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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWrite-Up for LU2022-14-01 FILE NO.: LU2022-14-01 Name: Scott Hamilton Land Use Analysis Location: South of I-30 to Baseline Road, just west of Fourche Creek Request: Land Use Amendment in four areas Source: Staff PROPOSAL / REQUEST: At the July 8, 2021 Planning Commission meeting, following review of a land use amendment application in the Geyer Springs East Planning District, staff was directed to perform a study of the vicinity of the application. The area delineated was along Scott Hamilton Drive from Baseline Road to Interstate 30 (approximately 500 acres). The study was to determine if amendments to the Future Land Use Plan Map were in order. From the City’s Future Land Use Narrative: Development Principals: Much of the development in the area occurred before annexation into the City of Little Rock and was not subject to zoning controls. This resulted in a haphazard placement of commercial uses encroaching into single-family residential neighborhoods. One of the prime purposes of the Land Use Plan is to protect and stabilize existing neighborhoods. This area is one where much of the development occurred before annexation and before zoning regulations were instituted. Staff reviewed the area and identified over half a dozen areas to examine. Potential areas of chance were discussed with the Planning Commission Plans Sub-Committee. Areas within the study area have been identified for further discussion to determine if a land use amendment was warranted. Staff met with the Upper Baseline Neighborhood Association leadership via WebEx to discuss the area and possible changes in late 2021. As a result of the discussions with the Plans Committee and neighborhood leadership the following set of amendments have been developed for consideration. Area 1: Light Industrial (LI) to Residential Medium (RM) Light Industrial – LI: This category provides for light warehouse, distribution or storage uses, and/or other industrial uses that are developed in a well-designed "park like" setting. FILE NO.: LU2022-14-01 (Cont.) 2 Residential Medium Density – RM: This category accommodates a broad range of housing types including single family attached, single family detached, duplex, town homes, multi-family and patio or garden homes. Any combination of these and possibly other housing types may fall in this category provided that the density is between six (6) and twelve (12) dwelling units per acre The subject site, located northeast off Doyle Springs Road and Rosswood Drive, is approximately 5.50-acres of land designated Light Industrial (LI) and zoned Single Family District (R2). The site is composed of three separate parcels, two of which are developed with single family homes. A third larger parcel (at 4.5-acres) is undeveloped with a drainageway (dry creek) running across the property. Doyle Springs Road is designated a Collector Street by the Master Street Plan. It appears to have been constructed to Collector standards. The land to the south of Area 1 is shown as Residential Low Density (RL). This is a developed single-family subdivision. The area to the west, across Doyle Springs Road is shown as Residential Medium Density (RM) is and a developed single-family subdivision. RL 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. RM accommodates a broad range of housing types including single family attached, single family detached, duplex, town homes, multi-family and patio or garden homes. Any combination of these and possibly other housing types may fall in this category provided that the density is between six (6) and twelve (12) dwelling units per acre. Both areas are zoned R-2, Single Family District. There is also one non-conforming business on the west side of Doyle Springs Road, south of the Rosswood intersection. A change to a residential land use category may be appropriate at this location given the design of Doyle Springs Road, land use pattern, existing development, environmental constraints, and ownership. Residential Medium (RM) could be used to foster residential density, creating a buffer between the existing light industrial and established single- family residential development. Area 2: Commercial (C) to Mixed Use (MX) Commercial (C) - The commercial category includes a broad range of retail and wholesale sales of products, personal and professional services, and general FILE NO.: LU2022-14-01 (Cont.) 3 business activities. Commercial activities vary in type and scale, depending on the trade area that they serve. Mixed Use (MX) - This category provides for a mixture of residential, office and commercial uses to occur. A Planned Zoning District is required if the use is entirely office or commercial or if the use is a mixture of the three. This Commercial designated area is approximately 9 acres of land located on the south side of Baseline Road, just east of the Doyle Springs Road. Most of the parcels in this cluster are zoned R2. The Master Street Plan designates Baseline Road as a Principal Arterial street. Many of the parcels that compose this area were previously platted and developed as residential properties, with some still hosting residential structures/land uses, while others have converted to office/commercial uses. In addition to the single-family homes, there is a mix of vacant lots, metal buildings, abandoned commercial structures, and a trailer park. The land adjacent to the south is R-2, Single Family District zoned land. The area is developed with larger lots of single-family houses. Given ownership pattern, existing development on the individual parcels, and as lots were platted for rural residential land uses, this area would not likely be ideal for a developer seeking the sorts of land uses entitled under the C4 zoning designation. If developed as commercial, the