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Home My WebLink AboutStaff Report_MinutesDecember 4, 2003 ITEM NO.: B FILE NO.: LU03-01-03 Name: Land Use Plan Amendment - River Mountain Planning District Location: County Farm Rd. near River Valley Marina Rd. Request: Single Family and Park / Open Space to Commercial Source: David Henry, Hudson Enterprises Inc. PROPOSAL/REQUEST This application is a Land Use Plan amendment in the River Mountain Planning District from Single Family and Park / Open Space to Commercial. The Commercial category includes a broad range of retail and wholesale sales of products, personal and professional services, and general business activities. Commercial activities vary in type and scale, depending on the trade area that they serve. EXISTING LAND USE AND ZONING The property is a marina currently zoned R-2 Single Family and is approximately 10.52+ acres in size. The property to the north is rural property developed with large lot Single Family residences and limited agricultural uses. All of the surrounding property to the east, and west is vacant land or large lot residential zoned R-2 Single Family. The Little Maumelle River borders the applicant's property on the south side. The land south of the river is zoned R-2 with a railroad on the south bank. FUTURE LAND USE PLAN AND RECENT AMENDMENTS: On February 18, 2003 multiple changes were made from Transition and Low Density Residential to Suburban Office, Single Family, Park/Open Space, Low Density Residential, Office and Public Institutional along both sides of Cantrell Road within a 1 -mile radius south of the applicant's property. On July 17, 2001 a change was made from Single Family to Park/Open Space about 1 mile south of the application area at Pankey Park to recognize existing conditions. On April 20, 1999 multiple changes were made from Single Family and Low Density Residential to Park / Open Space, Multifamily, Office, and Mixed Office Commercial at Cantrell and Black Road about 2/3 of a mile southwest of the applicant's property to accommodate proposed development. December 4, 2003 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: B (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU03-01-03 The applicant's property is shown as Single Family and Park / Open Space on the Future Land Use Plan. All of the land to the north is shown as Single Family while the land to the east, south, and west is shown as Park / Open Space along the floodplain of the Little Maumelle River. The land south of the floodplain is shown as Single Family. MASTER STREET PLAN County Farm Road is a rural two-lane road shown as a Collector Street on the Master Street Plan. River Valley Marina Road is a Local street with open drainage providing access to the marina. River Valley Marina Road would need improvements to be brought up to the Master Street Plan standards for commercial streets for any non-residential development in the area covered by this amendment. A Class II Bikeway is shown on County Farm Road from Pinnacle Valley Road to Isbel Lane. The Master Street Plan states that Class II Bikeways should be of the same construction as the streets on which they are constructed. The minimum width for a Class II Bikeway is 6 feet back from the curb. If roadway shoulders are used for bikeways, the shoulder should be six feet wide. This width should discourage vehicular traffic use and keep the path free of debris. LT1V110 The Little Rock Parks and Recreation Master Plan of 2001 shows that the applicant's property is located along the route of the "Take it to the Edge" Trail. The "Take it to the Edge" Trail is part of the development concept of a three -trail loop system around the city. This loop system of trails is intended to link parks, open space, and recreation areas located along the edges of the city. The "Take it to the Edge" trail is intended to provide an urban interface with the Arkansas and Little Maumelle Rivers. The "Take to the Edge" Trail coincides with the Class II Bikeway shown on the Master Street Plan. HISTORIC DISTRICTS: There are no historic districts that would be affected by this amendment. CITY RECOGNIZED NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLAN: The property under review is not located in an area covered by a City of Little Rock recognized neighborhood action plan. December 4, 2003 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: B (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU03-01-03 ANALYSIS: The applicant's property is located in a low-lying area on the north bank of the Little Maumelle River outside city limits. The existing commercial uses at the marina are isolated from other non-residential and non-agricultural uses by both distance and topography. Any land shown as Commercial at this location would not have any buffers to the west, north, or east from potential development of less intense uses. The Little Maumelle River would provide the only buffer between Commercial uses on the applicant's property and the land located on