HomeMy WebLinkAboutCBC_05 02 2019The City Beautiful Commission held its regular meeting at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday,
May 02, 2019, at Curran Hall, 615 E. Capitol Avenue. Chairman, Harvey called the meeting to
order.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Michael Harvey Troy Laha
Steve Homeyer Robert Walker
Phillis Anderson BJ Sanders-Woods
Bobby Cushman Bob Winchester
MEMBERS ABSENT: Melissa Henshaw
Two Open Positions
ALSO PRESENT: D.Tracy Spillman, Plans Development Administrator, Department
of Planning and Development, City of Little Rock.
APPROVAL OF THE APRIL MEETING MINUTES:
Chairman Harvey entertained a motion to approve the April 2019 Minutes.
Motion: Commissioner Homeyer made a motion that the April 04, 2019 Minutes be approved.
Second: Commissioner Walker seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
VARIANCE REQUEST: CBC CASE #666 - 9101 W. Markham - Taco Bueno
Variance Requested:
To allow a waiver of required perimeter landscape strip requirements along the boundaries of the
proposed Lot 2R Barrow Plaza Addition.
FINDINGS:
Taco Bueno located at 9101 W. Markham is included within a larger site known as
Barrow Plaza. This mostly C-3 and partial O-3 zoned property is located on the southwest
corner at the intersection of West Markham and John Barrow Road and was originally
developed to include a 123,880 square foot shopping center. In July of 2017 a site plan
review was conducted and approved by the Little Rock Planning Commission to allow for
the development of a 2,300 square foot stand-alone restaurant with drive-through
service within the C-3, General Commercial District zoned portion of the site.
As part of this new restaurant development the applicant re-striped portions of the parking lot
within the area of development and added building and interior landscape areas. Evergreen plant
materials were also installed around the dumpster enclosure to soften the impact adjacent to the
street while perimeter shrubs and trees were installed adjacent to the existing mature plant
materials in the Markham right-of-way and west perimeter planting strips. With these new
landscape improvements, the perimeter areas currently meet or exceed the minimum code
requirements.
This restaurant development was under a lease agreement with the Taco Bueno owner. The
owners of the shopping center property now wish to create a separate lot around the Taco Bueno
building, to facilitate the sale of the property as a real estate investment/income stream. Since
this site was originally developed as a lease parcel, the normal perimeter landscape strips that
would be placed along the lot lines do not exist while the perimeter planting strips for the
shopping center were used to meet the landscape code requirements. No aspects of the physical
development will change, and the property is only being re-platted to separate the Taco Bueno
property from the remainder of the development.
To re-plat this property and separate the restaurant from the remainder of the shopping center an
action by Little Rock Planning Commission will be required. This request was originally placed
on the Planning Commissions Consent Agenda for April 25, 2019. However, the applicant has
requested a deferral until the July 18, 2019 agenda. Staff is not opposed to the re-plat but does
require that a variance be requested from the City Beautiful Commission to allow this existing
restaurant to remain without the addition of perimeter planting strips if separated from the overall
Barrow Plaza property.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff is supportive of the request to allow the elimination of the perimeter landscape strips from
this newly proposed parcel. All landscape requirements are met within the overall shopping
center development, and there will be no physical improvements to the property with the re-plat
to create a separate property located within and existing development.
Staff recommends approval of the requested variance.
Presentation:
The applicant Mr. Robert Brown of DCI (Development Consultants Inc.) was present to address
any specific questions from the commissioners. Mr. Brown further summarized the project, the
existing conditions, and the history of the restaurant development. Mr. Brown also reiterated that
there will be no physical changes to the site with this variance request.
Commissioner Cushman inquired about the maintenance of the Taco Bueno site. Mr. Brown
stated that the shopping center is responsible for all the property and does not foresee any
changes if the replat is accomplished.
Commissioner Winchester inquired if the variance is approved if it will transfer if the property is
sold. Mr. Brown stated that it is his understanding that the variance will become a part of the
code and transferred with the property if sold.
