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HomeMy WebLinkAboutboard of directors itemsOFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS BOARD OF DIRECTORS COMMUNICATION MAY 16, 2006 AGENDA Subject Master Street Plan amendment between Rahling, Chenal Parkway and Wellington Village, changing alignment and functional class. Submitted by: Planning & Development Action Required I Approved By 4 Ordinance Resolution Approval Information Report Bruce Moore SYNOPSIS Realignment of Wellington Hills Blvd and Champlin, changing classification of Kirk Road and removal of an un -named proposed collector, between Rahling Road, Chenal Parkway and Wellington Hills. FISCAL IMPACT No impact determined for the City. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends approval. The Planning Commission at their April 13, 2006 hearing recommended approval (8 for, 0 against). CITIZEN Adjacent property owners were notified by certified mail. PARTICIPATION The St Charles and Parkway Place Property Owners Associations were contacted. A public hearing was held by the Little Rock Planning Commission on April 13, 2006. BACKGROUND The request is an amendment to the Master Street Plan with several parts: first the realignment of the Wellington Hills Blvd -- Champlin Drive Arterial; second the reclassification of Kirk from a Collector to an Arterial with the realignment to Champlin Drive; and third the removal of an unnamed collector between Chenal Parkway and Arkansas Systems Drive. BACKGROUND CONTINUED Currently Wellington Hills Blvd -Champlin Drive is a north -south Arterial traveling from Kanis Road south of Chenal Parkway to Rahling Road. The request is to disconnect these two roads but keep them both as Arterials. First, Wellington Hills Blvd would travel from Kanis at Rock Creek as now proposed but continue on a more westerly path to align with Arkansas Systems Drive. Arkansas Systems Drive is currently classified as a Collector and travels from Kirk Road to Chenal Parkway. It should be noted that Arkansas Systems Drive continues across Chenal Parkway as a Collector to end at Rahling Road as LaGrande Drive. Wellington Hills Blvd - Arkansas Systems Drive would be a more east -west Arterial. The second part of this realignment is to move Champlin Drive to the west to align with the existing Kirk Road. Kirk is a Collector currently. So the request includes a change in classification of Kirk Road to an Arterial. The result of this change would be a north -south Arterial from Rahling Road to Chenal Parkway. So replacing a north -south arterial (Wellington Hills - Champlin) from Kanis Road at Rock Creek to Rahling Road north of Chenal Drive, one would have an east -west arterial -collector (Wellington Hills- Arkansas Systems- LaGrande) from Kanis at Rock Creek to Rahling Road at Rock Creek and a north -south arterial Champlin -Kirk from Rahling Road north of Chenal Drive to Chenal Parkway east of the west Kanis Road split. The final part of the request is to remove an unnamed Collector from Kirk Road to Wellington Hills Blvd between Chenal Parkway and Arkansas Systems Drive. This Collector had been a continuation of Kanis Road to the east from Chenal Parkway. A section from Kirk Road to Chenal Parkway has already been removed from the Plan. Thus this is a short segment of road, which no longer provides the connectivity originally intended. The Master Street Plan does not show any bike routes on any of the roads proposed for realignment, classification change or removal from the Plan. Thus the changes should have no impact on the bicycle section of the Master Street Plan. 2 BACKGROUND CONTINUED Staff met with representatives of the applicant and discussed the request. Several issues were identified for further review and consideration. There were the spacing of the Arterials versus the spacing standard of the Master Street Plan; possible bottlenecks or choke points along Kirk Road north of Chenal and Arkansas Systems Drive; the intersection designs (Kirk and Chenal & Kirk/Champlin-Wellington Hills/Arkansas Systems in particular); and width of streets — functional design standards. The current alignment of Wellington Hills Blvd -Champlin provides a relief route or alternate for a section of Chenal Parkway projected to be above capacity. It is important that the resulting route alignment also provide this `relief to Chenal Parkway. In addition a portion of Kirk Road just north of Chenal has already been developed so the opportunity for the City to acquire right-of-way and street improvements from developers has been made very unlikely. The suggested new alignments for Kirk -Champlin and Wellington Hills -Arkansas Systems appear reasonable to Staff. With the spacing of Arterials closer than recommended, the intersection designs will be critical to the overall system working. Staff does not believe that the removal of the small section of Collector road would be an issue. If a road were built in this location or a similar one, it would have to be constructed to collector road design standards as a Commercial Street. With the applicant agreeing to take all the added right-of- way and construct the extra road lanes on their side of the road, no additional requirements will be placed on the owners along the east side of Kirk Road with this change. Traffic Engineering will review the proposed intersections. With this review to assure proper traffic movement and that the intersections will not create bottlenecks the new alignments appear to provide a similar traffic flow to the current alignments. The applicant hired a traffic consultant to complete a study of the traffic movements in the area. This was done assuming full build out of the area to the City Land Use Plan (with the proposed amendments on the April 13 agenda). The afternoon peek -hour was used as the highest 3 BACKGROUND CONTINUED volume time. The City Traffic Engineer agreed this to use the PM peek for