HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutesOctober 30, 2008
ITEM NO.: 13 FILE NO.: LU08-04-03
Name. Land Use Plan Amendment — Heights Hillcrest Planning District
Location: 4400 block of A Street
Request: Low Density Residential to Office
Source: Dickson Flake, For Arvest Bank
PROPOSAL / REQUEST:
A Land Use Plan amendment in the Heights Hillcrest Planning District from Low
Density Residential to Office. Office provides services to consumers as well as
general offices which support more basic economic activities. The applicant is
proposing a Planned Office Development for a new Arvest Bank. Prompted by
this Land Use Amendment request, the Planning Staff expanded the area of
review to include area west of this application, which would include the northern
half of the Taco Bell Planned Comemrcial Development. With these changes,
the entirety of the Low Density Residential between Ash and Walnut Streets
would be eliminated. It is thought that the additional area would make the
boundaries more logical.
EXISTING LAND USE AND ZONING:
This expanded amendment area is currently zoned R-3 Single Family and
Planned Commercial District. The R-3 portion of the amendment is currently
used for four single family residences. The PCD portion is for the northern half of
the Taco Bell/KFC development at the northeast corner of Ash and Markham
Streets. To the north, west and east of this area is zoned R-3 and is used for
single family residences. South of this amendment is zoned R-5 for an
apartment complex and PCD for the other portion of the Taco Bell/KFC
development. The south side of Markham is zoned R-2 Single Family and is
used for the UAMS Campus. Southwest of the amendment area is zoned C-3
General Commercial for a Back Yard Burgers restaurant. Southeast of this
amendment area is zoned C-3 General Commercial and is used for office
buildings.
FUTURE LAND USE PLAN AND RECENT AMENDMENTS:
The amendment site is currently shown as Low Density Residential. This LDR
extends east of this amendment. North, west and northeast of this amendment is
shown as Single Family. South of the amendment is shown as Office along
Markham Street. The south side of Markham is shown as Public Institutional.
October 30, 2008
SUBDIVISION
ITEM NO.: 13 (Cont.
FILE NO.: LU08-04-03
Ordinance 19956 was passed May 6, 2008 to amend a site at the intersection of
Pine and Cedar Streets with West Markham from Low Denisty Residential and
Commercial to Mixed Use for a proposed new development.
MASTER STREET PLAN:
West Markham Street is a Minor Arterial. "A" Street and Walnut Street are Local
Streets. 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.
Entrances and exits should be limited to minimize negative effects of traffic and
pedestrians on Markham Street since it is a Minor Arterial. The primary function
of a Local Street is to provide access to adjacent properties. Local Streets which
are abutted by non-residential zoning/use or more intensive zoning than
duplexes are considered as "Commercial Streets". Such streets have a design
standard the same as a Collector. These streets may require dedication of right-
of-way and may require street improvements for entrances and exits to the site.
BICYCLE PLAN:
There are no bike routes in the immediate vicinity.
PARKS:
According to the Master Parks Plan, this area is within eight blocks of War
Memorial Park.
HISTORIC DISTRICTS:
There are no city recognized historic districts that would be affected by this
amendment.
CITY RECOGNIZED NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLAN:
This area is covered by the Hillcrest Neighborhood Plan. The Zoning Goal
states: "Discontinue the current commercial structures that are not appropriate
for Markham. Markham has become degraded by the development of a current
pattern of suburban development leading to disagreements about appropriate
design of structures, use, scale, image, and hours of operation." The Hillcrest
Plan also calls for no net loss of residential structures.
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October 30, 2008
SUBDIVISION
ITEM NO.: 13 (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU08-04-03
ANALYSIS:
The expanded amendment area is currently shown as Low Density Residential
(LDR) on the Future Land Use Plan. This LDR has been in place for many years
to serve as a buffer between the Office shown along Markham Street and the
single family residences to the north of Markham. This expanded application is
proposing a change from this LDR to Office between Ash and Walnut Streets on
the south side of A Street. The zoning application that triggered this land use
plan amendment is for an Arvest Bank branch location. The amendment site
currently has four single family residences and the Taco Bell drive-thru and
parking lot. Staff expanded the application to include the whole block as Office.
The existing neighborhood near this amendment site is a mixture of office,
commercial, multi -family residential, single-family residential and public
institutional uses. This area's character is influenced by the proximity of the
UAMS campus. This section of Markham Street has several office buildings,
banks and restaurants. One block north of Markham transitions into single family
residences with a mixture of apartment buildings, some duplexes and single
family residences. Many of these residences near Markham appear to be rental
units. This application would replace four single family residences, which appear
to be rentals, and an apartment complex that is already shown as Office on the
Plan with a Planned Office Development for an Arvest Bank. Since half of this
site is already shown as Office on the Future Land Use Plan, this is really only a
loss of the four residential houses. The apartment complex has been shown as
Office for many years now, so it could have redeveloped into an office before
now.
While staff typically prefers either Suburban Office or Low Density Residential as
a buffer between Office or Commercial and Single Family uses, this amendment
could be seen as an exception because this area is under the protection of the
Midtown and Hillcrest Design Overlay Districts. These DODs will help guide this
development to ensure the remaining single family residences are protected.
The zoning application is for a rezoning to Planned Office Development. The
Planned Development is yet another way for staff to ensure an appropriate site
design with respect to the surrounding neighborhood.
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS:
Notices were sent to the following neighborhood associations: Hillcrest and
Capitol View Stifft Station. Staff has received no comments from area residents.
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff believes the change is appropriate.
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October 30, 2008
SUBDIVISION
ITEM NO.: 13 (Cont.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION:
ILE NO.: LUO
(OCTOBER 30, 2008)
Walter Malone, Planning Staff reviewed the Land Use Plan in the area. Low
Density Residential or Suburban Office is usually preferred adjacent to Single
Family, however with the two Design Overlay Districts Staff feels like there is
adequate protection. The side relationship versus a front -to -front relationship also
helps with this. Donnas James of Planning Staff reviewed the related Planned
Zoning District, see Z-8405 for a complete minute record. There was a motion to
approve the Land Use Plan amendment. By a vote of 8 for 1 against the item
was approved.
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Vicinity Map
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Future Land Use Amendment
Case: LU08-04-03
Location: South side of Street
between Ash and Walnut
LDR to O
Ward: 3
PD: 4
CT: 15
TRS: TIN R12W5
0 50 100 200 Feet I
Vicinity Map
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Area
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Case: LU08-04-03
Location: South side of Street
between Ash and Walnut
LDR to O
Ward: 3
PD: 4
CT: 15
TRS: TIN R12W5
0 50 100 200 Feet