HomeMy WebLinkAboutRock_Creek_Plan
Rock Creek Revised
Neighborhood Action Plan
2004
A revision of the October 1998 Plan
Steering Committee: Ruth Craw
Cathy Coston
Mary Douglas
Catherine M. English
Brian Gibson
Mark Johnson
Shirley McFarlin
David Raley
Alexandra Rezin
City of Little Rock Planning and Development: Brian Minyard
Vince Hustead
Thank you to Covenant Presbyterian Church and the Central Arkansas
Library System - Terry Branch for providing meeting space.
Table of Contents:
Existing Conditions:
Introduction / Study Area 1
Socio- Economic 2
Building Permit Activity 4
Park Systems 5
Zoning 6
Future Land Use 8
Public Works 9
Policy Plan:
Natural Environment Goal 10
Infrastructure Goal 11
Traffic and Transportation Goal 12
Parks Goal 14
Public Safety Goal 16
Residential Development Goal 17
Office and Commercial Development Goal 18
Neighborhood Involvement Goal 19
Maps:
Building Footprints 21
Master Street Plan 23
Future Land Use Plan 25
Zoning Map 27
Census Tracts 29
Traffic Counts 31
Appendix:
Copy of 1998 Neighborhood Action Plan 49
1
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Introduction
“The boundaries of the Planning area are Napa Valley/Bowman Road to the east, Kanis
Road to the south, Kirk Road to the west and Windsor Road to the north. The Rock
Creek Planning Area is predominately residential. Most of the non-residential activity is
located on Chenal Parkway. The topography of the area ranges from steep slopes to
rolling hills.” 1 The boundaries of the study area have remained the same.
1 Rock Creek Neighborhood Action Plan Steering Committee, Rock Creek Neighborhood Action Plan
(Little Rock, AR.: Planning and Development Department, 1998), 7. Hereinafter cited as Rock Creek
N.A.P.
2
Socio-Economic2
The Rock Creek study area had a total population of 10,437 in the 2000 Census.
As previously stated, the Rock Creek Neighborhood is situated in West Little Rock, a
rapidly developing, higher-income area of the city. In the 1990 Census the study area
was located in census tract 42.06, which and had a population of 8,190. In the 2000
Census the study area was located in the newly created census tract 42.10. From 1980
to 1990 the census tract population grew from 8,260 to 17,930 (census tract 42.06) in
1990. Census tract 42.06 showed the greatest population growth experienced by any
Pulaski County census tract during the 1990’s. The creation of the new census tract
resulting from a division of a larger census tract into a smaller tract resulted in a smaller
census tract population of 11,606. (Note: Data is provided from the 2000 Census,
unless otherwise noted. The term “tract” is used to refer to census tract 42.10; the term
“area” is used to refer to block groups 2, 3, 4, and 5 within tract 42.10; which is where
the Neighborhood is located.)
Over 78.9% of the area population still consists of persons in families with 62% reside in
owner-occupied units. Single people are still drawn to the area as well, as they
represent 20.1% of all households. As in 1999, only 5 % of all households are single
parent, compared to 32.7% citywide. The majority of the Neighborhood population falls
within the 18 to 64-age range (63%). 24% of residents are under 18 and 13 % are 65
and over. Thus, residents in the neighborhood are prone to be young to middle-aged
homeowners who are either single or maintaining two-parent households.
The City of Little Rock has a somewhat balanced racial population when compared to
the Neighborhood. The area’s residents are overwhelmingly white -- 86% -- compared
to 55% Citywide. The City is 45% non-white, while the area is only 15% non-white. The
area’s non-white population can also be ranked in order of presence: white residents
86%, black residents, 10%; and all other races, 4%. There are various implications that
may be derived from this marked racial population imbalance.
2 1990 Census, 2000 Census, www.factfiner.census.gov., U.S. Census Bureau, and Rock Creek N.A.P. ,
8 –9.
