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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-9675 - Lot 4 Otter Creek Bus Park - Staff RptAPRIL 21, 2022 ITEM NO. 2 Z-9675 1 File No.: Z-9675 Owner: Icon Property Management LLC Applicant: Cody Sims, McClelland Consulting Engineers, Inc Address: 14 Otter Creek Court Legal Description: Lot 4, Otter Creek Business Park, Otter Creek Community, Little Rock, Arkansas Zoned: C-1 Variance Requested: A variance is requested from the area regulations of Section 36-299 to allow a building with a reduced front yard setback. A variance is requested from the building line provisions of Sec. 31-12 to allow a building construction to cross a platted front yard building line. Justification: The applicant’s justification is presented as per the attached letter dated February 15, 2022. Present Use: Vacant Proposed Use: Office Building STAFF REPORT A. Planning and Development Civil Engineering: No Comments B. Landscape and Buffer Issues: 1. Site plan must comply with the City's minimal landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. 2. 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. APRIL 21, 2022 ITEM NO. 2 Z-9675 2 3. Screening requirements will need to be met for the vehicular use areas adjacent to street rights-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. 7. An irrigation system shall be required for developments of one (1) acre or larger. For developments of less than one (1) acre a there shall be a water source within seventy-five (75) feet of all plant material if an automatic irrigation system is not provided. 9. 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. Screen shall exceed the height of the dumpster or trash containment areas by at least two (2) feet no to exceed eight (8) feet total height. 10. 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 D. Staff Analysis: The C-1 zoned property located on the north side of Otter Creek Court is east of the intersection of Stagecoach Rd. The site is surrounded by other C-1 zoned properties that include an Express RX pharmacy to the east an insurance agency office to the west and the Central Arkansas Library Systems, Ollie Rooker Library across the road to the south. The vacant wooded lot to the north is primarily occupied with the Callagahan Branch waterway before giving way to a single- family residential development. The applicant is proposing a to develop the subject property with a new office building and associated parking for Premiere Lighting Headquarters. The site plan indicates that the proposed structure will include 2400 square feet in area with 9 onsite parking spaces. The applicant has stated: “The subject property is severely constrained due to a Zone AE floodway along Callagahan Branch and an associated 25’ floodway buffer. After adhering to the required 25’ front yard (shown as B.S.L. on the site plan) subject to the C-1 zone, the remaining area limits the opportunity for feasible and functional building. Due to configuration and size of site, it is requested to reduce the front yard requirement from 25’ to 10’. It is in the opinion of the applicant that the granting of this variance will not be detrimental to the public safety, health, or welfare or injurious to other property. The intent of this variance is to match the nature of the City’s regulations while APRIL 21, 2022 ITEM NO. 2 Z-9675 3 seeking only enough relief as necessary to support a successful long-term business given the hardships unique to this property.” Section 36-299 (e)(1) states “There shall be a front yard having a depth of not less than twenty-five (25) feet to the front line of the building.” Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to allow the construction of a new building with a 10.85- foot front yard setback. Section 31-12(b) of the City's Subdivision Ordinance states, "In those instances where a recorded subdivision plat has established building setback lines in accordance with this chapter variances of those lines shall only be granted by the Board of Adjustment." The platted building setback for the subject property is shown on the survey as 20-feet, the applicant is requesting that the building be allowed to cross this building line a maximum of 9.15-feet placing the southwest corner of the building 10.85-feet from the property line Staff views the variance request as reasonable. The proposed reduced front yard setback will not be evidently out of character with the surrounding developments. The building will front the street right-of-way and onsite parking will occupy a width of 60-feet east of the new structure allowing an approximate 135-foot greenspace between the parking edge and the east property line. If the Board approves the requested platted building line variance, the applicant must then produce a one-lot replat reflecting the approved change. As such, the applicant must also review filing procedures with the County Clerk's office to determine if the replat will require a revised Bill of Assurance and respond as necessary and appropriate, as part of said replat. E. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the requested front yard setback reduction from twenty-five (25) feet to 10-feet as presented in the above analysis and shown on the attached site plan. The above Staff recommendations are subject to the submitted survey / site plan sketch and required to meet the following conditions: 1. Completion of a replat reflecting the above-described building line change. 2. A building permit being obtained for all construction.