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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCBC 08-01-2013(2)LITTLE ROCK CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION The City Beautiful Commission held its regular meeting Thursday, August 01, 2013, at 11:30 a.m. at Curran Hall. Chair Wiedower called the meeting to order. MEMBERS PRESENT: Steve Homeyer Bill Wiedower Chris Minor Lynn Warren Carrie Young Freddie Ratliff Ed Peek Wally Loveless Cassie Toro MEMBERS ABSENT Jennie Cole vacancy ALSO PRESENT: Dana Carney, Zoning & Sub -division Manager, Department of Planning & Development, City of Little Rock Christy Marvel, Plans Development Administrator, Department of Planning & Development, City of Little Rock APPROVAL OF THE DULY MINUTES: Motion: Commissioner Warren made a motion to accept the minutes with minor changes noted. Second: Commissioner Homeyer seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. TREASURER'S REPORT: no report. Variance Request CBC Case 727, Church's Chicken: Staff opened the public hearing located at 305 N. Shackleford Road which is occupied by a one- story restaurant building (733 square feet), is zoned C-3 and which is currently vacant. Backyard Burgers Restaurant previously occupied the building. The site is located on the east side of N. Shackleford Road at Beverly Hills Drive. A main entry drive for the overall commercial development, which includes Kroger and several other retail and restaurant uses, is located along the south property line. Two (2) driveways are located from the main entry drive to the subject property. Existing paved parking is located on the south and west sides of the building. There are existing drive-thru lanes on the north and south side of the building. There are existing drive- thru lanes on the north and south sides of the building. A fenced outdoor dining area is located on the south side of the south drive-thru lane. Existing landscaped areas are located along all property perimeters. The applicant is proposing to construct a 720 square foot building addition on the south side of the existing building, as noted on the attached site plan. Four (4) new parking spaces are proposed on the south side of the proposed building addition. These additions will eliminate the drive-thru on the south side of the existing building and the outdoor dining area. The drive-thru lane on the north side of the building will remain. The proposed building addition conforms to the ordinance requirements for the setbacks and parking. However, due to the size of the building expansion, the ordinance requires the site be brought into compliance with the landscape and buffer sections of the code. Section 36- 522(b.)(3b) of the City's Zoning Ordinance which requires a minimum street buffer of nine feet (9') along the N. Shackleford Road frontage. Section 15-96(a.) of the City's Landscape Ordinance also requires a nine foot (9') wide perimeter landscape strip around the sites entirety. The existing street buffer and the landscape perimeter strips ranges from three and one half feet (3.5') feet to approximately twenty-three feet (23'). The Board of Adjustment approved the reduced street buffer width on July 291h, 2013; however, the reduced landscape perimeter strip must be approved by the City Beautiful Commission. All perimeters of the site are deficient; lacking the nine foot (9') perimeter width. Although, the required green space width isn't being proposed, all of the required plant material is shown. Additional plant material is also being proposed. The applicant has agreed to demolish and remove areas of asphalt and concrete for the addition of more green space on the site. By installing the required nine foot (9') of green space around the sites entirety; they simply would lose more than half their required parking spaces. Staff feels like the applicant has worked hard to bring this site into compliancy as much as they are able to considering all the limitations, The Staff is supportive of the requested variance. Staff views the request as reasonable considering the existing perimeters and size of the site. All of the perimeter landscape and buffer areas shown on the proposed site plan are existing. Many of these areas contain only sod or mulch and no plant materials. The applicant is proposing to re -plant all of these areas with new trees and shrubs which both conform to the landscape ordinance and include additional plantings. The applicant is also showing saving one the only tree on the site; a River Birch although, it is not required to be saved per the Ordinance. Additionally, several new areas of interior landscaping will be provided with the redevelopment. All will be quality improvements to this existing restaurant site. Staff believes the proposed redevelopment plan for this property is a quality plan which will have no adverse impact on the adjacent properties or the general area. Therefore staff recommends approval of the proposed landscape variance. Commissioner Young inquired to city staff, Christy Marvel, why the plans were not closer to compliancy; the current structure. Christy Marvel, Plans Development Administrator, explained the landscape ordinance was not in affect when the original building was constructed; therefore, built to a lesser standard. Vice -chair Minor inquired about the existing conditions of the site. Commissioner Homeyer inquired about the current condition of the two drive through windows; the owner noted one of the drive through windows will be eliminated as a part of this application. Chair Wiedower noted that currently it is an empty building that is deteriorating and this seems like a good use for the site. Motion: Commissioner Homeyer made a motion to approve the variance request as submitted. Second: Commissioner Young seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Since the treasurer, Brittany Snyman, is no longer on the CBC it was noted that Vice -chair Minor might be willing to be the CBC treasurer. Staff noted giving receipts to Mrs. Venita Harris in the amount of $118, 25. Discussion of the CBC position openings commenced. COMMITTEE REPORTS: UPDATES: