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Home My WebLink Aboutminutes JulyJuly 11, 2002 ITEM NO.: A FILE NO.: LU02-18-03 Name: Land Use Plan Amendment - Ellis Mountain Planning District Location: West Kanis Road at Rushmore Avenue Request: Low Density Residential to Multi -family and Single Family Source: Joe White, White - Daters & Associates PROPOSAL / REQUEST'. Land Use Plan amendment in the Ellis Mountain Planning District from Low Density Residential to Multi -family and Single Family. The Multi -family category accommodates residential development of ten (10) to thirty-six (36) dwelling units per acre. The applicant wishes to develop the property for multi -family housing. The Single Family category provides for single-family homes at densities not to exceed 6 dwelling units per acre. Such residential development is typically characterized by conventional single family homes, but may also include patio or garden homes and cluster homes, provided that the density remain less than 6 units per acre. Prompted by this Land Use Amendment request, the Planning Staff expanded the area of review to include all of the area shown as Low Density Residential along Cooper Orbit Road. The expansion of this application would amend the Future Land Use plan to show Multi -family west of Cooper Orbit Road and Single Family east of Cooper Orbit. EXISTING LAND USE AND ZONING: The property is vacant land currently zoned MF -12 Multifamily and is approximately 44.49± acres in size. The expanded area is vacant land divided into three different zones. Most of the area is zoned MF -12, the northeast corner of the expanded area is zoned Planned Residential Development, while a strip of land is zoned Open Space along the western boundary and extending east to within 160 feet of Cooper Orbit Road. All of the surrounding property is vacant land zoned R-2 Single Family. FUTURE LAND USE PLAN AND RECENT AMENDMENTS: On July 3, 2001, a change was made from Mixed Office Commercial, Neighborhood Commercial, and Low Density Residential to Single Family in an area bounded by Bowman Road, Panther Creek, Cooper Orbit Road, and Brodie Creek starting about 2/3 of a mile east of the applicant's property. On February 15, 2000, a change was made from Single Family to Low Density July 11, 2002 ITEM NO.: A [Cont. FILE NO.: LU02- Residential at Westglen Drive about 1 mile northeast of the application area. On March 2, 1999, multiple changes were made from Low Density Residential, Transition, and Neighborhood Commercial to Single Family, Low Density Residential, Mixed Office Commercial, and Suburban Office along Kanis Road within a 1 -mile radius of the study area. On December 15, 1998 a change was made from Single Family to Public Institutional at 600 Kirby Road about 1 mile northeast of the amendment area. On November 7, 1996 a change was made from Single Family to Low Density Multifamily resulting in the Low Density Residential currently shown for the expanded area of review. The applicant's property and the expanded area are shown as Low Density Residential on the Future Land Use Plan. A strip of Park / Open Space is shown along the flood plain of Brodie Creek and is located at the northeast corner of the expanded area. The rest of the surrounding land is shown as Single Family. MASTER STREET PLAN: West Kanis Road is shown as an un -built Minor Arterial on the Master Street Plan while Rushmore Avenue is an un -built standard residential street. Cooper Orbit Road is shown as a Minor Arterial and is built as a rural two-lane road. A Class III Bikeway is shown on Cooper Orbit Road from the Brodie Creek Trail to Colonel Glenn Road. Brodie Creek trail is a dirt trail running parallel to the south bank of Brodie Creek. Any development along Cooper Orbit Road would be subject to half street improvements. West Kanis Road would be subject to half street improvements while Rushmore Avenue would need to be built. PARKS: The Little Rock Parks and Recreation Master Plan of 2001 shows the applicant's property is located in a Service Deficit Area. Park facilities would need to be developed to serve future developments located in this area. However, the property in question is located near Brodie Creek, which is shown as a Potential Greenbelt. This Potential Greenbelt serves as an area that may be used for either recreational uses, and or open space opportunities. The Potential Greenbelt also covers the flood plain of Brodie Creek, which is also shown as Park / Open Space. HISTORIC DISTRICTS: There are no City of Little Rock recognized historic districts that would be affected by this amendment. 2 July 11, 2002 ITEM NO.: A (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU02-18-03 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 applicant's property is located on top of a ridge in an undeveloped area at the city limit. The nearest developments are located on Glisten Lane to the north and Vista Drive to the south. New development located on the applicant's property would be isolated from the neighboring developments due to topography and vegetation. A change to Multi -Family would introduce development at a location, which is isolated both physically and visually from the nearest developments on Cooper Orbit Road. Any development of this property would need to be sensitive to the topography of the area and potential effects of storm run-off into Brodie Creek. Development effecting Brodie Creek would influence the park and open space potential of the Potential Greenbelt covering Brodie Creek. The land at the southeast corner of Cooper Orbit Road and Brodie Creek is cleared where the Brodie Creek Trail meets Cooper Orbit Road. However, most of the property along Brodie Creek is undisturbed. Storm runoff from the applicant's property would flow into Brodie Creek. An increase in density will have an effect on area traffic by increasing the number of trips generated in the area, increasing the use of Cooper Orbit Road. An additional result of higher density could also increase the demand for utilities in the area and place an extra burden on existing water, sewage, drainage, and electrical lines in the area. The current utilities are designed to service the current residential uses in the area and may need improvement to carry the extra burden of higher density housing. However, higher density housing developments generally have fewer occupants per unit and therefore have less impact per dwelling unit on public services. Originally the property in question was shown as Single Family when it was annexed into the city. In 1996 the Future Land Use Plan was amended to Low Density Multi -Family to accommodate a zoning request for MF -12 that was to be located at the intersection of the proposed Minor Arterial and Cooper Orbit Road. When the land use categories were changed from Low Density Multi -Family to Low Density Residential, the maximum allowable for LDR was set at 10 dwelling units per acre. However, after the Land Use Plan categories were changed, the zoning for the property in question remained MF -12 and allows a density of 12 dwelling units per acre for the applicant's property. A change to Multi -family would increase the maximum density allowed to 36 dwelling units per acre. The applicant wishes to develop multi -family housing west of Cooper Orbit Road with 3 July 11, 2002 ITEM NO.: A (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU02-18-03 a density of 16 dwelling units per acre. A change to single family east of Cooper Orbit Road would reduce the maximum density allowed to 6 units per acre. A change to Single Family east of Cooper Orbit Road would maintain a balance of density so that the overall density of the entire area currently shown as Low Density Residential would be maintained. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: Notices were sent to the following neighborhood associations: Gibraltar/Pt. West/Timber Ridge, Parkway Place Property Owners Association, and Spring Valley Manor Property Owners Association. Staff has received two comments from area residents. One is opposed to the change and one was neutral. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff believes the change is appropriate. Due to the homogenous nature of the housing in this area, a change to Multi -family west of Cooper Orbit Road would diversify the types of residential land uses available for this area, while the change to Single Family east of Cooper Orbit Road would maintain the overall density of the entire amendment area. PLANNING COMMISSION -ACTION : (JULY 11, 2002) Brian Minyard, City Staff, made a brief presentation to the commission. Donna James made a presentation of items B and 1 so the discussion could coincide with the discussion for item A. See item B for a complete discussion concerning the Long Form Planned Development - Residential and item 1 for a Planned Residential Development Revocation and zone change from MF -12 Multi -family to R-2 Single Family. See items B and 1 for related information. A motion was made to approve the item as presented. The item was approved with a vote of 8 ayes, 1 no, 1 absent, and 1 open position. 4