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HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutesSeptember 1, 2005 ITEM NO.: J FILE NO.: LU05-20-05 Name: Land Use Plan Amendment - Pinnacle Planning District Location: Northwest Corner of Highway 10 and Little Rock Christian Academy Entrance Request: Single Family to Mixed Office Commercial Source: Tim Daters, White- Daters and Associates The applicant has requested a deferral to the July 7, 2005 agenda. Staff supports this request. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (MAY 26, 2005) The item was placed on the consent agenda for deferral to the July 7, 2005 Planning Commission meeting. A motion was made to approve the consent agenda and was approved with a vote of 10 ayes, 0 noes and 1 absent. PROPOSAL / REQUEST: Land Use Plan amendment in the Pinnacle Planning District from Single Family to Mixed Office Commercial. The Mixed Office Commercial category provides for a mixture of office and commercial uses to occur. Acceptable uses are office or mixed office and commercial. A Planned Zoning District is required if the use is mixed office and commercial. The applicant has applied for this change to facilitate unspecified commercial, and office uses. Staff is not expanding this application because the area has been reviewed several times in the last few months. EXISTING LAND USE AND ZONING: The property is developed with a small outbuilding and adjacent to an academic campus and ball fields currently zoned R-2 (Single Family Residence District) and outlined in an existing CUP (Conditional Use Permit) for future expansion of an adjacent academic campus. The property is 5 acres ± in size North of the site is land zoned R-2 partly developed with a school and single family homes on large lots. This property is currently part of an approved CUP for the Little Rock Christian Academy future school expansion. Northeast and east of the family is zoned R-2 with a CUP (Conditional Use Permit) for the operation of the Little Rock Christian. Further east is undeveloped land zoned 0-1 (Quiet Office District). Southeast of the property is land zoned R-2 and developed with a single family subdivision. Immediately south of the property and on the south September 1, 2005 ITEM NO.: J (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU05-20-05 side of Cantrell Road is an area zoned R-2 with a CUP for The Bible Church. Southwest of the property is land zoned C-3 (General Commercial District) and developed with a Wal-Mart Supercenter. West of the property is land zoned C-3 and R-2 developed with single family homes on large lots and an electrical substation, respectively. Northeast of the property are undeveloped lands zoned 0-3 (General Office District) and MF -18 (Multifamily District). FUTURE LAND USE PLAN AND RECENT AMENDMENTS: On April 5, 2005 a multiple changes were made within a one -mile radius of the property. The land immediately north of the application area and the applicant's property was changed to Public Institutional to represent an existing CUP. One quarter mile west of the site changes were made to Commercial, and Suburban Office to recognize adjacent land uses. About three quarters mile west of the site changes were made to Low Density Residential, Single Family and Suburban Office for future development. Immediately south of the application was changed to Public Institutional to recognize an existing CUP. Approximately one mile east of the site at Ranch Boulevard changes were made to Commercial and Public Institutional to reflect existing conditions. On February 17, 2004 five parcels of land were changed in the area of Chenal Parkway, Highway 10, and Highway 300. This eliminated land shown as Single Family and added land shown as Office, Commercial, Open Space, and Multifamily west of the property in question. The reasons for this change were to accommodate future development to create an orderly transition of use intensities between the Commercial and Single Family areas. On January 2, 2002 three changes were made to the Land Use Plan at three locations in the area. All changes resulted in the loss of Single Family and resulted in the addition of Commercial north and east of Northfield Road (Chalamont Road) and Chenal Parkway, Suburban Office south and east of Northfield Road (Chalamont Road) and Chenal Parkway including the first transmission line easement, and Park/Open Space for the remainder of the land south and east of Northfield Road (Chalamont Road) between Chenal Parkway and Aberdeen Subdivision. On March 6, 2001 a change was made from Single Family to Commercial to expanding an existing Commercial area just east of the Highway 10 and Chenal Parkway intersection to accommodate future commercial development southwest of the application. On June 20 2000 the Mixed Office Commercial located east of the site at the northwest and northeast corners of Cantrell Road and Chenonceau Boulevard was changed to Commercial for future commercial development. 2 September 1, 2005 ITEM NO.: J (Cont.) _ _ FILE NO.: LU05-20-05 The property is shown as Public Institutional and is surrounded by Public Institutional except for Commercial on the west. A large Commercial node is shown at the Highway 10 and Chenal Parkway intersection. Northwest of the property is are areas shown as Office and Multifamily. South of the property and on the opposite side of Cantrell Road is additional land shown as Public Institutional. MASTER STREET PLAN: Cantrell Road is shown as a Principal Arterial and is built as a five -lane road adjacent to the property. 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 Cantrell Road since it is a Principal Arterial, Furthermore, acceleration/deceleration lanes may be required to prevent traffic conflicts entering and exiting the site. Additional commercial and office uses at this site could result in added congestion on this section of Cantrell Road. Cantrell Road may require dedication of right-of-way and may require street improvements for entrances and exits to the site. BICYCLE PLAN: A Class II bikeway is shown on Highway 300 between Chenal Parkway and Highway 10, and on Cantrell Road from Chenonceau Blvd. to the west. A Class II Bikeway is a route designated for the sole use of bicycles but is physically connected to the roadway. The Class II bikeway indicated on Cantrell Road is adjacent to the property. Additional paving and right of way may be required. This application is in the West Little Rock Park Planning District. The Master Parks Plan identifies a lack of public parks in the west Little Rock area and recognizes private neighborhood parks and recreation facilities as parkland in the west Little Rock area. The largest park in this area is Taylor Loop Park, which is a thirty-five acre community park that is undeveloped and approximately three miles west of the site. Since this application is adjacent to the Little Rock Christian Academy, near several property owner association parks, and close to Pinnacle Mountain State Park, recreation activities are available