HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutesApril 22, 2004
ITEM NO.: A-1 FILE NO.: LU03-1
Name: Land Use Plan Amendment - Chenal Planning District
Location: North of Chenal Parkway, South of Rahling Road
Request: Area 1: Office and Multifamily to Commercial. Area 2: Commercial
to Office. Area 3: Multifamily to Office. Area 4: Single Family to
Park / Open Space. Area 5: Single Family to Public Institutional.
Area 6: Low Density Residential to Multifamily. Area 7: Single
Family to Multifamily.
Source: Joe White, White - Daters & Associates
PROPOSAL / REQUEST:
Land Use Plan amendment in the Chenal Planning District from Office,
Multifamily, Low Density Residential, and Single Family to Office, Commercial,
and Multifamily. The Office category represents services provided directly to the
consumers (e.g., legal, financial, medical) as well as general offices, which
support more basic economic activities. 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. The Multifamily category
accommodates residential development of ten (10) to thirty-six (36) dwelling units
per acre. The applicant wishes to develop the property for commercial, office,
and multifamily uses.
Prompted by this Land Use Amendment request, the Planning Staff expanded
the area of review to include an area shown as Low Density Residential at the
end of Wellington Hills Road to recognize existing zoning and the proposed multi-
family development. In addition, the application was expanded to include a
change from Single Family to Park / Open Space at the northwest corner of
Wellington Hills and Wellington Village Road (Area 4), and a change from Single
Family to Public Institutional on the west side of Wellington Village Road (Area 5)
to recognize existing zoning and the uses. The Park / Open Space category
includes all public parks, recreation facilities, greenbelts, flood plains, and other
designated open space and recreational land. The Public Institutional category
includes public and quasi -public facilities that provide a variety of services to the
community such as schools, libraries, fire stations, churches, utility substations,
and hospitals.
April 22, 2004
SUBDIVISION
ITEM NO.: A.1 (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU03-19-02
EXISTING LAND USE AND ZONING:
The applicant's property is about 120.0 acres t of pastureland. The portion of
the applicant's property on the west side of the Champlin / Wellington Hills
Proposed Minor Arterial is zoned R-2 Single Family at the end of Champlin Drive,
MF -18 Multifamily at the end of Kirk Road, 0-2 Office and Institutional along Kirk
Road, and MF -18 at the south end of the applicant's property. The east side of
the Proposed Minor Arterial is zoned R-2 at the end of Champlin Drive, R-3
Single Family in the middle, and MF -6 Multifamily at the end of Wellington Hills
Road. The expanded area consists of vacant land zoned MF -18 near the end of
Wellington Hills Road, a retention pond at the northwest corner of Wellington
Hills and Wellington Village Road zoned R-2, and property zoned R-2 with a
Conditional Use Permit for a church on the west side of Wellington Village Road.
The vacant land neighboring the study area beginning at the end of Champlin
Drive is zoned MF -18, R-2, and MF -6. The property wrapping around the east
side of the expanded area consists of houses located in the vicinity of Wellington
Hills Road zoned R-2. The property on the east side of the intersection of
Wellington Hills and Wellington Village Roads consist of a church zoned R-2 with
a C.U.P. and vacant land at the northeast corner zoned 0-1 Quiet Office. The
south side of Wellington Hills Road includes vacant land zoned C-1
Neighborhood Commercial at the Wellington Village intersection, plus offices and
a radio station zoned Planned Office Development at the end of Wellington Hills.
The land to the south along Chenal Parkway includes a church zoned R-2 with a
C.U.P. at Kanis Road, and an automobile dealership zoned Planned
Development - Commercial at Kirk Road. The property to the west along Kirk
Road consists of a convenience store zoned C-3 General Commercial at Chenal
Parkway, offices and vacant land zoned 0-2 along the west side of Kirk Road on
both sides of Systems Drive, and vacant land zoned MF -18 on the south side of
Rahling Road at Chenal Valley Drive. A small parcel of vacant land zoned 0-3 is
located north of the applicant's property on the end of Champlin Drive on the
west side.
FUTURE LAND USE PLAN AND RECENT AMENDMENTS:
On June 17, 2003 multiple changes were made from Office, Multifamily, and
Single Family to Multifamily and Low Density Residential along the south side of
Rahling Road at Chenal Valley Drive within a 1 mile radius of the current study
area, which includes some of the property addressed by this amendment, and
resulted in the current Future Land Uses shown for the study area to
accommodate proposed development and recognize existing conditions.
