HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-9578 Response to Comments 050321City of Little Rock Planning and Development
Planning Commission Hearing/June 10, 2021
Applicant Comments for Proposed Development
Applicant Responses are due no later than Friday, April 30, 2021. Please submit revised site
plans, if applicable, along with any written responses. All documents should be submitted to
Torrence Thrower (tthrower@littlerock.gov) for review.
RE: Z-9578 (7711/7715/7717 Ohio Street)
Development Comments:
1. Show required screening fence (6 foot high opaque or wood fence) along east property line on a
revised site plan.
EDG Response: A wooden fence has been provided along the eastern property line in the
revised plans.
2. Adjust site plan to provide required buffers and landscape strips along street and east property lines.
See attached comments. Contact Tracy Spillman at (501) 371-4864 with any questions.
EDG Response: The plans have been revised to accommodate the following comments or a
description provided where the comments have not been accommodated.
Civil Engineering Comments:
1. Due to the proposed use of the property, the Master Street Plan specifies that Ohio Street for the
frontage of this property must meet commercial street standards. Dedicate right-of-way to 30 feet
from centerline.
EDG Response: Proposed ROW is shown as 30 FT from centerline on revised plans.
Dedicated area is also shown.
2. Provide a Sketch Grading and Drainage Plan per Sec. 29-186 (e).
EDG Response: A Grading Sketch has been provided.
3. Storm water detention ordinance applies to this property. Show the proposed location for
stormwater detention facilities on the plan. Maintenance of all private drainage improvements is
the responsibility of the developer and/or local property owners’ association and detailed in the bill
of assurance.
EDG Response: “Rain Gardens” are the stormwater detention facilities and are now
identified as such on the revised plans.
4. Close existing curb cuts with the construction of new driveway entries.
EDG Response: This has been addressed on the revised plans.
5. Trench grates create continuous maintenance issues and a reduction in drainage capacity. Due to
existing inlet located within the sag of the street, a combination open throat inlet constructed in
conformance with PW-1A or PW-1B and trench grate with a junction box should be installed. No
other inlets exist on the southside of Ohio St west of Mississippi St.
EDG Response: This has been addressed on the revised plans. We intend to shift the low point
of the road to the east side of the western drive entry and re-build the street to ensure proper
drainage while maintaining the north curb line and existing inlet.
6. All driveways shall be concrete aprons per City Ordinance.
EDG Response: The driveways are shown as concrete in the revised plans and are called out
as typical Little Rock commercial drives per detail PW-34.
7. Driveway locations do not meet the traffic access and circulation requirements of Sections 30-43
and 31-210. A variance must be requested for the proposed two driveway cuts and locations.
Driveway spacing on a commercial street is 250 ft from other driveways and intersections and 125
ft from the side property line. A variance must be requested for the proposed two driveways.
EDG Response: A variance will be requested as the property is only 187’ wide and cannot
accommodate a 250 ft spacing from the nearest driveway even if the proposed layout was only
a single drive.
LR Fire Department Comments:
Maintain Access:
Fire Hydrants.
Maintain fire apparatus access roads at fire hydrant locations as per Appendix D of the 2012 Arkansas Fire
Prevention Code Vol. 1 Section D103.1 Access road width with a hydrant. Where a fire hydrant is located
on a fire apparatus access road, the minimum road width shall be 26 feet, exclusive of shoulders.
EDG Response: Ohio Street provides access to the hydrant on the frontage of the site and the
street is 26 ft wide.
Grade
Maintain fire apparatus access roads as per Appendix D of the 2012 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code Vol. 1
Section D103.2 Grade. Fire apparatus access roads shall not exceed 10 percent in
grade except as approved by the fire chief. If the grade exceeds 10 percent,
approval will be denied and the applicant must submit request to be reviewed
by Fire Chief for Approval.
EDG Response: Ohio Street (fire apparatus access road) does not and will not exceed grades
of 10 percent.
Loading
Maintain fire apparatus access road design as per Appendix D of the 2012 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code
Vol. 1 Section D102.1 Access and loading. Facilities, buildings or portions of buildings hereafter
constructed shall be accessible to fire department apparatus by way of an approved fire apparatus access
road with an asphalt, concrete or other approved driving surface capable of supporting the imposed load of
fire apparatus weighing at least 75,000 pounds.
EDG Response: Ohio Street (fire apparatus access road) will be reconstructed per Little Rock
Standard Detail PW-22.
Landscape Comments:
1. Any new site development must comply with the City’s minimal landscape and buffer
ordinance requirements.
EDG Response: This project will comply with the City’s minimal landscape and buffer
requirements.
2. A land use buffer six (6) percent of the average width / depth of the lot will be required when
an adjacent property has a dissimilar use of a more restrictive nature. As a component of all
land use buffer requirements, opaque screening, whether a fence or other device, a minimum
of six (6) feet in height shall be required upon the property line side of the buffer. Easements
cannot count toward fulfilling this requirement. The plantings, existing and purposed, shall be
provided within the landscape ordinance of the city, section 15-81.
The width of the parcel is approximately 190 feet. The east buffer is deficient. A minimum
11.4-foot buffer is required.
The depth of the parcel is approximately 300 feet. The street buffer is deficient. A
minimum 18-foot street buffer is required.
Screening requirements will need to be met adjacent to the east residential zoned
property.
EDG Response: A buffer of 11.4 ft and greater is shown on the east side of the site on
revised plans. The parking lot is now 19 ft from BOC. Screening via wooden fence is now
shown on the revised plans along the eastern property line.
3. A perimeter planting strip is required along any side of a vehicular use area that abuts
adjoining property, or the right-of-way of any street. This strip shall be at least nine (9) feet
wide. One (1) tree and three (3) shrubs or vines shall be planted for every thirty (30) linear
feet of perimeter planting strip.
The north and east perimeter planting strip is deficient.
EDG Response: A min. 9ft wide planting strip is shown on both the north and east sides
of the property on revised plans. These planting strips will be planted per the above
comment.
4. Screening requirements will need to be met for the vehicular use areas adjacent to street right-
of-way. Provide screening shrubs with an average linear spacing of not less at three (3) feet
within the required landscape area. Provide trees with an average linear spacing of not less
than thirty (30) feet.
EDG Response: Will comply.
5. Eight percent (8%) of the vehicular use area must be designated for green space; this green
space needs to be evenly distributed throughout the parking area(s). The minimum size of an
interior landscape area shall be one hundred fifty (150) square feet for developments with
one hundred fifty (150) or fewer parking spaces. Interior islands must be a minimum of seven
and one half (7 1/2) feet in width. Trees shall be included in the interior landscape areas at
the rate of one (1) tree for every twelve (12) parking spaces.
EDG Response: Will comply. See revised plans.
6. If any of the landscape code requirements cannot be met a variance from the City
Beautiful Commission may be required before a building permit is issued.
EDG Response: Understood.
7. The development of two (2) acres or more requires the landscape plan to be stamped with the
seal of a Registered Landscape Architect.
EDG Response: Understood
8. An automatic irrigation system to water landscaped areas shall be required for developments
of one (1) acre or larger.
EDG Response: Understood. Although the developed area of the site is less than 1 acre,
an irrigation system will be provided. Please see revised plans for proposed irrigation
meter location.
9. 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.
EDG Response: Understood