HomeMy WebLinkAboutCBC_01 03 2019The City Beautiful Commission held its regular meeting at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday,
January 03, 2019, at Curran Hall, 615 E. Capitol Avenue. Chairman, Harvey called the meeting to
order.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Michael Harvey Ed Peek
Steve Homeyer BJ Sanders-Woods
Bobby Cushman Bob Winchester
Melissa Henshaw
MEMBERS ABSENT: Robert Walker
Three Open Positions
ALSO PRESENT: Beth Carpenter, City Attorney’s Office
D.Tracy Spillman, Plans Development Administrator, Department
of Planning and Development, City of Little Rock.
APPROVAL OF THE DECEMBER MEETING MINUTES:
Chairman Harvey entertained a motion to approve the December 2018 Minutes.
Motion: Commissioner Homeyer made a motion that the December 06, 2018 Minutes be
approved.
Second: Commissioner Peek seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
VARIANCE REQUEST: CBC CASE #664 - Southwest corner of E. 4th Street and Collins
Street
Variance Requested:
To allow a reduction of the south perimeter planting strip to less than the six (6) feet nine (9)
inches that is typically required for developments in areas designated "mature" by the
Department of Planning and Development and approved by the Planning Commission and the
City Beautiful Commission.
FINDINGS:
Holiday Inn Express is proposing to construct a new hotel on the Urban Use (UU) zoned
property In the Presidential Park Overlay District located at the southwest corner of E. 4th
and Collins Streets. The proposed site consists of a half-block, bounded by E. 4th Street at the
north, Collins Street at the east and Rector Street at the west. The adjacent property to the south
is vacant and also zoned UU. The UU district was established to help create a dense, compact
distinguishable core area which allows for a broad mix of uses. The proposed hotel is compatible
with how this area is developing.
This property is located in the former manufacturing/warehouse district of the City. This area is
changing significantly with the reuse of the former manufacturing buildings with new uses such
as microbreweries, E-stem school, the President Clinton Presidential Park and Heifer
International office building. The bordering streets of this property are two (2) lane. Rector
Street is a north bound one way running parallel with the adjacent I-30 expressway. This street
includes a curb and sidewalk adjacent to the proposed hotel property while 4th and Collins
Streets are constructed with curb only, much of which is broken and/or missing.
Interior parking, perimeter, and building landscape areas are not required for developments in the
UU district. However, proposed developments that do include surface level parking areas
are required to meet current zoning and landscape code specifications. As part of this
new development the applicant purposes to provide interior parking. The perimeter planting
areas associated with this new parking area meet or exceed the minimum width requirements
on the north, east, and west, street sides of the property while the south perimeter is
deficient by approximately four (4) feet nine (9) inches.
Due to the location of existing utilities the north façade of the proposed building has not been
placed on the property line adjacent to 4th St which would be allowable in the UU district. This
setback along with the minimum sixty (60) foot width required for the double loaded parking in
the rear of the building will not allow for the south perimeter planting strip to be constructed at
the required minimum width of six (6) feet nine (9) Inches. In addition a retaining wall is to be
placed along the south property line within the remainder of this planting strip which will leave a
green space which will only be approximately two (2) feet in width between the wall and the
proposed paving.
This 280 linear foot vehicular use area and planting strip adjacent to the neighboring south
property would normally require nine (9) trees and twenty-eight (28) shrubs. Excluding street
trees a 25% reduction of the landscape requirements is allowable in areas designated as
mature. After this reduction the total number of trees and shrubs to meet the minimum
landscape requirements for the overall project would be twenty-seven (27) trees and ninety-
four (94) shrubs The submitted landscape plan shows a total of thirty-three (33) proposed trees
and three hundred and six (306) shrubs. The trees that are required to be placed along the south
perimeter planting strip are shown to have been relocated to other areas of the site. This surplus
of trees and shrubs brings the total landscape quantity requirements above the code minimums.
