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Home My WebLink Aboutboard of directors itemsOFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS BOARD OF DIRECTORS COMMUNICATION DECEMBER 18, 2012 AGENDA Subject Action Required Approved By Master Street Plan Amendment to remove Ordinance the proposed Collector Resolution connection Wellington Approval Plantation Drive. Information Report (MSP12-06) Submitted By: Planning and Development Bruce Moore SYNOPSIS A Master Street Plan amendment to remove the Collector designation for the Wellington Plantation Drive from its current terminus to Rahling Road. FISCAL IMPACT None RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends denial. The Planning Commission recommends denial with a vote of 3 for, 5 against, 1 abstention (Nunnley), and 2 absent. CITIZEN Notices were sent by the applicant to property owners PARTICIPATION along the proposed alignment of Wellington Plantation Drive and to the Villages of Wellington Community (Neighborhood Association). The Planning Commission held a public hearing on Thursday November 29, 2012. BACKGROUND The requested amendment would remove the connection, a Collector, between Rahling Road and the subdivision of `Villages of Wellington'. It would force all traffic from these neighborhoods to travel along Wellington Village Road to Kirk and on to Rahling Road if they wished to travel to the north or northwest. BACKGROUND CONTINUED The connection that would be lost with this amendment first appeared on the Master Street Plan in 1988 as an Arterial alignment. The ultimate volume on Wellington Plantation Drive if it continues to Rahling may be below the `design volumes'. However the function of a Collector is to collect traffic from neighborhood streets and bring it to the Arterial system would still exist. In western Little Rock, the grid street pattern has not been developed. The result in western Little Rock is longer trips to services, work and play. With no alternatives, volume and congestion is likely to be greater on the Collectors and Arterials. The City's Public Works Department has raised concern that the removal of Wellington Plantation Drive would limit access to some 85 homes to a single access. This is in conflict with the International Building Code that states that there must be two (2) vehicle accesses for subdivisions in excess of 30 residential structures for emergency vehicles. They also noted the lack of north -south connectivity in the vicinity. It is desirable to distribute the traffic to reduce any impacts on any one area. The completion of Wellington Plantation Drive would distribute some traffic off of Wellington Village Road. Both of these streets are Collectors on the Master Street Plan and both have single-family homes fronting them. In both cases the roads were shown as Collectors prior to construction of the roads and the adjacent homes. Reductions in connectivity only increase traffic volumes on other streets and often result in long trip distances for the driver. The loss of connectivity and the creation of a single access to the area with more than 30 residential units, may hurt the City with any future reviews for fire ratings. For future Planning issues it is important to attempt to improve the situation for the overall City and area, not just look at an issue with localized concerns. Connectivity benefits public safety and the traveling public. FILE NO.: MSP12-06 Name: Master Street Plan Amendment, removing the extension of Wellington Plantation Drive Location: Wellington Plantation Drive from current terminus to Rahling Road Request: Remove Collector designation Source: Tim Daters, White-Daters PROPOSAL/REQUEST: A Master Street Plan amendment in the Chenal Planning District to remove the extension of Wellington Plantation Road as a Collector from its current terminus to Rahling Road. MASTER STREET PLAN: Wellington Plantation Drive is a Collector. This Collector goes north and west from Wellington Village Road (a Collector) to Rahling Road a Minor Arterial. The primary function of a Collector Street is to provide a connection from Local Streets to Arterials. BICYCLE PLAN: There is a Class III Bike Routes shown along Wellington Village Road and a Class I Bike Path shown along Rahling Road. Bike Routes require no additional right-of-way or pavement markings, but only a sign to identify and direct the route. A Bike Path is to be a paved path physically separate for the use of bicycles. Additional right-of-way or and easement is recommended. Nine -foot paths are recommended to allow for pedestrian use as well (replacing the sidewalk). PARKS: According to the Master Parks Plan, this area is within eight blocks of a park or open space. The Property Owners Association Park is to the south at Wellington Village Road and Loyola Drive. HISTORIC DISTRICTS: There are no city recognized historic districts that would be affected by this amendment. FILE NO.: MSP12-06 (Cont. ANALYSIS: The requested amendment would remove the connection, a Collector, between Rahling Road and the subdivision of 'Villages of Wellington'. It would force all traffic from these neighborhoods to travel along Wellington Village Road to Kirk and on to Rahling Road if they wished to travel to the north or northwest. The applicant has indicated that reason or justification for the removal of the Collector connection is 'other improvements' and 'low projected traffic volume' for this proposed road. The connection that would be lost with this amendment first appeared on the Master Street Plan in 1988 as an Arterial alignment. It was to be a continuation of 36th Street which would have turned north traveling through what is now the Woodlands Edge Subdivision and the Villages of Wellington Subdivision. That alignment through the Woodlands Edge Subdivision is generally what is now a Collector named Woodlands Trail. Sections of Wellington Village Road and Wellington Plantation Drive generally follow other sections of that alignment through the Villages of Wellington Subdivision. Staff is not aware of any new street improvements that are not already called for by the Master Street Plan. The ultimate volume on Wellington Plantation Drive if it continues to Rahling may be below the 'design volumes' in the Master Street Plan of Collectors. However the function of a Collector is to collect traffic from neighborhood streets and bring it to the Arterial system would still exist. In western Little Rock, the grid street pattern has not been developed. Many Local streets are loop or