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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoard Comm for LU2021-18-01OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS BOARD OF DIRECTORS COMMUNICATION AUGUST 17, 2021 AGENDA Subject Land Use Plan Amendment – Ellis Mountain Planning District – LU2021-18-01 Submitted By: Action Required √ Ordinance Resolution Approval Information Report Approved By Planning and Development Bruce Moore City Manager SYNOPSIS To approve Land Use Plan amendment in the Ellis Mountain Planning District from Residential Low (RL) to Commercial (C) FISCAL IMPACT None RECOMMENDATION Staff recommended approval. The Little Rock Planning Commission by a vote of 8 for, 0 against, 2 absent, and 1 vacancy made recommendation to approve the change at the July 8, 2021 Hearing. BACKGROUND Applicant is requesting a Land Use Plan amendment from Residential Low (RL) to Commercial (C) on an approximate 2.4-acre unplatted parcel located on the north side of Kanis Road, approximately 0.25-miles northwest of Kirby Road in the Ellis Mountain Planning District. The site is outside of the City limits, but located immediately adjacent to the City limits in an area within the City’s extra territorial jurisdiction, where the City’s zoning laws are applicable. BACKGROUND CONTINUED The majority of land between Chenal Parkway, Kanis Road, and Kirby Road has been developed with low density residential, with limited multi-family residential and commercial, along with religious institutions making up a minority of land within this node. Lands south of Kanis Road have not seen the same development pressures as the land to the north. This area of west Little Rock is well served by larger Commercial land uses (department stores and supermarkets) 2 that obtained development entitlements through the Planned Zoning District (PZD) process. There is limited smaller scale commercial land uses (C-1, 2, and 3) in this node. Commercial land use designations in Ellis Mountain Planning District were located to discourage strip commercial development to the maximum extent possible and to encourage commercial concentrations at major intersections of arterial streets. The City has plans to realign Cooper Orbit Road, where it runs from Kirby Road a quarter mile, west of McKenzie Park Apartments. It will connect with the Panther Branch Drive. The road relocation effort will create a three-way intersection at the subject site. When considering the changes to the road network at the subject site and the limited availability of smaller commercial operations supporting the residential land uses, a change to Commercial may be appropriate. A change to a Commercial land use at the subject site may encourage additional amendment and zoning requests. If additional commercial land uses are approved in this area, along Kanis Road, an effort should be made to limit access on Kanis Road by encouraging developments to use shared use drives. If the land use amendment is approved, Staff would recommend the City work to determine if the land use of the remaining undeveloped RL lands with frontage along Kanis Road - in the triangular area between the Kanis Ridge Estates and the RM and MOC lands to the east - should be updated. This effort should take into consideration the future three-way intersection that is imminent with the re- alignment of Copper Orbit Road. Notices were sent to the following neighborhood associations: Citizens of West Pulaski County and Parkway Place. Staff has received no comments from area residents or from Neighborhood Associations.