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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCBC 09-10-1991The City Re�utiU Commission The City Beautiful Commission held its regular meeting on Tuesday, September 10, 1991 in Room 1-D of the University Conference Center. The Commission met at 9:30 a.m. for a pre -agenda meeting to discuss a variance request. The meeting was called to order for public hearing at 10:00 a.m. by Chairman Joe Franklin. Members Present: Jim vonTungeln Joe Franklin Ross McCain David Porter Merle Seamon Steve Cato Shalah Brummett Jo Rancifer Also Present: Bill Bunten, Director, Parks & Recreation Gayle Owens, Admin. Asst. Parks & Recreation Bob Brown, Neighborhood & planning Dept. Mark Mathis, Car Mart Kathy Wells, Downtown Neighborhood Assoc. A. J. Almand, Rotary Club Jerry Wilcox, The Wilcox Group 1. Pre -agenda Meeting. Item No. 1 - CBC 544 - Mark Mathis, Car Mart Variance Requested: A. Deletion of the interior landscaping requirements. B. Deletion of the on -site perimeter planting strip adjoining and parallel to University Avenue. Bob Brown presented the case with staff recommendation as follows: A. Reduce the interior requirement to not less than three percent (3%), provided the applicant makes up the difference in perimeter landscaping north and south of the vehicular use area. In this case staff would suggest the three percent (3%) interior land- scaping be located in the middle of the car display area. 500 West Markham, Room 108 Little Rock, AR 72201 • 371-4770 Minutes of the September 1991 meeting. Page 2 B. Staff recommends requiring the four foot (41) wide front perimeter planting strip. However, staff not wanting to discourage business growth, recommends reducing the normal shrub screening and tree requirement in this area. Joe Franklin asked- Mr. Mark Mathis to present his case for a variance. Mr. Mathis said that due to the nature of the business that the interior landscaping and the 4' wide perimeter planting strip would cut down on the number of vehicles he could display. Commission members asked several questions regarding the site. 2. Public hearing called to order at 10:00 a.m. by Chairman Joe Franklin. Roll Call: 8 of 9 present. Motion was made by Ross McCain and seconded by Jo Rancifer to deny variance request and that staff recommendations should be adhered to. Vote was unanimous 8 Ayes and 0 Nays. Public hearing adjourned. 3. Regular meeting called to order. Charlene Hardcastle checked into meeting, 9 of 9 present. 4. Approval of Minutes of August, 1991 meeting. Motion made and seconded that the minutes of the August meeting be approved. Vote was unanimous. 5. Reports of Committees: A. Little Rock 2000. Steve Cato reported a campaign committee is in place and is busy working on the election which is October 8. Joe Franklin encouraged members of the commission to be sure and vote. B. Downtown Streetscape. Merle Seamon reported that we nave not heard from our grant application. Ms. Kathy Wells of the Downtown Neighborhood Assoc. was Minutes of September 1991 meeting. Page 3 recognized. Ms. Wells said that the Downtown Neigh- borhood Association has also applied for one of the State Forestry Grants and requested that the Commission act as administrator for the grant. Charlene Hardcastle said that the Capital View Neighborhood Association has also applied for a grant and requested that the Commission act as administrator for that grant as well. Ross McCain moved that the City Beautiful Commission act as grant administrator for the Downtown Neighborhood Association and the Capital View Neighborhood Association. Motion was seconded and the vote was unanimous. C. Capitol Avenue. Ross McCain reported that he had spoken with Connie Fugedy of the Parks & Recreation Department regarding the Capitol Avenue RFP's. At present there is no specific time. D. Litter Awareness. David Porter said he had no report for this meeting. 6. Treasurer's Report. Ross McCain submitted the attached report to the Commission. 7. Joe Franklin introduced A. J. Almand, a former City Beautiful Commission Chairman. Mr. Almand reminded the members of the Commission that the triangle at Second Street and Cumberland had been a Commission project. He said that after many meetings with the State Highway Department we were able to develop it as it now is. He said that the Downtown Rotary Club would like to further develop this triangle with a "Welcome to Little Rock" sign. A. J. said he had presented the idea to Bill Bunten who had three plans developed. The plans have been submitted to the Rotary Club and one plan selected. Mr. Almand introduced Jerry Wilcox, also a former Com- mission chairman. Mr. Wilcox showed the plan selected by the Rotary Club to the Commission and stated that the Rotary Club is behind this project. Bill Bunten stated that the Parks and Recreation Depart- ment continues to support this project. Minutes September 1991 meeting Page 4 Steve Cato moved that a Resolution in support of this project be adopted and sent to the Downtown Rotary Club. The motion was seconded and carried unanimously. 