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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLU05-04-01 Staff Report UpdatedApril 14, 2005 ITEM NO.: I FILE NO.: LU05-04-01 Name: Land Use Plan Amendment - Heights Hillcrest Planning District Location: 700 block of North University Avenue Request: Office to Mixed Use Source: Development and Construction Management, Inc. PROPOSAL / REQUEST: Land Use Plan amendment in the Heights Hillcrest Planning District from Office to Mixed Use. The Mixed Use category provides for a mixture of residential, office and commercial uses to occur. A Planned Zoning District is required if the use is entirely office or commercial or if the use is a mixture of the three. The applicant requests to construct 44 condominiums and an unspecified office use within one section of one of the structures. Prompted by this Land Use Amendment request, the Planning Staff expanded the area of review to include the entire half block to make the area more logical. EXISTING LAND USE AND ZONING: The property is developed with a small single family home zoned R-5 (Urban Residence District) and 1.74 acres t in size. Just southwest of the property is land zoned R-2 (Single Family District) with a CUP for a Catholic school. Northeast of the site on H Street is additional R-2 land with a CUP for an elementary school. Northwest of the site are two separate parcels of land zoned R-5 (Urban Residence District) developed with single family homes, apartments, and a parking lot. Immediately north of the site is land zoned 0-3 (General Office District) and developed with several office buildings. Further north is a PCD (Planned Commercial Development) for an office and land zoned 0-2 (Office an Institutional District) and 0-3 developed with a school and offices, respectively. Immediately west of the site is land zoned R-3 (Single Family District) and developed with single family homes on a typical urban street grid. Immediately south of the property is additional land zoned R-5 and 0-3 developed with a single family home and an office. March 17, 2005 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: I (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU05-04-01 FUTURE LAND USE PLAN AND RECENT AMENDMENTS: On May 18, 2003 a change was made from Multi Family and Office to Community Shopping less than a half mile south of the site at the northeast corner of West Markham Street and University Avenue. On March 5, 2002 a change was made from Commercial and Office to Mixed Use on the northwest corner of University Avenue and West Markham Street, less than a half mile south of the site to allow flexibility of uses for future development. On June 20, 2000 a change was made from Single Family to Suburban Office approximately one quarter of a mile southeast of the application at the 200 block of N. McKinley Street to accommodate proposed development. On March 16, 1999 multiple changes were made from Office and Multifamily to Single Family, Multifamily, Mixed Use, and Office within a half -mile radius southeast of the applicant's property for future development and to recognize existing conditions. An area of Office parallels the east side of University Avenue from H Street to C Street, which includes the applicant's property. North of H Street is an area shown as Public Institutional. At the northeast corner of Evergreen Street and University are areas shown as Park / Open Space, Office, Low Density Residential, Single Family, and Multifamily. The area immediately west of the application is shown as Single Family. South of the site, between Lee Street and West Markham Street, along University Avenue are higher intensity uses including Mixed Use, Multi Family, and Community Shopping. At the southwest corner of West Markham Street and University Avenue is an area shown as Commercial, the southeast corner of West Markham Street and University Avenue is shown as Public Institutional. Southwest of the site, and fronting University Avenue, is additional area shown as Public Institutional. West of the applicant's property are areas shown as Office, Multifamily, and Single Family fronting both H Street and University Avenue. Northwest of the site is an area of Office fronting University with an area of Park / Open Space and Multifamily behind. MASTER STREET PLAN: University Avenue is shown as a Principal Arterial on the Master Street Plan with special design standards south of the site between Lee and Markham Streets, 2 March 17, 2005 UBDIVISION ITEM NO.: I (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU05-04-01 which indicate a 100 -foot right of way. Adjacent to the site University Avenue has a median separating northbound and southbound traffic. Southbound University Avenue traffic will not access this site directly, nor will traffic be able to leave this site in the southbound University Avenue direction unless a median cut is approved. The primary function of a Principal Arterial is to serve through traffic and to connect major traffic generators or activity centers within urbanized areas. Entrances and exits should be limited to minimize negative effects of traffic and pedestrians on University Avenue since it is a Principal Arterial. Additional improvements and right of way may be required for acceleration and deceleration lanes since this section of University Avenue has a significant hill. BICYCLE PLAN: A Class III bikeway is shown on H Street north of the site. A Class III Bikeway is a signed route on a street shared with traffic. No additional paving or right-of- way is required. Class III bicycle route signage may be required. This bikeway will not be affected by this project. PARKS: The Little Rock Parks and Recreation Master Plan of 2001 shows the War Memorial Park located two blocks east of the application area on the south side of W. Markham Street. The plan describes War Memorial Park as providing special facilities such as the zoo, fitness center, and a golf course designed to serve the entire city. This amendment is not likely to affect the large facilities at War Memorial Park. HISTORIC DISTRICTS: There are no city recognized historic districts that would be affected by this amendment. CITY RECOGNIZED NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLAN: The applicant's property lies in the area covered by the Hillcrest Neighborhood Action Plan. The Zoning and Land Use goal lists one objective related to this application. The objective is to recreate a neighborhood that is a pleasant place to work and live, and to preserve the net number of residential units by not demolishing them or converting them to other uses. ANALYSIS: The applicant has applied for a change to Mixed Use for a mixed office and 3 March 17, 2005 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: I (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU05-04-01 residential development. Since the area is already shown as Office, the office component of the development is consistent with the current plan and Staff has no problem with the office component of this development. In addition to the office component that exists under the current land use category, the Mixed Use category allows both residential and