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Due to the required south perimeter trees being relocated to other areas of the site and the
proposed additional plant materials Staff is supportive of the request to allow a reduction of
the south perimeter landscape strip to a minimum width of two (2) feet. Staff recommends
approval of the requested variance.
Presentation:
Mr. Phillip Lewis of Phillip Lewis Engineering, Inc was present to address any specific questions.
Also, in attendance were two representatives from Hastings Reality, stating that their company
owned the adjacent property.
Mr. Lewis indicated that the summary provided by Staff was correct and that without the addition
of the off street parking his client felt that this would not be a viable project.
Staff inquired of the Hasting Reality representatives if they required any additional information or
would need to add anything to the discussion. The representatives informed the committee that
they were in attendance to only observe.
Commissioner Homeyer inquired about the vegetation cover that would be provided for the
remainder of the reduced perimeter planting strip. Both turf and groundcover were generally
discussed without any resolve but it was agreed by Mr. Lewis that due to maintenance requirements
groundcover would be a better choice.
There were no other questions and Chairman Harvey entertained a motion to approve the variance.
Motion: Commissioner Henshaw made a motion that the variance be approved as recommended
by Staff.
Second: Commissioner Sanders-Woods seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
TREASURER’S REPORT:
Expense Report:
Commissioner Cushman stated that the account activity between December 01, 2018 and
January 01, 2019 had resulted in an increase of interest in the amount of $.65. The commissioner
also stated that the total of the account is now $407.99.
COMMITTEE REPORTS, UPDATES:
Community Projects
City Hall South Yard:
Commissioner Homeyer stated that there was nothing new to report.
Public Relations
Commissioner Henshaw stated that the CBC Facebook page had receive two (2) new “likes” since
the last meeting.
KLRB:
Commissioner Henshaw reported that the KLRB retreat has been scheduled for January 2019. In
addition it was stated that the Rainbow Bridge pet memorial planned for Allsopp Park continued
to be discussed at the last meeting.
Adopt-A-Street:
The commissioners generally discussed possible dates for the next litter pickup and decided that a
date will be decided at February’s meeting.
Eye of the Beholder:
Commissioner Sanders-Woods inquired if any of the commissioners had copies of the revised
award notices. Commissioner Homeyer stated that he was in possession of these and would bring
to the retreat.
Commissioner Sanders-Woods also opened a discussion of possible seasonal landscape awards
and if the existing signs could be altered to commemorate holiday displays.
Landscape Awards:
Commissioner Homeyer stated that there is nothing new to report.
T.R.E.E Fund:
Commissioner Homeyer stated that the latest T.R.E.E. Fund project located at 4400 W. Markham,
Arvest Bank has been completed.
Commissioner Homeyer also requested that Staff provide an updated balance for the T.R.E.E.
Fund.
City Beautiful Exhibit:
The commissioner’s generally discussed where the exhibit items are located and where they can
be displayed in the future.
NEW BUSINESS:
The commissioners discussed the annual retreat. It was agreed that the retreat would be held
from 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm on January 23, 2019 at the offices of Mangan Holcomb Partners with
Julie Robbins facilitating.
Motion: Commissioner Henshaw made a motion to provide a gift card to Ms. Robbins in
the amount of $150.00 to the Rejuvenation Day Spa, with Commissioner Homeyer purchasing
the gift card and being reimbursed by the commission.
Second: Commissioner Peek seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The next regularly scheduled meeting will be Thursday, February 07, 2019, at 11:30 am.
The next Adopt-A-Street pickup will be decided at the next meeting.
ADJOURNMENT:
Commissioner Harvey entertained a motion to adjourn.
Motion: Commissioner Peek made a motion to adjourn.
Second: Commissioner Henshaw seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:06 pm.
LITTLE ROCK CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT - 723 WEST MARKHAM - LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS 72201
PHONE: 501 371-4864 FAX: 501 371-6863 E-MAIL: DSPILLMAN@LITTLEROCK.GOV