3
Demographics 19903
1990
Rock Creek Planning
Area City of Little Rock
Population 8,190 175,795
Race
White 94.30%64.70%
Black 3.70%34.00%
Other 2.00%1.30%
Age
Under 18 25.30%24.90%
18-64 64.40%62.60%
64 and Up 10.30%12.50%
Housing
Owner Occupied 61.60%56.20%
Renter Occupied 38.40%43.80%
Median Household Income $47,676 $26,889
Demographics 20004
2000
Rock Creek Planning
Area City of Little Rock
Population 10,437 183,133
Race
White 85%55%
Black 10%40%
Other 5%5%
Age
Under 18 24%25%
18-64 63%64%
65 and Up 13%12%
Housing
Owner Occupied 62%57%
Renter Occupied 38%43%
Median Household Income $ 58,333.00 $ 32,182.00
3 Rock Creek N.A.P., 9.
4 2000 Census, www.factfiner.census.gov., U.S. Census Bureau
4
Building Permit Activity
According to the 1990 Census, the Rock Creek Neighborhood had a total of 3,787
housing units while in the 2000 Census the number of housing units grew to 4,643
housing units indicating a growth of about 18.5% in the number of housing units. In
1990, two hundred eighty-two or 7.4% of the total were vacant and 3,505 or 92.6% of
the total units were occupied. In 2000, two hundred eighty or 6.1 % of the total were
vacant and 4,356 or 93.9 % were occupied. Of the occupied units in 1990, 1,347 or
38.4% were renter-occupied and 2,158 or 61.6% were owner-occupied while in 2000,
1,749 or 39.6% were renter occupied and 2,894 or 60.4% were owner occupied
indicating a decrease of 1.2% in the number or renter occupied units.5
The 2000 Census identified 84,793 housing units citywide. 7,441 units were vacant or
8.8% of the citywide total was vacant and 77,352 or 91.2% were occupied. Of the
citywide occupied units, 32,980 or 38.9 % were renter occupied while 44,372 or 61.1 %
were owner occupied. From this information, it may be concluded that the housing
tenure of the Rock Creek study area matches the citywide housing tenure. However,
there are 2.7% fewer vacant housing units in the Rock Creek study area. 6
The number of non-residential building permits in the Rock Creek study area has
decreased since 1998. The percentage of non-residential building permits in the Rock
Creek study area is small compared to the number of building permits issued citywide.
The number of Commercial building permits has decreased at a rate of one a year from,
five in 1998, four permits issued in 1999, to just one in 2002. So far, one Commercial
Building permit has been issued in 2003. Citywide the number of Commercial building
permits has decreased from twenty-six in 1999 down to twenty in 2000, twenty-two in
2001, and twenty in 2002. The number of Commercial building permits issued citywide
since 1998 seems to have steadied at an average of 22 per year. The amount of Office
building permits in the Rock Creek increased from two in 1998 to three in 1999 then
decreased to zero for 2000, and 2001. One Office building permit was issued in 2002.
So far, two building permits have been issued in 2003. It is possible for more Office
building permits to be issued in 2003. Overall the city has seen a decrease in the
number of building permits since 1998 with twenty-nine issued in 1998 down to eleven
in 2002. As in 1999, Industrial building permits remain absent from the Rock Creek
study area. Over time, the city issued very few Public Institutional permits for the Rock
