HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutesMarch 20, 2003
ITEM NO.: B FILE NO.: LU03-16-01
Name: Land Use Plan Amendment - Otter Creek Planning District
Location: 9219 Stagecoach Rd.
Request: Office to Commercial
Source: Vester Nathan Townsend
PROPOSAL / REQUEST:
Land Use Plan amendment in the Otter Creek Planning District from Office to Commercial. The
Commercial category includes a broad range of retail and wholesale sales of products,
personal and professional services, and general business activities. Commercial activities
vary in type and scale, depending on the trade area that they serve.
Prompted by this Land Use Plan Amendment request, the Planning Staff expanded the area of
review to include neighboring land to the north zoned C-3 General Commercial that is shown
as Office on the Future Land Use Plan. With this change, the area changed to Commercial for
the applicant's property would be linked to the area currently shown as Commercial on the
east side of Stagecoach Road.
EXISTING LAND USE AND ZONING:
The applicant's property is a house built on a large lot currently zoned R-2 Single Family and is
approximately 2.15± acres in size. The expanded area includes the neighboring lot to the
north that is zoned R-2 Single Family for a house built on a large lot, and all of the vacant
property to the north zoned C-3 General Commercial that is shown as Office on the Future
Land Use Plan. The zoning surrounding the expanded area includes vacant land to the north
zoned C-3 General Commercial, vacant land to the east zoned R-2 Single Family, a house
built on a large lot to the south zoned R-2 Single Family. The land to the west consists of a
small shopping center zoned PCD and houses built on large lots zoned R-2 Single Family.
FUTURE LAND USE PLAN AND RECENT AMENDMENTS:
On May 16, 2000 multiple changes were made from Commercial, Mixed Commercial and
Industrial, Single Family, and Industrial to Single Family, Public Institutional, Commercial,
Mixed Office Commercial, Suburban Office, Service Trades District, and Park/Open Space
within a 1 mile radius of the expanded area of review to reflect existing conditions and to
protect the integrity of the residential areas located on Crystal Valley Road and Otter Creek
Parkway.
On October 6, 1998 a change was made from Community Shopping to Commercial at the
northwest corner of the 1-430/1-30 interchange about 1 mile southeast of the study area to
accommodate a proposed development.
March 20, 2003
SUBDIVISION
ITEM NO.: B (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU03-1
On May 19, 1998 a change was made from Single Family to Suburban Office on Crystal Valley
Road at Goldleaf Drive about % of a mile northeast of the expanded area to accommodate a
proposed development.
The study area is shown on the Future Land Use Plan as Single Family for the two houses to
the south and Office for the vacant land to the north. The property to the north is shown as
Commercial, while the land to the east is shown as Park/Open Space. The land to the south is
shown as Office while the land to the west is shown as Mixed Use.
MASTER STREET PLAN.-
Stagecoach
LAN:
Stagecoach Road is shown as a Minor Arterial that is built to the Master Street Plan standards
of a four -lane Minor Arterial with Bike Lanes. A Class II Bikeway is shown on Stagecoach
Road from Brodie Creek to County Line Road. Development of the study area may introduce
a number of curb cuts along the east side of the Stagecoach Road right-of-way.
The Little Rock Parks and Recreation Master Plan of 2001 show the 100 -year flood plain of
Fourche Creek as a Potential Greenbelt. Development of the study area will need to respect
the integrity of the drainage system located in the 100 -year flood plain of Fourche Creek as
well as the integrity of the Potential Greenbelt shown in the Master Plan of 2001.
HISTORIC DISTRICTS:
There are no 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 Otter Creek / Crystal Valley
Neighborhood Action Plan. The first objective recommends limiting commercial and office
development in the "heart" of the planning area (located on Stagecoach Road between
Baseline and Otter Creek Roads) to that which serves the neighborhood (C-1 uses). In
addition, the first objective supports placing the more intense uses on the periphery of the
study area. The second objective discourages construction of large, warehouse type facilities,
and those of large scale and/or high intensity uses, within the "heart" of the planning area.
This application is located inside the "heart" of the study area as described by the
neighborhood action plan.