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April 22, 2004
SUBDIVISION
ITEM NO.: A.1 (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU03-19-02
On September 18, 2001 a change was made from Single Family, to
Neighborhood Commercial and Office on Rahling Road at Chenal Valley Drive
and Champlin Drive about 1/10 of a mile north of the amendment area to
accommodate proposed development.
On September 18, 2001 a change was made from Low Density Residential to
Single Family for an area located northeast of the end of Lamarche Drive about 1
mile north of the study area to recognize existing conditions.
On April 17, 2001 a change was made from Single Family, Multifamily, and
Park/Open Space to Community Shopping on Rahling Road & Chenal Parkway
about Y4 of a mile west of the study area to accommodate proposed
development.
On January 4, 2000 a change was made from Office to Mixed Office Commercial
at 15500 Chenal Parkway about 1/10th of a mile southwest of the amendment
area to accommodate proposed development.
The portion of the applicant's property on the west side of the Champlin /
Wellington Hills connection is shown as Multifamily, Office and Commercial. The
land between the area shown as Office and the Proposed Minor Arterial is shown
as Multifamily. The east side of the applicant's property is shown as Single
Family to the north and Low Density Residential to the south. The expanded
area is shown as Low Density Residential at the end of Wellington Village Road,
Single Family at the northwest corner of the Wellington Hills /Wellington Village
intersection, and along the west side of Wellington Village Road.
The neighboring property north of the study area is shown as Office and
Multifamily at the end of Champlin Drive. The land wrapping around the east
side of the expanded study area is shown as Single Family. The intersection of
Wellington Hills and Wellington Village is shown as Public Institutional on the
east side of Wellington Village and Suburban Office at the corner. The land on
the south side of Wellington Hills is shown as Neighborhood Commercial at
Wellington Village Road and Suburban Office at the end of Wellington Hills. The
property to the south along Chenal Parkway is shown as Public Institutional at
the intersection of Kanis Road and Commercial from Kanis to Kirk Road. The
land to the west is shown as Commercial at the Chenal / Kirk intersection and
Office along the west side of Kirk Road. The land at the northwest corner of the
study area is shown as Multifamily.
MASTER STREET PLAN:
Champlin Drive / Wellington Hills Road is shown as a Minor Arterials. The
Champlin end intersecting Rahling Road is built to a 5 -lane standard while the
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April 22, 2004
SUBDIVISION
ITEM NO.: A.1(Cont.)FILE NO.: LU03-19.02
Wellington Hills segment is built to a 4 -lane standard with a raised median. A
Proposed Collector Street is shown to link Wellington Village Road to the
Champlin / Wellington Hills Proposed Minor Arterial. The completed portion of
Wellington Village is classified as a Collector Street built to Collector standards.
A second Proposed Collector Street will link Systems Drive from Kirk Road to the
Champlin / Wellington Hills Proposed Minor Arterial. A third Proposed Collector
Street will link Kirk Road to the Champlin /Wellington Hills Proposed Minor
Arterial and is the subject of a Master Street Plan Amendment on this agenda.
There are no bikeways shown that would be affected by this amendment.
PARKS:
The Little Rock Parks and Recreation Master Plan of 2001 shows a Potential
Greenbelt along Rock Creek in the median of Chenal Parkway within an eight
block walking distance south of the application area. The plan is to develop the
median of Chenal Parkway as a linear park and will include the construction of
the Class I bikeway shown on the Master Street Plan. Since this amendment
covers a large area, the northern portions of the study area are located in a
Service Deficit Area and would require the development of park and open space
facilities to serve future developments.
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.
ANALYSIS:
Area 1: (Office & Multifamily to Commercial) This change would introduce an
area of Commercial that would provide land to serve the offices to the west and
residential areas to the east and significantly increase the potential intensity of
development that could occur in the neighborhood. The location of this area
between non-residential uses to the west and residential uses to the east could
provide a focal point for the neighborhood as a center of activity that could serve
both of the neighboring uses. However, this change would place an
inappropriately high intensity of commercial uses in an area that would be more
appropriately served with less intense commercial activity. The Commercial land
use category would allow uses that would not provide support services to the
nearby office areas during business hours and uses that would have adverse
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April 22, 2004
SUBDIVISION
ITEM NO.: A.1 Cont. FILE NO.: LU03-19-02
impacts on the neighboring residential areas. The adverse affects resulting from
increased traffic, noise, and visual impacts would have a greater negative impact
on the residential areas to the east while leaving the non-residential areas to the
west relatively non -disturbed. If the proposed change to Multifamily in Areas 6 is
approved, the Multifamily designation for those areas could provide a transition
from the non-residential areas to the west and the less intense Low Density
Residential. If the change for Area 6 is not approved, a change to Commercial
in Area 1 would place a conflicting use adjacent to the area shown as Low
Density Residential. At this time all of the areas providing land for retail
developments are located at along Chenal Parkway and Rahling Road. The
closest land to the study areas shown for non-residential uses consists of the
areas shown as Office, located to the west. This change would provide vacant
land for new retail development on Champlin /Wellington Hills located about
halfway from the areas currently shown for retail uses.