parcels should be a re-development of the land. As noted, the tracts were primarily developed residential. Any redevelopment should be done in a manner to not adversely impact the remaining tracts. Staff is proposing to expand the land uses allowed at the site, by recommending this area be designated for Mixed Use (MX). This request responds to development constraints and the market conditions. The MX designation will support the existing residential land uses while creating a framework to allow for conversion of homes to office or smaller scale commercial - and development on vacant parcels is granted a broader use category that can respond to the likely scale of potential development, given constraints. FILE NO.: LU2022-14-01 (Cont.) 4 Area 3: Suburban Office (SO) to Mixed Use (MX) Suburban Office (SO) - the suburban office category shall provide for low intensity development of office or office parks in close proximity to lower density residential areas to assure compatibility. A Planned Zoning District is required. Mixed Use (MX) - This category provides for a mixture of residential, office and commercial uses to occur. A Planned Zoning District is required if the use is entirely office or commercial or if the use is a mixture of the three. The ten parcels making up this approximately six-acre swath of Suburban Office (SO) designated lands is situated immediate south of Baseline Road - immediately adjacent to Area 2 (discussed above). This area was previously developed with single family homes and is largely zoned R2. Some of the detached single-family homes have been re- purposed with Commercial and Office uses. The land adjacent to the south is a developed single-family subdivision. Any new non-residential development of the land within Area 3 would be a redevelopment from an existing single-family use. Staff is proposing this area be designated for Mixed Use (MX) to allow this area to best respond to market conditions. The MX designation will support the existing residential land uses while fostering their conversion to office or market as the needs of the neighborhood evolve. Area 4: Commercial (C) & Residential Medium (RM) to Mixed Use (MX) Commercial (C) - The commercial category includes 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. Residential Medium (RM) -This category accommodates a broad range of housing types including single family attached, single family detached, FILE NO.: LU2022-14-01 (Cont.) 5 duplex, town homes, multi-family and patio or garden homes. Any combination of these and possibly other housing types may fall in this category provided that the density is between six (6) and twelve (12) dwelling units per acre. Mixed Use (MX) - This category provides for a mixture of residential, office and commercial uses to occur. A Planned Zoning District is required if the use is entirely office or commercial or if the use is a mixture of the three. Northwest of the Baseline-Scott Hamilton intersection is a 5.5-acre swath of lands is shown on the Future Land Use Map as Commercial (C). This area is an irregular polygon that covers lands with frontage along both Baseline Road and Scott Hamilton Drive. The lands have not been platted - but are rather subdivided with ‘metes & bounds’ descriptions. Some of the tracts are irregular in shape. Three of the parcels (one hosting an auto mechanic and 2 undeveloped) are zoned C-4, Open Display Commercial District. There is one R-2, Single Family zoned parcel with frontage on Baseline Road and two parcels with PCD’s (Planned Commercial Development). Staff is not recommending a change of the Commercial designation on properties with frontage for properties along Baseline Road. However, there is a small irregular piece of the Commercial Land Use polygon that extends north of Christen Drive. This part of the polygon does not recognize existing parcels configuration or zoning. The lands north of Christen Drive are zoned R-2. This swath of lands has been occupied by a non-conforming auto sales lot, assumed to be in operation in various iterations since prior to the area being annexed. The Plan Map has shown the area as Residential Medium Density (RM). Staff is recommending this area, in addition to the undeveloped lands south to the mobile home park and east to the existing single-family residential, be considered for a Mixed Use Designation. The change would create a mass of Mixed Use that could present a new development opportunity. FILE NO.: LU2022-14-01 (Cont.) 6 FUTURE LAND USE PLAN RECENT AMENDMENTS: There have been no Land Use Plan amendments approved since the 1990s in the area of this review. The only amendment requested and not approved was LU2021-14-01, a request from Residential Medium Density (RM) to Commercial (C). The location was on the east side of Scott Hamilton Drive, north of Harper Road. LU2021-14-01 was approved by the Planning Commission and denied by the Board of Directors. NEIGHBORHOOD NOTIFICATIONS: Notices were sent to the following neighborhood associations: Upper Baseline Windemere, Southwest UP, and a newly formed merchants association. Letters were sent to approximately 25 property owners in the area in early February 2022. No responses were received from the property owners by the end of February 2022. Notice of the public hearing was sent April 11, 2022 to the same group of property owners and neighborhood associations about this public meeting. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: This package of amendments is designed to make the Future Land Use Plan more reflective of current, and likely, mid-term future uses for this area. Staff recommends approval of the amendment package as presented. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (MAY 12, 2022) The item was placed on Consent Agenda for approval. The Consent agenda was approved by a vote of 10 for, 0 against and 1 open position.