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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Minutes for LU2021-15-01May 13, 2021 ITEM NO.: 8 FILE NO.: LU2021-15-01 Name: Land Use Plan Amendment –Geyer Springs West District Location: West Side of North Chicot Road (7500 Block of N. Chicot Road) between Mabelvale Pike and Mabelvale Pike Request: Residential Low (RL) to Residential Medium (RM) Source: Ali Syed PROPOSAL / REQUEST: Applicant requests a Land Use Plan amendment from Residential Low (RL) to Residential Medium (RM) on an approximate half-acre (0.5 acre) site located within the Geyer Springs West Planning District, more specifically on the west side of the 7500 block of North Chicot Road, between Mabelvale Pike and Mabelvale Pike. The existing Residential Low land use designation provides for single family homes at densities not to exceed 6 units per acre. Such residential development is typically characterized by conventional single-family homes but may include patio or garden homes and cluster homes, provided that the density remains less than 6 units per acre. The RM designation requested accommodates a broad range of housing types including single family attached, single family detached, duplex, town homes, multi-family and patio or garden homes. Any combination of these and possibly other housing types may fall in this category provided that the density is between six (6) and twelve (12) dwelling units per acre. This land use amendment application is accompanied by a zoning map amendment request. It is applicant’s intent to rezone the site to a PRD Planned Residential Development zoning designation (File No. Z-9529-A). The RM land use category accommodates a broad range of housing types including single family attached, single family detached, duplex, town homes, multi-family and patio or garden homes. Any combination of these and possibly other housing types may fall in this category provided that the density is between six (6) and twelve (12) dwelling units per acre. EXISTING LAND USE AND ZONING: The site is zoned R-2 Single-Family District. The R-2 zoning designation is for conventional single-family development with a minimum lot size of 7,000 square feet. This district is the predominant single-family district within the City of Little Rock west of University and south of Asher Avenue. The subject site was previously developed with a single-family home, the existing home on the lot has been abandoned and is boarded up. May 13, 2021 ITEM NO.: 8 (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU2021-15-01 2 The subject site is situated between other R-2 zoned land to the north, south, and west. To the south are large parcels with detached single-family homes. To the west is undeveloped wooded lands. The single-family home immediately to the north appears to be a parishioner home associated with the place of worship that is also situated on the same parcel. Across Chicot Road to the east is an undeveloped wooded lot that is zoned Multifamily District (MF-18). Immediately south of this 13-acre site, and catty-corner to the subject site, is an 11-acre MF-18 site developed with the Village Green Apartments complex. FUTURE LAND USE PLAN AND RECENT AMENDMENTS: When the land use plan was crafted for this area, staff was responding to the existing land use pattern, zoning and approved plans. In the northern half of the district, the objective was to minimize potential negative impacts between industrial and residential uses. Thus, the plan reflects the existing land use pattern with some buffers (open space) between residential use and industrial use. The majority of lands composing Geyer Springs West District are south of I-30. The subject site is located north of I-30 in small development node characterized by the presence of Fourche and South Hindman Creek. The approximately 0.5-acre site is a part of a three (3) acre swath of land designated Residential Low (RL). To the north of these RL lands are Public Institutional Lands (where a place of worship and parishioners’ home was developed). South of the RL lands, are about three (3) acres of Residential High (RH) and approximately 3.5 acres of Office (O) designated lands. A single-family home sits on the RH lands. Most of the RH lands are not developed, the O designated lands are undeveloped. Further south at the N. Chicot Rd. and Mabelvale Pike intersection are Commercial (C) designated lands, these are occupied by a single-family home and a place of worship. While there have been some Land Use amendments within the Geyer Springs West District Planning Districts, Staff reviewed cases back to 2010 and did not locate records of land use amendments within Geyer Springs West occurring north of I-30. MASTER STREET PLAN: North Chicot Road is shown as a on the Master Street Plan as being designated as a Collector. Collector streets are the traffic connections 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 a quarter to half-mile This Street may require dedication of right-of-way and may require street improvements for entrances and exits to the site. May 13, 2021 ITEM NO.: 8 (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU2021-15-01 3 BICYCLE PLAN: A Class III Bike Path is shown as being proposed along N. Chicot Road / Mabelvale Pike. Class III Bicycle Routes have only sharrows. These routes use the existing vehicular area with no physical separation. Generally, Class III Bicycle Routes are local streets or higher- class streets when speeds are less than 30 miles per hour and volumes less than half design volume. PARKS: About 500 feet north of the project site is South Hindman, 80 acres of wooded undeveloped park lands, these lands are situated immediately to the south of Hindman Park & Disc Gold Course. HISTORIC DISTRICTS: There are no city recognized historic districts that would be affected by this amendment. ANALYSIS: The subject site, situated between Fourche Creek and I-30, is located on the west side of N. Chicot Road in a small node of the Geyer Springs West Planning District. When the land use designations composing this area were first crafted by the City, Staff was responding to the existing land use patterns, zoning, and approved plans. The applicant’s request would not significantly deplete the amount of lands available for Residential Low Developments in the Geyer Springs West Planning District, or the City as a whole. While a significant amount of nearby RL lands have been platted and developed, there are opportunities in the southern portion of Geyer Springs West Planning District and north of the site in the 65th West Planning District for the development of single family homes in the context of the RL land use designation. At the southeast corner of N. Chicot Road and Mabelvale Pike is about ten (10) acres of wooded/undeveloped Residential Medium designated lands, this swath of RM is situated just north approximately ten (10) acres of Residential High (RH) designated lands, which are also undeveloped. A change to allow for higher density in this area may be appropriate as it allows more intense land uses to be concentrated in the vicinity of the I-30 and North Chicot Road overpass and outside of established lower density residential neighborhoods north of Mabelvale Pike and those areas southwest of the site. As the site is situated on a collector street, between lands designated PI (Public Institutional) and lands designated RH (Residential High), the RM designation land use could compliment the area by providing May 13, 2021 ITEM NO.: 8 (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU2021-15-01 4 a small area of moderately intense development served by parks and open space to the north. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: Notices were sent to the following neighborhood associations: Town and Country and the South Brookwood Association. Staff has received no comments from area residents or from Neighborhood Associations. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends approval. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (MAY 13, 2021) The item was placed on consent agenda for approval. By a vote of 10 for, 0 against and 1 vacancy, the item was approved.