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HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutesNovember 8, 2007 ITEM NO.: G FILE NO.: MSP07-01 Name: Master Street Plan Amendment - 1-430 Planning District Location: Aldersgate Road at Shackleford Road Request: Remove Extension of a Collector Source: Jacob Chi, Rowan Development PROPOSAL / REQUEST: Master Street Plan amendment in the 1-430 Planning District to Remove the extension of the Aldersgate Road Collector from the current dead end to the west to connect with Shackleford Road. The application states the reason to remove the proposed extension of the collector is to "eliminate traffic through residential, camp and retirement center." CURRENT MASTER STREET PLAN: Aldersgate Road is shown as a Collector street on the plan. The Master Street Plan text states: "A Collector street is the traffic connection from Local streets to Arterials or to activity centers, with the secondary function of providing access to adjoining property. The Collector system should not be continuous but should direct traffic to arterials. This class of road is generally at a spacing of quarter to half mile. The spacing of Collectors may be decreased and/or the right-of-way and paving surface increased due to density of residential development and locations of commercial areas or other large traffic generators." Shackleford Road, 36th Street and Kanis Roads are shown as Minor Arterials. A Minor Arterial provides connections to and through an urban area and their primary function is to provide short distance travel within the urbanized area. Local Streets which are abutted by non-residential zoning/use or more intensive zoning than duplexes are considered as "Commercial Streets". These streets have a design standard the same as a Collector section. From 24th Street to the south end of the existing street, Aldersgate Road is built to Collector Standards. From 24th Street to Kanis, Aldersgate Road has open ditches on each side and is more narrow. November 8, 2007 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: G (Cont._) FILE NO.: MSP07-01 FUTURE LAND USE PLAN: The Future Land Use plan shows Suburban Office in the northernmost section of Aldersgate Road at Kanis Road; Single Family, Suburban Office, Single Family and Park Open Space in the north central section; Multifamily and Park/Open Space in the southern central section; and Multi Family, Park Open Space and Office on the southernmost section that connects with Shackleford Road. There is a separate Land Use Plan Amendment from Office, Park Open Space and Multi Family to Mixed Use on this agenda. There is also a zoning action on this site on this agenda from R-2 to Planned Commercial District. HISTORIC DISTRICTS: There are no historic districts that would be affected by this amendment. CITY RECOGNIZED NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLAN: The revised John Barrow Neighborhood action plan of 1993 mentions this collector as an un -built collector but does not state an opinion of removing or retaining the collector connection to Shackleford. It does state to improve the efficiency of local streets in the area. "i ill "i ILIM464 This proposed connection of Aldersgate Road to Shackleford Road has been on the Master Street Plan since at least 1988. This area has been mostly undeveloped for years. Camp Aldersgate is located between Shackleford Road and Aldersgate Road. Good Shepard Ecumenical Retirement Center is on the east and south side of Aldersgate Road. Both currently take access only from Aldersgate Road. Hicks Interurban Subdivision was developed in the early part of the 20th century as a subdivision to Pulaski County. It is located roughly from Kanis to 24th Street and Aldersgate to Junior Deputy Road. That subdivision has seen a rebirth in the last few years with 71 new single-family houses being built in that subdivision since January 2000. Additional Office uses totaling 71,000 square feet of space has been built on Aldersgate Road during the same time north of 20th Street. The area could have been considered rural at one point, but with the influx of new houses and additional office uses, it is becoming much more urban. There are areas for future growth in the vicinity. The Good Shepard Ecumenical Retirement center purchased the old park area bounded on the east and north by Romine Road and the west by Junior Deputy Road. It is approximately 85 acres. 4 November 8, 2007 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: G (Cont.) FILE NO.: MSP07-01 In Ordinance # 18,559, which rezoned the area to MF -12, three conditions that affect this amendment were noted. They are: "2. All current and future access to the Property shall be via Aldersgate Road through the existing Good Shepard campus. No access to the Property shall be permitted from Junior Deputy, Romine or Kensingston Roads. 4. The use of the Property shall be limited only to housing for the elderly as defined in the Little Rock Zoning Ordinance together with other buildings directly related to housing for the elderly such as a chapel, wellness center, and an administration building. 5. The maximum number of living units to be built on the Property shall be limited to 10 units per gross acre." Currently, Good Shepard Ecumenical Retirement Center and Camp Aldersgate's only access points are on Aldersgate Road. As the previous ordinance quotes, all future access to the Good Shepard site will be from Aldersgate Road. This will place all of the burden of additional traffic generated by Good Shepard on Aldersgate Road. After dedicating an open space buffer around the site, approximately 68 acres remained of the 85 acres. When considering maximum build -out on this land, the density, according to the ordinance is 10 units per acre. This will add 680 housing units. The initial drawings filed with that zoning ordinance showed duplexes and townhomes in addition to more traditional retirement assisted living units. A second application was filed with the city that was later withdrawn to add 200 beds in a more traditional retirement home multi story building that was to the east of the existing buildings. Public Works obtained traffic counts for Aldersgate Road. Currently, the total Average Daily Trips (ADT) is 3388 vehicles per day (VPD). Traffic Engineering did a trip generation study based on the addition of 680 dwelling units for Good Shepard, 96 townhomes and 30,000 square feet of commercial in the area being considered for rezoning. The trip generation showed that on weekday traffic, an additional 4,730 vehicles per day would be added. On Saturday, it would be 4,353 and Sunday would be 3,184. When added to the current load, the amount would be 8118 on weekdays, 7741 on Saturdays and 6572 on Sundays. These traffic counts do not include any