in the area. The Parks and Recreation Master Plan does not indicate any new proposed public parks for the area. 3 September 1, 2005 ITEM NO.: J (Cont.FILE NO.: LU05-20-05 HISTORIC DISTRICTS: There are no city recognized 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. ANALYSIS: This area is one of Little Rock's faster growing areas of town. Recently numerous subdivisions have been developed south of Cantrell Road and west of Chenal Parkway. Also new commercial development is has occurred about a quarter mile west of the site for Wal-Mart Supercenter, a bank, and a gas station. These three new developments are part of an approximate 100 -acre commercial node illustrated at the Chenal Parkway - Cantrell Road intersection. Currently this development is only around 40% developed. Approval of Mixed Office Commercial for this application could lead to a premature eastward expansion of commercial activities to the west. Approximately 38 acres of Office and 19 acres of Suburban Office exist at Chenal Parkway and Cantrell Road intersection. Both office areas are not developed with office uses. Additional land for Commercial and Office exists less than one half mile east of the property on Cantrell Road at two different locations. One location includes approximately 20 acres of Existing Business Node, surrounded by approximately 37 acres of Office and 25 acres of Suburban Office. This Existing Business Node is developed with businesses in a pattern consistent with the once rural highway and could be redeveloped. The adjacent Office and Suburban Office areas are lightly developed and can absorb area office demand. Adjacent to the Existing Business Node area, at Chenonceau Boulevard, is approximately 67 acres of land shown as Commercial. A majority of this land is undeveloped and could absorb any additional demand that might be needed in the area. As part of the Highway 10 Land Use Review, which concluded in January, this property, as well as an adjacent property were recommended for change from Single Family to Public Institutional and supported by the Planning Commission. Both of these changes were to recognize the Conditional Use Permits of the two large institutional uses at the eastern edge of the commercial node. These two institutional have been looked at as a buffer between the commercial area to the west and lower intensity uses to the east near Maywood Drive. M September 1, 2005 ITEM NO.: J (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU05-20-05 This change could introduce the potential of a 4200 foot commercial strip extending east from approximately Highway 300 to the Little Rock Christian Academy entrance. Staff does not support the commercial stripping of Cantrell Road since an abundance of office and commercial land exists in the area. The current institutional use indication is intended to form the eastern edge of an activity node and prevent the commercial stripping of Cantrell Road. Recently a preliminary plat was approved west of this site that will create a new unnamed road running near the west side of the site from Cantrell Road to the north, curving northwest and following an area shown as Multifamily, and connecting with Chenal Parkway near an existing Multifamily area developed with apartments. This roadway will be approximately one mile in length and provide for connections with an area northwest of the Christian Academy to be developed as a single family subdivision. Since this application is adjacent to a Principal Arterial entrances and exits to the site should be minimized to reduce possible traffic conflicts on Cantrell Road. Staff recommends that access to the site be off of the new street that will be constructed east of the site. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: Notices were sent to the following neighborhood associations Aberdeen Court Property Owners Association, Bayonne Place Property Owners Association, Margeaux Place Property Owners Association, Maywood Manor Neighborhood Association, and Du Quesne Place Property Owners Association. Staff has not received any comments regarding this application STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff believes the change is not appropriate because it could lead to strip commercial along Cantrell Road PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JULY 7, 2005) The item was placed on the consent agenda for deferral to the August 18, 2005 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. That motion was made and approved with a vote of 9 ayes, 0 noes, and 2 recusals. A motion was made to approve the consent agenda and was approved with a vote of 9 ayes, 0 noes, and 2 recusals. 5 September 1, 2005 ITEM NO.: J (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU05-20-05 STAFF UPDATE: The applicant has not contacted staff regarding the application. The application remains unchanged. Staff has received three letters of opposition representing area neighborhood associations. Staff has also received a petition from residents of Maywood Manor opposing this change. All but three residents signed this petition. Staff still believes the change is inappropriate. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (AUGUST 18, 2005) Tim Daters, of White Daters Engineers, representing the applicant asked for a deferral to the September 1, 2005 agenda. A motion was made to defer and was approved with a vote of 6 ayes, 0 noes, 3 absent and 2 recusals (Jeff Yates and Robert Stebbins). PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (SEPTEMBER 1, 2005) Brian Minyard, City Staff, made a brief presentation to the commission. Donna James made a presentation of item J.1 so the discussion could coincide with the discussion for item J. See item J.1 for a complete discussion concerning the Planned Commercial Development. Ruth Bell, Pulaski County League of Women Voters, spoke against the application noting that the Highway 10 plan calls for nodes of commercial, not strip commercial along the entirety. She stated that this is an example of "creeping" commercial. She preferred that the land be developed for school purposes. Alicia Finch, of Maywood Manor, spoke against the application and reiterated the fact that Staff was not in support of the application. She stated that fire and police services were already stretched. Mike Hogan spoke in opposition to the application. Tim Daters spoke in favor of the application. Brock Martin, speaking for the applicant, stated that the large parcels shown as Commercial were harder to develop for small developments as these. He spoke of larger parcels at the Chenal and Cantrell intersections. The lack of an anchor for the larger developments precluded developing outparcels prior to that point. C-9 September 1, 2005 ITEM NO.: J (Cont. FILE NO.: LU05-20-05 Therefore, this site with the smaller acreage was available for development now, versus the larger sites, which would be available later. A motion was made to approve the item as presented. The item was denied with a vote of 0 ayes, 9 noes, 0 absent and 2 recusals. 7