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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-3363 Staff Analysisr �G� y *t7 June 26, 1979 Item No. 7 - Z-3363 Owner: Jim Hall and Dan Phillips Applicant: David Henry Request: Rezone to "E-1" Quiet Business District Purpose: Office Development Existing Zoning: "A°1 One Family Location: Shackleford Road at the I-430 Overpass Site Characteristics: Wooded and sloping Size: 66 acres + Existing Land Use: Vacant Abutting Land Use and Zoning: North - Single Family and Vacant - Unclassified South - Vacant - Unclassified East - Vacant and Camp - Unclassified West - Single Family - Unclassified Zoning History: None Applicable Regulations: Zoning Ordinance 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. FACTUAL INFORMATION June 26, 1976 Item No. 7 NEED AND/OR DEMAND The applicant and Chamber of Commerce have indicated that a national company interest in this site for location of facility. COMPATIBILITY WITH MUNICIPAL PLANS representatives has expressed a major office An I-430 Corridor study prepared inhouse by staff in 1978, but never publicly presented, recognized the potential for large-scale office developments (of the type represented by the Farm Bureau Building) along the Interstate Corridor. No specific locations were addressed by that plan. EFFECT ON ENVIRONS No reasonable environmental assessment can be made at this time, owing to the absence of adequate information. NEIGHBORHOOD POSITION No neighborhood sentiment has been expressed. However, there is reason to believe that residences in Sandpiper Subdivision might express concern because of the proposal's probable impact on Shackleford Road, which serves as their only access. PUBLIC SERVICES/EFFECT ON No adverse input has been received from any City department. However, there may be reason to be concerned about the implications for fire protection. The nearest fire fighting unit is located in the 9000 block of Kanis Road (east of the Baptist Medical Center), and has one small pumper truck designed to handle residential fires. Recent annexation of several properties in this area has worsened this problem. 6. UTILITIES/EFFECT ON Utility demands for nonresidential uses are variable, but the City's accepted guideline for sewer demand is June 26, 1979 Item No. 7--- Continued 1,000 gallons per day per acre. The property is served from what should be adequate facilities. 7. EFFECT ON PUBLIC FINANCES Development of this property for a major office would add considerably to the City's tax base. Proponents of the application have made references to significant contributions to the job opportunities market as well. There are several offsetting potential costs peculiar to this site and general location. Shackleford Road is not presently suitable for major increase in traffic demand, although it will be improved some time in the future. County Judge W. E. Beaumont indicated in a letter to the President of the Chamber of Commerce obtained from the applicant that the county's commitment is to providing a base and seal coat for Shackleford Road. Another letter obtained from the applicant discusses the plan to construct an additional I-430 Interchange at Shackleford Road wherein the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department says: "The actual construction of these facilities are (sic) dependent upon the handling of environmental considerations, preparation of detailed construction plans, right-of-way acquisition and of course, the availability of funds". Such a project will be a major public undertaking, particularly at a time when so many other projects called for attention from the same scarce resources. 8. LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS/REASONABLENESS This request, if approved, will be the first nonresidential zoning for this area. Representatives of Team Four consultants will be present at the meeting to provide an assessment of this request relative to the extraterritorial plan now underway. Even though some apparent demand for the zoning exists, there does seem to be some speculation involved. 9. STANDARDS OF QUALITY No standards of quality have been addressed; however, the applicant has indicated the commitment to rezone to an appropriate district under the new zoning Ordinance which as presently written would provide site plan review, thereby assuring a unified development. June 26, 1979 Item No. 7 - Continued 10. TRAFFIC AND STREET RIGHT-OF-WAY CONSIDERATION The sole access to this property is Shackleford Road. At present this thoroughfare, although classified as a major arterial on the Master Street Plan, is a wide gravel road. Traffic fromthe property would then have to travel either north or south a half mile to a mile to gain access to I-430 or any useful east -west thoroughfare. Any proposal to construct a new interchange at Shackleford Road and I-430 would have wide ranging implications for the future devlopment of the entire area. ANALYSIS: A review of the above data brings to light several major planning and public policy issues which must be considered prior to commitment to a zoning proposal of this magnitude. Three important considerations are apparent: (1) Further pursuit of commitments for the proposed highway interchange on I-430 and completion of the improvements to Shackleford Road; (2) Improvement of public; services to match growth in the service area due to the annexation policy of the City; and (3) assessment of this proposal relative to the overall development plan for the I-430 Corridor. Staff will defer making a formal recommendation until after the presentation from Team Four. X'S June 26, 1979 Item No. 7 - Z-3363 Owner: Jim Hall and Dan Phillips Applicant: David Henry Request: Rezone to "E-1" Quiet Business District Purpose: Office Development Existing Zoning: "A" One Family Location: Shackleford Road at the I-430 Overpass Site Characteristics: Wooded and sloping Size: 66 acres + Existing Land Use: Vacant Abutting Land Use and Zoning: North - Single Family and Vacant - Unclassified South - Vacant - Unclassified East - Vacant and Camp - Unclassified West - Single Family - Unclassified Zoning History: None Applicable Regulations: Zoning Ordinance FACTUAL INFORMATION June 26, 1976 Item No. 7 1. NEED AND/OR DEMAND The applicant and Chamber of Commerce representatives have indicated that a national company has expressed interest in this site for location of a major office facility. 2. COMPATIBILITY WITH MUNICIPAL PLANS An I-430 Corridor study prepared inhouse by staff in 1978, but never publicly presented, recognized the potential for large-scale office developments (of the type represented by the Farm Bureau Building) along the Interstate Corridor. No specific locations were addressed by that plan. 3. EFFECT ON ENVIRONS No reasonable environmental assessment can be made at this time, owing to the absence of adequate information. 