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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLU03-04-01_write-upFebruary 6, 2003 ITEM NO.: 15 FILE NO.: LU03-04-01 Name: Land Use Plan Amendment - Heights / Hillcrest Planning District Location: 5120 W. Markham St. Request: Office, Commercial, and Single Family to Mixed Use Source: Sharon Adkins PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Land Use Plan amendment located in the Heights / Hillcrest Planning District from Office, Commercial, and Single Family 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. Prompted by this Land Use Plan amendment request, the Planning Staff expanded the area of review to include the southwest corner of the Van Buren / "B" Street intersection. This expansion would include property zoned Planned Commercial Development neighboring the applicant's property. EXISTING LAND USE AND ZONING: The property is currently zoned C-3 General Commercial, R-3 Single Family, and Planned Commercial Development and is approximately 5.88+ acres in size. The portion of the study area fronting Markham Street consists of a vacant (closed) motel and a fast food restaurant zoned 0-3. The land along "A" Street is developed with Single Family housing zoned R-3, which is interrupted by a parking lot located between two houses. Only one house, located between two parking lots, is located on the south side of "A" street. The portion of the study area zoned C-3 is a medical clinic. The land to the North is zoned R-3 Single Family for houses. The properties on the east side of Van Buren consists of a clinic zoned 0-3 located north of "A" Street, a clinic and gift shop zoned C-3 located south of "A" Street, and an ice cream parlor / gas station / convenience store zoned 0-3 at the corner of Markham Street. The areas located to the east zoned R-3 consists of single-family houses. The property further to the east fronting Markham consists of fast food outlets and small offices zoned C-3 and 0-3 respectively. The large tract of land to the south is zoned PR (Parks and Recreation) for War Memorial Park. The land to the west is zoned 0-3 for medical and insurance offices fronting Markham Street. February 6, 2003 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 15 (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU03-04-01 FUTURE LAND USE PLAN AND RECENT AMENDMENTS: On June 20, 2000 a change was made from Single Family to Suburban Office in the 200 block of McKinley Street about 9/10 of a mile west of the applicant's property to accommodate a proposed development. On April 20, 1999 two changes were made from Single Family to Mixed Use on the north side of W. 11th Street between Elm and Lewis Streets and on the south side of W. 12th Street between Elm and Lewis Streets about 1 mile southeast of the application area to strengthen and protect the integrity of neighboring residential areas. On March 16, 1999 multiple changes were made from Office and Multi -family to Single Family, Multi -family, Mixed Use, and Office in the vicinity of University Avenue and "C" Streets to reflect existing conditions and protect the integrity of the neighboring residential areas about 1/3 of a mile west of the study area. The study area is shown as Office, Commercial, and Single Family on the Future Land Use Plan. The areas to the north are shown as Single Family. The neighboring land to the east is shown as Office, Commercial, and Single Family. The large area to the south is shown as Park/Open Space. The neighboring property to the west is shown as Office. MASTER STREET PLAN: The Master Street Plan shows Markham Street, Van Buren Street, and Fair Park Boulevard as Minor Arterials. Markham Street is built to a modified standard with a 70 - foot right-of-way with a four -lane cross section. Van Buren Street and Fair Park Boulevard are built to a modified standard with a 70 -foot right-of-way with three -lane cross sections. Harrison, "A", and "B" Streets are Standard Residential Streets. Harrison Street and "A" Street have partial curb and gutters installed while "B" street uses an open drainage system. There are no bikeways shown that would be affected by this amendment. PARKS: The Little Rock Parks and Recreation Master Plan of 2001 shows the War Memorial Park as located on the opposite side of Markham Street from the applicant's property. The Master Plan of 2001 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 historic districts that would be affected by this amendment. 2 February 6, 2003 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 15 (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU03-04-01 CITY RECOGNIZED NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLAN: The applicant's property is located in an area covered by "The Hillcrest Neighborhood Plan: a 'Blueprint' of Our Community." The chapter on zoning and land use contains a goal of creating a different set of guidelines with which to govern the development of Hillcrest. This goal is supported by the two objectives directing specific policy for preserving the aesthetic nature of the neighborhood and establishing design standards consistent with the character of the neighborhood. Two action statements listed in support of these goals include revising the land use map for the neighborhood to consolidate and eliminate certain land uses, and to discontinue the use of commercial structures on Markham Street that do not fit the character of the neighborhood. The plan also contains a list of supplemental issues, which includes a land use objectives of limiting Mixed Uses to the Kavanaugh commercial areas and to control the edge erosion of the neighborhood caused by incompatible uses. The Housing Objectives in the list of supplemental issues include insuring a variety of housing types that fit the context of the neighborhood, preservation