Area 2: (Commercial to Office) This change would reduce the amount of land
shown as Commercial at the northeast corner of the Chenal Parkway / Kirk Road
intersection. The area proposed for Office would be small enough that by itself
would not require an amendment. However, this amendment is adjacent to Area
3, which for a proposed change from Multifamily to Office. The change from
Commercial to Office in Area 2 is essentially an expansion for the proposed
change in Area 3. The Commercial shown at the intersection of Kirk Road fronts
and is accessed by Chenal Parkway. Kirk Road would front area #2.
Area 3: (Multifamily to Office) This conversion would increase the area shown as
Office and allow the assembly of land parcels suitable for larger office
development between Kirk Road and the Champlin /Wellington Hills Connection.
This alteration would allow a greater continuity of uses by establishing non-
residential uses along the west side of the Champlin / Wellington Hills connection
south of the Systems Drive extension. This modification would also be
compatible with the Suburban Office to the east and the Commercial and Public
Institutional to the south. In addition, a change to Office would provide double
frontage for office developments between Kirk Road and the Champlin /
Wellington Hills connection. The area shown as Office between Kirk Road and
Chenal Parkway is near build -out. A change to Office would provide more vacant
land allow more future office development in the neighborhood. Similar to the
change proposed for Area 1, the proposed change in Area 3 could have adverse
affects resulting from increased traffic, noise, and visual impacts would have a
potential negative impact on the residential areas to the east. If the proposed
changes to Multifamily in Areas 6 are approved, the Multifamily designation for
those areas could provide a transition from the non-residential areas to the west
and the less intense Low Density Residential. As in Area 1, if the changes for
Area 6 is not approved, a change to Office in Area 3 would place a conflicting
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April 22, 2004
SUBDIVISION
ITEM NO.: A.1 Cont. FILE NO.: LU03-19-02
use adjacent to the area shown as Low Density Residential. The proposal for
Area 3 would also increase the area of non-residential, requiring people live
further from the proposed commercial and offices uses, further segregating uses.
A change to Office in Area 3 would allow for a campus type office development.
Area 4: (Single Family to Park / Open Space) A change to Park / Open Space
would recognize existing conditions at the northwest corner of the Wellington
Hills / Wellington Village intersection. Park / Open Space would also serve to
protect the integrity of the retention pond located at the northwest corner of
Wellington Hills and Wellington Village and preserve the hillside. A change to
Park / Open Space would also buffer the Single Family uses to the north from the
non-residential uses located to the south. In addition, Park / Open Space would
also provide a transition along the north side of Wellington Village from the
Suburban Office and Commercial shown south of Wellington Village and the
residential areas to the west. This change along with the proposed changes for
Areas 5 and 6 would buffer the less intense residential uses to the north from the
more intense nonresidential uses to the south. As an existing use, or
neighborhood amenity, a change to Park / Open Space should help re -enforce
this area as an open space amenity to the neighborhood -
Area 5: (Single Family to Public Institutional) The Public Institutional category
would recognize the church and provide a transition along the west side of
Wellington Village into the residential areas to the north from the non-residential
areas to the south. A change to Public Institutional is intended to serve the civic
needs of the neighborhood. A change to Public Institutional in Area 5, along with
a change to Park / Open Space in Area 4, would complement the Suburban
Office and Public Institutional on the east side of Wellington Village to create a
gateway into the neighborhood. As in Area 4, this change would recognize an
existing use, or neighborhood amenity, there would be little negative impact on
the neighborhood as long as the present use of the property remains unaltered.
However, unlike the property in Area 4, this property could be more easily
converted from its present use to either residential or non-residential uses.
