16427ORDINANCE NO.
16,427
11
AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A DESIGN OVERLAY
DISTRICT FOR THE CHENAL /FINANCIAL CENTER
PARKWAY URBAN CORRIDOR PURSUANT TO THE DESIGN
OVERLAY AUTHORITY OF CHAPTER 36 OF THE CODE OF
ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS;
AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
Whereas, the City Board of Directors is committed to
the implementation of the Chenal, Ellis Mountain and 1 -430
Land Use Plans; and
Whereas, the objectives of the adopted plans include:
enhancing the urban design of the corridor, devising land
use patterns consistent with the traffic capacity of Chenal
Parkway and Financial Center Parkway; creation of a parkway
atmosphere along Chenal and Financial Center Parkway with
consistent signage; utilities underground and lighting
directed inward along Chenal Parkway and Financial Center
Parkway to maintain a high service level; providing for
significant redevelopment opportunities at key locations;
and
Whereas, the Little Rock Board of Directors passed an
ordinance providing for the creation of Design Overlay
Districts specifying that the purpose of these districts
would be to protect and enhance the unique natural scenic
beauty or features of selected road corridors, while
providing development opportunities along those corridors;
and
Whereas, the Design Overlay District for
Chenal /Financial Center Parkway is not a substitute for the
Chenal, Ellis Mountain and I -430 Land Use Plans; and
Whereas, a Design Overlay District for Chenal /Financial
Center Parkway is an effort to help make the Chenal, Ellis
Mountain and I -430 Land Use Plans effective; and
Whereas, the City of Little Rock desires to have an
urban corridor comprehensively developed in Little Rock with
increased development standards.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS OF THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS:
SECTION 1. The Little Rock Board of Directors
hereby finds that a comprehensive study of the
Chenal /Financial Center Parkway corridor has been conducted
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and standards have been developed which give consideration
to and are based upon the unique features of the existing
roadway including, but not limited to the largely
undeveloped character of the adjoining properties; the
number and variety of private land ownerships, usages and
zoning classifications; the existing divided roadway and
median design; the character and location of public utility
transmission lines; the absence of significant non-
conforming developments; and the public- private cooperative
plan pursuant to which much of the existing Parkway was
acquired, financed and constructed. Here in, a portion of
the recommendations are included to protect the integrity of
the corridor. The Board further finds that the standards
have been developed after months of discussion, negotiation
and cooperation between the City Staff and many of the
owners of property abutting the Chenal /Financial Center
Parkway corridor. As an exhibit to this ordinance, a
report, developed from those discussions and negotiations,
is attached.
SECTION 2. Pursuant to Chapter 36 of the Code of
Ordinances of the City of Little Rock, an Urban Corridor
Overlay District for Chenal Parkway and Financial Center
Parkway is hereby established as follows:
A. DOD - Chenal /Financial Center Parkway urban
Corridor: Purpose and intent
A Chenal /Financial Center Parkway Urban Corridor
Overlay is hereby established consistent with the objectives
of the Chenal, Ellis Mountain and I -430 Land Use Plans
adopted by the City of Little Rock, and pursuant to the
authority granted under Chapter 36 of the Code of Ordinances
of the City of Little Rock providing for zoning overlay
districts. The purpose of establishing this district is to
protect and enhance the aesthetic and visual character of
the lands surrounding Chenal Parkway and Financial Center
Parkway. In particular, the purposes of this district are:
1. To create a scenic parkway atmosphere with
the removal of adjacent utilities and
control of lighting and signage.
2. To utilize the existing land use plans and
master street plan requirements in creating a
well designed urban corridor.
B. District Boundaries
The District encompasses all land with Chenal Parkway
or Financial Center Parkway frontage lying within 300 feet
of each side of the right -of -way of Chenal Parkway or
Financial Center Parkway. The eastern boundary of the
district shall be the intersection of Financial Center
Parkway and Shackleford Road and the western boundary shall
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be the intersection of Chenal Parkway and Highway 10. in
the case of conflicting standards applicable to property
included within the boundaries of this district and also
within the boundaries of the Highway 10 Design Overlay
District, the Highway 10 Design Overlay District standards
shall control.
C. Application of District Recrulations
The regulations in this ordinance shall overlay all other
zoning districts and other ordinance requirements regulating
the development of land so that any parcel of land lying in
the overlay district shall also lie within one or more of
the other underlying zoning districts. Therefore, all
property within this overlay district will have requirements
of both the underlying and overlay zoning district in
addition to other ordinance requirements regulating the
development of land. In cases of conflicting standards
between this ordinance and other City of Little Rock
ordinances, the overlay requirements shall control. In the
case of conflicting standards applicable to property
included within the boundaries of this district and also
within the boundaries of the Highway 10 Design Overlay
District, the Highway 10 Design Overlay District standards
shall control.
These regulations apply to all development,
redevelopment or expansion of existing development with the
exception of single family and duplex development under
zoning districts 11R -1 ", "R -2", 11R -3" and "R -4 or "PUD"
submissions as required.
D. Site Design and Development Standards
Signage -- Signage shall comply with the Little Rock
Sign Ordinance, except for ground mounted signs. The
maximum size of principal site signs along
Chenal /Financial Center Parkway shall be one hundred
(100) square feet in area and eight (8) feet in height.
Each landowner will be permitted to erect one (1) sign
per parcel, except for parcels fronting on two
different streets upon which one (1) sign per street
frontage may be erected. The signs will be "monument"
type signs.
2. Lighting and Utilities -- Parking lot lighting shall be
designed and located in such a manner so as not to
disturb the scenic appearance of the corridor.
Lighting will be directed to the parking areas and not
reflected to adjacent parcels. All lighting and other
utilities on lots adjacent to Chenal /Financial Center
Parkway which are located in front of the rear line of
the building, or in front of the rear line of the
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building if such lighting and utilities were
constructed prior to building construction, shall be
underground. Notwithstanding the foregoing limitation,
no overhead utilities shall be constructed within one
hundred (100) feet of the Chenal /Financial Center
Parkway right -of -way.
E. Exceptions
The following exceptions shall apply to this ordinance:
1. Planned Unit Development -- Property due to
topography, site, irregular shapes or other
constraints such as adjacent structures or
features which significantly affect
visibility and thus cannot be developed
without violating the standards of this
ordinance shall be reviewed through the
Planned Unit Development (PUD) section of the
zoning ordinance, with the intent to devise a
workable development plan which is consistent
with the purpose and intent of the overlay
standards.
SECTION 3. The Board of Directors hereby finds and
declares that as a result of the current development
pressure along the Chenal /Financial Center Parkway Urban
Corridor, that in order to protect and preserve the health,
safety and welfare of the citizens of this City, an
emergency is hereby declared to exist and this ordinance
shall be in effect immediately upon its passage.
PASSED: June 1, 1993
ATTEST:
City Clerk Robbie Hancock
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Attorney Tom Q4r6enter
#
May Jim Dailey