Creek study area with no such permits issued since the one issued in 1999.7
5 Rock Creek N.A.P. 9, 10.
6 2000 Census, www.factfiner.census.gov., U.S. Census Bureau
7 Building Permit Data, www.accesslittlerock.org.
5
Comparison of Building Permit Activity in Rock Creek Study Area with Citywide
Data.8
Rock Creek Planning Area Building Permit Activity 1991-2003
Year Single Family Multi-family Commercial Office Industrial Public Institutional
1991 132 0 2 2 0 0
1992 159 0 4 0 0 0
1993 188 1 2 0 0 2
1994 103 7 5 1 0 0
1995 61 3 3 2 0 1
1996 60 2 9 1 0 6
1997 37 5 6 1 0 1
1998 68 3 5 2 0 0
1999 63 2 4 3 0 1
2000 36 6 3 0 0 0
2001 32 0 2 0 0 0
2002 55 1 1 1 0 0
2003 15 0 1 2 0 0
City of Little Rock Building Permit Activity 1991-2003
Year Single Family Multi-family Commercial Office Industrial Public Institutional
1991 454 1 22 9 9 15
1992 616 0 24 6 6 9
1993 718 5 32 6 1 13
1994 582 11 56 12 6 24
1995 479 7 50 14 4 25
1996 481 7 53 15 3 75
1997 448 11 38 15 7 32
1998 265 6 29 29 13 7
1999 556 44 26 26 18 1
2000 475 56 20 24 19 5
2001 482 36 22 20 7 4
2002 582 26 20 11 9 5
2003 165 6 1 3 5 1
Park Systems9
Since the original Rock Creek Neighborhood Action Plan, the Little Rock Parks and
Recreation Master Plan of 2001 replaced the Master Parks Plan of 1983. The new
plan of 2001 identifies properties in the Rock Creek drainage basin along Chenal
Parkway as a Potential Greenbelt with some properties along Chenal Parkway owned
by the City labeled as Existing Floodplain. The Class I Bikeway is integrated into the
Rock Creek drainage basin along Chenal Parkway to serve as a linear park.10 This
property is also zoned Parks and Recreation, and is shown as Parks / Open Space on
8 Ibid.
9 City of Little Rock, and Wallace Roberts & Todd Little Rock Parks and Recreation Master Plan of 2001
(Little Rock, AR., Parks and Recreation Department, 2001) 27, 29. Hereinafter cited as Parks Plan, 2001.
10 Rock Creek N.A.P., 13
6
the Future Land Use Plan. The Parks Plan of 2001 also shows Birchwood Park, a three
acres site developed in 1973,11 as a Mini-Park (under 5 acres) providing playground
equipment and a basketball court. The new plan also states an Eight-Block strategy of
providing park and recreational facilities within eight-block distances of all City of Little
Rock Residents. This strategy includes all public and private facilities located within the
city. Most of the study area is located within eight-blocks of either public or private
facilities. The plan of 2001 also shows a small service deficit area is located in an area
of St. Charles and Hillsborough along the northern boundary of Carriage Creek
neighborhood associations.
Zoning12
The following charts provide information on the zoning changes in the area. A total of
twenty-one zoning changes have occurred in the Rock Creek study area. Only three
cases involved traditional zoning changes. The remaining eighteen cases consist of
Planned Zoning Developments (PZD) and Planned Developments (PD’s). The PZD’s
and PD’s differ from traditional zoning changes in which the developer either submits a
site plan for mixture of uses for a PZD, or a single use in a PD. Of the eighteen PZD’s,
and PD’s, the cases involved revisions of existing PZD’s, and PD’s. One case was a
time extension for a Planned Commercial Development. The number of PZD and PD
cases were split with nine cases each. Most of the new applications occurred in a time
period between July 1999 and March 2001.
Zoning Cases in Rock Creek Study Area13
Date Case # Location Previous Zn New Zn.
