Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoard of Directors itemsOFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS BOARD OF DIRECTORS COMMUNICATION August 15, 2006 AGENDA Subject Action Required Approved By LU06-19-05, Plan Amendment in the Chenal Ordinance District from Office to Resolution Mixed Office Commercial, Approval at the SE corner of Chenal Information Report Parkway and Arkansas System Drive Submitted by: Planning & Development Bruce Moore SYNOPSIS I A Land Use Plan Amendment in the Chenal District from Office to Mixed Office Commercial at the southeast corner of Chenal Parkway and Arkansas System Dive. FISCAL IMPACT None Determined RECOMMENDATION Staff Recommends approval. The Planning Commission at their July 6, 2006 meeting recommended approval (9 for 0 Against) CITIZEN The St Charles Community Association was notified of the PARTICIPATION amendment. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on the amendment on July 6, 2006. BACKGROUND The site is a vacant tract at the southeast corner of Arkansas System and Chenal Parkway. The tracts to the north and east are office buildings with a mixed office retail center to the south. West of Chenal Parkway is land that is wooded and vacant, north of LaGrande. South of LaGrande is an office building and vacant partially wooded land. The City's Land Use Plan has shown this vicinity for Office use for over two decades. The major BACKGROUND I Commercial node has been at the intersection of Rahling CONTINUED Road and Chenal Parkway to the northwest of this site. This section of Little Rock is the City's high growth area. To date, most of this growth has been residential in nature. Office has development mostly to the east of this site. Commercial uses have tended to be smaller in the generally vicinity, with the large `box' development further to the east along Chenal Parkway. Proposals for a major commercial development have been made for a 50 -acre tract to the northwest. The City is currently reviewing the third major version for this development, with other intermediate versions discussed. As part of a land use plan amendment review for a series of changes to the east, north, south and west; a traffic study was conducted for this area. The land use changes considered were from Office, Neighborhood Commercial and Low Density Residential to Mixed Office Commercial; Multifamily to Mixed Office Commercial; Multifamily and Office to Mixed Office Commercial; Mixed Use to Commercial; and Office to Community Shopping. The traffic study reaffirmed a 1996 study that indicated capacity or near capacity on most major roads in the vicinity at full build out. The Study recommended either reducing the proposed Land Uses; increasing the street capacities (land widening and intersection improvements); or construction alternate parallel routes. The proposed use is a `true' mixed-use development. That is an office building with a maximum of a single floor of retail use. Office can have ten percent retail by right. The request is for 33.3 percent of the structure and approximately 30 percent of the overall development. The structure is not going to be a `strip development' with office and retail but rather an office building with retail use. This type of use should fit in well with the surrounding developments and proposed developments. The location will be a major intersection in the future for local east -west traffic and area -wide north -south traffic. (Local in that it will serve as a relief flow and for traffic only in this section of Little Rock.) The change is consistent with other proposals made to the Commission in the last few months. Based on the suggested mix and design the retail uses are likely to be targeted to the existing office tenants and those already in the vicinity. FILE NO.: LU06-19-05 Name: Land Use Plan Amendment - Chenal Planning District Location: Southeast corner Chenal Pkwy & Arkansas Systems Re uest: Office to Mixed Office Commercial Source: Tim Daters, White-Daters PROPOSAL / REQUEST: Land Use Plan amendment in the Chenal Planning District from Office to Mixed Office Commercial. Mixed Office Commercial provides for a mixture of office and commercial uses to occur, acceptable uses are office or mixed office and commercial with a Planned Zoning District. There is an accompanying Planned Commercial Development for a bank and three-story building. A maximum of 31 percent commercial has been requested for the site. EXISTING LAND USE AND ZONING: The property is vacant and mostly cleared currently zoned Planned Office District and is 5.1 acres t in size. North of the site is an area of 0-2 Office and Institution zoning with an office building. Beyond this is a Planned Commercial District and C-3 General Commercial zoning at the Rahling-Chenal Parkway intersection. The Planned Commercial District is partially developed with retail and office uses. The C-2 land is wooded and undeveloped. To the east are 0-3 General Office, 0-2 and Planned Office District zoning. Office buildings occupy this land. Beyond this is MF -18 Multifamily 18 units per acre and C-1 Neighborhood Commercial land. This land remained undeveloped pastureland with a home on it. South of the site is Planned Office District and 0-2 zoned land with a commercial center, bank, post office and office building. Beyond this is C-3 land at the Chenal-Kanis (west) intersection. This land is mostly wooded and not developed. To the west across Chenal Parkway is C-2 and Planned Office District land. The C-2 land is wooded and undeveloped, with the Planned Office District is partially developed. Beyond this to the west is wooded land zoned MF -18, MF -24 Multifamily 24 units per acre and 0-2. This is a portion of the city currently developing. Most of the development has been to the east, northwest and southeast to date. FUTURE LAND USE PLAN AND RECENT AMENDMENTS: May 18, 2004, a change from Single Family to Office, south of Cantrell Road between Chenonceau and Chevaux, over a mile to the northwest of the site. FILE NO.: LU06-19-05 (Cont. This change was made related to a Planned Office District reclassification to allow for future redevelopment of the land. January 20, 2004, a change from Office to Mixed Use south of Rahling Road either side of Champlin Drive, to the northeast of the application area. This change was made to allow for future development of the land (no reclassification was included at the time). June 17, 2003, changes from Office, Multifamily and Single Family to Multifamily and Low Density Residential south of Chenal Parkway around Rahling Road, northwest of the application area. These changes were made to reflect new zoning in the area for future development. June 4, 2002, a change from Single Family to Suburban Office south of