HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutesMay 23, 2002
ITEM NO.: 3 FILE NO.: LU02-10-03
Name: Land Use Plan Amendment — Boyle Park Planning District
Location: 1600 S. Cleveland Street
R�ec uest: Public Institutional to Suburban Office
Source: Darrel Odom, Knights of Columbus, and Odom & Associates
PROPOSAL/REQUEST:
Land Use Plan amendment in the Boyle Park Planning District from Public
Institutional to Suburban Office. The Suburban Office category shall provide for
low intensity development or office parks in close proximity to lower density
residential areas to assure compatibility. The applicant has applied for a
Planned Development to construct a building with offices, meeting rooms, and
related spaces.
EXISTING LAND USE AND ZONING
The property is currently a vacant lot zoned R-2 Single Family and is
approximately 0.62+ acres in size. The property to the north is University Park,
which is zoned PR — Park and Recreation. The properties to the east consists of
houses zoned R-2. The lot to the south is the University Park Church of the
Nazarene, which is zoned R-2. The property located south of Boyle Park Road
consists of houses zoned R-2. The neighboring property to the west is vacant
land zoned 0-3 General Office with a Conditional Use Permit for apartments.
FUTURE LAND USE PLAN AND RECENT AMENDMENTS:
On July 17, 2001, a change was made from Single Family to ParklOpen Space
at the Oak Forest Park about 4/10 of a mile northeast of the applicant's property,
The applicant's property is shown as Public Institutional on the Future Land Use
Plan. The property to the north is shown as Park/Open Space, while the
property to the east is shown as Single Family. The neighboring property to the
south is shown as Public Institutional for the church and Single Family south of
Boyle Park Road. The land to the west is shown as Multi -family.
The Future Land Use Plan for this area has recently been reviewed in the Boyle
Park neighborhood study. The study encouraged low-density multi -family and/or
single-family residential development to take place on currently vacant lands
within the neighborhood. The study also recommended that non-residential
developments should be low intensity developments, and limiting office uses in
May 23, 2002
ITEM NO.: 3 LCont.) FILE NO.: LU02-10-03
the area to small-scale medical, legal, and financial services. The study
discourages locating traffic generating businesses within residential areas of the
neighborhood. The study did not result in any Land Use Plan Amendments.
MASTER STREET PLAN:
Cleveland Street and Bolye Park Road are both shown as Collector Streets on
the Master Street Plan and are built to standard. McKinley Street is an un -built
residential street and was recommended for closure as a condition for the
approval of the Conditional Use Permit for the neighboring apartments to the
west. W. 16th Street is an un -built residential street currently used as a right-of-
way for sewer and power lines. There are no bikeways shown that would be
affected by this application.
PARKS:
The applicant's property is located next to University Park, which is shown on the
Little Rock Parks and Recreation Master Plan of 2001 as a 20 — 50 acre
Community Park, designed to serve the city and includes the Rebsamen Tennis
Center.
HISTORIC DISTRICTS:
There is not any historic districts near -by that would be affected by this
amendment.
CITY RECOGNIZED NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLAN:
The property under review is not located in an area covered by a City of Little
Rock recognized neighborhood action plan.
ANALYSIS:
The applicant's property is located at the boundary between the less intense
residential uses to the east and south, and the more intense apartment and
recreational uses to the west and north. With McKinley and W. 16th Streets
closed, the applicant's property will only be accessed from Cleveland Street.
The property in question, and the church, is located at the corner of two Collector
Streets. All of the houses on Boyle Park Road are oriented toward Boyle Park
Road, while the houses located on Cleveland Street are oriented towards
Cleveland Street.
Most of the non-residential uses in the neighborhood are located on the edge of
the neighborhood along University Avenue and W. 12th Street. The intersection
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May 23, 2002
ITEM NO.: 3 {Coat.} FILE NO.: LU02-10-03
between Cleveland and Boyle Park forms a focal point in the neighborhood
where the church is located. The Suburban Office category is designed to buffer
residential uses from more intense non-residential uses. In this case Suburban
Office would be located at the center of a residential area. The Public
Institutional uses shown for the application area, and the neighboring church, are
residential in character and enhance the residential character of the
neighborhood.
