HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report for Z-9674April 14, 2022
ITEM NO.: 6 FILE NO.: Z-9674
NAME: East Little Rock Community Garden – Conditional Use Permit
LOCATION: 800 Apperson Street
DEVELOPER:
Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport
1 Airport Road
Little Rock AR 72202
OWNER/AUTHORIZED AGENT:
Harbor Engineering (Andrew Rike) Agent
5800 Evergreen Drive
Little Rock, AR 72205
(501) 537-1701
SURVEYOR/ENGINEER:
Harbor Engineering (Andrew Rike) Agent
5800 Evergreen Drive
Little Rock, AR 72205
(501) 537-1701
AREA: 2.08 acres NUMBER OF LOTS: 12 (one platted block) FT. NEW ST: 0 LF
WARD: 1 PLANNING DISTRICT: 6 CENSUS TRACT: 2
CURRENT ZONING: R-3
VARIANCE/WAIVERS: None requested.
April 14, 2022
ITEM NO.: 6 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-9674
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A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST/APPLICANT’S STATEMENT:
The applicant is requesting a Conditional Use Permit to allow the construction of a
2.08-acre Community Garden on the R-3 zoned property at 800 Apperson Street.
The proposed garden/park with include walks, play areas, and open space for
public use.
B. EXISTING CONDITIONS:
The 2.08-acre property located at the northeast corner of East 9th Street and
Calhoun Street is currently vacant and contains portions of existing driveways and
walks along the west and south perimeter of the site. The site is mostly open with
a cluster of trees along the western edge of the property.
C. NEIGHBORHOOD NOTIFICATIONS:
All owners of property located within 200 feet of the site and all neighborhood
associations registered with the City of Little Rock were notified of the public
hearing.
D. ENGINEERING COMMENTS:
1. A grading permit must be obtained prior to initiation of work. Grading permits are
issued by the Planning and Development Dept. at 723 West Markham Street
after approval of sediment and erosion control plans, grading and drainage plans,
land boundary survey, drainage study, and soil loss calculations per City’s
stormwater management and drainage manual. Contact Planning and
Development Dept., Civil Engineering Private Development at 501-371-4817 or
at 501-918-5348 or Permits@littlerock.gov to schedule an appointment for
issuance or to answer any questions. Permit cost is based on total project area
at $100.00 for the less than ½ acre, $200.00 for ½ to 1 acre, and $200.00 for the
first acre and $100.00 for each additional acre for project greater than 1 acre.
2. Any work involving one (1) or more acres of disturbed area requires a State of
Arkansas NPDES permit. Contact the Arkansas Department of Environmental
Quality, NPDES branch at 501-682-0744 for applications and information about
General Stormwater Discharge Construction Permit #ARR150000.
3. The Department requires three (3) phase sediment and erosion control (SEC)
plans to be submitted for all construction projects showing best management
practices (BMPs) for mitigating sediment runoff and erosion along with vegetation
specifications for temporary and permanent soil stabilization. Phase 1 SEC
plans shall show SEC BMPs during the stripping, clearing, grubbing, and rough
grading of the site. Phase 2 SEC plans shall show SEC BMPs during
April 14, 2022
ITEM NO.: 6 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-9674
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construction of utilities, buildings, roadway infrastructure and drainage
infrastructure. Phase 3 SEC Plans shall show SEC BMPs for final grading,
seeding, and landscaping of the site.
4. Sediment and Erosion Control plans shall also show the pertinent information as
outlined in ADEQ ARR150000 Permit Part II section A-4-H (1-14) and Part II
section A-4-I-2 (A-B).
5. Hauling of fill material on or off project sites over municipal streets require
approval prior to a grading permit being issued. Contact Public Works Traffic
Engineering at 621 S. Broadway 501-379-1800 with any questions or for more
information
6. Obtain Traffic Control permits prior to doing any street cuts or curb cuts. Obtain
Traffic Control permits prior to doing any work on city streets or in the right-of-
way. Contact Traffic Engineering at 501-379-1800 for more information.
7. A maintenance bond for 50% of total construction costs for all completed public
street and drainage improvements within City right of way and as-built storm
drainage infrastructure plans shall be provided to the Department of Planning
and Development before the issuance of a final certificate of occupancy.
8. Proposed fence around park shall have provisions approved by staff to allow
stormwater runoff to flow underneath the fence and not impede stormwater flow
across the property.