additional development on the Good Shepard site besides the 68 acres. There are additional development areas on the current campus. The design specifications for a Collector street has a service volume of 5000 vehicles per day. Based on the volumes of 4730 VPD generated by the proposed improvements and the fact that the existing ADT is approximately 3 November 8, 2007 SUBDIVISIO ITEM NO.: G (Cont. FILE NO.: MSP07-01 1800 VPD, the proposed roadway will surpass it's service volume of 5000 VPD as shown in the Master Street Plan based on the Collector Standard. The Master Street plan states the desired spacing for collectors is one-quarter to one-half mile. The segment of Shackleford Road between Kanis and 36th (both of which are Minor Arterials) is nine -tenths of a mile. The spacing between Kanis and the proposed collector is one-half mile and the spacing between it an 36th Street is one-third mile. This collector is properly spaced per the plan. Having a dead end collector may have the outcome of adding more congestion to the Collector. Without the connection to Shackleford Road to disperse traffic, Staff is concerned about access to these properties. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: Notice was sent to the following neighborhood association: John Barrow Neighborhood Association. Staff did not receive any comments before the time of printing. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff does not support the request to remove the collector because of increased traffic in the area due to increased development (both current and proposed), lack of sufficient access to properties in the area, and spacing issues. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (SEPTEMBER 27, 2007) The item was placed on the consent agenda for deferral to the November 11, 2007 agenda. A motion was made to approve the consent agenda and was approved with a vote of 9 ayes, 1 absent and 1 open position. STAFF UPDA' There is no new information. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTI (NOVEMBER 8, 2007) Walter Malone, Planning Staff addressed the Commission. The request is to remove a Collector connection (extension) of Aldersgate Road to Shackleford Road. Mr. Malone reviewed the purpose of a Collector and some recent 0 November 8, 2007 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: G (Cont. FILE NO.: MSP07-01 requests in the area dealing with other Collector removals. The area surrounding this Collector is only partially developed and traffic is already approaching the design volume for a Collector. The connection would help disburse traffic and reduce demand on the surrounding Arterials. Mr. J Mark Davis, Good Shepherd Retirement Center addressed the Commission. This connection needs to be removed to protect Camp Aldersgate and Good Shepherd. This is a quiet area and traffic would negatively impact both uses and cause traffic hazards (volume and speed). Good Shepherd has surveyed their 300 drivers and they do believe as a safety issue the connection should not be made. The land involved in the applications before the Commission is currently owned by Good Shepherd and as a condition of the sale this connection must not be made. While in meetings with Staff there were no assurances about removing the Collector, there was also no recommendation not to proceed. There is a conflict between the Master Street Plan and the master living plan. There is a need to protect and preserve the special character of these two institutions. To make this 300 foot connection would destroy what they are have and are trying to build. There was some question about buffers and natural area, which could buffer the uses. The road is inconsistent, due to traffic and noise with what is currently in place. Good Shepherd's current developments are right on Aldersgate Road resulting in no buffer from the impacts resulting from extending Aldersgate Road. There was discussion about the ownership and what portions might remain untouched and what is being developed. John Baker, Camp Aldersgate spoke next. It felt strange because Tony Bozynski (Director of Planning & Development) has been such a friend and help to the Camp, encouraging anyone around the Camp to talk to the Camp first. The Camp has stayed in this location to be close to medical facilities and is more than just a summer camp. He discussed some of their activities. The Master Street Plan and the zoning of their 120 acres is in 'friction'. Mr. Baker reviewed some of the sections from the Master Street Plan on Collectors and then from the Zoning Ordinance the 'OS' Open Space zoning (the classification of their land). If the road were built, lights from the road would impact the Camp as would sight and air pollution. Currently this area is 'hard to get out of'. But by connecting two Arterials, the City would be making Aldersgate Road like an arterial. The Shackleford Landing (new shopping center along Shackleford Road) people do not want the road or they would be here. It is not needed. The road is sandwiched between two quiet uses (the Camp and Good Shepherd). There was some discussion about the timing and having known this road was to be built for decades. 5 November 8, 2007 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: G (Cont.) FILE NO.: MSP07-01 The land will not be sold for development if the connection is made. This will keep land on Shackleford Road off the tax rolls. The developer has worked with the Camp on their design to help protect the Camp. There was discussion about when issues related to road construction typically come before the Commission. Mr. Bozynski indicated the Camp is a 'good asset' for the community. There was discussion about whether the Commission could move the Collector. Mr. Baker indicated the Camp was the lessee of the land and on the surfaced moving the road to the north seemed 'okay', but he could not speak for the owner. Staff indicated that they could 'live with' moving the Collector to the north into the Camp. There was more discussion about procedure and moving the road. The Commission recessed for further discussions on this possibility between the parties. When the Commission reconvened, it was stated that a letter would be needed from the property owner on moving the road to the north. Greg Simmons, Peters & Associates indicated there is no need for the connection. A motion was made to move the road north conditioned on a letter from the current owners and that the road would not be built as long as the land remained 'OS' zoned. Camp Aldersgate was cautioned not to build new buildings in the proposed in right-of-way. By a vote of 9 for 1 against and 1 recusal the motion based. After some additional discussion a motion was made to remove the Collector. By a move to 0 for 10 against and 1 recusal the motion failed. N@