ANALYSIS:
The back of the applicant's property neighbors the Fourche Creek 100 -year flood plain. The
area shown as Park/Open Space that corresponds with the boundary of the 100 -year flood
plain will create a boundary that will restrict development at the rear of the property. Due to
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March 20, 2003
SUBDIVISION
M NO.: B (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU03-16-01
the presence of the flood plain the orientation of future buildings on the property will most likely
be toward Stagecoach Road. Future access to the property will also likely be limited to traffic
on Stagecoach Road due to the flood plain. Future development of the neighboring property
shown as Park/Open Space located in the 100 -year floodplain should be limited in scope.
Future development of the applicant's property should take place in a manner that preserves
the integrity of the natural environment characteristic of the land to the east.
Since there is not a floodplain to the west of Stagecoach Road, residential uses -are more likely
to develop west of Stagecoach Road, which would be adjacent to developing non-residential
development on that side of the road. The non-residential uses on the east side of the road
consist of two churches. With the exception of the two churches and three houses on the east
side of Stagecoach Road, much the east side of the road remains vacant and undeveloped.
This change would open the east side of Stagecoach Road to the possibility of continuous
Commercial development. Currently, a majority of the Commercial uses located on
Stagecoach Road between Baseline and Otter Creek Roads have developed on the west side
of Stagecoach Road. Expanding the area shown as Commercial on the east side of
Stagecoach Road would alter the character of the neighborhood by introducing a new use on
the side of the road that has traditionally developed with generally Public Institutional or Office
type non-residential uses. The increase in Commercial uses on the east side of Stagecoach
Road would create an area large enough to accommodate Commercial uses that would draw
customers from a larger market area that might not be oriented toward the neighborhood.
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS:
Notices were sent to the following neighborhood associations: Alexander Road Neighborhood
Association, Meyer Lane Neighborhood Association, Otter Creek Homeowners Association,
Quail Run Neighborhood Association, and Rolling Pines Neighborhood Association. Staff has
not received any comments from area residents at this time.
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The applicant has requested a deferral to the March 20, 2003 Planning Commission meeting.
Staff supports this deferral.
STAFF UPDATE:
(FEBRUARY 3, 2003)
Staff has received a letter in support of the change to Commercial from the Alexander Road
Neighborhood Association.
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March 20, 2003
SUBDIVISION
ITEM NO.: B (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU03-16-01
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (FEBRUARY 6, 2003)
The item was placed on the consent agenda for deferral to the March 20, 2003 Planning
Commission meeting. A motion was made to approve the consent agenda and was approved
with a vote of 10 ayes, 0 noes and 1 absent.
STAFF UPDATE:
(FEBRUARY 10, 2003)
Staff believes the change is not appropriate. This change would allow a string of Commercial
uses to develop on the east side of Stagecoach Road without a viable cutoff between
commercial and non-commercial developments.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (MARCH 20, 2003)
Brian Minyard, City Staff, made a brief presentation to the commission. Donna James made a
presentation of item B.1 so the discussion could coincide with the discussion for item 1. See
item B.1 for a complete discussion concerning the Short Form Planned Commercial
Development.
Mr. Nathan Townsend, the applicant, spoke on behalf of the application and stated that he
wanted to develop a restaurant in an existing structure to meet market demand for a sit-down
restaurant located in the area. He stated that he did not understand why a business owner
should have to build a new structure for a business when an existing structure is available.
However, he acknowledged staffs statement that vacant land was available to the north shown
as Commercial on the Future Land Use Plan already zoned to allow for commercial
development near existing commercial developments.
Mr. David Henning, spoke in opposition to the Land Use Plan Amendment. Mr. Henning stated
that the Steering Committee of the Otter Creek / Crystal Valley Neighborhood Action Plan
wanted to have the east side of Stagecoach Road shown as Office. Mr. Henning also stated
that any new restaurant should be built on land already shown as Commercial on the Future
Land Use Plan on property already zoned for Commercial land uses. Mr. Henning also
opposed the item based on the effect a commercial development would have on the adjacent
Fourche Creek and how the development would also effect the preservation of a greenbelt as
recommended in the Little Rock Parks and Recreation Plan of 2001. Mr. Henning closed his
comments with a request that the Planning Commission deny the Land Use Plan Amendment.
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.
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