OLD BUSINESS: Community Pro'ects-Commissioner Warren noted the horticulture position had been filled and a meeting can then commence in September. Commissioner Warren will check on a meeting date and get back to the CBC if/when a date is procured. I-630 Trees -Discussion commenced on setting up a separate meeting for further discussion of the Interstate Tree Plans. Chris Minor, Ed Peek, Wally Loveless, Christy Marvel, and Cassie Toro will work on the LR Interstate Plans. Website-Commissioner Warren noted all the new information had been posted, the landscape award information, Commissioner Homeyer noted having taken photos of the Suites site, the new contacts are posted, and the CBC vacancies update. Library Exhibit -no report. KLRB —Commissioner Loveless noted the KLRB wasn't able to meet this past time. However, they did have a Beautification Meeting which Commissioner Loveless wasn't able to attend. The KLRB is re -launching the Adopt -A -Street Program, the Litter Index will also be worked upon soon. It stares at 9:30 on the 3rd and more people are needed. The winner will be announced soon for the design competition. Commissioner Warren noted they may also be giving out free litter grabbers, while supplies last; it was also noted taking a photo at the next Litter Pick up might be optimal. The new program will include reporting the numbers of trash bags accumulated quarterly. Adopt -A -Street Vice -chair will send out an email again confirming the pickup. Communications- Commissioner Homeyer volunteered to become the new Information/Communication coordinator. Eve of the Bebolder-Commissioner Young distributed more nomination cards, the program was described for new CBC members. Commissioner Homeyer noted the trees at LaHarpe, State, and Chester streets will be pruned August the 10a' at 7:00 a.m. Landscape Awards -Commissioner Homeyer noted the landscape award winner will be chosen at next month's CBC meeting. The 2013 landscape award winner and the photo for the award poster will be chosen at the next meeting. Christy Marvel, city staff, agreed to check on the City Bbard Room availability. ADJOURNMENT: Motion: Commissioner Homeyer made a motion to adjourn. Second: Commissioner Peek seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 12:36 p.m. September 5th, 2013 ITEM NO.1 - C.B.C. 628 - NEW MATTERS Applicant: Address: Description: ORDINANCE RE UIREMENTS: Mid-towne Shopping Center Steve Branco, Owner Landscape Architecture Inc., Agent 200 Block of North University Avenue Long Legal 1. (d.) The city official shall determine annually the required per tree in -lieu cash payment amount. Such amount shall not exceed two hundred dollars ($200.00) per tree with annual CPI inflation adjustments commencing in 2001. Any in -lieu cash contribution required shall be limited to a maximum of ten (10) trees per site. VARIANCE RE VESTED: a. A contribution in excess of the amount allowable per ordinance; in both number of trees being replaced and in the monetary amount allowable by ordinance. FINDINGS: The property located at the 200 Block of the North University comprises the Mid -Towne Mall per the Planned Commercial District Plan (Z-7233). Per the PCD plan numerous, large trees were shown to be preserved that are now either dead, missing, diseased and are needing to be mitigated per the PCD revision and to mitigate the trees per the Landscape Ordinance. The PCD was recently revised and approved pending the approval from the City Beautiful Commission; regarding their plans for mitigation which includes both newly planted trees and a monetary donation to the City of Little Rock, T.R.E.E. Fund. The initial approved site plan development included the preservation of twenty-five (25) trees. Ten (10) of the preserved trees are remaining; of which two (2) are dead. The live trees remaining total 167 caliper inches and the two (2) dead trees total sixty-three (63) caliper inches. If the remaining original fifteen (15) trees are mitigated at twenty-one (21) caliper inches per tree, an additional three hundred fifteen caliper inches must be provided as a part of the mitigation plan. The two (2) existing dead trees must also be mitigated (63 caliper inches) for a total of three hundred eighty-seven (387) caliper inches. The mitigation plan includes installment twenty-seven (27) new trees; 13-3" Zelkova trees for a total of thirty-nine (39) caliper inches, eight (8)- three inches (3") East Palatka Holly Trees for a total of twenty-four (24) caliper inches, three (3)- three inch (3") Red Maple Trees for a total of nine (9) caliper inches. Three (3)-two inch (2") Sweetgum trees for a total of six (6) caliper inches. The installation plan totals seventy-eight (78) caliper inches. The calculations include the loss of three -hundred seventy eight (378) caliper inches of trees and the installation of seventy-eight (78) caliper inches of new trees. The tree caliper inches lost and not replaced equal three -hundred (300) caliper inches. The landscape ordinance establishes the rate of payment per caliper inch lost. Three -hundred (300) caliper inches divided by two (2) equals one hundred and fifty (150) caliper inches. The cost for replacement trees per the ordinance is two -hundred dollars ($200.00) resulting in a total of thirty thousand dollars ($30,000). The applicant is proposing to make a payment to the City's T.R.E.E. fund. The payment proposed is thirty thousand dollars ($30,000.00). The rate is determined by payment of two hundred dollars ($200.00) for each two (2) caliper inches to be mitigated. The ordinance allows for a mitigation of ten (10) trees per site. The City Beautiful Commission must approve any variation from the ordinance requirement(s). Staff feels the applicant is attempting to mitigate the loss of the large caliper trees on the site. New trees are being proposed and the remaining monetary balance will be denoted. This will allow for trees to be planted within the same section area of the City of Little Rock; allowing optimal growth for the trees at their mature size. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff is supportive of the requested variance as submitted.