use issue.
2. Provide information on building design; height, roof, exterior materials.
3. Will there be a steeple? If so, how tall?
4. Are any additional uses requested; such as day care, private school, Mother's Day out, food pantry or
indigent services?
5. Provide signage plan.
6. Provide typical days of activities.
7. Provide dimensions of parking stalls, driveway widths, landscape strips or perimeters.
8. Ninety (90) parking spaces are required, sixty-seven (67) are proposed. Where will other twenty-three (23)
vehicles be located?
9. The property is located in the Central City Redevelopment Corridor Design Overlay District which
includes the following design regulations:
1. Roofline. A roof pitch of less than 4:12 shall be prohibited.
2. Materials. The materials of the exterior shell shall be wood, brick or a material that resembles
wood.
3. Orientation. The orientation shall be consistent with that of other structures on the developed
block face.
4. Entrances. The primary entrance shall be consistent with that of other structures on the developed
block face.
5. Parking. Parking shall be prohibited in the front yard setback.
6. Nonresidential setbacks. Nonresidential new construction shall be sited at the front property line of
the block face.
Variance/Waivers:
Parking variance.
Front and rear yard setback.
Public Works:
1. All old curb cuts should be closed with new curb and gutter.
2. Driveway locations and widths do not meet the traffic access and circulation requirements of
Sections 30-43 and 31-210. Only 1 driveway is allowed for the parking lot on Commerce St. A variance
must be requested for the location of the drive thru driveways on Commerce St and the driveway on 19th
Street. The width of driveways must not exceed 36 feet.
3. At time of building permit, sidewalk with appropriate handicap ramps are required to be installed along
19th Street in accordance with Sec. 31-175 of the Little Rock Code and the Master Street Plan.
4. At time of building permit, repair or replace any curb and gutter or sidewalk that is damaged in the public
right-of-way prior to occupancy.
5. A 10 ft drainage easement should be platted along the west property line where the existing drainage ditch
is located.
7. County Planning: Noted
& Cata: Noted
9. Planning Division: Noted
10. Landscape: We request a variance from the 9' buffer requirement along the west
property line; the 20' buffer along the north property line; we are providing a 12'-0"
buffer along 19th street property line all other comments are noted.
Should you have any questions, please contact me at 501.372.2230.
Sincerely, ,
WOODS'&ROUP AR- f HI ECT ,
/ 1
Ro 0 ds, A A, NOMA,
July 19, 2012
ITEM NO.: 7
FILE NO.: Z-8782
NAME: Williams Temple Church of God In Christ —
Conditional Use Permit
LOCATION: NW corner of 19th and Commerce Streets
OWNER/APPLICANT: Williams Temple/Ron Woods, Architect
PROPOSAL: A conditional use permit is requested to allow for the
construction of a new church and parking lot on this
vacant, R-4 zoned property.
1. SITE LOCATION:
The site is located at the northwest corner of East 19th and Commerce
Streets.
2. COMPATIBILITY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD:
Although the neighborhood is primarily single family residential, there are
other uses in the immediate vicinity; including a day care center, several
other churches and a school. A day care center is adjacent to the north.
The existing Williams Temple Church is located across Commerce Street.
A church is located diagonally across the intersection to the southeast.
Other churches are located one block to the west and one block to the
north. Two blocks to the south uses include a beauty salon, a City Alert
Center and a City Park. The property to the west is vacant.
It appears that the proposed church is compatible with uses in the area.
Notice of the public hearing was sent to all owners of properties located
within 200 feet of the site and the Downtown and Pettaway Park
Neighborhood Associations.
3. ON SITE DRIVES AND PARKIN
The new church will have a sanctuary seating capacity of 360 persons,
requiring 90 on -site parking spaces. The applicant is proposing to provide
67 spaces on -site. That number may be slightly reduced by a possible
requirement for additional interior landscape islands and a requirement for
modification of the northeast corner of the parking lot. The church is
currently located across Commerce Street and has existed for many years
with no on -site parking. Under this current proposal, some parking will
continue to occur on area streets. Some members, no doubt walk to
July 19, 2012
ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.
FILE NO_: Z-8782
church from the surrounding neighborhood. The parking lot will have
access from both Commerce and 19th Streets. A one-way drop-off drive is
located under a canopy at the front of the church.
4. SCREENING AND BUFFERS:
Site plan must comply with the City's minimal landscape and buffer
ordinance requirements.
A nine foot (9') wide land use buffer is required to separate this proposed
development from the residential property on the western perimeter of the
site. Currently, this area is not meeting this minimum requirement.
Seventy percent (70%) of these buffers are to remain undisturbed.
Easements cannot count towards this meeting this minimal requirement.