11/9/00 Z-6933 NW Corner of Kanis and Kirby Roads R-2 C-1
5/3/01 Z-6944 Rock Creek Parkway R-2 PR
6/14/01 Z-7044 15800 Kanis Road R-2 O-2
11 Ibid.
12 City of Little Planning and Development Department Zoning Files and Data Base, Little Rock, AR.
13 Ibid.
7
Planned Zoning Development Cases and Planned Development Cases in Rock
Creek Study Area.14
Date Case # Location Previous Zoning New Zoning
10/15/98 6318-A 16111 Chenal Parkway PCD Revision
12/03/98 6587
S. side of Wellington Hills Road, approx.
1200 feet w of Wellington Village Road POD Revision
12/03/98 4663-B
N. side of Kanis Road approximately
1,000 feet w of Bowman Road POD Revision
4/15/99 Z-6199-C 12700 Chenal Parkway PDC Revision
7/8/99 Z-6699
SE Corner of Rahling RD and Champlin
DR C1 PCD
8/19/99 Z-6720
NE Corner of Chenal Parkway and Kirk
Road MF-18 & O-2 & C-3 PDC
11/11/99 Z-6622-A
N side of Kanis RD apprx. 500 ft W of
Nix Rd PDO Revision
12/2/99 Z-4470-B
NW Corner of Chenal Parkway &
Wellington Village RD O-3 PDC
2/17/00 Z-4997-F 13101 Chenal Parkway PCD PCD
5/11/00 Z-6831 13608 Kanis Road R-2 PDO
3/8/01 Z-6915-A
Northwest corner of Chenal Parkway
and Gamble Road O-3 PCD
3/8/01 Z-6981
West side of Gamble Road,
approximately 600 feet south of
Markham Street R-2 PDR
1/3/02 Z-3292-F
West side of Atkins Road approximately
500 feet S of West Markham PCD Revision
2/14/02 Z-6789
N and S sides of Westglen Drive W of
Gamble Road R-2 PDR
2/14/02 Z-6981-A W Gamble Road S W. Markham PD-R Revision
5/9/02 Z-5466-B 100 Nix Road R-2 POD
6/20/02 Z-7235
NE corner of Stacy Lane and Farris
Road R-2 PD-O
9/19/02 Z-4470-C
NW Corner of Chenal Parkway and
Wellington Village Road PCD
3 year time
extension
14 Ibid.
8
Future Land Use
As in 1998, the planning area remains predominantly residential, as is to be expected
due to the prominence of single-family subdivisions in the study area. Areas shown as
Multifamily are located on Chenal Parkway in the vicinity of Loyola Drive, Markham
Street at Shadow Lakes, the west side of Napa Valley Drive north of Ridgehaven Road,
and at Napa Valley Drive and Mara Lynn Road. An area of Low Density Residential is
shown on Kanis Road between Timber Ridge Road and the Parkway Place Proposed
Collector Street. Other existing land uses in the area are Commercial, Industrial, Office,
Parks and Open Space, and public institutional.15
The Plan suggests that Office and Commercial uses occur along Chenal Parkway, the
west side of Bowman Road, and Suburban Office is recommended on segments of
Kanis Road. While pockets of Mixed Office and Commercial, and mixed office with
residential and commercial area recommended along the arterials. The Plan has
located commercial designations to discourage strip commercial development to the
maximum extent possible and to encourage commercial concentrations at major
intersections of arterial streets.16
Major changes in Land Use occurred along Kanis Road in 1999. The Land Use Plan
Amendments related to the Kanis study, located in the Rock Creek Study area, resulted
in the removal of the areas shown as Transition along Kanis Road. The changes made
were Low Density Residential to Single Family at Kanis at Pride Valley, Transition to
Single Family on Kanis from Bakers Lane to an area west of Kirby Road, Transition and
Neighborhood Commercial at Kanis and Kirby Drive, Transition to Suburban Office east
of Aubury Road, Transition to Low Density Residential from an area west of Nix Road to
Atkins Road, and Multi-family to Suburban Office from Atkins Road to a point halfway to
Bowman Road.17
Other changes to the Future Land Use Plan approved by Ordinance are listed in the
following chart:18
case # Ordinance location exist lu new lu
LU 99-19-01 17,998 Chenal Pkwy East of Kirk O C
LU 99-19-03 18,179 15500 Chenal Parkway O MOC
15 Rock Creek N.A.P., 14.
16 Ibid.
17 City of Little Planning and Development Department Future Land Use Plan and Data Base, Little Rock,
AR.
18 Ibid.
9
Public Works / Infrastructure19
The Public Works Department reports that most of the projects listed in the Goals and
Objectives are unfunded with the exception of funding for new sidewalks in conjunction
with a Capital Improvements Program (CIP) for the reconstruction of Napa Valley Drive.
19 Steve Haralson, “A Conversation with Steve Haralson about the Rock Creek Neighborhood Action Plan
Study Area,” telephone conversation with Vince Hustead, May 6, 2003, City of Little Rock Creek Files.
10
POLICY PLAN
Natural Environment Goal:
Ensure that the natural environment is protected for this and future generations for the
preservation of health and the quality of life.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Preserve and maintain existing greenways and open spaces in the
neighborhood.