of existing housing stock, insuring apartment houses are eight units or less, and reversing the trend of converting single family homes into rental property. ANALYSIS: The applicant's property is located in a highly developed urban area. The non- residential buildings fronting Markham Street are oriented and accessed from Markham Street. The fast food establishment on the northwest corner of the Markham / Van Buren Street intersection is located on a double frontage lot accessible from both streets but is not located in the amendment area. The houses within the study area on Van Buren between "A" and "B" Streets are oriented toward the streets. These building are more vulnerable to non-residential development, especially those next to the existing parking lot on the north side of "A" Street. The remaining houses located in the area currently shown as Single Family are accessed from "A" Street and face the rear portions of the non-residential properties across the street. Any new development north of "A" Street would need to be analyzed in the context of preventing the net loss of housing units with the purpose of preserving housing stock within the neighborhood. A change to Mixed Use would not radically alter the character of the area fronting Markham Street. The part of the study area fronting Van Buren would be subject to more changes to non-residential uses on the properties currently zoned R-3, while the properties currently zoned for non-residential uses would be less likely to alter the character of the study area. The properties zoned R-3 on the north side of "A" street would be the most likely to face the most changes in character if the properties convert to a non-residential use within the context of the Mixed Use category. The use of Planned Zoning Districts in an area shown as Mixed Use should offer some protection for the residential areas to the north from the non-residential along Markham Street. In contrast the properties fronting Van Buren Street are more residential in nature. The t February 6, 2003 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 15 (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU03-04-01 change to Mixed Use could establish non-residential uses further to the north along Van Buren Street. The largest scale development within the study area is the motel on Markham Street. The motel (consisting of four separate buildings connected by a covered walkway) has the largest footprint and height of any buildings located in the study area. The nearest property located on the north side of Markham Street with a similar scale is the one story clinic located on the northeast corner of the Markham / Harrison Street intersection. The non-residential uses on the west side of Van Buren Street north of "A" are located in houses converted to non-residential uses, which match the scale of the neighboring residential properties. The non-residential structures on the east side of Van Buren Street are commercial in character and do not match the scale or character of houses located in the residential areas. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: Notices were sent to the following neighborhood associations: Heights Neighborhood Association, Cedar Hill Terrace Property Owners Association, Hillcrest Residents Neighborhood Association, Prospect Terrace Neighborhood Association, Inc., and Sherrill Heights Garden Club. Staff not has received any comments from area residents at this time. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff believes the change to Mixed Use is appropriate south of "A" Street. This change would allow future development compatible with existing development patterns along Markham Street. Staff believes the change north of "A" Street is not appropriate. This change would allow future development that is not compatible with existing development patterns of single family and duplex housing north of "A" Street. Any zoning or final zoning north of A Street would require further review by staff of the Future Land Use Plan. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (FEBRUARY 6, 2003) Brian Minyard, City Staff, made a brief presentation to the commission. Donna James made a presentation of item 15.1 so the discussion could coincide with the discussion for item 15. See item 15.1 for a complete discussion concerning the Short Form Planned Commercial Development. Jim Lawson, Secretary to the Planning Commission stated that staff wanted to split the application along the proposed phasing of development so that the city could review two separate applications. Mr. Gary Dean, the applicant, stated approval of phasing the application. 4 February 6, 2003 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 15 (Cont. FILE NO.: LU03-04-01 Mr. Lawson stated that city staff is opposed to changes from Single family north of "A" Street. Mr. Minyard stated that the Land Use Plan amendment could be withdrawn if the area north of A Street is to be reviewed at a later date. Staff would evaluate the proposed development north of A Street against the Land Use plan at that future date. The proposed changes south of "A" do not necessitate a Plan. Mr. Robert Scoggin spoke in opposition to the application and was not opposed to the proposed changes but was worried about the effects on neighboring properties. See item 15.1 for additional details Mr. Morris Harper spoke in opposition to the application and did not want to see commercial uses develop north of "A" Street. See item 15.1 for additional details. Ruth Bell, speaking in opposition to the application asked if the Future Land Use Plan amendment was being discussed. Pat McGetrick stated that the applicant wants to withdraw the Future Land Use Plan amendment. A motion was made to withdraw the item. The item was withdrawn with a vote of 10 ayes, 0 noes, and 1 absent. 6