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ORDINANCE NO. 15,434 216
AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE FOURCHE DISTRICT
LAND USE PLAN AS THE GUIDE FOR FUTURE LAND
USE DECISIONS IN THE DISTRICT AND OTHER ISSUES.
WHEREAS, the Office of Comprehensive Planning studied
the existing land use and zoning patterns and other issues
affecting the Fourche District and developed a land use plan
and text to guide future land use decisions when in the
district; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission reviewed the plan and
after a public hearing recommends the adoption of the plan;
and
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors recognizes the need for
comprehensive plans for all planning districts to provide
for proper growth and stability in areas of the City.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS OF THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS.
SECTION 1. The Fourche District Land Use Plan, as
referenced in the attached text and map, is hereby adopted.
PASSED:
June 21, 1933
ATTEST: __ APPROVED: —
i y Cler Jane Czech M or Lottie Shackelford
APPROVED AS TO FORM: G --
City Attorney
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FOURCHE DISTRICT LAND USE PLAN
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The Fourche District is located southwest of downtown with
most of the land within the "Fourche Bottoms." The north
boundary is Roosevelt /Asher Avenue, the west boundary is
University Avenue, the east boundary is the Union Pacific
Railroad /Arch Street Pike, and the south boundary is the
east -west half section line of Sections 19 through 22. A
sketch plan was previously prepared for Asher Avenue in the
Asher /Mabelvale Pike intersection area. The recommended
land uses from the sketch plan are used as the primary basis
for the land use plan for the Fourche District.
EXISTING LAND USE
The majority of the land area is open space /floodplain. The
land is used though for agriculture, a private landfill
(BFI), and a private airfield. This area is commonly called
the Fourche Bottom. On high ground along Mabelvale Pike,
industrial (open storage) uses exist. However, most of the
urban development is found along University Avenue and the
several blocks south of Asher Avenue /Roosevelt Road.
Large shopping centers can be found on all four corners of
the University /Asher Avenue intersection, creating a
regional shopping area. As one proceeds east along Asher
Avenue, a mix of commercial and industrial uses are
observed. Generally, the commercial is auto related - repair
shops, gasoline stations. Several large industrial uses are
also found along Asher. These industrical sites are
generally set back from Asher and are well maintained.
Continuing east along Roosevelt Road, the uses change to
public (institutional), commercial (motel) and industrial.
In character the area appears institutional /industrial. Due
to the types of use, lack of landscaping, condition of
structures and off - street parking, the Asher corridor does
not have a positive image. Another element producing the
corridor's imaqe is the vacant (abandoned) commercial
structures.
Off Asher Avenue there is a scattering of residential
structures. About a dozen residences are located along 30th
to 31st Street west of Brown Street, and another small
pocket of homes is at the south terminus of Maple Street u
(east end). However, the largest residential area is south
of the Asher /Mabelvale Pike intersection. West of Mabelvale
Pike, a block, about a dozen structures are still in use,
while on the east side a larger area of several dozen homes
can be found.
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EXISTING ZONING
Most of the Fourche Bottoms is outside of the City limits
and, therefore, not zoned. The areas with zoning are
generally along and south of University Avenue, Asher Avenue
and Roosevelt Road. The zoning pattern is much the same as
the existing land use pattern, though the area is zoned with
more industrial ( "I -2 ") than the land use would indicate.
The commercial center at the intersection of University
Avenue and Asher Avenue is zoned commercial with most of the
area along Asher /Roosevelt zoned industrial ( "I -2 ") with
some commercial ( "C -3" and "C -4 ") zoning scattered in. The
only residential zone ( "R -3 ") remaining on a major road
(Roosevelt) are the public use areas (state and county),
which are actually more capatible with industrial uses than
residential uses.
The largest area of residential zoning ( "R -2" and "R -3 ") can
be found on either side of Mabelvale Pike (particularly
east), south of Asher Avenue. Industrial ( "I -2" and "I -3 ")
surround the residential zones.
ROAD SYSTEM
Four arterials border or go through the Fourche District
Planning Area. They are University Avenue (a major
north -south arterial), Asher Avenue /Roosevelt (a major
east -west arterial), Mabelvale Pike (a segment of a
north -south arterial), and Arch Street (a north -south
arterial). Asher /Roosevelt, Mabelvale Pike, and Arch Street
are not constructed to their respective arterial standard,
though Asher /Roosevelt is close. As for Mabelvale Pike,
monies were approved in a recent bond issue to improve this
arterial. The City has a higher standard for nonresidential
local streets than for residential local streets. Thus,
some local streets have or may become substandard with a
change in land use. In some places (around Brown and Maple
Streets), the streets do not meet residential standards.
With any new development, existing road deficiencies should
be reviewed and appropriate action taken to widen the
streets to the appropriate width.
