Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Minutes for LU2022-22-01April 14, 2022 ITEM NO.: 7 FILE NO.: LU2022-22-01 Name: Land Use Plan Amendment – West Fourche Planning District Location: 19300 Lawson Road Request: Residential Low Density (RL) to Commercial (C) Source: Tim Daters, PE, White-Daters & Associates, Inc. PROPOSAL / REQUEST: Applicant requests a Land Use Plan Map amendment from Residential Low Density (RL) to Commercial (C). The site is approximately 2-acres. The application is located at 19300 Lawson Road, in the West Fourche Planning District. The existing Residential Low Density (RL) category provides for single family homes at densities not to exceed 6 units per acre. Such residential development is typically characterized by conventional single family homes, but may include patio or garden homes and cluster homes, provided that the density remain less than 6 units per acre. The proposed Commercial (C) 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 accompanies a Zoning Map amendment request. It is the applicant’s intent to rezone the site to a General Commercial District (C-3) (File No. Z-9669). EXISTING LAND USE AND ZONING: The subject site has a manufactured house on it. The current zoning is Single Family District (R-2). This is the edge of the City’s zoning jurisdiction. There is no zoning to the south, across Lawson Road. There are large tract single-family houses, a scattering of businesses, a church and an elementary school in the non-zoned area. To the north Figure 1. Zoning April 14, 2022 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU2022-22-01 2 of the application area is R-2, Single Family District zoned land. Much of this land is large tracts with single-family houses or is wooded. Along Lawson Road to the west the zoning continues for approximately a half mile. There are three tracts with commercial zoning to the west. Two are zoned C-3, General Commercial District and one is zoned Planned Development Commercial (PDC). The PDC is approved for a Sod Farm and auto repair (there is also a single-family house within the PDC area.) The C-3 land at Beachamp Road is undeveloped. The second C-3 area is part of a larger tract. There has been a retail use in the existing building currently used by a church on the tract. There is an undeveloped C-3 Tract adjacent to the east from the application area. East of Marsh Road the land is primarily zoned R-2 but there are a few Planned Commercial Development (PCD) Districts scattered along Lawson Road. A single-family subdivision is partial developed to the northeast of the application area, east of Marsh Road. However, most of the land is in larger tracts. Many of the tracts are developed with a single-family house, but others are vacant and wooded. A scattering of businesses can also be found along either side of Lawson Road east of Marsh Road. The most significant development in last decade has been the construction of single- family houses within the Lochridge Estates subdivision to the northeast. This is across Marsh Road to the northeast of the site. The undeveloped C-3 land adjacent to the east was zoned in 2010 and the undeveloped C-3 at Beachamp Road was zoned in 2019. FUTURE LAND USE PLAN AND RECENT AMENDMENTS: The application site is at the edge of the City’s Planning Jurisdiction. At this location, south of Lawson Road is outside of the City’s jurisdiction. As with zoning, there are no Land Use Map use designations beyond the City’s Planning jurisdiction. The Land Use Plan Map does show areas of Commercial (C) use at both the Beachamp and Marsh Roads intersections with Lawson Road. (This would be either direction from the application area.) To the southeast of the application site, south of Lawson Road and east of Marsh Road the Mixed Commercial Industrial (MCI) designation is shown. There is a scattering of house in this area. Two commercial businesses are also in the MCI area – a liquor store and an interior plant business Figure 2. Land Use Plan Map April 14, 2022 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU2022-22-01 3 (formerly a ‘you-pull-it’). South of the MCI area is an area designated as Medium Density Residential (RM). The RM area is mostly developed as a single-family subdivision. There have been no Land Use Plan amendments in the vicinity of the application within the last twenty years. The application area is at the boundary between areas designated as Residential Low Density (RL) and Commercial (C) on the Land Use Plan Map. The request is to move the Commercial Land Use designation line on the Plan Map to the west approximately 320 feet. MASTER STREET PLAN: The application area is bound to the south by Lawson Road, which is designated a Minor Arterial. Minor Arterials provide the connections to and through an urban area. Their primary function is to provide short distance travel within the urbanized area. Since a Minor Arterial is designed to be a high volume road, a minimum of 4 travel lanes with a 90-foot right-of-way and two sidewalks is required. This portion of Lawson Road is well beyond the current City Limits. The current roadway is a two-lane road with little to no shoulders, open ditches and no sidewalks. A full 90-foot right-of-way would be required at this site. However, the section constructed must be approved by Pulaski County Planning and is likely to be a cross-section with open ditches and no sidewalk. At the time of development, the Pulaski County approved section will be required for construction with full 90-foot right-of way. Figure 3. Master Street Plan April 14, 2022 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU2022-22-01 4 BICYCLE PLAN: The Master Street Plan shows a Class II Bike Lane proposed on Lawson Road. Class II Bike Lanes consist of a paved area on both sides of a roadway with a painted stripe separating the bikeway from motor vehicle traffic. A Class II Bike Lane is used for safety reasons where mixing of bicycle and motorized vehicles is unsafe for both. These routes may either be a smooth paved shoulder or a section of the paved roadway. Class II Bike Lanes require minimal construction and are likely to be located on higher volume and speed roadways. There is no existing bicycle infrastructure along Lawson Road. 