9. Per City Code 31-206 (f), “Property line corners at street intersections shall be
rounded with a radius of at least twenty (20) feet.”
E. UTILITIES/FIRE DEPARTMENT/PARKS/COUNTY PLANNING:
Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority: No Comments Received.
Entergy: No comments received.
CenterPoint Energy: No comment.
AT & T: No comments received.
Central Arkansas Water: No comments received.
Fire Department:
Maintain Access:
Fire Hydrants.
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ITEM NO.: 6 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-9674
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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.
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.
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.
Commercial and Industrial Developments – 2 means of access. - Maintain
fire apparatus access roads as per Appendix D of the 2012 Arkansas Fire
Prevention Code Vol. 1
Section D104.1 Buildings exceeding three stories or 30 feet in height.
Building or facilities exceeding 30 feet or three stories in height shall have at
least two means of fire apparatus access for each structure.
Section D104.2 Building exceeding 62,000 square feet in area. Buildings or
facilities having a gross building area of more than 62,000 square feet shall be
provide with two separate and approved fire apparatus access roads.
Exception: Projects having a gross building area of up to 124,000 square feet
that have a single approved fire apparatus access road when all building are
equipped throughout with approved automatic sprinkler systems.
D104.3 Remoteness. Where two fire apparatus access roads are required, they
shall be placed a distance apart equal to not less than one half of the length of
the maximum overall diagonal dimension of the lot or area to be served,
measured in a straight line between accesses.
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ITEM NO.: 6 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-9674
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Fire Hydrants
Locate Fire Hydrants as per Appendix C of the 2012 Arkansas Fire
Prevention Code. Section C101 – C105, in conjunction with Central Arkansas
Water (Daniel Tull 501-377-1245) and the Little Rock Fire Marshals Office (Capt.
Tony Rhodes 501-918-3757, or Fire Marshal Derek N Ingram 501-918-3756
Number and Distribution of Fire Hydrants as per Table C105.1.
Parks and Recreation: No comments received.
County Planning: No comment.
F. BUILDING CODES/LANDSCAPE:
Building Code: No comments received.
Landscape: No Comments received.
G. TRANSPORTATION/PLANNING:
Rock Region Metro: No comments received.
Planning Division: No comments.
H. ANALYSIS:
The applicant is requesting a Conditional Use Permit to allow the construction of a
2.08-acre Community Garden at the northeast corner of Calhoun Street and East
9th street which contains a park space for public use.
The applicant proposes that the garden will occupying 25% of the city block and
include a pavilion, paved walking paths, playground equipment, and open grass
spaces, along with other amenities.
The site improvements include the construction of a 24 foot by 24-foot metal frame
pavilion with a brick paver floor centered on the site and a brick paved walking path
that extends northwest and southeast from the pavilion. The brick walk connects
to additional concrete walks that circle the pavilion extending to the perimeter of
the development and accesses the various landscape and play areas.
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ITEM NO.: 6 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-9674
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The applicant proposes to install benches, bike racks, and specialty game tables
in selected areas of the park coordinated with the walkways and landscaping
features.
The site plan shows a new metal perimeter fence with brick support pillars at
approximately every 31 feet enclosing the park. The fence is proposed to have a
main access gate at the southwest corner of the park with a service gate at the
northwest fence perimeter.
The site plan shows the existing sidewalks along the west and south borders of
the park will be repaired or replaced with new concrete to meet city standards.
The applicant notes that parking will be provided within an existing church lot at
the northeast corner of East 9th Street and Calhoun Street.
All new signage will comply with Section 36-553 signs permitted in office zoning.
All site lighting will be low-level and directed away from adjacent properties.
The applicant has requested the alley bordering the east side of the property
running north to south within block 3, Fair Grounds Addition be abandoned with
the conditional use permit request. Staff supports the alley abandonment request.
The alley abandonment request will have to go before the City Board of Directors
for final approval.
Staff is supportive of the requested Conditional Use Permit and proposed alley
abandonment. The proposed reuse of the site is low in intensity and should be
compatible with the growth of the surrounding neighborhood. Staff believes the
proposed use will have a positive impact on the surrounding properties and
community.
I. STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the requested Conditional Use Permit, subject to
compliance with the comments and conditions outlined in paragraphs D, and E,
and the staff analysis, of the agenda staff report.
April 14, 2022
ITEM NO.: 6 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-9674
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