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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20211129_LU2021-19-04_staff_report.RVSD_3December 9, 2021 ITEM NO.: C FILE NO.: LU2021-19-04 Name: Land Use Plan Amendment – Chenal Planning District Location: Southeast Corner of Chenal Parkway and Chenal Valley Drive Request: Office (O) to Commercial (C) Source: White – Daters & Associates, Inc., 24 Rahling Circle PROPOSAL / REQUEST: Applicant requests a Land Use Plan amendment from Office (O) to Commercial (C) on an approximate 34.75-acre unplatted parcel located on the southeast Corner of Chenal Parkway and Chenal Valley Drive in the Chenal Planning District. The western most part of the subject site, where lands front Chenal Parkway, is within the Chenal Overlay District. The existing Office land use designation represents services provided directly to consumers (e.g., legal, financial, medical) as well as general offices which support more basic economic activities. The proposed Commercial land use designation allows for a broad range of retail and wholesale sales of products, personal and professional services, and general business activities. Commercial activities vary in type and scale, depending on the trade area that they serve. This land use amendment application is accompanied by a zoning map amendment request. It is the applicant’s intent to rezone the site to a General Commercial District (C3) zoning designation (File No. Z-9606). EXISTING LAND USE AND ZONING: The subject site is part of an urban area of commerce where the City anticipated higher intensity development to occur. This area is supporting the needs of the western expansion of detached single- family homes and multi-family projects in Little Rock. Lands in this area are primarily zoned for Commercial and Office Developments, with Multi-Family Figure 1. Zoning December 9, 2021 ITEM NO.: D (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU2021-19-04 2 (PDR) and Single Family (R2) surrounding the perimeter of the Rahling Road and Chenal Parkway corridor. The subject site is part of a large swath of land in the Rahling/Chenal Parkway corridor zoned Office (O2). North of the subject site, across Rahling Road are additional O2 zoned lands. Approximately 24-acres, these O2 zoned lands would remain for Office developments south of Chenal Valley Drive. East of the site is a Planned Residential Development (PRD), the PRD is a multi-family development (Vallor condominiums). In addition, there is a Multi Family (MF24) project (Pinnacle Park at Chenal Valley) along the southeast boundary. South of the site, northeast of the intersection of Chenal Parkway and Rahling Road are vacant wooded lands zoned Neighborhood Commercial (C3). West of the site, across Chenal Parkway on lands zoned Multi-Family (MF6) and Single-Family (R2) is a large detached single family residential development built around a private golf course. FUTURE LAND USE PLAN AND RECENT AMENDMENTS: At the time the City’s Land use Plan was crafted, it envisioned Commercial Land Uses in Chenal Planning District to be concentrated at the Cantrell Road/Chenal Parkway and Rahling Road/Chenal Parkway intersections, with smaller commercial areas proposed at intersections of major roads. The site is within a high intensity land use corridor, where Commercial and Office uses dominate the landscape. The subject site is part of a larger swath of Office designated lands in the northern most part of the Chenal/Rahling Road development corridor. North of the subject site, on lands across Chenal Valley Drive, are additional lands designated for Office. Only a small single parcel of these lands has been developed - with a public institutional land use (Fire Station No. 21). To the northeast of the subject site, but south of Chenal Valley Drive, t here is a significant remanent of the subject parcel that would remain designated Office and available for development. East of the site is situated a significant amount of Residential High (RH) designated lands where the afore mentioned multi- family projects were developed. Figure 2. illustrates that there are additional lands to accommodate the potential for multi- Figure 2. Comprehensive Plan December 9, 2021 ITEM NO.: D (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU2021-19-04 3 family development. South of the site are about 15 acres of Commercial designated lands - with frontage along Rahling Road and limited frontage along Chenal Parkway, vacant and available for development. Approval of this application would extend the Commercial frontage along Chenal Parkway from about a tenth of a mile to about a fourth of a mile. The lands would be within the Chenal Overlay District. Lands west of the site have been developed with residential. Across Chenal Parkway, to the northwest is a gated community of detached single-family homes surrounding a golf course, designated Residential Low. South of these lands are some PK/OS lands that were developed with elements of the golf course. Further south are Residential High lands that have been developed with a multi-family condominium development (Chenal Woods). Just south of this site at the intersection of Rahling Road and Chenal Parkway is a small Office designated parcel