Area 6: (Low Density Residential & Single Family to Multifamily) A change to
Multifamily would eliminate the LDR fronting Wellington Hills Road and provide
Multifamily along the east side of the proposed Champlin /Wellington Hills link.
Although a change to Multifamily could also place a higher density of residential
uses next to less intense LDR, the remaining area shown as LDR could provide a
transition between densities of residential development. This change would also
buffer the non-residential areas to the west from the residential areas to the east.
This proposal along with the proposed change in Area 7 would create a
continuous area of Multifamily from Area 4 and the Multifamily shown at the
intersection of Rahling Road and Chenal Valley Drive. The change in Area 6
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April 22, 2004
SUBDIVISIO
ITEM NO.: A.1 (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU03-19-02
could also provide a transition of use intensity resulting from the proposed
change to Commercial in Area 1 from the less intense residential areas to the
east. However, due to the possible densities of development in an area shown as
Multifamily (up to 36 dwelling units per acre), a change to Multifamily in Area 6
compared to the possible densities in an area shown as LDR (as low as 6
dwelling units per acre), a large difference in densities could occur in
developments located next to each other.
Area 7: (Single Family to Multifamily) A change to Multifamily would link a change
to Multifamily in Area #6 to the Multifamily shown at the end of Champlin Drive.
The proposed change for Area #7 would also establish Multifamily uses on both
sides of the Champlin /Wellington Hills connection between the Systems Drive
extension and the proposed Wellington Village Road extension. However, as in
Area 6, this could place a higher density of residential uses next to less intense
residential uses without a buffer between densities of residential development. A
change to Multifamily at this location would increase the area already shown as
Multifamily at the end of Champlin Drive. A change to Multifamily in Area 7 could
result in a greater difference between developments located in Area 7 and the
lower densities allowed in the areas to the east. Multifamily developments
located in Area 7 would also occur adjacent to Single Family developments that
would occur in conjunction with an extension of the Wellington Village Road
Collector Street.
In summary, the changes proposed would establish Champlin /Wellington Hills
as a boundary between residential and non-residential uses located south of
systems drive. The changes for Areas 1, 2, and 3 would add place Commercial
uses inside the neighborhood, expand the area shown as Office, and remove
Multifamily from the west side of Champlin / Wellington Hills. The changes for
Areas 4 and 5 would complement the land shown as Suburban Office and Public
Institutional at the intersection of Wellington Hills and Wellington Village to
establish a transition of uses along Wellington Village and create an entrance
into the residential areas to the north. The change for Areas 6 would
complement the changes proposed for Areas 1 and 3 to establish Champlin /
Wellington Hills as a boundary between residential and non-residential uses.
The change in Area 7 would increase the area shown as Multifamily currently
shown at the end of Champlin Drive. These changes add a new area shown as
Commercial with a slight reduction in the Office and Multifamily. The loss of
Office and Multi -family in Area 1 would be offset by an increases in land shown
as Office in Areas 2 & 3 and Multi -family for Areas 6 & 7. The changes to Office
in Areas 2 and 3 also provides vacant land for Office uses in addition to the land
already developed with Office uses along Chenal Parkway. A change for Area 5
would reinforce a neighborhood amenity, while both changes for Areas 4 and 5
recognize existing conditions. New Multifamily in Areas 6 & 7 would add vacant
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April 22, 2004
SUBDIVISION
ITEM NO.: A.1 Cont. FILE NO.: LU03-19-02
land to the recent increase in Multifamily shown at the end of Champlin Drive and
south of Rahling Road at Chenal Valley Drive.
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS:
Notices were sent to the following neighborhood associations: Aberdeen Court
Property Owners Association, Bayonne Place Property Owners Association,
Carriage Creek Property Owners Association, Chenal Ridge Property, Du
Quesne Place P.O.A., Eagle Pointe Property Owners Association, Glen Eagles
Property Owners Association, Hillsborough Property Owners Association,
Hunters Cove Property Owners Association, Hunters Green Property Owners
Association, Johnson Ranch Neighborhood Association, Marlowe Manor
Property Owners Association, Maywood Manor Neighborhood Association, St.
Charles Property Owners Association, Charleston Heights/North Rahling Rd
N.A., Margeaux Place Property Owners Association, and Parkway Place
Property Owners Association. Staff has received one comment from area
residents. The comment received was neutral.
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff believes the following changes are appropriate:
Staff believes the changes in Areas 2 - 5 are appropriate to establish the
Proposed Minor Arterial as a boundary between intensity of uses and to provide
a transition between uses along Wellington Village Road.
