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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-18-20 Little Rock Board of Directors Meeting August 18,2020 6:00 PM Little Rock Board of Directors Meeting August 18, 2020 6:00 PM The Board of Directors of the City of Little Rock, Arkansas, met in a regular meeting with Mayor Frank Scott, Jr., presiding. Deputy City Clerk Allison Segars called the roll with the following Directors present: Hendrix (via WebEx Teleconferencing); Webb (via WebEx Teleconferencing); Peck; Hines; Wright; Kumpuris; Fortson (via WebEx Teleconferencing); Adcock; Vice-Mayor Wyrick; and Mayor Scott. Directors absent: Richardson. Vice-Mayor B.J. Wyrick delivered the invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. CONSENT AGENDA (Items 1 — 4) 1. MOTION: To approve the minutes of the July 7, 2020, Little Rock City Board of Directors Meeting; and the June 23, 2020, Little Rock City Board of Directors Special Called Meeting. 2. RESOLUTION NO. 15,272: To set September 1, 2020, as the date of public hearing to consider the abandonment of a sixty (60)-foot Utility and Drainage Easement, located at 16801 Chenal Parkway, in the City of Little Rock, Arkansas; and for other purposes. Staff recommends approval. 3. RESOLUTION NO. 15,273; G-23-473: To set September 1, 2020, as the date of public hearing on the request to abandon the east fifteen (15) feet of the eighty (80)-foot wide Polk Street Right-of-Way adjacent to 5423 Hawthorne Road, in the City of Little Rock, Arkansas; and for other purposes. Staff recommends approval. 4. RESOLUTION NO. 15,274: To authorize the Mayor to enter into a contract with the F&D Ranch, LLC, an Arkansas Limited Liability Company for the purchase of approximately 100 acres of land, for use by the Little Rock Port Authority for Economic Prospect Recruitment; and for other purposes. Staff recommends approval. Director Adcock made the motion, seconded by Director Hines, to approve the Consent Agenda. By unanimous voice vote of the Board Members present, the Consent Agenda was approved. GROUPED ITEMS (Items 5 - 7) 5. ORDINANCE NO. 21,896; Z-1002-D: To approve a Planned Zoning Development and establish a Planned Commercial District titled Cantrell Tunnel Wash Revised Short- Form PCD, located at 7706/7708 Cantrell Road, Little Rock, Arkansas, amending the Official Zoning Map of the City of Little Rock, Arkansas; and for other purposes. Planning Commission: 9 ayes 0 nays;and 2 absent. Staff recommends approval. Synopsis: The applicant is requesting that the property at 7706/7708 Cantrell Road be rezoned from PCD, Planned Commercial District, to Revised PCD to allow revisions to a previously-approved car wash development. (Located in Ward 3) 1 Little Rock Board of Directors Meeting August 18,2020 6:00 PM 6. ORDINANCE NO. 21,897; Z-3286-A: To reclassify property located in the City of Little Rock, Arkansas, amending the Official Zoning Map of the City of Little Rock, Arkansas; and for other purposes. Planning Commission: 9 ayes 0 nays; and 2 absent. Staff recommends approval. Synopsis: The owner of the 3.06-acre property located at 13525 West Markham Street is requesting that the zoning be reclassified from MF-18, Multifamily District, to 0-3, General Office District. (Located in Ward 5) 7. ORDINANCE NO. 21,898; Z-5725: To repeal Ordinance No. 16,532 (December 7, 1993), to revoke a Planned Commercial District titled Abernathy-Curtis Short-Form PCD, to reclassify property located at 112 West 13th Street in the City of Little Rock, Arkansas, amending the Official Zoning Map of the City of Little Rock, Arkansas; and for other purposes. Planning Commission: 9 ayes 0 nays;and 2 absent. Staff recommends approval. Synopsis: The property owner is requesting that the PCD, Planned Commercial Development, zoning for the property located at 112 West 13th Street be revoked and the previous UU, Urban Use District,zoning be restored. (Located in Ward 1) The ordinances were read the first time. Director Adcock made the motion, seconded by Director Wright, to suspend the rules and place the ordinances on second reading. By unanimous voice vote of the Board Members present, the rules were suspended and the ordinances were read a second time. Director Adcock made the motion, seconded by Director Wright, to suspend the rules and place the ordinances on third reading. By unanimous voice vote of the Board Members present, the rules were suspended and the ordinances were read a third time. By unanimous voice vote of the Board Members present, the ordinances were approved. SEPARATE ITEMS (Item 8) 8. ORDINANCE; Z-5817-J: To approve a Planned Zoning Development and establish a Planned Commercial District titled Cantrell West Restaurant Center Short-Form PCD, located at 15100 — 15122 Cantrell Road, Little Rock, Arkansas, amending the Official Zoning Map of the City of Little Rock, Arkansas; and for other purposes. Planning Commission: 7 ayes 3 nays;and 1 absent. Staff recommends approval. Synopsis: The applicant is requesting that the property located at 15100 — 15122 Cantrell Road be rezoned from R-2, Single-Family District, and PD-0, Planned District — Office, to PCD, Planned Commercial District,to allow for the development of three(3) restaurant sites. (Located in Ward 5) The ordinance was read the first time. Director Adcock made the motion, seconded by Director Hines, to suspend the rules and place the ordinance on second reading. By unanimous voice vote of the Board Members present, the rules were suspended and the ordinance was read a second time. Director Adcock made the motion, seconded by Director Hines, to suspend the rules and place the ordinance on third reading. By unanimous voice vote of the Board Members present, the rules were suspended and the ordinance was read a third time. Steve Giles: Stated that he was there to represent several of the property owners that lived along Rummel Road and they were concerned about the potential increase in traffic should the development be approved, the intensity of the proposed land use, the vague detail of the project, such as the hours of operation, and the use of Rummel Road for commercial purposes. 