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 application site is situated along the north side of Lawson Road just west of Marsh Road. This is literally the edge of the City’s Planning and Zoning jurisdiction (close to three miles as the bird flies from the City Limits). The area south of Lawson Road at this location and half a mile to the west along the north side of Lawson Road, is beyond the jurisdiction. Lawson Road does function as a main transportation line from areas to the west into Little Rock. Both Marsh and Beachamp Roads have been designated on the City and Regional transportation plans as ‘Minor Arterials’. Their current and future purpose is to connect Lawson Road to roads to the north. All three of these roads are two-lane roads with open ditches and no to minimal shoulders. Since Lawson Road has been an important connector roadway for decades, a scattering of non-residential uses developed over the years. Some of these existing uses have been recognized through the zoning process (since the City implemented zoning in the vicinity over two decades ago). But many more exist both within and beyond the City’s currently Planning and Zoning jurisdiction without zoning. With Marsh, Beachamp and Lawson Roads all classified as Minor Arterials, the Land Use Plan proposes more density of use at the intersections. This is the ‘Node’ concept of Planning. Due to pre-existing conditions, there are some areas shown in the vicinity for Commercial use that might not otherwise been designated that way based on demand. In the two decades since zoning was initiated there have been two re-classifications to commercial – C-3 (General Commercial District) in the vicinity. To date neither of these have been developed. April 14, 2022 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU2022-22-01 5 The overall development pattern has not changed significantly in the last two decades. The most noticeable change has been the development of Lochridge Estates. This is a single-family subdivision northeast of Marsh and Lawson Roads. The access to the subdivision is from Marsh Road. From the application site to the south, west and north are larger lots and tracts, many with single-family houses. Large areas remain undeveloped and wooded to the north and southwest of the site. In the vicinity of the application a couple of commercial uses have gone away. Some of the non-residential uses have also changed in the nature of the use over the decades. The amendment site is at the boundary between areas designated for Residential Low Density (RL) and Commercial (C) on the Land Use Pan Map. The site has commercial zoning on the properties to the east and west. There is C-3, General Commercial District on the wooded tract to the east. A Planned Development Commercial district is to the west. This tract has a Sod Farm, auto repair and single-family house on it. The amendment would shift of the Land Use Plan Map use line to the west. It does not introduce a new Land Use designation to the immediate area. There are significant areas of undeveloped wooded land in the vicinity where residential development could still occur. This undeveloped land is already zoned R-2 Single Family District and shown on the plan as Residential Low Density. The application site could address the demands created by the increase in residential development in the vicinity. NEIGHBORHOOD NOTIFICATIONS: Notices were sent to the following neighborhood association: Citizens of West Pulaski County. As of the writing of the Staff report no comments had been received 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 Residential Low Density (RL) to Commercial (C). PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (APRIL 14, 2022) Walter Malone, Planning Staff reviewed area. Lawson Road has been a major transportation artery from western areas into the City for years. Lawson and Marsh Roads are both shown as Arterial on the regional and City Plans. Since Lawson Road has been a major artery there has been a scattering of non-residential uses along Lawson Road amongst the single family uses. Marsh and Lawson Roads is a major intersection and an appropriate area for commercial use. There is existing commercial area shown on the Land Use Plan to the east. The only significant change over the last several years has been the development of a single-family subdivision to the northeast off of Marsh Road. Staff believes it is appropriate to expand the existing commercial area. (For more April 14, 2022 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.) FILE NO.: LU2022-22-01 6 information see Z-9669 minute record, related C-3 re-classification case for this site.) Mr. Monte Moore, Planning Staff presented the related zoning item. Mr. Tim Daters, representative of the applicant explained the owner’s desired use and that C-3 was the appropriate request. Two property owners (or representatives) spoke against. One was from across the street (to the south) and the other was adjacent to the north. They spoke about traffic concerns with the narrow street and concerns about the use with most of the land in the area being single-family and/or farming related. A motion was made to approve item 7 LU2022-22-01. By a move of 9 for, 0 against, 1 recusal and 1 vacancy the motion was approved.