modeling purposes. The model also took current volumes at intersections and increased them to expected volumes in ten years. The model then looked at the projected volumes and assigned the number of lanes each roadway would need and assigned the turning movements at each intersection. This report was provided to Staff on Tuesday April 4, 2006. The applicant and his traffic engineer met with Staff on April 4h and discussed the report. Staff requested some changes to the model assumption and a second run of the model to report what changes might result. These changes were to reduce the model assumed number- of lanes on Chenal where the applicant had no control and to reduce the size (turning lanes) at some intersections (again because the applicant had no control). The results could move some traffic, which could result in more congestion at other intersections. Staff and the applicant will have to comment on these results at the hearing. Based on an initial review of the number of lanes recommended and the turning movements, Staff believes the new alignments should result in an Arterial network which is as good as the one currently in the Master Street Plan. However the intersection designs, as noted previously, will be critical. Functionally Arkansas Systems Drive should be an Arterial with this layout of streets as well. If this amendment package is approved, the City will need to initiate an amendment for Arkansas Systems Drive. The model does not justify a classification upgrade of the Kirk Road extension. While the volume may justify more than four lanes, the movements do not indicate that Kirk south of Chenal would function as an Arterial. 4 E NO.: MSPOB-01 Name: Master Street Plan Amendment Location: Rahling Road to Rock Creek, Kirk to Wellington Village Road Request: Realign Arterial, upgrade Kirk Road to Arterial, and remove unnamed Collector Source: Robert Brown, Development Consultants PROPOSAL/REQUEST: The request is an amendment to the Master Street Plan with several parts: first the realignment of the Wellington Hills Blvd -- Champlin Drive Arterial; second the reclassification of Kirk from a Collector to an Arterial with the realignment to Champlin Drive; and third the removal of an unnamed collector between Chenal Parkway and Arkansas Systems Drive. Currently Wellington Hills Blvd -Champlin Drive is a north -south Arterial traveling from Kanis Road south of Chenal Parkway to Rahling Road. The request is to disconnect these two roads but keep them both as Arterials. First, Wellington Hills Blvd would travel from Kanis at Rock Creek as now proposed but continue on a more westerly path to align with Arkansas Systems Drive. Arkansas Systems Drive is currently classified as a Collector and travels from Kirk Road to Chenal Parkway. It should be noted that Arkansas Systems Drive continues across Chenal Parkway as a Collector to end at Rahling Road as LaGrande Drive. Wellington Hills Blvd- Arkansas Systems Drive would be a more east -west Arterial. The second part of this realignment is to move Champlin Drive to the west to align with the existing Kirk Road. Kirk is a Collector currently. So the request includes a change in classification of Kirk Road to an Arterial. The result of this change would be a north - south Arterial from Rahling Road to Chenal Parkway. So replacing a north -south arterial (Wellington Hills- Champlin) from Kanis Road at Rock Creek to Rahling Road north of Chenal Drive, one would have an east -west arterial -collector (Wellington Hills- Arkansas Systems-LaGrande) from Kanis at Rock Creek to Rahling Road at Rock Creek and a north -south arterial Champlin -Kirk from Rahling Road north of Chenal Drive to Chenal Parkway east of the west Kanis Road split. The final part of the request is to remove an unnamed Collector from Kirk Road to Wellington Hills Blvd between Chenal Parkway and Arkansas Systems Drive. This Collector had been a continuation of Kanis Road to the east from Chenal Parkway. A section from Kirk Road to Chenal Parkway has already been removed from the Plan. Thus this is a short segment of road, which no longer provides the connectivity originally intended. FILE NO.: MSP06-01 Cont. The Master Street Plan does not show any bike routes on any of the roads proposed for realignment, classification change or removal from the Plan. Thus the changes should have no impact on the bicycle section of the Master Street Plan. Staff met with representatives of the applicant and discussed the request. Several issues were identified for further review and consideration. There were the spacing of the Arterials versus the spacing standard of the Master Street Plan; possible bottlenecks or choke points along Kirk Road north of Chenal and Arkansas Systems Drive; the intersection designs (Kirk and Chenal & Kirk/Champlin-Wellington Hills/Arkansas Systems in particular); and width of streets — functional design standards. The current alignment of Wellington Hills Blvd -Champlin provides a relief route or alternate for a section of Chenal Parkway projected to be above capacity. It is important that the resulting route alignment also provide this `relief' to Chenal Parkway. In addition a portion of Kirk Road just north of Chenal has already been developed so the opportunity for the City to acquire right-of-way and street improvements from developers has been made very unlikely. The suggested new alignments for Kirk -Champlin and Wellington Hills -Arkansas Systems appear reasonable to Staff. With the spacing of Arterials closer than recommended, the intersection designs will be critical to the overall system working. Staff does not believe that the removal of the small section of Collector road would be an issue. If a road were built in this location or a similar one, it would have to be constructed to collector road design standards as a Commercial Street. With the applicant agreeing to take all the added right-of-way and construct the