The Park/Open Space and Public Institutional uses to the north recognize a large
tennis center and park intended to serve the city as whole instead of providing
park facilities for the neighborhood it is located in. The small-scale Public
Institutional use shown for the applicant's property provides a margin of
separation from the large-scale Park/Open Space and Public Institutional uses
toward the north and the less intense Single Family uses. Suburban Office at
this location would provide land for services oriented toward a market area larger
than the neighborhood.
Residential uses in the neighborhood are expanding towards the applicant's
property. Although the property to the west is zoned 0-3, a Conditional Use
Permit for apartments was recently approved, which will result in the expansion
of an existing multi -family housing development. The Conditional Use Permit will
also expand the number of residential units available in the neighborhood. A
change to Suburban Office at the applicant's property would introduce an
isolated use incompatible with the neighboring uses and would not provide a
buffer between incompatible land uses.
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS:
Notices were sent to the following neighborhood associations: Broadmoor
Neighborhood Association, Brownwood Terrace Neighborhood Association,
College Terrace Neighborhood Association, Leander Neighborhood Association,
Point O'Woods Neighborhood Association, University Park Neighborhood
Association, and Westwood Neighborhood Association. Staff has received not
comments from area residents or Neighborhood Associations.
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff believes the change is not appropriate. This amendment would introduce a
use that is not compatible with the surrounding uses.
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May 23, 2002
ITEM NO.: 3 (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU02-10-03
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION:
(MAY 23, 2002)
Brian Minyard, City Staff, made a brief presentation to the commission. Dana
Carney, City Staff, made a presentation of item 3.1 so the discussion could
coincide with the discussion for item 3. See item 3.1 for a complete discussion
concerning the Short Form Planned Office Development.
Dr. Steven Christian spoke in support of the application and expressed a desire
for the Knights of Columbus to buy the property so that his congregation will be
able to purchase the church building currently owned by the University Park
Church of the Nazarene located next to the application area.
Mr. Campbell, representing University Park Church of the Nazarene, spoke in
support of the application and stated that the purchase of the property by the
Knights of Columbus would allow his church to sell their building to Dr.
Christian's congregation. Mr. Campbell also stated that Boyle Park Road and
Cleveland Streets are heavily traveled thoroughfares.
Mr. Darrel Odem, the applicant, spoke on behalf of his application and stated
that the Knights of Columbus offer to purchase the property was contingent on
the rezoning of the property and that the organization needed to lease office
space to help pay for the purchase of the property and construction of the
building. Mr. Odem stated that offices are an inherent use in an area shown as
Public Institutional on the Future Land Use plan.
Commissioner Bob Lowry, Planning Commission Chair, asked if the offices
would operate from 8 AM to 5 PM. Mr. Odem stated that the POD application
specified an operating time of 8 AM to 5 PM.
Commissioner Craig Berry asked if any cards were received in opposition to the
item. Dana Carney, City Staff, stated that no cards were submitted in opposition
to items 3 and 3.1.
Mr. Mike Berg, Knights of Columbus member, stated that he worked with Mark
Webre of the Parks and Recreation Department and intends to work with the
Department on any future design changes on the applicant's property to make
sure any such changes would be compatible with neighboring park property.
Commissioner Fred Allen made a statement that Dr. Christian performs valuable
work for the community.
Commissioner Norm Floyd asked where the written documentation of the hours
of operation for the proposed offices could be found. Mr. Odem stated that the
8 AM to 5 PM hours operation was mentioned in a letter submitted to the
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May 23, 2002
ITEM NO.; 3 (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU02-10-03
Planning and Development Department. Dana Carney, City Staff, stated that the
hours of operation were stated in a revised cover letter submitted to the city.
Commissioner Judith Faust asked if a Land Use Plan Amendment was required
to allow the Knights of Columbus to lease office space in the proposed building.
Jim Lawson, Planning Director, stated that a Land Use Plan Amendment was not
required to allow the leasing of office space. Brian Minyard, City Staff, stated
that it was the proposal to lease the office space that initiated the application for
a Land Use Plan Amendment.
A motion was made to approve the item as presented. The item was denied with
a vote of 2 ayes, 7 noes, and 2 absent.
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