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HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutesMarch 8, 2001 ITEM NO.: 4.1 FILE NO.: LU01-16-01 Name: Land Use Plan Amendment - Otter Creek Planning District Location: 12800 County Line Rd. Request: Single Family to Commercial Source: Doug Loftin PROPOSAL / REQUEST: Land Use Plan amendment in the Otter Creek Planning District from Single Family to Commercial. The Commercial category includes a broad range of retail and wholesale of products, personal and professional services, and general business activities. Commercial activities very in type and scale, depending on the trade area that they serve. The applicant wishes to develop the property under review for a day care center and a mini -storage warehouse. Staff is not expanding this application since the land use in this area was reviewed a year ago. On July 18, 2000, after a series of deferrals, the applicant requested that the item be withdrawn without prejudice. The Planning Commission formally approved the withdrawal of the application at the August 3, 2000 Planning Commission meeting. EXISTING LAND USE AND ZONING: The property is currently zoned R-2 Single Family Residential and is approximately 3.54 + acres in size. The property to the north and east is zoned R-2 Single Family Residential and is occupied by the Irish Spring subdivision. A convenience store is located to the west on a piece of property zoned C-3 General Commercial at the northeast corner of the Vimy Ridge / County Line Road intersection. The property to the south lies in Saline County and in the city limits of Shannon Hills. It is zoned R-1 Single Family. Directly across County Line Road lies Davis Elementary school, part of the Bryant School district. FUTURE LAND USE PLAN AND RECENT AMENDMENTS: On November 4, 1997 three changes took place from Low Density Residential to Single Family along both sides of Vimy Ridge Road March 8, 2001 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 4.1 (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU01-16-01 with in a mile north of the applicant's property. On November 4, 1997 a change was made from Low Density Residential to Commercial at the northwest corner of the Vimy Ridge / County Line Road intersection about 300 feet west of the applicant's property. On November 21, 1995 various changes were made on both sides of Vimy Ridge Road on large tracts of land within a mile north of the applicant's property, one of those changes included the change from Neighborhood Commercial to Commercial west of the applicant's property on the northeast corner of the Vimy Ridge / County Line Road intersection west of the applicant's property. The applicant's properties, as well as the property to the north and east, are all shown as Single Family on the Land Use Plan. West of the applicant's property are two areas shown as Commercial on the northwest and northeast corners of Vimy Ridge Road and County Line Road. The area to the south of the applicant's property is located in Saline County. The Shannon Hills Comprehensive Development Plan shows the southwest corner of the intersection as Commercial and the southeast corner as Park/Elementary School. The remainder of the area along Vimy Ridge Road and County Line Road is shown as Residential. MASTER STREET PLAN: Vimy Ridge Road is shown as a minor arterial from Alexander Road to the Saline County line. County Line Road is shown as a minor arterial from Vimy Ridge Road with a proposed extension east as a minor arterial to connect to the proposed South Loop. Vimy Ridge Road is also shown as continuing south from the County Line through Shannon Hills as a minor arterial on the Central Arkansas Transportation System (CARTS) Future Classification Plan. The CARTS Future Classification Plan shows County Line Road as a major collector from Vimy Ridge Road to the Donnie Drive / Joan Drive intersection in Shannon Hills. Both the Master Street Plan and the CARTS Future Classification Plan show County Line Road continuing west from the intersection with Vimy Ridge Road as a residential street. PARKS: The Master Parks Plan does not show any parks, existing or proposed, effected by this amendment. E March 8, 2001 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 4.1 (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU01-16-01 CITY RECOGNIZED NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLAN: The Chicot West / I-30 South Neighborhood Action Plan states in the Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization goal the action statement of concentrating "-development efforts in the more urbanized northern portion of the study area..." and "...view the southern portion of the study area as an `urban reserve' to be developed as market forces become stronger in the area." This reclassification is located next to the southern boundary of the study area. ANALYSIS: Much of the area surrounding the Vimy Ridge / County Line Road intersection consists of large tracts of undeveloped land in a semi -rural setting. R. L. Davis Elementary School lies across the street from the applicant's property. Commercial uses across from a school on a street may cause traffic conflicts from both the loading and unloading of school students and the commercial traffic throughout the day. The undeveloped tract of land on the southwest corner of the intersection provides for future development of commercial areas. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: Notices were sent to the following neighborhood associations: Meyer Lane Neighborhood Association, Otter Creek Homeowners Association, Quail Run Neighborhood Association, and Rolling Pines Neighborhood Association. Staff has received no comments from area residents. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff believes the change is premature and therefore not appropriate. The area shown as Commercial on the southwest corner of the Vimy Ridge / County Line Road intersection provides an area for future Commercial uses. This area will be reviewed as part of the Chicot West I-30 South Neighborhood Action Plan review in about a year. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (MARCH 8, 2001) Brian Minyard, City Staff, made a brief presentation to the commission. Mr. Minyard stated that this item was the same I March 8, 2001 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 4.1 (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU01-16-01 requested change that appeared before the Planning Commission on March 2, 2000. Mr. Minyard stated that the Staff recommendation for denial has remained the same. Mr. Minyard closed his presentation by stating that the Chicot West / I-30 South Neighborhood Action Plan referred to in the staff report was due for a three-year update. The Future Land Use Plan for this area would be reviewed by the update steering committee. Monte Moore made a presentation of item 4 so the discussion could coincide with the discussion for item 4.1. See item 4 for a complete discussion concerning the Short Form Planned Commercial Development. Doug Loftin, the applicant, spoke in support of his application. Mr. Loftin stated his belief that the property in question is currently zoned MF -6 Multi -family. Mr. Loftin stated that he was not notified of any pending changes in zoning when he bought the property. Planning Commission Vice -Chair, Bill Rector asked if the zoning was indeed MF -6 Multi -family. Stephen Giles, city staff, replied that a mini -storage warehouse could not be built in an area zoned MF -6 Multi -family. Brian Minyard, City Staff, clarified what had happened. Staff gets ownership from the Assessors Office and there is a lag time between the deed change and the time the records were updated at the Pulaski County Tax Assessors office. There is also a lag time between the time research of property owners is performed and the letters are mailed out. As a result, in this case it appears the previous owners were notified of the changes instead of Mr. Loftin. The previous owners did not act upon the notification letter. The question before the Planning Commission in any case is the Land Use Plan amendment and the PCD. Doug Loftin stated that he wanted to build either a mini -storage warehouse and daycare or apartments on his property. The applicant insisted that his property is zoned MF -6 Multi -family and that his plans depended on the outcome of the meeting. Janet Berry, representing Southwest Little Rock United for Progress, spoke in opposition to both the zone change request and Land Use Plan Amendment. Ms. Berry stated that the Chicot West / I-30 South Neighborhood Action Plan was the basis for opposition to Mr. Loftin's request. Ms. Berry stated that the steering committee supported changes to Commercial located at nodes on Collector and larger streets. The intent was to place 4 March 8, 2001 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 4.1 (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU01-16-01 such uses along the proposed South Loop shown on the Master Street Plan. The property in question is not located at one of the nodes intended for commercial development by the steering committee. In addition, she stated that the Irish Spring neighborhood is worried about changes in the area and that most of the changes occurred across the street in Saline County in an area outside the City of Little Rock's jurisdiction. Gary Patterson spoke in opposition to the application and mentioned problems of noise and access related to mini -storage facilities. Mr. Patterson also stated that he had concerns about a possible daycare center located on the property as well as potential drainage problems. Michelle Ready spoke in opposition to the application and stated that the proposed buildings located on Mr. Loftin's property would be too close to her property. Ms. Ready stated that she wanted to make sure that there would be a buffer zone between her property and potential development on Mr. Loftin's property. A daycare center would create noise problems in the neighborhood during hours of operation. Ms. Ready also stated that she wanted the area to stay residential in character. Joe Longinotti spoke in opposition to the application and stated his concerns about the possibility of a daycare center located close to the neighborhood. Doug Loftin responded to the comments made and stated that County Line Road is proposed to be widened and connect with the South Loop. Bob Turner, City Staff, stated that County Line Road was shown as a minor arterial on the Master Street Plan and that it would eventually connect to the proposed South Loop. Mr. Loftin asked how wide County Line Road would eventually be. Mr. Turner stated that a minor arterial would eventually be widened to five lanes. Mr. Loftin closed his arguments by stating that his property is better suited to commercial development because of the minor arterial status of County Line Road. A motion was made to approve the item as presented. The item was denied with a vote of 0 ayes, 9 noes, and 2 absent. 5