where the previous headquarters to Bank OZ was developed. MASTER STREET PLAN: The site is bound to the north by Chenal Valley Drive, designated a Collector Street in the Master Streets Plan. The primary function of a Collector is to provide a traffic connection 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 a half- mile. The site is immediately adjacent to Chenal Parkway, designated as a Principal Arterial, The primary function of a Principal Arterial is to serve through traffic and to connect major traffic generators or activity centers within an urbanized are a. Lower design standards are required for Principal Arterials compared to Expressways. Since these roads are designed for through traffic and are generally located three or more miles apart, dedication of additional right -of-way is required to allow for future expansion to six through lanes plus left and right turn lanes. Figure 3. Master Street Plan December 9, 2021 ITEM NO.: D (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU2021-19-04 4 BICYCLE PLAN: There is no existing bicycle infrastructure along Chenal Parkway. There is an existing Class II Bikeway is along Chenal Valley Drive. The Class II Bike Lane on Chenal Valley Drive consist of a paved area on both sides of the roadway with a painted stripe separating the bikeway from motor vehicle traffic. A Class I Bikeway is proposed along Chenal Parkway. A Class I bikeway or "Bike Paths" are constructed and designed for the exclusive use of bicyclists. These paths are completely separated from motor vehicle traffic. Future development at this site may require dedication of right-of-way and may require street improvements. These routes may either be a smooth paved shoulder or a section of the paved roadway. PARKS: There are no city recognized parks in the immediate vicinity. HISTORIC DISTRICTS: There are no city recognized historic districts that would be affected by this amendment. ANALYSIS: The subject site is in a part of the Chenal Planning District that has seen significant development. The site is part of a land mass designated Office (O) on the Future Land Use Map. This category represents services provided directly to consumers (e.g., legal, financial, medical) as well as general offices which support more basic economic activities. If this application is approved, nearly 1/3 of the total Office designated lands in the immediate area would remain for office development. The applicant is requesting a Commercial designation, which would not preclude Office development. The request to amend the Future Land Use Map to Commercial at the subject site would expand the amount of Commercial lands to the northeast of the intersection of Chenal-Rahling Road, increasing the capacity of Commercial development. Lands within the other three corners of the Chenal Parkway and Rahling Road have mostly been developed. This intersection serves as a major Commercial corridor for the City of Little Rock. At the next major intersection south of the site, Chenal Parkway and Rahling Road, Commercial and Office designated lands have been developed over the last decade by range of commercial and office uses. The change in land use at the site would not eliminate in entirety the amount of lands designated for Office in this area, nor would the extension of the Commercial designation north onto these lands preclude Office developments. To the east of December 9, 2021 ITEM NO.: D (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU2021-19-04 5 the subject site is a large swath of multi-family and planned residential developments, many targeted for seniors. Commercial at this site has the potential to bring uses that may serve the new residents in this area, while leaving several acres of lands still designated for Office development. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: Notices were sent to the following neighborhood associations: Lamarche Place POA. Staff has received no comments from area residents or from Neighborhood Associations. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends approval of the applicant’s request to amend the land use designation at the subject site from Office (O) to Commercial (C). STAFF UPDATE: The item was first placed on the September 9, 2021 Planning Commission consent agenda for deferral. By a vote of 9 for, 0 against,1 absent and 1 vacant position the consent agenda was approved. The applicant has since amended the application by reducing the amount of land to be amended from an Office (O) land use designation to Commercial (C) by approximately 5.25 acres. Staff finds the reduction of lands to be designated Commercial (C) does not significantly impact the analysis and maintains our recommendation for approval of the applicant’s request. STAFF UPDATE: At the October 14, 2021 Planning Commission meeting, this item was placed on consent agenda for deferral. By a vote of 10 For, 0 Against, 0 Absent and 1 Vacancy, the consent agenda was approved. STAFF UPDATE: At the November 18, 2021 Planning Commission meeting, this item was placed on consent agenda for deferral. By a vote of 9 For, 0 Against, 2 Absent, the consent agenda was approved. December 9, 2021 ITEM NO.: D (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU2021-19-04 6