8. Miscellaneous. A. Joe Franklin reminded members of the Commission that the nominations for Landscape Awards are due by the November meeting. We will do a press release requesting nominations. B. Joe Franklin asked Jim vonTungeln, Steve Cato, and Jo Rancifer to serve on the Nominating Committee. 9. Meeting Adjourned: 11:30 a.m. CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION TREASURER'S REPORT Sept. 10, 1991 Bank Account No expenditures for month Earned $11.99 interest Year to Date Interest Earned City Beautiful Acct: 3000-621 Appropriated $2,500.00 Expenses 124.94 Balance 2,375.06 City Beautification Special Accounts #8215 Beginning Balance $13,022.33 Donations 12,750.00 $25,772.33 Expenses 15,847.72 Balance in Account $ 9,924.61 $3,725.77 $ 232.05 The CityBeautiful Commission September 27, 1991 Mayor Sharon Priest City of Little Rock 500 West Markham Little Rock, AR 72201 Dear Mayor Priest: Although the majority of City Beautiful Commission members endorse the Little Rock 2000 sales tax, as mentioned in the letter of August 29, various members offer the following reservations and/or recommendations. * There would be a $68 million loan interest expense. We recommend a pay-as-you-go system. * Many special interest group projects were apparently included instead of developing an overall five-year plan. Such a plan needs to be put in place. * Fifty-three percent of uncommitted operating expense is without any visible plan of expenditure. A plan needs to be developed. * There are no specific details of implementation for many improvements listed. A plan needs to be developed or brought to the public's attention if there is one. * IMAX theatres have had various degrees of success nation- wide and those with reservations feel this would not be sufficiently supported. Thank you for your consideration. 500 West Markham, Room 108 JF:go ncerely, Joe Franklin Chairman Little Rock, AR 72201 371-4770 The City PedutifJ Commission MEETING NOTICE The Little Rock City Beautiful Commission will hold its regular meeting on Tuesday, September 10, in Room 1-D of the University Conference Center. A pre -agenda meeting will. be held at 9.30 a.m., public hearing at 10:00 a.m, with regular meeting following immediately. AGENDA 1. Roll Call 2. public Hearing (See attached) 3. Approval of Minutes of the August meeting. 4. Reports of Committees A. Little Rock 2000 - Steve Cato B. Downtown Streetscape - Merle Seamon C. Capitol Avenue - Ross McCain D. Litter Awareness Campaign - David Porter 5. Treasurer's Report - Ross McCain 6. Cumberland and Second Street Entry. A. J. Almand 7. Downtown Neighborhood Tree Planting Project. Wells 8. Landscape Awards 9. Miscellaneous 10. Adjournment Kathy 500 West Markham, Room 108 Little Rock, AR 72201 371-4770 September 10, 1991 ITEM NO. 1 - C.B.C. 544 - NEW MATTER Applicant: Mark Mathis Car Mart Location: 5900 South University Avenue Description: Long Legal ORDINANCE REQUIREMENT: 1. Interior landscape plantings shall comprise at least six percent (6%) of any vehicular use area containing more than fifteen (15) parking spaces. 2. A perimeter planting strip shall be required along any vehicular use area that abuts the right-of-way of any street, highway, or freeway. This strip must be a minimum of four feet ( 4' ) in width. VARIANCE REOUESTED: 1. Deletion of the interior landscaping requirements. 2. Deletion of the on -site perimeter planting strip adjoining and parallel to University Avenue. FINDINGS: In May of this year a building permit was applied for to replace the existing sales office with a new structure. This site will continue to be used for car display and sales. The area in question has been paved for a number of years. The landscape requirements go into effect because a completely new building is proposed. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: 1. Staff recommends reducing the interior requirement to not less than three percent (3%), provided the applicant makes up the difference in perimeter landscaping north and south of the vehicular use area. In this case staff would suggest the three percent (3%) interior landscaping be located in the middle of the car display area. 2. Staff recommends requiring the four foot (41) wide front perimeter planting strip. However, staff not wanting to discourage business growth, recommends reducing the normal shrub screening and tree requirement in this area. A` -~� SCALE I"=50' _ CHRYSLER - PLYMOUTH AUTO SALES 1 1 19 CARS DISPLAYED GRg55 AREA _ NO PERIMETER STR1 P - I i r 1� i 1 1 W d J � � 4 3 Z Ld W 1 w �. W I 0 Y a' a 4 _� PROPOSED SALES OFFICE ri �Q z f NO INTERIOR j I 4 00 LANDSCAPING - r-RASS AREA WITH LARGE EXISTING TREES IS CARS DISPLAYED , KAWASAKI SPORTS CEN TER C. B, C, CA5E 5 44 & B.