2. Encourage the development of new types of parks (active and passive)
and open space.
3. Ensure that significant environmental features and functions are
preserved.
4. Encourage and support the conservation of significant landscapes, views
and vistas.
5. Promote protection of natural areas and systems and urban forestry.
6. Monitor and enforce littering and dumping penalties.
ACTIONS:
A. Develop and implement an ordinance for preservation of
undisturbed natural areas, for example, City-owned property
along Rock Creek at Bowman Road.
B. Develop and implement an ordinance that prohibits clear-cutting
and excavation of tracts of land before a site plan is approved,
regardless of zoning. Initiate public education of ordinance
rules and penalties.
C. Develop and implement a Tree Protection and Preservation
Ordinance or strengthen the existing ordinances; provide for a
monitoring system, and requires financial penalties for cutting or
damaging trees of specified caliber.
D. Review existing city ordinances that pertain to grading, tree
protection, landscaping, buffers, tree planting, etc. Enforce the
ordinances with greater regularity.
E. Re-establish wildflower population along Chenal Parkway
median from Shackleford Road to Chenal Country Club by
reseeding and changing current mowing practices.
F. Mail survey of the above issues to a random sample of
residents, have UALR tabulate and publish results to ensure
that problems are addresses, improvements made and
preservation is respected.
11
Infrastructure Goal:
Maintain an adequate infrastructure network, including roadways and drainage systems,
within the neighborhood so as to produce a safe and attractive neighborhood
environment.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Complete projects that are of a smaller nature but positively affect more
residents first.
2. Ensure that roads are improved in a manner that is supportive of all
modes of transportation (walking, cycling, automobile, public transit and
truck) and help to minimize the conflicts between the various modes.
3. Create a system of walkways that link the community internally and
externally to other areas.
4. Identify and correct drainage problems in the neighborhood.
5. Identify and construct neighborhood curb and gutter needs.
6. Install street lamps, where needed, for safety.
ACTIONS: (ranked in order of priority)
A. Widen Kirby Road to a 36-foot 2-lane road and install curb and
gutter from Markham Street to Kanis Road.
B. Widen Asbury Road (26 ft.) and install curb and gutter.
C. Install street lamps on Markham Street beyond Chenal Parkway
intersection to Parkway Place intersection.
D. Address drainage problems at Asbury Road (north of Kanis
Road).
E. Install street lamps on Loyola Drive (east side from Chenal
Parkway to St. Michael Drive.
F. Address drainage problems at Nix Road.
G. Construct sidewalks on Parkway Place from Asbury Road to
Cedar Ridge Court and on Loyola Drive (east side) from Chenal
Parkway to St. Michael Drive.
H. Install street lamps on Chenal Parkway beyond Chenal Parkway
Buick GMC to Kirk Road.
I. Widen Nix Road (26 ft.) and install curb and gutter.
J. Address drainage problems the length of Atkins Road and its
intersecting streets.
K. Construct sidewalks on Napa Valley from Asbury United
Methodist Church to Hinson Road.
L. Install street lamps on Martha Drive and Hinson Road.
M. Consider the construction of a pedestrian walkway over
Financial Center Parkway near the Embassy Suites.
N. Install street lamps on Shumate Drive at Hinson Road.
12
Traffic and Transportation:
Ensure safe and efficient movement of pedestrians, bike, and vehicular traffic in,
around, and through the neighborhood.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Complete projects that are of a smaller nature but positively affect more
residents first.
2. Reduce the amount of cut-through traffic on local streets.
3. Improve traffic flows and safety in the area.
4. Examine traffic calming devices on residential streets.
ACTIONS: (ranked in order of priority)
A. Repaint and maintain white crosswalk lines at collector and
arterial intersections.
B. Install a continuous right turn lane on Financial Center Parkway
and Chenal Parkway from I-630 to Gamble Road.
C. Construct a left turn lane at Chenal Parkway/Loyola Drive to
allow motorists safer access to Parkway Place.
D. Relieve traffic congestion at the Shackelford Road / I-630 /
Markham Street intersection.