In area 1, a change to Neighborhood Commercial is more appropriate than a
change to Commercial and would also provide small-scale goods and services to
the residential areas after business hours, while providing support uses to the
office areas during business hours, creating a focal point for the neighborhood.
In Area 6 - 7, staff supports a change to Multi -family with the addition of a strip of
Park / Open Space along the boundaries adjacent to areas shown as Low
Density Residential and Single Family would be more appropriate to provide a
buffer between intensity of uses.
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April 22, 2004
SUBDIVISION
ITEM NO.: A.1 (Cont. FILE NO.: LU03-19-02
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (December 4, 2003)
The item was placed on the consent agenda for deferral to the January 29, 2004
Planning Commission meeting. 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: (January 29, 2004)
The item was placed on the consent agenda for deferral to the March 11, 2004
Planning Commission meeting. 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:
(March 11, 2004)
The item was placed on the consent agenda for deferral to the April 22, 2004
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 submitted new information on April 7, 2004 with changes to various
aspects of the applications. Due in part to the many deferrals of this item and the
changes that have occurred in Little Rock, together with the modifications to the
applications, Staff reviewed the entire request.
In Area 1 on the east side of Kirk Road at Systems Drive, staff does not support
the change to Commercial. A change to Neighborhood Commercial is more
appropriate and would also provide small-scale goods and services to the
residential areas after business hours, while providing support uses to the office
areas during business hours, creating a focal point for the neighborhood.
In Area 2 and 3 on the southern boundary of the application area, Staff supports
the change to Office.
In area 4 and 5 in the southeastern area of the application, Staff supports the
changes from Single Family to Park/Open Space and Single Family to Public
Institutional to recognize existing uses of a lake with open space and a church.
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April 22, 2004
SUBDIVISION
ITEM NO.: A.1 Cont. FILE NO.: LU03-19-02
In Area 6 on the eastern side of the application, staff does not support a change
from Low Density Residential to Multi -family. Staff supports the Low Density
Residential as currently shown as a transition from the proposed Office use to
the Single Family to the northeast. The arterial in this instance could serve as
the dividing line between the higher intensity uses of Multifamily, Office and
Neighborhood Commercial on the west as opposed to the Single Family and Low
Density Residential on the east.
In Area 7, in the northeastern section of the application, staff does not supports a
change from Single Family to Multi -family, but would suppoort a change to Low
Density Residential north of the proposed collector.and east of the minor arterial
as a transition down from the multifamily to the recommended Single Family to
the south and the existing Single Family to the southeast.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (APRIL 22, 2004)
Brian Minyard, City Staff, made a brief presentation to the commission. Donna
James and Monte Moore made presentations of item A and A.3 so the
discussion could coincide with the discussion for item A.1. See item A for a
complete discussion concerning the preliminary plat and item A.3 for the zoning
action.
Wingfield Martin spoke in favor of the application. He spoke of changes to the
Master Street Plan to shift the arterial to the west. He continued that the arterial
justified the higher zoning classifications to offset the cost of building the arterial.
He continued on existing conditions in the area. He stated that they would
accept C-1 instead of C-3 and to accept Neighborhood Commercial instead of
Commercial in Area 1.
Casey Tucker spoke in opposition to the change. She spoke of diminished
property values and existing apartment complexes in the area. She stated that
she was okay with the commercial and office uses. She continued about the lack
of fire protection in the area.
Doug McNeil, of Winrock Development, stated that he was generally supportive
of the staff recommendations.
Dwayne Shelton spoke in opposition to the application. He stated that the
extension of Kanis to Chenal at Wellington Hills was necessary to remove traffic
going east through St. Charles. He spoke that there were not actual costs given
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April 22, 2004
SUBDIVISION
ITEM NO.: A.1 (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU03-19-02
for the difference in building a collector and an arterial. He questioned the need
for that much multi -family in the area.
Bob Tyler opposes the application. He stated that residential appraisals are
different now and that they look at adjacent uses as multi -family. He stated that
there needs to be a buffer from the single Family to the Multi -family.
Alan Van Biervliet spoke in opposition. He stated that the high point of the
neighborhood is on this site and would not prefer to have apartments on the top
of the hill.
There was a discussion of the Staff and the commissioners as to whether vote on
the individual areas or cast one vote on the entire item.
A motion was made to approve the item as amended. The motion was denied
with a vote of 0 ayes, 10 noes and 1 absent.
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