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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoard of Director itemsOFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS BOARD OF DIRECTORS COMMUNICATION JUNE 5, 2007 AGENDA Subject I Action Required I Approved By Land Use Plan Amendment — 40rdinance Barrett Planning District — Resolution LU07-18-02 at the northwest Approval corner of Kanis and Kirby Information Report Roads Submitted by: Planning and Development Bruce Moore SYNOPSIS Land Use Plan amendments in the Ellis Mountain Planning District from Mixed Office Commercial to Commercial for future development. FISCAL IMPACT N/A RECOMMENDATION Planning Staff recommends denial. The Planning Commission reviewed this issue at its April 26, 2007 meeting and recommended denial. The motion to approve failed with a vote of 2 in favor, 6 against, 1 abstained, and 2 absent. There was one objector present. CITIZEN All residents within 300 feet who could be identified and the PARTICIPATION Gibraltar Heights Pointe West Timber Ridge POA, Spring Valley Manor POA and Parkway Place Property Owners Association were notified of the public hearing. BACKGROUND The Land Use Plan along Kanis Road has been the subject of extensive study. This area of Kanis is on the edge of development in the City of Little Rock. The last major changes to take place along the Kanis corridor were the result of Ordinance 17,951 in 1999. This Ordinance changed most of the corridor to the categories that are now shown. It has taken time, but these land use categories are beginning to be utilized with the development of small offices and new BACKGROUND CONTINUED residences. The Kanis area has emphasized that lower intensity uses are the most desirable for the region. The Rock Creek Neighborhood Action Plan specifically requested that the Future Land Use Plan be adhered to more closely with very limited amendments. This area has been growing almost continually over the past twenty years. The changes made by Ordinance 17,951 have been in place for eight years. A change in conditions should be identified for further modification of the plan. The application area was changed under this ordinance from Transition and Neighborhood Commercial to Mixed Office Commercial. Throughout this period of time, the use has remained mostly single family with several Planned Office Developments for this section of Kanis. A pattern of residential mixed with office uses is developing along Kanis. These land use categories need to be used as a guide for the future development of the Kanis corridor. The applicant has requested a change from Mixed Office Commercial to Commercial to allow a gas station with a carwash. This would be an increase in the intensity of the allowed uses for the site. Commercial provides for a broad range of retail and wholesale sales of products, services and general business activities. Commercial activities can vary greatly in type and scale, depending on the trade area they serve. Any changes in development along Kanis will have an impact on the amount of traffic. Commercial would be better on a high traffic road in the area such as Chenal Parkway. The development pattern to the north and west is predominately single-family detached houses. Most of the houses are of similar size and lot size, with a mix of large lot single family and smaller lot subdivisions. To the east is planned for Mixed Office Commercial and Suburban Office. There are currently single-family houses and single-family houses that have been converted to offices in this area. These buildings and any future Suburban Office or Single Family buildings would all be on a similar scale. Commercial generally involves large massive structures, and those large-scale structures would overwhelm its neighbors. This juxtaposition of opposing uses and massing can be detrimental to the smaller scale residential homes. This site is currently planned for Mixed Office Commercial. There are 24 acres of Mixed Office Commercial at the intersection of Kanis and Cooper Orbit, and this amendment would change two of those acres to Commercial. There is no other Mixed Office Commercial or Commercial within one mile of this site. 2 ORDINANCE NO. AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE LAND USE PLAN (16,222) IN THE ELLIS MOUNTAIN PLANNING DISTRICT FROM MIXED OFFICE COMMERCIAL TO COMMERCIAL; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS. SECTION 1. That Mixed Office Commercial at the northwest corner of Kanis and Kirby Roads be amended to Commercial. SECTION 2. That the ordinance shall take effect and be in full force from and after its passage and approval. PASSED: ATTEST: City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: City Attorney APPROVED: Mayor FILE NO.: LU07-18-02 Name: Land Use Plan Amendment - Ellis Mountain Planning District Location: Northwest corner of Kanis and Kirby Roads Request: Mixed Office Commercial to Commercial Source: Crackerbox, LLC, Terry Burruss, Architect PROPOSAL f REQUEST: The applicant has requested that this item be deferred to the April 26, 2007 agenda. Staff is supportive of this request. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (APRIL 12, 2007) The Item was placed on consent agenda for deferral to April 26, 2007. By a vote of 10 for 0 against the consent agenda was approved. STAFF UPDATE: Land Use Plan amendment in the Ellis Mountain Planning District from Mixed Office Commercial to Commercial. Commercial represents a broad range of retail and wholesale sales. The applicant proposes to use this site for a convenience store with gas pumps and a carwash. EXISTING LAND USE AND ZONING.