extra road lanes on their side of the road, no additional requirements will be placed on the owners along the east side of Kirk Road with this change. Traffic Engineering will review the proposed intersections. With this review to assure proper traffic movement and that the intersections will not create bottlenecks the new alignments appear to provide a similar traffic flow to the current alignments. The applicant hired a traffic consultant to complete a study of the traffic movements in the area. This was done assuming full build out of the area to the City Land Use Plan (with the proposed amendments on the April 13 agenda). The afternoon peek -hour was used as the highest volume time. The City Traffic Engineer agreed this to use the PM peek for modeling purposes. The model also took current volumes at intersections and increased them to expected volumes in ten years. The model then looked at the projected volumes and assigned the number of lanes each roadway would need and assigned the turning movements at each intersection. This report was provided to Staff on Tuesday April 4, 2006. The applicant and his traffic engineer met with Staff on April 4th and discussed the report. Staff requested some changes to the model assumption and a second run of the model to report what changes might result. These changes were to reduce the model assumed number of lanes on Chenal where the applicant had no control and to reduce the size (turning lanes) at some intersections (again because the applicant had no control). The results 2 FILE NO.: MSP06-01 (Cont.) could move some traffic, which could result in more congestion at other intersections. Staff and the applicant will have to comment on these results at the hearing. Based on an initial review of the number of lanes recommended and the turning movements, Staff believes the new alignments should result in an Arterial network which is as good as the one currently in the Master Street Plan. However the intersection designs, as noted previously, will be critical. Functionally Arkansas Systems Drive should be an Arterial with this layout of streets as well. If this amendment package is approved, the City will need to initiate an amendment for Arkansas Systems Drive. The model does not justify a classification upgrade of the Kirk Road extension. While the volume may justify more than four lanes, the movements do not indicate that Kirk south of Chenal would function as an Arterial. CITY RECOGNIZED NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLAN: The application area is within the Rock Creek Neighborhoods Plan area. The Neighborhood Plan calls for the protection and preservation of greenbelts with strict enforcement of the excavation and landscape ordinances. It also calls for the interconnection of the area with sidewalks and other non -motorized vehicle paths. The Plan calls for the completion of Champlin Drive and Villages of Wellington Road to Kanis Road, and construct the intersection of Chenal Parkway and Champlin Drive; fund with a bond issue (build prior to development). The Plan asks that amendments to the Land Use Plan be rare and only with the input of the neighborhood. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: Notices were sent to the following neighborhood associations: St Charles Community Association and Parkway Place Property Owners Association. Staff has received five requests for information from area residents. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Recommendation will be given at the hearing. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (APRIL 13, 2006) The applicant amended the request to remove the requested upgrade of Kirk Road extension south of Chenal Parkway. Staff noted that in the coming months Arkansas System Drive would need to be re-examined to determine if it too should be classified as an Arterial.- The item was placed on consent agenda for approval as modified. By a vote of 8 for, 0 against the consent agenda was approved. 3 ORDINANCE NO AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE MASTER STREET PLAN (15,519), TO MODIFY AND REALIGN THE ARTERIALS, BETWEEN RAHLING ROAD, CHENAL PARKWAY AND WELLINGTON VILLAGE, REMOVE A COLLECTOR, AND UPGRADE KIRK ROAD TO AN ARTERIAL; AND FOR OTHER MATTERS. WHEREAS, Staff has reviewed a traffic study conducted for the land owner and believes the realign will serve the public as well as the current alignment; and, WHEREAS, the owner has agreed to make all improvements to Kirk Road above a collector on their side of the road; and, WHEREAS, the Little Rock Planning Commission after a public hearing recommends the Master Street Plan be amended to reflect the Arterial realignment with Kirk Road upgrade and removal of an unnamed Collector. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS: SECTION 1. The Plan Map is changed to reflect the new alignment of Wellington Hills Blvd. and Champlin Drive. SECTION 2. The Plan Map is changed to reflect the change of Kirk Road, north of Chenal as an Arterial and the removal of an unnamed Collector south of Arkansas System, east of Kirk Road. SECTION 3. This Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days from and after its passage. PASSED: ATTEST: City Clerk APPROVED: Mayor S "4 014 y3 Legend A s PROPOSED ARTERIAL -- — PROPOSED COLLECTOR irk Existing Arterial Existing Collector Local Roads F _•:�:: ;;� ,J � E�. �;'�.. ��_���� _.,,��y; ��,-,,:rte �r AV MASTER STREET PLAN AMENDMENT MSP06-01 SHACKLEFORD FARM CURRENT N �c". :;"fir S. f � :r•2' °':] -7�'. 1'rnTd ru: ;':.• ,1i -:p._., `; •`�'=J. ! is � ;�:_� - - _ __ - _ - ;at•:r - .f •I � a Al X aq I am- 10 y • = T Area of Chan e _': a Ys[4.1 110 WIN F...., „y'kRill Own an hills yo, r 00 Legend ■ ■ PROPOSED ARTERIAL PROPOSED COLLECTOR ma. I- 7 - - - - 1:: 5 ■� Existing Arterial •j1 51 :� r �. r;.at�ar�... - Exls6n Collector Fi Local Roads � : r: N. MASTER STREET PLAN AMENDMENT MSP06-01 � SHACKLEFORD FARMZ\ PROPOSED N