4. NEIGHBORHOOD POSITION No neighborhood sentiment has been expressed. However, there is reason to believe that residences in Sandpiper Subdivision might express concern because of the proposal's probable impact on Shackleford Road, which serves as their only access. 5. PUBLIC SERVICES/EFFECT ON No adverse input has been received from any City department. However, there may be reason to be concerned about the implications for fire protection. The nearest fire fighting unit is located in the 9000 block of Kanis Road (east of the Baptist Medical Center), and has one small pumper truck designed to handle residential fires. Recent annexation of several properties in this area has worsened this problem. 6. UTILITIES/EFFECT ON Utility demands for nonresidential uses are variable, but the City's accepted guideline for sewer demand is June 26, 1979 Item No. 7 - Continued 1,000 gallons per day per acre. The property is served from what should be adequate facilities. 7. EFFECT ON .PUBLIC FINANCES Development of this property for a major office would add considerably to the City's tax base. Proponents of the application have made references to significant contributions to the job opportunities market as well. There are several offsetting potential costs peculiar to this site and general location. Shackleford Road is not presently suitable for major increase in traffic demand, although it will be improved some time in the future. County Judge W. E. Beaumont indicated in a letter to the President of the Chamber of Commerce obtained from the applicant that the county's commitment is to providing a base and seal coat for Shackleford Road. Another letter obtained from the applicant discusses the plan to construct an additional I-430 Interchange at Shackleford Road wherein the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department says: "The actual construction of these facilities are (sic) dependent upon the handling of environmental considerations, preparation of detailed construction plans, right-of-way acquisition and of course, the availability of funds". Such a project will be a major public undertaking, particularly at a time when so many other projects called for attention.from the same scarce resources. 8. LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS/REASONABLENESS This request, if approved, will be the first nonresidential zoning for this area. Representatives of Team Four consultants will be present at the meeting to provide an assessment of this request relative to the extraterritorial plan now underway. Even though some apparent demand for the zoning exists, there does seem to be some speculation involved. 9. STANDARDS OF QUALITY No standards of quality have been addressed; however, the applicant has indicated the commitment to rezone to an appropriate district under the new Zoning Ordinance which as presently written would provide site plan review, thereby assuring a unified development. June 26, 1979 Item No. 7 - Continued 10. TRAFFIC AND STREET RIGHT-OF-WAY CONSIDERATION The sole access to this property is Shackleford Road. At present this thoroughfare, although classified as a major arterial on the Master Street Plan, is a wide gravel road. Traffic from the property would then have to travel either north or south a half mile to a mile to gain access to I-430 or any useful east -west thoroughfare. Any proposal to construct a new interchange at Shackleford Road and I-430 would have wide ranging implications for the future devlopment of the entire area. ANALYSIS: A review of the above data brings to light several major planning and public policy issues which must be considered prior to commitment to a zoning proposal of this magnitude. Three important considerations are apparent: (1) Further pursuit of commitments for the proposed highway interchange on I-430 and completion of the improvements to Shackleford Road; ( 2 ) Improvement of public services to match growth in the service area due to the annexation policy of the City; and (3) assessment of this proposal relative to the overall development plan for the I-430 Corridor. Staff will defer making a formal recommendation until after the presentation from Team Four. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION Staff made a somewhat lengthy presentation on this matter describing in more detail the concerns raised in the written analysis and finally gave the recommendation that the application be approved with the following conditions: 1. That the building permit for development of the site be contingent upon the development of the proposed interchange between Shackleford Road and I-430. 2. That the Commission recommend to the Board of Directors that additional efforts be made to increase the planning for future development of the I-430 Corridor. June 26, 1979 Item No. 7 - Continued 3. That the Commission include the statement that approval of this matter was not in any way a blanket endorsement of nonresidential development for the I-430 Corridor. The applicant, David Henry, made a brief presentation to the Planning Commission addressing several of the staff comments. In addition, he presented a more recent survey of the property which included a proposed routing for the interchange which had been under discussion. In addition, he tried to give the Planning Commission as much information as was available to him regarding the proposed tenant for this site. He did state that his clients were willing to be bound by the office park district regulations as presently written in the new Zoning Ordinance under consideration at this time. In addition to Mr. Henry, Vernon Markham, representing the Chamber of Commerce, made a brief talk to the Planning Commission talking primarily about how the Planning Commission, the Board of Directors and the Chamber of Commerce must work together in order to bring about better industrial development in Little Rock. After a lenghty discussion, the Planning Commission moved to approve the application with the condition that Mr. Henry provide the City with a letter indicating their intention to allow themselves to be bound by site plan review should the property not develop as presently expected. The motion passed - 10 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent. In addition, Chairman Hamilton proposed a resolution to the Board of Directors' requesting that they ask Team Four to prepare a special study of the I-430 Corridor. After a brief discussion, the Commission moved to accept the resolution. The motion passed - 8 ayes, 1 nay, 1 absent and 1 abstaining. Terry Mathews abstained, citing a lack of adequate information.