HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutesAugust 26, 2010
ITEM NO.: 2 FILE NO.: LU10-19-01
Name: Land Use Plan Amendment — Chenal Planning District
Location: North side of Kanis Road, just east of Rahling Road
Request: Residential High Density to Office and Commercial
Source: Tim Daters, for Maidie B. Shearer Revocable Trust
PROPOSAL/REQUEST:
A Land Use Plan amendment in the Chenal Planning District from Residential
High Density to Office and Commercial.
EXISTING LAND USE AND ZONING:
The property is currently zoned R-2 Single Family and AF Agricultural Forestry.
It is about eleven acres in size, minus the area shown as floodway. Part of this
property is vacant and part is used as an animal clinic. The land south of this
amendment site is zoned R-2 and is developed with large tract single family
residences. Part of this area is undeveloped still. To the east of this area is a
recently approved Planned Commercial Development for retail and mini
warehouses. To the west of this site is zoned C-3 and is wooded and
undeveloped. To the north is zoned Planned Office Development for a proposed
medical office complex.
FUTURE LAND USE PLAN AND RECENT AMENDMENTS:
This area is shown as Residential High Density and Park/Open Space on the
Future Land Use Plan. The Park/Open Space is shown to represent the Rock
Creek floodway. To the north of this site is shown as Mixed Use. To the east
and west is shown as Commercial. The south side of Kanis is shown as
Residential High Density.
LU08-19-01 was approved by Ordinance 19,986 to change an area northwest of
this site from Residential High Density to Commercial and Neighborhood
Commercial.
LU06-19-07 was approved by Ordinance 19,722 for multiple staff updates along
Kanis Road including a change from Residential High Density to Commercial to
the west of this amendment site.
LU06-19-02 was approved by Ordinance 19,582 to change an area of
Residential High Density to Mixed Office Commercial just north of the Rock
Creek floodway.
August 26, 2010
ITEM NO.: 2 (Cont.
FILE NO.: LU10-19-01
LU05-19-03 was a change to the east of this current amendment from
Residential High Density and Office to Commercial and Office. It was approved
by Ordinance 19,462.
MASTER STREET PLAN:
Rahling Road is a Principal Arterial. The primary function of a Principal Arterial is
to serve through traffic and to connect major traffic generators or activity centers
within urbanized areas. Kanis Road is a Minor Arterial. A Minor Arterial provides
connections to and through an urban area and their primary function is to provide
short distance travel within the urbanized area. Entrances and exits should be
limited to minimize negative effects of traffic and pedestrians on Kanis Road
since it is a Minor Arterial. These streets may require dedication of right-of-way
and may require street improvements for entrances and exits to the site.
BICYCLE PLAN:
Class I bike routes are proposed along Rahling Road and Kanis Road. A Class I
bikeway is built separate from or alongside a road. Additional paving and right of
way may be required.
PARKS:
According to the Master Parks Plan, this area is within eight blocks of a park or
open space. The Champagnolle Neighborhood Park is located to the northwest
of this property.
HISTORIC DISTRICTS:
There are no city recognized historic districts that would be affected by this
amendment.
ANALYSIS:
In 2006, the Board of Directors requested City staff to review the Land Use Plan
along Kanis Road from Chenal Parkway to Stewart Road. This was made as the
result of a Land Use Plan amendment just west of Chenal Parkway on the north
side of Kanis Road from Residential High Density to Commercial. Staff had been
opposed to this request in part due to concerns that it could lead to further
commercial requests along Kanis, making Kanis lined with commercial from
Chenal Parkway to at lease the alignment of the proposed West Loop. The
resulting amendment package was based on the goal of maintaining existing
zoned multifamily areas and protecting the low density single family areas to the
south of Kanis Road.
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August 26, 2010
ITEM NO.: 2 Cont. FILE NO.: LU10-19-01
This planning effort used Kanis Road as a dividing line between lower density
(rural to extra -urban development) and higher density (more traditional suburban
subdivisions) development areas. During the last four years this pattern has
held, with the north side of Kanis Road not only being more dense but also more
non-residential. The addition of a medical office campus development and
zoning for several mixed use (office/commercial) developments north of Kanis
Road has expanded the area of service and retail businesses. The amendment
site is part of the southern edge of a large office -commercial, business district for
far west Little Rock.
The south side of Kanis Road has a use pattern that is large lot residential, rural
in nature. Currently Kanis Road is a two-lane 'county road', but the Master Street
Plan shows it as a four -lane divided Arterial (or five -lane Arterial). This road can
be the transition from non-residential to residential uses. The Land Use Plan
shows an area of Residential High Density south of the site in question that will
continue to be the transition from this higher density business district and the low
density large lot home sites to the south. After review of the area, both use and
zoning, the proposed change to Office and Commercial will not cause any
undesirable land use conflicts in the area.
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS:
Notices were sent to the following neighborhood associations: Witry Court,
Champagnolle Court and Bascom Place. Staff has received no comments from
area residents. The property under review is not located in an area covered by a
City of Little Rock recognized neighborhood action plan.
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff believes the change is appropriate.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (AUGUST 26, 2010)
The item was placed on the consent agenda for approval. By a vote of 9 for and
0 against (1 absent, 1 vacant) the consent agenda was approved.
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