PHYSICAL.CONSTRAINTS
The Fourche District gets its name from the largest natural
feature in the area - Fourche Creek. This creek has had a
history of flooding. Though monies have and are being
directed to improve the Fourche and reduce flooding through
the Corps of Engineering Fourche Project; flooding will
always be an important consideration in the district due to
the low elevation of much of the land. Most of the area is
in the floodway (approximately 78 percent) and is included
as a
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park /open space in the City's Master Par s Plan. In any
case, the 78 percent of the district in the floodway is not
developable due to federal regulations. when the floodwav
areas are excluded, urban development is limited to along
University Avenue and an area south of Asher Avenue/
Roosevelt Road.
POPULATION
The number of people living in the Fourche District is
small, less than 550 in 1980. Since parts of 8 census
tracts are in the district, most of the population
characteristics are withheld; thus at best a sketchy image
is available. First, of the people in the district, fully a
third reside at the county hospital site, where the Pulaski
County Detention Center is located. This leaves just over
350 persons who live in the district by choice (not in group
quarters).
In general, those people living in the district are white
(over 80 percent). This is higher than the City average
which was 66.3 percent. However, the distribution of the
over 65 and under 18 years of age groups is similar to the
City average. (For those under 18, the district percentage
was about 22 percent, while the City's was about 29 percent,
and for those over 65 the district percentage was about
8 percent, while the City's was 11 percent).
The unit information was equally sketchy. However, from the
available information, the renter /owner distribution is the
reverse of the City average. In the City as a whole, about
59 percent of the units are owner occupied. This compares
with 33 percent for the district. The percentage of one
person households is the same in the district and City
(approximately 28 percent of households). From the
information available, the average district household could
be said to be renter and white.
PLAN
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The Land Use Plan recommends that most of the Fourche
District be open space /parkland. Since much of the district
is within the Fourche floodway, this is the logical use.
(A park development proposal will be presented later.) The
plan map shows the 200 plus acres commonly called Worth
James Airport as an airport. The proposal presented is to
continue using the site as an airport,landfill and
agriculture uses, making improvements to the facilities -
hangers, runways, roads, and related. The park /open space
areas around the airport site should help improve the safety
and reduce noise problems for the airport as well as protect
the Fourche system.
At such time as the landfill operation is completed in the
Worth James property, the final runway configuration will be
laid out with land support structures constructed to produce
a functioning first class private airport for south central
Little Rock. It is envisioned that small corporate planes
could utilize the facility, which is close to a large
industrial district. The areas of the Worth James property
not utilized to serve the needs of the expanded airport are
recommended for an agricultural use.
-- As for the developable land within the Fourche District
Plan, the majority is recommended for industrial use due to
zoning and current use. The industrial use area is south of
Asher /Roosevelt, extending to the floodway. However,
adjacent to Asher /Roosevelt, commercial use is recommended
with industrial and public /institutional areas to break the
commercial strip. One should note that the uses along this
arterial are similar in nature though in different land use
categories.
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The commercial uses along University Avenue are .auto (car
sales) and highway (motel) oriented, with a large retail
shopping center at the intersection of University Avenue and
Asher Avenue. Another retail commercial area is along
Mabelvale Pike - a small center. Three areas of
office /warehouse light industrial uses are proposed in the
district. Each is a transition from an industrial use area
to a commercial or multifamily use area. The first area is
east and south of a large commercial site (motel) off
Roosevelt. The area has a slope that makes large industrial
development unlikely. However, smaller, light industrial
uses might prove more appropriate with the surrounding use
and existing topography.
An area of light industrial uses is suggested for the area
west of Mary Street as a transition to a proposed
multifamily development. The third area is along and west
of Mabelvale Pike along Polk Street. The light industrial
use is recommended due to the small parcel size and as a
transition to commercial retail uses.
Two areas of multifamily use are recommended. One is north
_ of West 49th Street. Due to the cost of building in the
=- - floodplain, multifamily is recommended rather than single
family. The 65th Street East District Plan calls for single
=..- -- -- - family use south of the site, thus the multifamily should be
-- low density or a high density single family use (zero lot
line, etc.). The second multifamily area is currently used
for single family units and a block of commercial (motel).
This area is recommended for multifamily use much as an area
just north of the Mabelvale Pike /Asher Avenue intersection
for the following reasons: First, to provide more housing
for U.A.L.R. students; second, multifamily is an appropriate
intensification with the surrounding use and zoning pattern;
third, to help "clean up" the land use pattern in the area.
FOURCHE BOTTOM PARR PLAN
The Fourche Bottoms have been shown as a park /open space
area for several decades. The latest proposal for
developing the area recreationally is shown on the plan map.
National trails and canoe launches are proposed so that
individuals will be able to experience this unique natural
area. An Environmental Education Center is proposed for a
location just north of Scott Hamilton Drive to provide
information about the area. Also, included in the park
proposal is the expansion of the Interstate Park softball
complex and how these existing parks (Craig, Southside, and
Interstate) will be connected with trails as part of the
Fourche development. The Bottoms could become a centerpiece
and tourist attraction with the implementation of such a
proposal.
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Office of Comprehensive Planning
FOURCHE DISTRICT
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