Cantrell Road either side of Drew, over a mile to the northwest of the site. This change was made related to a Planned Office District reclassification to allow for future redevelopment of the land. January 2, 2002, a change from Single Family to Commercial, Suburban Office and Open Space southeast of the Chenal-Northfield intersection over a mile to the northwest of the site. This change was made related to a rezoning request for the area. The Land Use Plan shows this site for Office. North, East, South and Southwest of the site is Office on the Plan. To the northwest of the site at the Chenal- Rahling Road intersection is a large area of Community Shopping and Commercial. Further to the northeast and east is Multifamily then Single Family use. To the southeast is Office then Commercial at Chenal Parkway near Kanis (east). To the south beyond the Office is Commercial at the Kanis (west)-Chenal Parkway intersection. Beyond the Office to the southwest is Multifamily then Commercial at the Kanis —Rahling extension intersection. MASTER STREET PLAN: Chenal Parkway is shown as an Arterial on the plan. An Arterial functions to move traffic through and around the urban area or from activity centers to the Arterial system. These roads are designed to be four or more lanes and move large numbers of vehicles at high speed. They are not intended to provide access to adjacent land. Arkansas System Drive is shown as a Collector on the plan. A Collector functions to bring vehicles from the neighborhoods to the Arterial system as well as to provide access to adjacent property. These roads are designed to be three -lane roads. 2 FILE NO.: LU06-19-05 (Cont. BICYCLE PLAN.- The LAN: The Master Street Plan, bicycle section, proposes a Class I bike route along Chenal Parkway. A Class I route has a separate pavement for the sole use of bicycles. -.0 The Little Rock Parks and Recreation Master Plan shows this area as deficient. That is the site is not within 8 -blocks of a public or private recreation or open space. Efforts should be made in the vicinity to develop such recreation or open space in the general vicinity of this application. 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 - The site is a vacant tract at the southeast corner of Arkansas System and Chenal Parkway. The tracts to the north and east are office buildings with a mixed office retail center to the south. West of Chenal Parkway is land that is wooded and vacant, north of LaGrande. South of LaGrande is an office building and vacant partially wooded land. The City's Land Use Plan has shown this vicinity for Office use for over two decades. The major Commercial node has been at the intersection of Rahling Road and Chenal Parkway to the northwest of this site. This section of Little Rock is the City's high growth area. To date, most of this growth has been residential in nature. Office has development mostly to the east of this site. Commercial uses have tended to be smaller in the generally vicinity, with the large 'box' development further to the east along Chenal Parkway. Proposals for a major commercial development have been made for a 50 -acre tract to the northwest. The City is currently reviewing the third major version for this development, with other intermediate versions discussed. As part of a land use plan amendment review for a series of changes to the east, north, south and west; a traffic study was conducted for this area. The land use changes considered were from Office, Neighborhood Commercial and Low Density Residential to Mixed Office Commercial; Multifamily to Mixed Office Commercial; Multifamily and Office to Mixed Office Commercial; Mixed Use to Commercial; and Office to Community Shopping. The traffic study reaffirmed a 91 FILE NO.: LU06-19-05 (Cont.) 1996 study that indicated capacity or near capacity on most major roads in the vicinity at full build out. The Study recommended either reducing the proposed Land Uses; increasing the street capacities (land widening and intersection improvements); or construction alternate parallel routes. The proposed use is a 'true' mixed-use development. That is an office building with a maximum of a single floor of retail use. Office can have ten percent retail by right. The request is for 33.3 percent of the structure and approximately 30 percent of the overall development. The structure is not going to be a 'strip development' with office and retail but rather an office building with retail use. This type of use should fit in well with the surrounding developments and proposed developments. The location will be a major intersection in the future for local east -west traffic and area -wide north -south traffic. (Local in that it will serve as a relief flow and for traffic only in this section of Little Rock.) The change is consistent with other proposals made to the Commission in the last few months. Based on the suggested mix and design the retail uses are likely to be targeted to the existing office tenants and those already in the vicinity. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: Notices were sent to the St. Charles Community Association. Staff has received no comments from area residents. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.- Staff ECOMMENDATIONS: Staff believes the change is appropriate. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JUNE 22, 2006) The application was placed on consent agenda to July 6, 2006. With a vote of 10 for, 0 against and 1 absent, the consent agenda was approved. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JULY 6, 2006) The item was placed on the consent agenda for approval. By a vote of 9 for and 0 against the consent agenda was approved. C! ORDINANCE NO AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE LAND USE PLAN (16,222) IN THE CHENAL DISTRICT FROM OFFICE TO MIXED OFFICE AND COMMERCIAL; AND FOR OTHER MATTERS. WHEREAS, The Little Rock Planning Commission after conducting a public hearing on the matter recommends the plan be changed. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS: SECTION 1. That an area at the Southeast corner of Chenal Parkway and Arkansas System Drive be amended from Office to Mixed Office and Commercial. SECTION 2. That the ordinance shall take effect and be in full force from and after its passage and approval. PASSED: ATTEST: Nancy Wood City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: THOMAS M. CARPENTER CITY ATTORNEY APPROVED: Jim Dailey Mayor Vicinity Map Plan Amendment Case: LU06-19-05 Location: SEC Arkansas Systems Dr. & Chenal Pkwy. O to MOC Ward: 5 PD: 19 CT: 42.10 TRS: T2NR14W36 0 500 1,000 Feet Area Vicinity Map LJUIIIII Case: LU06-19-05 Location: SEC Arkansas Systems Dr & Chenal Pkwy. O to MOC Ward: 5 PD: 19 CT: 42.10 TRS: T2NR14W36 N A 0 500 1,000 Feet