cul-de-sacs. There are no regulations to require the connectivity of a grid street system. The result in western Little Rock is longer trips to services, work and play. Most 'trips' must include travel on a Collector and Arterial, resulting in higher volumes on these roads. With no alternatives, volume and congestion is likely to be greater on the Collectors and Arterials. In 2010 and 2011, traffic counts were made for Wellington Village Road. Those counts revealed an average daily volume (ADT) range from 2000 to 2500 trips west of Wellington Plantation Drive. Traffic counts for Rahling Road indicate it is currently over 12,000 ADT near Pebble Beach. A Collector built to Master Street Plan standard would have a free flow of traffic up to a volume of 5000 ADT and an Arterial to 18,000 ADT. The applicant's Traffic Study (provided to staff approximately November 1) clearly states that it assumes Wellington Plantation Drive extension to Rahling Road will not happen. Thus its findings and recommendations are not included in the review. The City's Public Works Department has raised concern that the removal of Wellington Plantation Drive would limit access to some 85 homes to a single access. This is in conflict with the International Building Code that states that there must be two (2) vehicle accesses for subdivisions in excess of 30 residential structures for emergency vehicles. (Either a second access must be provided or the homes will have to be sprinkled). They also noted the lack of north - south connectivity in the vicinity. The removal of Wellington Plantation Drive would 2 FILE NO.: MSP12-06 (Cont. further reduce north -south connectivity. (There would be no north -south connectivity from Bowman Road to Kirk Road). It is desirable to distribute the traffic to reduce any impacts on any one area. The completion of Wellington Plantation Drive would distribute some traffic off of Wellington Village Road. Both of these streets are Collectors on the Master Street Plan and both have single-family homes fronting them. In both cases the roads were shown as Collectors prior to construction of the roads and the adjacent homes. Reductions in connectivity only increase traffic volumes on other streets and often result in long trip distances for the driver. The loss of connectivity and the creation of a single access to the area with more than 30 residential units, may hurt the City with any future reviews for fire ratings. For future Planning issues it is important to attempt to improve the situation for the overall City and area, not just look at an issue with localized concerns. Connectivity benefits public safety and the traveling public. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: Notice was sent to the Villages of Wellington Community. Staff has received no comments by the time of writing this item. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff believes the change is not appropriate. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (NOVEMBER 29, 2012) It was agreed to talk about items 1, 1.1 and 1.2 together. After staff reports on items 1 and 1.1, Walter Malone of Planning Staff addressed the Commission on item 1.2. This is the request to remove the portion of Wellington Plantation Drive, that has not already been constructed, from the Master Street Plan. Mr. Malone showed the Commission the segment we were discussing. He indicated the two major reasons Staff cannot support the request is the connectivity issue and the concern of how this might be seen related to the fire code requirement. There are two proposed Collectors that serve the Wellington area to the north and northwest, one is Wellington Village and one is Wellington Plantation. Both of these roads pre -date the subdivision of Villages of Wellington and both have homes fronting them. Staff believes it is better to distribute the traffic between these two roads not concentrated it all on Wellington Village. The Master Street Plan requirement to build Wellington Plantation assures two accesses to this portion of Villages of Wellington. There are currently 85 homes off of 3 FILE NO.: MSP12-06 (Cont. Wellington Plantation Drive. Since this is a code requirement, Staff cannot support losing a known access for a 'possible' access that may be provided in future development. The applicant addressed the Commission, as well as supporters of the three applications and those against the applications (see items 1 and 1.1 for additional minutes on this item). A representative of the Villages of Wellington neighborhood did speak in support of the Master Street Plan change. There were residents who spoke to the Commission about Beckenham and concerns of traffic impacts along that road with the land use and zoning applications making those impacts greater. Mr. Peters, Traffic Engineer for the applicant, did discuss Wellington Village as a second access and the low volumes expected on Wellington Village and Wellington Plantation if build. He further stated that with the connection of Wellington Village to Kirk Road, the need for Wellington Plantation was lessened. Mr. Daters also noted the possibility of a 'short-cut' along Wellington Plantation to Wellington Village to Wellington Boulevard and Chenal Parkway, rather than continuing along Rahling Road to Kirk Road and on to Chenal Parkway as a reason not to build the continuation of Wellington Plantation Drive. In response to a question, Mr. Spivey and Mr. Daters for the applicant did explain how a second access could be done and would be done with the review of any future subdivision or site plan review application of the land north of Wellington Plantation Drive. A motion was made to approve the Master Street Plan amendment as requested. By a vote of 3 for, 5 against, 1 abstention (Nunnley) and 2 absent the motion failed. E, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 ORDINANCE NO. AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE MASTER STREET PLAN (20,117); REMOVING THE COLLECTOR DESIGNATION FROM THE CONTINUATION OF WELLINGTON PLANTATION DRIVE; (MSP12-06); AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS: Section 1. Remove the Collector designation for Wellington Plantation Drive from its current terminus to Rahling Road. Section 2. The Master Street Plan map is hereby changed to reflect the change, described in Section 1 and shown on the attached map. Section 3. That the ordinance shall take effect and be in full force from and after its passage and approval. 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