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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCBC 12-07-2006L TTLE ROCK CITY BEAUTIFUL COMmisSroN MEETING NOTICE THE CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION WILL HOLD ITS REGULAR MEETING AT 1 1 : 15 A.M. ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7T", 2006, IN THE SISTER CITIES CONFERENCE ROOM ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF CITY HALL. AGENDA CALL TO ORDER: JAN HICKS, VICE -CHAIR ROLL CALL: OPEN PUBLIC MEETING: ITEM NO. 1 CBC CASE No. 600 ITEM NO. 2 CBC CASE No. 601 ■ PRESENTATION BY CITY STAFF ■ APPLICANTS COMMENTS • COMMENTS FROM OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES • CALL FOR A MOTION CLOSE PUBLIC MEETING APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES: NOVEMBER 3, 2006 TREASURER'S REPORT: ANN IVEY • UPDATE OF STATUS OF REMAINING CITY BUDGETED MONEY (2006) OLD BUSINESS: • PRESENTATION OF EOB CERTIFICATES TO OUTGOING MEMBERS JAN (KAROL, CITA, TROY) ■ ADOPTION OF THE 2007 CBC CALENDAR/ LITTER SCHEDULE SEE EMAIL ■ GARDEN SHOW: "CAROUSEL OF GARDENS" MARCH 2-4 (✓BOOTH) • MASTER GARDENERS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE - LR, MAY 2-5 ■ CONTACT INFO CORRECTIONS FOR 2007 & CITY CLERK PASS AROUND ■ EXPENDITURE CHOICES FOR REMAINING CITY FUNDS LYNN • WEBSITE NAMES SEE EMAIL REPORT • WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT P SEE EMAIL REPORT • KLRB DONATION • DECEMBER LUNCH • OTHERS ■ KLRB UPDATE MARY JANE/LYNN • SHARE BOOTH AT GARDEN SHOW, SHARE POCKET ASHTRAYS NEW BUSINESS: • RETREAT: DATE, LUNCH & LOCATION LOGISTICS, ✓ FACILITATOR SEE EMAIL • PUBLIC MEETINGS: OPEN SPACE POLICY & WAR MEMORIAL REDEVELOPMENT ■ SHAREFEST 2006 CHURCHES 0 7) NOMINATED FOR THEIR BEAUTIFICATION EFFORTS IN NOVEMBER TO RECEIVE EOB CERTIFICATES • INFORMATION ON UPCOMING LANDSCAPE VARIANCE REQUESTS BY CITY STAFF ADJOURNMENT CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION ♦ 723 WEST MARKHAM ♦ LITTLE ROCK, AR 72201 ♦ (501) 371-4864 December 07, 2006 ITEM NO. 1 - C.S.C. 600 - NEW MATTERS Applicant: Address: Description: ORDINANCE REQUIRE MENTS: Jim B. Im, Owner Golden Beauty Supply Agent, Bryan P. Christian, Attorney at Law 2901 West 12th Street SW Corner of 12th Street and Woodrow Street A perimeter planting strip is required along any side of a vehicular use area that abuts the public right-of-way. One (1) tree shall be planted for every seven hundred fifty (750) square feet of required landscape or buffer area with an average linear spacing of not less than thirty (30) feet. Three (3) shrubs or vines for every thirty (30) feet. Three (3) shrubs or vines for every thirty (30) feet shall be planted in the perimeter planting strip. 2. Dumpsters, loading docks, hvac units, external storage of materials, communications equipment and similar outside activities and appurtenances shall be screened from abutting properties and streets. 3. This site is located within the designated mature area of the city; however, this site is not meeting the minimum city requirements even with the reductions allowed by ordinance. VARIANCE REO VESTED: 1. The elimination of the required landscaping along the street. 2. The elimination of the dumpster enclosure. 3. A reduction in the minimum city landscape ordinance requirements exceeding amount allowed at staff level. FINDINGS: The property in question is located at 2901 west 12th street, which houses Golden Beauty Supply. Prior to this beauty supply use, this site housed Chief Auto Parts. Upon relocating to this area the applicant upgraded/renovated the building to both meet the use needs and to meet minimal city requirements. These upgrade requirements included the addition of landscaping. The applicant complied by supplying the city with a landscape plan, installing the landscaping and dumpster enclosure, which allowed the applicant possession of a certificate of occupancy for the building; thus allowing the occupant to open for business. The applicant complied with all the minimum city requirements. Unfortunately, the applicant had the landscaping on the site stolen. The assailant also stole the wood planks surrounding the dumpster. The applicant filed a police report and replaced the landscaping, Again, the material was stolen. Recently, the city cited the applicant for not maintaining the site per the approved landscape plan. Rather than continuing to replace the landscaping and the dumpster enclosure, the applicant has opted to request a written waiver from the City Beautiful Commission. The location of the site is a commercial node for the area. This site is located within a stressed area of the city and the applicant feels his presence helps to stabilize the area and would like to remain. However, the applicant feels that continuing to replace the minimum required landscaping/dumpster enclosure is counter productive, costly, and will simply be stolen again. Therefore, the applicant is requesting permission to not be required to plant the site per the approved landscape plan and to not be required the dumpster enclosure. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Although sympathetic to the applicant's situation, city staff cannot support a complete waiver of these minimum city requirements. December 07, 2006 ITEM NO.2 - C.B.C. 601 - NEW MATTERS Applicant: Address: Description: Mike Berg, Owner Best Car Wash 2801 W. Markham Lot 1, Block 5, Young's Park Addition ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS: Section 15-96. (a) requires a perimeter planting strip, which abuts any street to be at least nine (9) feet wide. In the designated mature area of the City, that may be reduced to 6.75 feet. Section 15-96. (b) requires that trees planted in the perimeter planting strip have an average linear spacing of not less than thirty (30) feet. VARIANCE REQUESTED: 1. 1. Variances are requested to allow the street perimeter landscape strips to be in the public right-of-way and to allow for spacing of greater than thirty (30) feet between two (2) of the street perimeter trees. FINDINGS: The C-3 zoned lot located at 2801 W. Markham Street is currently occupied by a four -bay, self serve car wash with vacuum islands. The building has reduced setbacks on all perimeters. There is virtually uncontrolled access to the site, with curb cuts onto Woodrow, Pearl and two curb cuts onto Markham. The applicant proposes to completely redevelop the site for a two bay automatic car wash. All of the existing structures will be removed with the exception of the equipment room. The new structure will accommodate two, side -by -side automatic car wash tunnels. A large window on the Markham street fagade will allow viewing into the car wash tunnels. Access to the site will be completely redesigned; with an entry -only driveway off of Markham and an exit -only driveway on to Pearl. New sidewalks and landscaping will be installed on all three street perimeters. New screening fencing and the existing equipment room will provide screening along the south perimeter where the abutting property is also zoned C-3. On November 9, 2006, the Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit to allow the new car wash. . Due to the small size of the property, made even smaller by additional right-of-way dedication required, there are several variance related to driveway spacing, building setbacks and landscaping. All of the street perimeter landscaping is proposed to be located in the right -of way of the abutting streets. Staff is supportive of the variance request. Due to the small size of the property, it will be virtually impossible to redevelop it without this variance. There is no real on site parking, just the driveway entering and exiting the carwash. The applicant is proposing to install additional landscaping on the north side of the new building, to provide a more pleasing appearance form the main street. All landscape areas will be sodded and an irrigation system will be installed. The spacing between two of the trees on the Markham perimeter is approximately 43 feet, more than the maximum spacing of 30 feet allowed by the Code. As previously mentioned, there is a large window in the front wall of the tunnel building that allows for viewing into the tunnels. The slight increase in the spacing of the trees occurs at this point so that the trees do not block visibility into the car wash. This request was specifically made by the Little Rock Police Department. Sector cars occasionally park across the street from the carwash and with increased visibility, there will likely be less chance of problem activities taking place on the site. There will be no vacuum islands on the property, reducing possible loitering on the site. Staff believes the applicant has done a good job of locating the proposed car wash on a very tight site. Replacing the existing self- serve car wash with the proposed new automatic car wash will, in staff's opinion, benefit the neighborhood. . STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the requested variances.