the south bank. A railroad runs parallel to the south bank of the Little Maumelle River. South of the railroad the land slopes upward to the Walton Heights subdivision. The railroad and slope may limit the amount of potential land available for non-residential development on the south bank. The applicant's property is located near the "Take it to the Edge" trail. The trail is situated to take advantage of the recreational opportunities provided by the river and to provide public an interface with the river. Since the applicant's property is situated on the north bank of the Little Maumelle River, future development of the property could also provide access to the river. If designed correctly, both the trail and development of the applicant's property could complement each other. However, the Commercial land use category is broad enough that non-residential development of the applicant's property could be incompatible with both the trail and neighboring land uses. Any type of commercial development that could take place in an area shown as Commercial should be developed in a way that would complement the recreational amenities characteristic of the area. In addition, utilities and other infrastructure would need to be improved to serve any changes in Commercial uses located on the applicant's property. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: Notices were sent to the following neighborhood associations: Pleasant Valley Property Owners Association, River Valley Property Owners Association, Pankey Community Improvement Association, Piedmont Neighborhood Association, Pleasant Forest Neighborhood Association, Secluded Hills Property Owners Association, Walton Heights-Candlewood Neighborhood Association, Westbury Neighborhood Association, and Westchester/Heatherbrae Property Owners Association. Staff has not received any comments from area residents at this time. December 4, 2003 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: B (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU03-01-03 STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff believes the change is not appropriate. A change to Commercial would allow a broad range of uses that would be incompatible with neighboring land uses and recreational amenities of the area. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (June 12, 2003) Brian Minyard, City Staff, made a brief presentation to the commission. The Planning Commission did not discuss item 17. A motion was made to defer the item to the July 24, 2003 Planning Commission meeting. The motion was approved with a vote of 9 ayes, 0 noes, 1 recuse, and 1 absent. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (July 24, 2003) The item was placed on the consent agenda for deferral to the October 16, 2003 Planning Commission meeting. A motion was made to wave the by-laws for a five-day notice to defer prior to the Planning Commission meeting. That motion was made and approved with a vote of 11 ayes, 0 noes, and 0 absent. A motion was made to approve the consent agenda and was approved with a vote of 11 ayes, 0 noes and 0 absent. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (October 16, 2003) The item was placed on the consent agenda for deferral to the December 4, 2003 Planning Commission meeting. A motion was made to wavier the by-laws for a five-day notice to defer prior to the Planning Commission meeting. The motion was made and approved with a vote of 9 ayes, 0 noes, and 2 absent. A motion was made to wavier the by-laws for the maximum number of deferrals. The motion was made and approved with a vote of 9 ayes, 0 noes, and 2 absent. A motion was made to approve the consent agenda and was approved with a vote of 9 ayes, 0 noes and 2 absent. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (December 4, 2003) The item was placed on the consent agenda for withdrawal without prejudice. A motion was made to approve the consent agenda and was approved with a vote of 11 ayes, 0 noes, and 0 absent. 4 Area Zoning Case # LU03-01-03 N COUNIY FARM ROAD NEAR RIVER VA=N ARINAROAD SF & PK/OS TO C CT: 42.05 "IRS: T2NR13W17 0 400 800 Feet PD: 1 V cinityMap Ward Area. Zoning D Plan Amendment Case # LU03-01-03 N COUNTY FARMROAD NEAR RIVER VALLEY MARINA ROAD SF & PKlOS TO C CT: 42.05 TRS: T2MU3W17 0 400 800 Feet PD: 1 e-w-6;;mm;R Vl—tyMaP Ward W ®° p J Q i j 5 Z _ Plan Amendment Case # LU03-01-03 N COUNTY FARMROAD NEAR RIVER VALLEY MARINA ROAD SF & PKlOS TO C CT: 42.05 TRS: T2MU3W17 0 400 800 Feet PD: 1 e-w-6;;mm;R Vl—tyMaP Ward Plan Amendment Case # LU03-01-03 N COUNTY FARM ROAD NEAR RIVER VALLEYMARINAROAD CT: 42.05 TRS: T2NR13W17 0 400 900 Feet PD: 1 vicinity Map ward: Item# 17 lam-•' .-� _ � 4 W Q 4 y b J ® _ L S ® e � ., F ,,,� � - was c P� �.; ✓ C UNT19 FA M Q y TY LI ti PK/OS ® PK/OS SF a® g ( 6 j)— PKJ ® ®a MF ®® ®a0 T oo p PK/OS ®off ® FR RE®��®m SF s�®mom �®w�® S�' PK/OS T Plan Amendment Case # LU03-01-03 N COUNTY FARM ROAD NEAR RIVER VALLEYMARINAROAD CT: 42.05 TRS: T2NR13W17 0 400 900 Feet PD: 1 vicinity Map ward: Item# 17