E. Improve access to Chenal Parkway to reduce cut-through traffic
on Loyola Drive and St. Charles Boulevard.
F. Install turn lanes on Chenal Parkway at Pride Valley and
eastbound acceleration lanes on Chenal to improve safety.
G. Strive to increase funding for Kanis Road roadway
improvements.
H. Support Kanis Road's development in a planned manner, not in
piecemeal fashion, especially in respect to setbacks and natural
landscaping.
I. Realign Kanis Road to intersect with the eastern portion of
Kanis Road and no longer intersect with Chenal Parkway.
J. Complete Champlin Drive and Villages of Wellington Road to
Kanis Road, and construct the intersection of Chenal Parkway
and Champlin Drive; fund with a bond issue (build prior to
development).
K. Install reflective lane markers at Chenal Parkway and Markham
Street.
L. Regulate traffic lights on Financial Center Parkway and Chenal
Parkway from I-630 to Markham Street and indicate (above
intersections) speed at which lights are set for continuous traffic
movement.
M. Relieve traffic congestion at Pulaski Academy.
N. Work with Public Works Department to implement traffic calming
tactics on St. Charles Boulevard. Replace signs alerting to
“calming bumps”.
O. Monitor speed of travel on Atkins Road and other residential
streets at least biannually to warn speeders to observe speed
limit.
13
P. Install a four-way stop at the Markham Street and Parkway
Place intersection.
Q. Encourage CATA to install city bus shelters for inclement
weather at West Markham bus stops located in front of Home
Depot, at Shackleford Drive, and at Bowman Road.
R. Maintain residential status of Atkins Road on the Master Street
Plan.
S. Maintain residential status of Trumpler Road on the Master
Street Plan.
T. Amend Master Street Plan to maintain Markham Street current
status as two-lane from Atkins Road west to its terminus at
Kirby Road.
U. Amend the Master Street plan to reduce Gamble Road from
collector street status to residential street status.
V. Return “truck weight limit “ signs to Atkins Road and other
residential street surfaces where they are needed.
14
Parks Goal:
Design spaces that meet both the group and individual recreational needs of residents
in keeping with the overall aesthetic and natural qualities valued by the residents.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Develop and provide recreational facilities for West Little Rock residents
in and near the neighborhood.
2. Provide passive neighborhood park landscapes within the
neighborhoods.
ACTIONS:
A. Develop park property sold to the City by Chenal Properties into
a full-scale recreational complex to serve as the West Little
Rock Park.
B. Work with Parks and Recreation to conduct a feasibility study
for the development of a bicycle trail and a walking trail in the
Rock Creek drainage basin.
C. Work with Parks and Recreation Department to purchase land
and develop a community facility incorporating a meeting.
center, police substation, and a passive park facility near Baker
School.
D. Work with Parks and Recreation to develop a nature-focused
open space behind Target into a Trail system with access from
Chenal Parkway (via Gamble Road) and Markham Street.
E. Work with Parks and Recreation Department and/or
Cooperative Extension Service staff (Master Gardeners) to
develop a passive park at Point West and Woodhill Drive.
F. Identify funding to develop a future green space on two and
one-half acres at Atkins and Kanis Roads.
G. Work with Parks and Recreation Department to develop a
passive park in the wooded area where Parkway Place ends at
Honey Locust Court.
OBJECTIVES:
3. Provide access to parks at an appropriate level, whether regional, ward,
or neighborhood.
4. Reserve public land for minimum disturbance usage as green space,
wild areas, and bio-observation activities such as bird watching.
5. Form creative partnerships with private sector entities to fund land
acquisition, park creation and park maintenance.
6. Provide passive neighborhood parks.
ACTIONS:
H. Support the Parks and Recreation Department in its efforts to
collaborate with other cities in central Arkansas and with Pulaski
County to provide shared high quality, regional-scale, and
recreational facilities for residents of central Arkansas.
15
I. Support the Parks and Recreation Department in developing a
citywide network of bicycle and walking trails, with the trail along
Rock Creek as the backbone in our area.