The zoning buffer ordinance requires a nine foot (9') wide street buffer
along Commerce Street. This site is located within the designated Mature
Area of the City; therefore, six foot nine inches (6-9") is ample. However,
if the parking lot is redesigned allowing only one driveway additional green
space maybe an option with the re -design.
The zoning buffer ordinance requires an average twenty foot (20') wide
street buffer along 19th Street and is in no case to be less than half, ten
foot (10'). Current, proposal is not averaging twenty foot (20').
Curb and gutter or another approved border will be required to protect
landscaped areas from vehicular traffic.
The landscape ordinance requires a minimum of 8 % of the paved areas
be landscaped with interior islands of at least 7 '/2 feet in width and
150 square feet in area.
One half (1/2) of all the trees on the site must be of an evergreen variety.
A small amount of building landscaping will be required.
An automatic irrigation system to water landscaped areas will be required.
Street trees are highly recommended.
The property to the north and to the west is zoned residential, therefore, a
six (6) foot high opaque screen, either a wooden fence with its face side
directed outward, a wall, or dense evergreen plantings, is required along
the northern and western perimeters of the site.
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July 19, 2012
ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.
FILE NO.: Z
The City Beautiful Commission recommends preserving as many existing
trees as feasible on this site. Credit toward fulfilling Landscape Ordinance
requirements can be given when preserving trees of six (6) inch caliper or
larger.
5. PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS:
1. All old curb cuts should be closed with new curb and gutter.
2. Driveway locations and widths do not meet the traffic access and
circulation requirements of Sections 30-43 and 31-210. Only
1 driveway is allowed for the parking lot on Commerce St. A variance
must be requested for the location of the drive thru driveways on
Commerce St and the driveway on 19th Street. The width of
driveways must not exceed 36 feet.
3. At time of building permit, sidewalk with appropriate handicap ramps
are required to be installed along 19th Street in accordance with Sec.
31-175 of the Little Rock Code and the Master Street Plan.
4. At time of building permit, repair or replace any curb and gutter or
sidewalk that is damaged in the public right-of-way prior to occupancy.
5. A 10 ft drainage easement should be platted along the west property
line where the existing drainage ditch is located.
6. UTILITY, FIRE DEPT. AND CATA COMMENTS:
Wastewater: Sewer available to this project.
Entergy: No comment received.
Centerpoint Energy: No comment received.
AT&T (SBC): No comment received.
Water: All Central Arkansas Water requirements in effect at the time of
request for water service must be met.
Contact Central Arkansas Water regarding the size and location of the
water meter.
If there are facilities that need to be adjusted and/or relocated, contact
Central Arkansas Water. That work would be done at the expense of the
developer.
Contact Central Arkansas Water if additional fire protection or metered
water service is required.
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July 19, 2012
ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont-
FILE NO.: Z-8782
The Little Rock Fire Department needs to evaluate this site to determine
whether additional public and/or private fire hydrant(s) will be required. If
additional fire hydrant(s) are required, they will be installed at the
Developer's expense.
Due to the nature of this facility, installation of an approved reduced
pressure zone backflow preventer assembly (RPZ) is required on the
domestic water service. This assembly must be installed prior to the first
point of use. Central Arkansas Water (CAW) requires that upon installation
of the RPZA, successful tests of the assembly must be completed by a
Certified Assembly Tester licensed by the State of Arkansas and approved
by CAW. The test results must be sent to CAW's Cross Connection
Section within ten days of installation and annually thereafter. Contact the
Cross Connection Section at 377-1226 if you would like to discuss
backflow prevention requirements for this project.
Fire Department: Approved as submitted. Fire hydrants (per code).
Maintain access at least twenty (20) foot wide.
County Planning: No Comments.
CATA: The nearest CATA bus route is located along Rock Street and E.
21 st Street.
SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT:
(JUNE 27, 2012)
The applicant was present. Staff presented the item and noted additional
information was needed regarding building design and height, signage and
typical days of activities. The applicant was asked if any additional activities
such as day care, private school, Mother's Day Out, food pantry or indigent
services were being proposed. Staff asked the applicant to provide dimensions
on the site plan of parking stalls, driveway widths, landscape strips and
perimeters and to indicate if a steeple was proposed. It was noted that 67 of the
required 90 parking spaces were being provided on site. Staff asked what
provisions were being made for the other spaces. The design regulations for the
Central City Redevelopment Corridor Design Overlay District were presented. It
was noted that it appeared the new development would comply with those
regulations.
Landscape Comments were discussed. It was noted that there were minor
deficiencies in the proposed landscape areas and a variance would be needed to
allow the buffer on the west perimeter to be located in an easement.
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July 19, 2012
ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.
FILE NO.: Z-8782
Public Works Comments were discussed. The applicant was advised to
eliminate one of the two proposed driveways into the parking lot on the
Commerce Street side. Staff stated they would support driveway spacing and
separation variances to allow the other proposed driveways. Staff stated they
would work with the applicant to determine exactly where a drainage easement
was needed along the west perimeter to accommodate an existing drainage
ditch.
