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HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutesJune 26, 2003 ITEM NO.: 7 FILE NO.: LU03-1 Name: Land Use Plan Amendment - Geyer Springs - West Planning District Location: 9300 Mabelvale Pike Request: Light Industrial to Commercial Source: R. C. Coburn, Coburn Land & Leasing PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Land Use Plan amendment in the Geyer Springs - West Planning District from Light Industrial 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 Amendment request, the Planning Staff expanded the area of review to include the area along the west side of Mabelvale Pike from 1-30 to Davmar Drive. The expansion of this application would result in the establishment of a viable area shown as Commercial near the freeway interchange connecting 1-30, Mabelvale Pike, and Baseline Road. EXISTING LAND USE AND ZONING: The applicant's property is a vacant house and accessory structure currently zoned R-2 Single Family and is approximately 2.7 + acres in size. The expanded area is 12.8 + acres in size. The expanded area includes a strip shopping center zoned R-2 Single Family and a tire store zoned C-4 General Commercial. The neighboring property to the south of the applicant's property was the subject of a zoning change from R-2 to 1-2 Light Industrial heard before the April 3, 2003 Planning Commission meeting in which the application was amended and approved for a change from R-2 to C-4. The Board of Directors approved the change to C-4 on May 13, 2003. The remainder of the expanded area zoned R-2, includes houses fronting Mabelvale Pike, plus two warehouses fronting Davmar Drive. The north side of 1-30 is zoned C-3 General Commercial for a mattress store and motel. The land to the east consists of vacant property zoned C-3 (four houses zoned C-3 have been recently removed) as well as three houses fronting Mabelvale Pike zoned R-2. All of the land to the south of Davmar between Davmar and Sibly Hole Road is vacant land zoned R-2. The land to the west consists of light manufacturing and warehouses zoned 1-2 Light Industrial. The area 2/3 of a mile to the northeast on Baseline Road is zoned C- 4 Open Display Commercial and developed with a big box retail development and accompanying out -parcels. June 26, 2003 ITEM NO.: 7 FILE NO.: LU03-15-01 FUTURE LAND USE PLAN AND RECENT AMENDMENTS: On April 2, 2002, a change was made from Single Family to Public Institutional on Mabelvale Main about 8/10 of a mile to the southwest of the study area to recognize existing conditions. On September 19, 2000 a change was made from Mixed Use to Neighborhood Commercial on the northwest corner of Mabelvale West and Mabelvale Main about 3/ of a mile southwest of the amendment area to accommodate proposed development. On January 4, 2000 a change was made from Commercial and Multifamily to Mixed Use at 9125 Mann Road about 1 mile east of the applicant's property to accommodate proposed development. On December 20, 1999 a change was made from Single Family to Light Industrial at 8006 Mabelvale Pike about a'/2 mile northeast of the expanded area to accommodate proposed development. On June 15, 1999 a change was made from Single Family to Service Trades District at 9620 Baseline Road about'/4 of a mile to the north of the original application area to accommodate proposed development. On November 4, 1997 a change was made from Commercial, Industrial, and Mixed Office Commercial to Community Shopping in an area from Mann Road north to Baseline Road between Mabelvale Pike and Merrivale subdivision across the street to the east of the application area. The amendment area is shown as Light Industrial on the Future Land Use Plan. The area north of 1-30 is shown as Mixed Commercial and Industrial while the land east of Mabelvale Pike is shown as Community Shopping. The remainder of the land to the south and west is shown as Light Industrial. The area 2/3 of a mile to the northeast on Baseline Road is shown as Commercial. MASTER STREET PLAN: 1-30 is shown on the Master Street Plan as a Freeway. The freeway interchange connecting 1-30, Mabelvale Pike, and Baseline Road is currently being rebuilt. Mabelvale Pike is shown as a Minor Arterial and is built as a rural two-lane road. Improvements would be needed to make Mabelvale Pike conform to the Master Street Plan design standards for a Minor Arterial. Davmar Drive is a private gravel road that serves as an Industrial street. There are no bikeways shown on the Master Street Plan that would be affected by this amendment. PARKS: The Little Rock Parks and Recreation Master Plan of 2001 includes a map showing that the study area is located inside a service deficit area. Park or open space facilities would need to be developed, or designated, within eight -blocks of the applicant's property to fulfill the park plan's eight -block strategy of providing 2 June 26, 2003 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont. FILE NO.: LU03-15-01 park and open space amenities within an eight -block walk of all Little Rock residents. 