The commissioners then discussed different physical attributes concerning this site and how it
was developed.
Chairman Harvey entertained a motion to approve the variance.
Motion: Commissioner Homeyer made a motion that the variance be approved as recommended
by Staff.
Second: Commissioner Winchester seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
TREASURER’S REPORT:
Expense Report:
Commissioner Cushman stated that the account activity between April 01, and April 30 began with
a balance of $319.67 The commissioner also noted that an interest payment of $.57 occurred during
the past month netting the account an ending balance of $320.24.
Commissioner Sanders-Woods presented Commissioner Cushman a receipt totaling $45.45 from
Kinko’s for a personal expense that was incurred for printing new Eye of the Beholder certificates.
COMMITTEE REPORTS, UPDATES:
Community Projects
City Hall South Yard:
Commissioner Homeyer stated that there have been no new developments.
Public Relations
In the absence of Commissioner Henshaw there was no new report.
KLRB:
In the absence of Commissioner Henshaw there was no new report.
Adopt-A-Street:
The commissioners generally discussed the date for the next pickup and decided that this would
be scheduled at the next meeting in June.
Eye of the Beholder:
Commissioner Homeyer stated that he had placed a sign in at a recipient’s yard located at
the residence of Adolphus and George Allen, 3306 W. 11th Street.
The commissioners discussed nomination process and the cards that are to be delivered to the
nominees informing them of the award and how they can accept. Commissioner Sanders-Wood’s
volunteered to have additional cards printed and would present these to the other commissioners
at the next meeting.
Chairman Harvey stated that he had nominated a property located at 1511 Center Street.
Commissioner Sanders-Woods presented newly printed Eye of the Beholder certificates to
Chairman Harvey for his signature. Chairman Harvey then gave to Staff to be sign by the Mayor
and sent out as the awards are accepted.
Landscape Awards:
Commissioner Homeyer stated that nominations for this award have opened.
Commissioner Homeyer nominated 11102 Rodney Parham, Bank of the Ozarks Branch.
Commissioner Sanders-Wood nominated 1601 Gaines Street, Gaines Street Baptist Church.
Commissioner Cushman nominated 12814 Cantrell Rd., Keller Williams Office.
Commissioner Walker nominated 5514 Kavanaugh Blvd., Ozark Outdoor Supply.
T.R.E.E Fund:
Chairman Harvey stated that he had spoken with City of Little Rock, Urban Forester Mr. Robbie
Hudson concerning a T.R.E.E. Fund project located at Gains and 16th Street.
Mr. Hudson recommended planting and Chinese Pistache, Golden Rain Tree or Crabapple.
Mr. Hudson also explained the procedure for marking the location of the purposed tree and
calling 811 to identify any utilities in the area.
Commissioner Homeyer stated that he would call Bemis tree farm for pricing of the three trees
choices and mark a possible location for the new tree to be planted and report at the next CBC
meeting.
Commissioner Homeyer stated that he has nothing new to report concerning the additional trees
to be planted on the Bowman Road T.R.E.E. Fund project.
City Beautiful Exhibit:
The commissioners discussed the exhibit materials and where they may be located.
Commissioner Winchester stated that he would contact former Committee Chairman,
Wally Loveless and report back to the other commissioners.
It was also decided that when the materials are located or obtained it will then be decided how
to proceed with the exhibit.
NEW BUSINESS:
Commissioner Sanders-Wood stated that she had contacted the Mayor’s office concerning
inviting the Mayor to attend a CBC meeting. The commissioner was informed that it would be
forty-five (45) to sixty (60) day before a response could be issued.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The next regularly scheduled meeting will be June 06, 2019, at 11:30 a.m.
The next Adopt-A-Street pickup will be decided at the next meeting.
ADJOURNMENT:
Motion: Commissioner Sanders-Wood made a motion to adjourn.
Second: Commissioner Homeyer seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:09 p.m.
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