J. Support the Rock Creek walking and bicycling trail begun by the
Parks and Recreation Department in the summer of 2003 with
the following directives:
1) Cause minimal damage to the environs by thinning low-
quality trees and underbrush with absolutely no clear-
cutting.
2) Confine off-trail clearing to the trailheads.
3) Retain older hardwoods, especially “senior” or near
“champion” trees.
4) Route the trail around especially biologically diverse and
attractive features.
5) Provide a good base for the trail floor: use asphalt only
where ecologically suitable.
6) Monitor newly planted trees, shrubs and other plants in
their critical first year for water and other needs.
7) Finish the trail between Parkway Place and Bowman
Curve by June 30, 2004.
8) Maintain finished trail sections.
9) Establish a “Friends of the Rock Creek Trail” volunteer
organization to monitor and care for the trail.
10) Extend the trail to connect with Boyle Park on the east
and Wildwood Center on the west.
K. Pursue funding to obtain currently undeveloped land including
Kanis north of Cooper Orbit Road and Baker Street, Atkins and
Kanis at the south of the end of Parkway Place.
L. Work with the Parks and Recreation Department to prepare
plans for a passive park at Point West and Woodhill Drive.
M. Improve communication between the Parks Dept and
neighborhood groups. Adopt a citywide policy of notifying all
neighborhood contacts within a two-mile radius prior to
construction or implementation of any part of the Master Parks
Plan.
N. Work with Parks to place signage (with telephone number or
website address) on Rock Creek Trail to solicit volunteers to
monitor and maintain trail.
O. Enforce and strengthen Tree Preservation Ordinance.
P. Enforce and strengthen existing Landscape Ordinance.
16
Public Safety Goal:
Assure that city Government aggressively deals with crime and safety issues in the
neighborhoods.
OBJECTIVE:
Reduce speeding, burglary, incidents of vandalism, and other crimes in the
area through police vigilance and enforcement.
ACTIONS:
A. Make the police department aware of problem areas and
request an increase of patrol officers in the area.
B. Request more frequent police presence - by various means
such as bicycles and mobile alert centers to reduce vandalism,
burglary, etc.
C. Increase police presence in the Mara Lynn Road, Bowman
Road, Chenal Parkway, W. Markham Street (Shackleford to Nix
Roads), and Napa Valley Drive area to deter crime.
D. Increase police enforcement of speed limits on residential
streets, particularly Asbury Road, Ridgehaven Road, St.
Charles Boulevard, and Atkins Road.
E. Increase police enforcement of speed limits on thoroughfares,
such as Chenal Parkway, Bowman Road, W. Markham Street,
Shackleford Road, and Napa Valley Road.
F. Enforce pedestrian right-of-way safety by fines, signs, and white
crosswalk lines at Mara Lynn Drive and Bowman Road,
Markham Street and Chenal Parkway, and the Markham Street
entrances to the Academy Sports / Michael’s Shopping Center.
G. Re-evaluate range of tornado warning sirens in the area and
determine if they are sufficient.
H. Pursue federal funding for Neighborhood Watch/Crime Watch
Programs and other federally-funded programs, such as the
Community Oriented Police Program (COPP).
17
Residential Development Goal:
To create and maintain well-planned residential neighborhoods that provide an
aesthetically pleasing, healthy, and safe urban living environment.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Ensure that future development of existing undeveloped land meet neo-
traditional design standards including the placement of neighborhood
passive green and open spaces, and community services on the
periphery of developing neighborhoods.
2. Maintain the quality of existing neighborhoods.
3. Encourage low density of residential developments in the area.
ACTIONS:
A. Require new residential projects to be designed in character
with existing residential character.
B. Support zoning changes to Open Space (OS) and Parks and
Recreation (PR).
C. Support Land Use Plan amendments to Park / Open Space
(PK/OS).
D. Support continuous progression of single-family and multi-family
in newly developing areas, placing the multi-family as a buffer
only between single-family and office.
E. Encourage residents to report code and landscape violations by
education of rules.
F. Support development of 4-wall (gated with card entry) screening
standards for dumpsters.
G. Encourage the vigorous enforcement of Landscaping Ordinance
before development begins.
