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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-7091-B BOA Staff ReportDECEMBER 17, 2020 ITEM NO. 2 Z-7091-B 1 File No.: Z-7091-B Owner: Presbyterian Villages, Inc. Applicant: White-Daters & Associates, Inc., Attn: Brian Dale Address: 801 Brookside Drive Description: North end of Brookside Drive, East of Reservoir Road Zoned: PRD (Planned Residential Development) W / Application pending to rezone to R-5 Variance Requested: Variance from the building height provisions of Section 36- 259 to permit primary structures to exceed the maximum of 35 ft. in height as allowable on R-5 zoned property. Justification: Applicant request a building height variance to allow the construction of a 50-foot height structure. Justification per attached letter dated October 27, 2020. Present Use: Undeveloped Proposed Use: Multi-Family Development STAFF REPORT A. Planning and Development Civil Engineering: 1. No engineering comments on the building height variance 2. A special Grading Permit for Flood Hazard Areas will be required per Sec. 13-55 prior to construction. 3. A substantial area of the site lies within the regulated floodway and floodplain of Grassy Flats Creek. The minimum finished floor elevation of at least 1 ft. or more above the base flood elevation for all structures is required to be shown on plats and grading plans. 4. An access easement should be provided for vehicle turnaround. B. Buffering and Landscape: 1. Site plan must comply with the City’s minimal landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. 2. Normally multi-family developments would require screening and buffers adjacent to the more restrictive R-2 zoned property to the east. Due to the undeveloped, heavily vegetated, city owned flood plain property to the east staff feels that the landscape perimeter a minimum of nine (9) feet in width as shown on the site plan will be adequate. DECEMBER 17, 2020 ITEM NO. 2 (CON’T.) Z-7091-B 2 3. All ground or roof mounted mechanical systems shall be screened from abutting properties and streets. Any trash receptacles or pickup shall be oriented away from a primary street side of the property and screened from the public right-of- way. 4. The City Beautiful Commission recommends preserving as many existing trees as feasible on this site. Credit toward fulfilling Landscape Ordinance requirements can be given when preserving trees of six (6) inch caliper or larger. C. Building Codes: No Comment. D. Staff Analysis: The subject property located at 801 Brookside contains approximately 11.6 acres and is currently zoned PRD, however an application to rezone the property to R-5 was recommended for approval by the Planning Commission on December 3, 2020. The surrounding properties are zoned M-24 to the north, PD-R to the west and O3 to the south. The properties to the east are zoned O-3 and R-2. The R-2 property to the east is owned by the City of Little Rock and undeveloped due to being located in the flood zone of Grassy Flat Creek. In addition, this existing waterway is dominated by an average of 200 foot width of undisturbed mature trees and vegetation which separates the existing single-family neighborhood to the east. The current landowner has the property under contract with a developer proposing to construct a multi-family development. The building elevations that have been submitted indicate a four-story complex proposing a maximum fifty-foot building height. Should the R-5 zoning be approved these structures will exceed the maximum allowable height regulation of 35 feet. Sec. 36-259(c) of the Little Rock Municipal Code states, “No building hereafter erected or structurally altered shall exceed a height of thirty-five (35) feet.” The proposed complex indicates six separate buildings labeled as phase 1 thru phase 6. The buildings and associated parking noted as phase 5 and phase 6 are located along a new entry drive that connects Brookside Drive to the development. These two buildings will be located directly east of the existing Brookside Health and Rehab building. This portion of the site is currently being utilized as unpaved overflow parking. The other phases of the project will be located to the north of the first two buildings and positioned to the center and the east sides of the property. The four remaining buildings will be arranged around a central common space occupied by a swimming pool, dog park and mail facilities. A gated entry will also serve the residence and parking which surrounds the phase 1 club building and the remaining three residential complexes. DECEMBER 17, 2020 ITEM NO. 2 (Cont’d) Z-7091-B 3 The setbacks for the four centrally located buildings are noted to be 84.0 feet on the south, 86.0 feet the east and 86.7 feet to the north. The setback on the west side of the property is shown at approximately 305 feet. The maximum density for R-5 zoning is thirty-six units per acre the proposed density for this project indicates twenty-seven units per acre. Existing trees and vegetation will remain in the flood plain east of the subject property. Staff feels that the existing MF-24 development to the north, the PR-D condominiums and sizeable setback to the west, and the rehab facility to the south are compatible with this proposed development. Based on the above assessment and analysis, staff finds the requested variances to be reasonable. E. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the requested variance to exceed the 35 foot maximum typically permitted in R-5 zoning and allow structures constructed to a maximum of 50 feet in height.