- The ONING: The property is currently zoned C-1 and is 1.76 acres ± in size. The site is currently vacant and outside of and adjacent to the Little Rock city limits. East of this site is zoned C-1 and R-2 with three homes in good repair facing Kanis Road, a vacant commercial building on the corner of Kanis and Kirby, two manufactured homes and several accessory buildings on it. To the east and northeast is zoned R-2 Single Family and has been developed with single-family subdivisions. The area to the northwest is also zoned R-2, but it is mostly undeveloped. The intersection of Kanis and Cooper Orbit just west of this application is zoned C-1 Neighborhood Commercial and is currently undeveloped. To the southeast is a POD Planned Office Development for single-family homes, patio homes and offices, which is in the construction phase. South of this area is an expired Planned Residential Development that included some non- residential use but has not developed. To the southwest of this site is more R-2 zoning and it is currently undeveloped. FILE NO.: LU07-18-02 (Cont. FUTURE LAND USE PLAN AND RECENT AMENDMENTS: The application area and the surrounding areas to the south and west are currently planned for Mixed Office Commercial. Beyond the Mixed Office Commercial to the west is Single Family. To the north is also planned for Single Family. To the east and southeast is planned for Suburban Office. These areas were all amended in 1999 under Ordinance 17,951 in an effort to update the Kanis Corridor. MASTER STREET PLAN: Kanis Road is shown as a Minor Arterial on the Master Street Plan and Kirby Road is shown as a Collector. These streets may require dedication of right-of-way and may require street improvements. 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. The primary function of a Collector Street is to provide a connection from Local Streets to Arterials. BICYCLE PLAN: A Class III bike route is shown proposed on Kirby and south across Kanis. A Class III bikeway is a signed route on a street shared with traffic. No additional paving or right- of-way is required. Class III bicycle route signage may be required. PARKS: According to the Master Parks Plan, the application area is within eight blocks of a park or open space. This park area is along Rock Creek, which runs between the lanes of Chenal Parkway. HISTORIC DISTRICTS: There are no city recognized historic districts that would be affected by this amendment. CITY RECOGNIZED NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLAN: The applicant's property lies in the area covered by the Rock Creek Neighborhood Action Plan. The Office and Commercial Development goal states: "Encourage Little Rock, not only in the Rock Creek Neighborhood but also citywide, to adhere to the adopted Land Use Plan. Encourage a policy of reviewing the entire plan comprehensively and thoughtfully every three to five years and making plan amendments extremely rare." 2 FILE NO.: LU07-18-02 (Cont. ANALYSIS: The Land Use Plan along Kanis Road has been the subject of extensive study. This area of Kanis is on the edge of development in the City of Little Rock. The last major changes to take place along the Kanis corridor were the result of Ordinance 17,951 in 1999. This Ordinance changed most of the corridor to the categories that are now shown. It has taken time, but these land use categories are beginning to be utilized with the development of small offices and new residences. The Kanis area has emphasized that lower intensity uses are the most desirable for the region. The Rock Creek Neighborhood Action Plan specifically requested that the Future Land Use Plan be adhered to more closely with very limited amendments. This area has been growing almost continually over the past twenty years. The changes made by Ordinance 17,951 have been in place for eight years. A change in conditions should be identified for further modification of the plan. The application area was changed under this ordinance from Transition and Neighborhood Commercial to Mixed Office Commercial. Throughout this period of time, the use has remained mostly single family with several Planned Office Developments for this section of Kanis. A pattern of residential mixed with office uses is developing along Kanis. These land use categories need to be used as a guide for the future development of the Kanis corridor. The applicant has requested a change from Mixed Office Commercial to Commercial to allow a gas station with a carwash. This would be an increase in the intensity of the allowed uses for the site. Commercial provides for a broad range of retail and wholesale sales of products, services and general business activities. Commercial activities can vary greatly in type and scale, depending on the trade area they serve. Any changes in development along Kanis will have an impact on the amount of traffic. Commercial would be better on a high traffic road in the area such as Chenal Parkway. The development pattern to the north and west is predominately single-family detached houses. Most of the houses are of similar size and lot size, with a mix of large lot single family and smaller lot subdivisions. To the east is planned for Mixed Office Commercial and Suburban Office. There are currently single-family houses and single-family houses that have been converted to offices in this area. These buildings and any future Suburban Office or Single Family buildings would all be on a similar scale. Commercial generally involves large massive structures, and those large-scale structures would overwhelm its neighbors. This juxtaposition of opposing uses and massing can be detrimental to the smaller scale residential homes. This site is currently planned for Mixed Office Commercial. There are 24 acres of Mixed Office Commercial at the intersection of Kanis and Cooper Orbit, and this amendment would change two of those acres to Commercial. There is no other Mixed Office Commercial or Commercial within one mile of this site. 3 FILE NO.: LU07-18-02 (Cont. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: Notices were sent to the following neighborhood associations: Gibraltar Heights Pointe West Timber Ridge POA, Spring Valley Manor POA and Parkway Place Property Owners Association. Staff has not received any comments from area residents STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff believes the change is not appropriate. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (APRIL 26, 2007) Walter Malone, Planning Staff, reviewed the existing conditions and Land Use in the area surrounding the application. Mr. Malone reminded the Commission of the intent to have lesser tension uses along Kanis Road to allow the Arterial to take on some of the demands from other roads on the street network. Ms. Ruth Bell indicated that the League of Woman Voters had been part of the previous planning efforts and agreed on the need to maintain a lower intensity of uses along Kanis. See item GA Z -6933-A Crackerbox PCD for a full minute record of the two items. A motion was made to approve the Land Use Plan amendment. By a vote of 2 for, 6 against, 1 abstained (Adcock) and 2 absent the item failed. 2