H. Encourage the vigorous enforcement of Tree Preservation
Ordinance before development begins.
I. Encourage the vigorous enforcement of Hillside Protection
Ordinance before development begins.
18
Office and Commercial Development Goal:
Promotes commercial and office development that:
a) Meets the needs of Rock Creek Neighborhood residents for shopping, services,
and jobs; and
b) Maintains as much as possible of the existing topography, trees and green space;
and
c) Enhances the primarily residential character of the community.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Encourage Little Rock, not only in the Rock Creek Neighborhood but
also citywide, to adhere to the adopted Land Use Plan. Encourage a
policy of making Plan amendments rare.
2. Encourage adoption of and adherence to a plan for Kanis Road, with
neighborhood input, which will meet the transportation needs of the
community with enhanced streetscape design.
3. Encourage all commercial and office development in the community to
be subject to neighborhood input prior to City approval.
ACTIONS:
A. Adopt a policy of adhering to the Land Use Plan. Amendments
should be made very rarely, only with neighborhood input, and
only when it can be clearly demonstrated that the amendment
will enhance the quality of life in the Rock Creek Neighborhood.
B. Restrict the overgrowth of commercial development to
residential development.
C. Aggressively use Planned Zoning Districts (PZD’s) to influence
more neighborhood-friendly and better quality developments.
D. Consider overgrowth of traffic and parking lots before approving
or denying development in the area.
E. With neighborhood input, adopt a Design Overlay District (DOD)
for Kanis Road that will:
1) Provide enhanced streetscaping.
2) Facilitate vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian movement.
3) Include only residential, suburban office, and
neighborhood commercial zoning.
4) Protect trees and shrubs, prohibit clear cutting tracts, and
have substantial financial and other penalties for
removing protected tress and shrubs.
5) Set measurable criteria upon which to base exceptions to
the DOD.
6) Require variances to the DOD to be approved by the
Planning Commission rather than administratively.
F. Regulate the development of outparcels by establishing
minimum lot size to allow for ample parking, percent of building
size to lot size, signage, and quality of landscaping in an effort
to minimize the adverse effects of outparcels.
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Neighborhood Involvement Goal:
Ensure neighborhoods are informed and remain active in development activities
throughout the city.
OBJECTIVES:
To allow neighborhoods and developers to work proactively together on
activities that affects the area.
ACTIONS:
A. Establish an on-going neighborhood coalition to monitor
development activities and the implementation of the
Neighborhood Action Plan.
B. Require the City staff to develop and implement better
notification processes for area residents regarding potential
development activities.
C. Require notification of property owners up to 500 feet from
commercial, office and multi-family developments on the same
date the Planning Department receives plans for review.
D. Establish a citywide policy that will require giving property
owners 30 days notification prior to public hearing for cases
affecting their areas.
E. Notify neighborhood associations at the time of application of all
subdivision hearings - including time and place for such
hearings and additional telephone numbers for further info.
F. Require that public hearing announcements area posted in a
more widely-read publication.
G. Educate and assist neighborhoods in becoming more involved
in the planning process; develop a list of model steps for citizen
involvement with Neighborhood Associations, City Planning,
Neighborhood Resource Center, public hearings, etc.
H. Encourage neighborhoods to develop and keep current a list of
neighborhood contact persons for City staff and developers to
notify prior to submission of development plans to the Planning
Commission.
I. Foster a spirit of communication between developers and
neighborhood associations.
J. Provide more informative informational pamphlets regarding
various planning and development procedures (land use,
landscape ordinance, zoning, etc.) available from the Planning
Department.
K. Enhance the City's Internet site to include access to plans,
public hearing information and developer information; site
should also be equipped to accept citizen input via email on
projects before the Planning Commission and Board of
Directors.
L. Require that copies of plans and development applications be
placed at the Public Library and Neighborhood Resource
Center.
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M. Pursue the funding, construction and maintenance of a Public
Notice Board in the area to be used to post public hearing
notices and other information affecting the area as a whole.
N. Post Planning Commission agenda in second week of Planning
Commission cycle instead of fifth week.
O. Develop a GIS website available to public.
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