The applicant was advised to respond to staff issues by July 3, 2012. The
Committee forwarded the item to the full Commission.
STAFF ANALYSIS:
Williams Temple Church of God In Christ is requesting approval of a conditional
use permit to allow for construction of a new church building on the vacant, R-4
zoned property located at the northwest corner of Commerce and East 19tn
Streets. The church is currently located across Commerce Street to the east and
has been part of the neighborhood for many years.
The new development will consist of a single, one-story building and a 67± space
parking lot. The building will have a brick and E.I.F.S. exterior with an
architectural standing seam metal roof. The building will have a height of 40'8" to
the peak of the roof with a height of 12 feet to the eaves. A steeple will have a
height of 777' (measured from grade). The building will contain a sanctuary,
classrooms, offices, a fellowship hall and kitchen. A driveway canopy will extend
out from the front of the building to the Commerce Street property line. Side yard
setbacks are 8'5" (north) and 215' (south). Required side yards are 5'. A rear
yard setback of 11'9" is proposed. The typical ordinance requirement is 25'. A 0'
front setback is proposed for the canopy extension over the drop-off driveway.
The Central City Redevelopment Corridor Design Overlay District actually
requires the 0' front yard setback for new nonresidential structures.
Activities and days and hours of use will be those typical for a church. No
additional activities such as day care, private school, Mother's Day Out, food
pantry or indigent services are proposed. Signage will consist of that allowed in
the office and institutional zones. A dumpster with required screening will be
placed at the northwest corner of the parking lot, near the church.
The applicant responded to issues raised at Subdivision Committee, some of
which are noted above. One of the proposed driveways off of Commerce Street
has been eliminated. There are single driveways off of Commerce and 19tn
Streets providing access to the parking lot. A one-way drop-off driveway is
located at the front of the building off of Commerce Street. Staff supports
driveway spacing and separation variances to allow the driveways as now
proposed.
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July 19, 2012
ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-8782
A ten foot easement is shown along the west property line to accommodate an
existing drainage ditch. The entirety of the required land use buffer along the
western perimeter will now be within easements. Typically, easement area
cannot be counted toward fulfilling buffer requirements. Staff supports a variance
to allow the buffer within the easement. Screening can still be accomplished
through construction of a wood privacy fence along the west property line or
dense evergreen plantings outside of the ditch.
The revised site plan does not show the required sidewalk along 19th Street. It
will need to be indicated on the plan prior to building permit submittal. Where the
second driveway that was removed from the Commerce Street frontage was
located, the applicant has indicated a back-up maneuvering area extending to
the property line. That maneuvering area will need to be removed and the
perimeter landscape strip extended along the parking lot. One of the parking
spaces in this area of the parking lot will need to be removed to provide back-up
maneuvering area. Again, this will need to be indicated on the plan prior to
building permit submittal.
To staff's knowledge, there are no other outstanding issues. The applicant has
done a good job of designing a plan for this infill development within a mature
urban part of the City. The reduction in buffer areas and driveway variances are
relatively minor when contrasted with the positive impact of the new development
by this church which desires to remain in the neighborhood.
The property is located in the Central City Redevelopment Corridor Design
Overlay District which includes the following design regulations:
1. Roofline. A roof pitch of less than 4:12 shall be prohibited.
2. Materials. The materials of the exterior shell shall be wood, brick or a
material that resembles wood.
3. Orientation. The orientation shall be consistent with that of other structures
on the developed block face.
4. Entrances. The primary entrance shall be consistent with that of other
structures on the developed block face.
5. Parking. Parking shall be prohibited in the front yard setback.
6. Nonresidential setbacks. Nonresidential new construction shall be sited at
the front property line of the block face.
The development complies with the DOD design standards. The property was
replatted as Lot 1, Williams Temple Church of God In Christ Single Lot Addition
for this church on September 15, 2011. There are no use issues which would
violate the bill of assurance.
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July 19, 2012
ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-8782
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the requested CUP subject to compliance with the
comments and conditions outlined in Sections 4, 5 and 6 of the agenda staff
report.
Staff recommends approval of the requested driveway spacing and separation
variances to allow the driveways as proposed.
Staff recommends approval of the requested street and land use buffer width
variances and variances to allow the western perimeter buffer to be located
within an easement and to allow disturbance of that buffer subject to screening
and planting being installed along the western perimeter to comply with Code
standards.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION:
(JULY 19, 2012)
The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the
item and a recommendation of approval as outlined in the "staff recommendation"
above. There was no further discussion. The item was placed on the consent
agenda and approved as recommended by staff, including all staff comments and
conditions. The vote was 9 ayes, 0 noes and 2 absent.
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