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 Chicot West / 1-30 South Neighborhood Action Plan. The economic development goal listed an objective of attracting more light industrial uses to the area and also listed an action statement of attracting businesses oriented toward middle class consumers and locating such businesses in currently vacant buildings. ANALYSIS: The study area is changing due to the realignment of the 1-30, Mabelvale Cutoff / Baseline Road interchange. Currently the majority of the existing Commercial uses are located on the 1-30 frontage road to take advantage of the 1-30 highway interchange. The intensity of development decreases as the distance from the interchange increases. The C-3 zoned residences on the east side of Mabelvale Pike across from the study area have been removed for a new big box retail development. The current interchange is between a Freeway, Principal Arterial, and a Minor Arterial. The realignment of the interchange is likely to increase the flow of traffic in the area. The increased traffic in the area should attract more businesses to the area wishing to take advantage of the new transportation advantages being developed in the area. Most of the study area has not developed for industrial uses while much of the residential structures are either vacant or have been removed. The properties accessed from the 1-30 frontage road form a strip of existing commercial uses. Since the residential properties fronting Mabelvale Cutoff are vacant and face future non-residential uses across the street, the study area is losing viability for residential uses. Two of the three properties fronting Davmar Drive inside the study area are vacant and can either be converted to commercial uses, or are already compatible with commercial uses. The construction of a new highway interchange is likely to encourage non-residential development situated to benefit from the transportation advantages of the area. Since a large portion of the study area consists of vacant land isolated from access to public streets and utilities, improvements in infrastructure would be needed. Commercial uses are expanding toward the study area from Baseline Road at I- 30. The area 2/3 of a mile to the northeast of the study area, on Baseline Road near the 1-30 interchange, has attracted big box retail and related out -parcels and expanded hours of operation. New commercial developments are expanding to the west with businesses under construction along the 1-30 south 3 June 26, 2003 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont. FILE NO.: LU03-15-01 frontage road between the intersections of Baseline Road and Mabelvale Pike. Although there is a large amount of existing industrial uses in the area, most of it is located to the west of the study area. Much of the area shown as light industrial remains vacant with no new industrial developments occurring. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: Notices were sent to the following neighborhood associations: Allendale Neighborhood Association, Chicot Neighborhood Association, Cloverdale Neighborhood Association, Deer Meadow Neighborhood Association, Legion Hut Neighborhood Association, Mavis Circle Neighborhood Association, Pinedale Neighborhood Association, Rob Roy Way Neighborhood Association, Santa Monica Neighborhood Association, Shiloh Homeowners Association, Town & Country Estates Neighborhood Association, West Baseline Neighborhood Association, Yorkwood Neighborhood Association, Oxford Valley Homeowners Association, and SW Little Rock UP. Staff has received one comment in support from area residents. Mavis Circle Neighborhood Association, which is south of the site, is in support of the change. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff believes the change is appropriate. A change to Commercial would recognize the changing conditions of the study area. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JUNE 26, 2003) Brian Minyard, City Staff, made a brief presentation to the commission. Joyce Plant, an owner of property in the expanded area spoke to the commission that she was not necessarily opposed to the application, she had questions as to what the use was going to be. Monte Moore made a presentation of item 7.1 so the discussion could coincide with the discussion for item 7. See item 7.1 for a complete discussion concerning the accompanying zoning item. A motion was made to approve the item as presented. The item was approved with a vote of 9 ayes, 0 noes, and 2 absent. MI