commercial development. The Mixed Use category can lead to sound development that can commingle the different uses into an area. The category allows for residential development similar to that of the Multifamily land use category. Near this site are several areas of higher density housing that are shown as either Multifamily or Low Density Residential which are developed with a mixture of duplexes, apartment buildings, and a few single family homes. Since areas intended for higher density development have developed, a need for additional higher density residential may be needed in the area. Since the Mixed Use category provides for higher density residential development, it could facilitate future demand, and relieve possible pressure to intensify nearby neighborhoods. Introduction of possible higher density residential at this location could provide a buffer between single family homes on Buchanan and G Streets and offices and traffic on University Avenue. Also the residential aspect would allow for densification along University Avenue. Central Arkansas Transit Authority operates Route 21 adjacent to this site and can provide access to downtown, University Mall, and the University of Arkansas campus for area residents. Even though the current application does not involve any commercial activity, the Mixed Use category does allow it. Currently, commercial activities in the area are located in areas shown as Mixed Use about a quarter mile south of the site in the vicinity of "B" and "C" Streets, the Park Plaza Shopping Center at the northwest corner of West Markham Street and University Avenue, a Community Shopping area shown at the northeast corner of West Markham Street and University Avenue, and a large Commercial area at the southeast corner of West Markham Street and University Avenue. Additional Commercial is shown in the Heights Shopping District approximately three quarter miles north of the site near University Avenue and R Street. The nearby area around this site consists of mostly institutional, office, and residential uses, and addition of commercial development could create pressure to convert additional area properties to commercial which could harm the quality of life of nearby residential areas. Staff doesn't feel that the addition of commercial that the Mixed Use category allows would be appropriate at this location, because of the established neighborhood, the institutional and office uses nearby, and that space for commercial development is available nearby. Since University Avenue is a Principal Arterial, and is constructed with a median 4 March 17, 2005 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: I (C FILE NO.: LU05- separating northbound and southbound traffic, Staff recommends that any development on this site does not impede traffic flow. Access to this development should only be right turn in, right turn out to maintain the existing median and prevent conflicts caused by traffic crossing a Principal Arterial. Since the Mixed Use category allows commercial activity, traffic entering and leaving the site could be greater than the levels anticipated for the office and residential components available in the category. Current traffic flows on University Avenue could be hindered if any commercial aspect develops on the site in the future. In 2001 the Urban Land Institute (ULI) did a study of the West Markham Street - University Avenue area which included this site. The study made recommendations regarding new development: should preserve the integrity nearby residential areas, provide a visible identity, and improve pedestrian safety. The recommendations of the ULI study are similar to the wishes of the neighborhood action plan to preserve the quality of life in the neighborhood. Furthermore, the ULI study identified a town center concept at the West Markham Street - University Avenue intersection. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: Notices were sent to the following neighborhood associations: Forest Park Neighborhood Association, Heights Neighborhood Association, Prospect Terrace Neighborhood Association, Sherrill Heights Garden Club, Briarwood Neighborhood Association, Evergreen Neighborhood Association, Meriwether Neighborhood Association, Normandy -Shannon Property Owners Association, South Normandy Property Owners Association, and the University Park Neighborhood Association. Staff has not received any comments from area residents or neighborhood associations. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:. Staff believes the change is not appropriate. Staff feels that the office and residential components of the proposed development are consistent with the ULI Study statement, but does not support the commercial aspect the Mixed Use category makes available. Staff believes that commercial activities are more appropriate at the University Avenue and West Markham Street intersection or the Heights Shopping District. 5 March 17, 2005 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: I FILE NO.: LU05-04-01 PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (MARCH 3, 2005) The applicant requested the application be deferred to the March 17, 2005 Agenda. The item was placed on the consent agenda for deferral. A motion was made to approve the consent agenda and was approved with a vote of 9 ayes, 0 noes and 2 absent. STAFF UPDATE: Staff has reviewed the application and noted that the office component of the development will be located in an area shown as Office on the Land Use Plan. In the general area numerous properties are developed with offices and apartments. Adding multifamily units to the applicant's property would not be inconsistent with surrounding land uses. Within the last year this property's zoning was changed from R-5 (Urban Residence District) to POD (Planned Office Development), which would have allowed Multifamily development by right. Staff feels that a Land Use Plan Amendment for the applicant's property is not necessary because the office component of the development is consistent with the plan, and the multifamily component is consistent with the overall neighborhood character. Staff recommends withdrawal of the application. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (MARCH 17, 2005) The item was placed on the consent agenda for deferral to the April 14, 2005 Planning Commission meeting. A motion was made to approve the consent agenda and was approved with a vote of 9 ayes, 0 noes and 2 absent. STAFF UPDATE: The applicant has not submitted any alternatives or scheduled any meetings with Staff regarding this application. The application remains unchanged. Staff still recommends withdrawal. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (APRIL 14, 2005) The item was placed on the consent agenda for withdrawal. A motion was made to approve the consent agenda and was approved with a vote of 11 ayes, 0 noes and 0 absent. L MIN el Vicinity Map Dulr:�L,[J, YL -t I DPD EDO \q Do MF I�c E3 Go r-X-IF7 PLAN AMENDMENT Case: LU05-04-01 Location: 715 NORTH UNIVERSITY AVENUE 0 TO MX Ward: 3 PD: 4 0 100200 400 Feet CT: 15 TRS: T2NR12W31 c o Q EDEl b D _ a E::i tL:jj [I? 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