2 Little Rock Board of Directors Meeting August 18,2020 6:00 PM Grey Williams: Stated that he had lived in the cul-de-sac behind the proposed development for twenty (20) years. Mr. Williams stated that all three (3) lots of the proposed development were in direct violation of the minimum two (2)-acre lot size as outlined in the Highway 10 Design Overlay District (DOD). Mr. Williams stated that the residents were not opposed to development in the area; however, the intensity of the proposed development was too much for the area and asked that the Board deny the application. Ken Harrison: Wanted his name to be registered in opposition to the proposed development; however, he did not want to speak. Mei-Mei Brown: Wanted her name to be registered in opposition to the proposed development; however, she did not want to speak. James Brown: Wanted his name to be registered in opposition to the proposed development; however, he did not want to speak. Mickey Thomas: Wanted his name to be registered in opposition to the proposed development; however, he did not want to speak. Betty Deere (via e-mail): Stated that she had moved to the area three (3) years ago and she was disappointed in the fact that so many trees had been cut down due to development in the area. Ms. Deere stated that she was against the proposed development and asked that the Board to deny the application. Dawn Prasitka: Stated that the proposed development was in direct violation of the Highway 10 DOD, which was established to produce an intentional plan to create commercial nodes, transitional spaces and safe residential properties. Ms. Prasitka stated that the DOD was just hitting its maturity and it was doing exactly what it was intended to do, which was to stop development that was inappropriate for the long-range development plan. Ms. Prasitka stated that she was opposed to the proposed development. Richard Stoker: Stated that the developer had not been very forthcoming with the residents regarding the type of restaurants or the hours of operation. Mr. Stoker stated that he was opposed to the proposed development due to the increase of commercial traffic along Rummel Road, the effect of traffic on Cantrell Road, along with the impact of future Arkansas Department of Transportation plans in the area. Vice-Mayor Wyrick asked in addition to restaurants, what other development, specifically apartments, would be allowed in a Planned Commercial Development. Planning & Development Director Jamie Collins stated that the main portion of the sites (the three (3) tracts) were zoned Planned Office Development, and it would need to be zoned as a Revised Planned Development, or the owner of the property would have to request a revocation of the Planned Development to revert back to the original zoning, in order for multi-family housing to occur. Mr. Collins stated that the original zoning was R-2, Single- Family District, and the original Land Use was designated Transition, in order to transition from residential to a commercial node. Mr. Collins stated that the parking that would be needed for apartments on that size of lots would not be conducive. Director Kumpuris asked if the applicant was present. Mayor Scott stated that the owner had not submitted an agenda card prior to the start of the meeting. Director Hines asked if the applicant was not exempt from having to submit an agenda card in order to speak. City Attorney Tom Carpenter stated that with the current Policy, the applicant was not exempt; however, he felt like the Board could make an exception for the applicant, but that it was not required. Director Kumpuris stated that he would like to hear the applicant's comments. 3 Little Rock Board of Directors Meeting August 18,2020 6:00 PM John Rees: Stated that he was the applicant for the proposed project and felt that it was a good application and the area was prime for commercial development. Mr. Rees stated that he had met with residents in the area regarding the potential traffic on Rummel Road. Mr. Rees stated that he was not sure that he would have three (3) restaurants located on the property; he just knew that it would be a commercial development. Mr. Rees stated that over the next several months, there would be several restaurants that closed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, and he wanted to be able to give back to the City. Mr. Rees stated that he had utilized Ernie Peters, with Peters & Associates, to conduct a traffic study. Mr. Rees stated that according to Mr. Peters, that the property would generate approximately 500 additional cars per day. Mr. Rees stated that as a result of meeting with several of the area residents, he would be willing to remove Rummel Road, as long as he could obtain a waiver from making the improvements to the road. City Attorney Carpenter stated that if the applicant was proposing to make changes, the Board needed to decide if they wanted to move forward with the vote, or send it back to the Planning Commission. Mayor Scott stated that he would defer to Director Hines due to the fact that the proposed project was located in his Ward. Director Hines stated that he was not supportive of any waivers for improvements to Rummel Road. Director Hines stated that he had made a commitment to the residents in the Rummel Road area, as well as the Westchester Neighborhood, that he would try to limit anymore `zoning creep' in the area. Director Hines made the motion, seconded by Director Kumpuris, to call the question on the vote. By unanimous voice vote of the Board Members present, the question to vote was called. By unanimous voice vote of the Board Members present, the ordinance failed. CITIZEN COMMUNICATION Max Campbell: Police Brutality and Overfunding. Hampton Roy: Defund LRPD. Vice-Mayor Wyrick made the motion, seconded by Director Hines, to adjourn the meeting. By unanimous voice vote of the Board Members present, the meeting was adjourned. ATTEST: APPROVED: AIM14. 4p Allison Segars, 6 uty City Clerk Frank Scott, Jr., ayor 4