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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-3442-H Staff AnalysisApril 3, 2003 ITEM NO.- 5 FILE NO.: Z -3442-H NAME: Wal-Mart — Revised Conditional Use Permit LOCATION: 8801 Baseline Road OWNER/APPLICANT: Wal-Mart Stores/Quattlebaum, Grooms, Tull and Burrow PROPOSAL: A revision to a previously approved conditional use permit is requested to allow for an expansion of the time allowed for outdoor — seasonal display and sales. The property is zoned 1-2. ORDINANCE DESIGN STANDARDS: 2 3 SITE LOCATION: The site is located on the south side of 1-30, at Baseline Road. COMPATIBILITY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD: Wal-Mart has been at this site for approximately 10 years. It was expanded to a Supercenter some 4 years ago. The area of outdoor display is located near the northwest corner of the store; at a point well within the commercial development and away from the residential neighborhood to the east. Allowing the area of outdoor merchandise sales, under controlled conditions, should not affect the development's compatibility with the neighborhood. All owners of property located within 200 feet of the site, all residents within 300 feet who could be identified and the SWLR United for Progress, West Baseline, Mavis Circle and Pinedale Neighborhood Associations were notified of this request. ON SITE DRIVES AND PARKING: The Wal-Mart is accessed via two driveways off of Baseline Road and an intersecting driveway through the shopping center to the west that accesses the 1-30 Frontage Road. The site has 849 parking spaces, 40 of which are used for the outside, seasonal display area. This 201,172 square foot retail store requires 543 parking spaces. 4. SCREENING AND BUFFERS: No Comments. April 3, 2003 ITEM NO.: 5 Cont. FILE NO.: Z -3442-H 5. PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS: No Comments. 6, UTILITY FIRE DEPT. AND CATA COMMENTS: Wastewater: Sewer available, not adversely affected. Entergy: Approved as submitted. Reliant: No Comments received. Southwestern Bell: Approved as submitted. Water: No objection. Fire Department: Approved as submitted. County Planning: No Comments. CATA: Site is on bus route #17 and 17A but has no effect on bus radius, turnout and route. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (MARCH 13, 2003) Jeb Joyce was present representing the application. Staff presented the item and noted there was little additional information needed. Staff asked Mr. Joyce to provide information on the treatment of the perimeter of the proposed outdoor sales area and to state whether any tents or other structures are proposed to be erected in conjunction with the request. Mr. Joyce stated he would provide the information to staff. There were no comments from staff regarding any Public Works or Landscape issues. The Committee determined there were no other issues and forwarded the item to the full Commission. STAFF ANALYSIS: A 199,140 square foot Wal-Mart Supercenter is located on the 21+ acre tract at 8801 Baseline Road. The site also contains an 849 space parking lot. The southern portion of the site, where the building and a small portion of the parking lot are located, is zoned 1-2. The northern portion, containing the remainder of the parking lot and detention areas, is zoned C-3. 1 April 3, 2003 ITEM NO.: 5 (Cont. FILE NO.: Z -3442-H A conditional use permit was first approved in February 1992 to allow construction of the Wal-Mart. The conditional use permit was revised in September 1992 to allow an expansion for food sales. In November 1992, the conditional use permit was further revised, eliminating the proposed expansion and making some other changes to the site plan. In August 1997, after the store was built, the conditional use permit was revised to allow an area of outdoor - seasonal sales in an area encompassing 30 parking spaces for a period of 120 days each year and to allow for the use of trailers behind the building for seasonal layaway storage. In April 1998, the conditional use permit was revised to allow the expansion into a Supercenter. There was no change in the outdoor - seasonal display or trailer storage. In April 1999, the conditional use permit was revised to allow the outdoor -seasonal sales area to be expanded to encompass 40 parking spaces and to allow sidewalk merchandise display. The approval was for 150 days each year and allowed the outdoor display area to be equal to 105% of the building's fagade area. There was no change in the 120 days each year approved for use of the layaway trailers. Wal-Mart is now requesting approval of another revision to the conditional use permit to allow the area of outdoor -seasonal sales to be 258 days each year; January 1 — September 15. No expansion of the outdoor -seasonal sales area is proposed and no change is proposed in the 120 days per year for the layaway trailers. The outdoor -seasonal sales will remain in the location previously approved; on the sidewalk and in a portion of the parking lot near the building's northwest corner. No tents or other structures will be erected in conjunction with the outdoor -seasonal sales. The boundary of the garden center area consists of an approximately three (3) foot high fence, constructed with timbers and cinder blocks. In addition to outlining the boundary of the garden center, the fence protects shoppers from automobiles in the parking lot. Several "gardening beds" are constructed with sheets of wood set on cinder blocks, and Wal-Mart places plants and flowers for sale on these gardening beds. Bags of mulch and potting soil, which are located on the ground within the garden center boundary, are also for sale. Each day when the garden center is open, a Wal-Mart employee is assigned to maintain the garden center. This employee is directed to frequently sweep the loose soil and debris which gathers in the garden center, and to pick up any trash around the center. In addition to this employee who provides maintenance for the garden center, other employees are assigned to the center to provide customer service. These employees assist employees during the busier day hours, and during the slower night hours (this is a 24 hour Wal-Mart), the employees water the plants and reorganize the area for the next day's business. As to the garden center structures, Wal-Mart sells the lumber when the garden center is required to be disassembled, and stores the cinder blocks for the next year. Parking is allowed on the area where the garden center is located during the times of year 3 April 3, 2003 ITEM NO.: 5 ,(Cont. FILE NO.: Z -3442-H in which the garden center is not in operation. As to products sold in the garden center, a smaller amount of plants and soil are available inside the store throughout the year, but Wal-Mart orders greater amounts of these products for sale during the times of the year in which the garden center is in operation. N Staff is supportive of the requested change. Allowing the extended time for outdoor -seasonal sales should have no effect on adjacent properties. The sales areas are located on the sidewalk and at the northwest corner of the building, well within the overall commercial shopping center area and away from the street and abutting properties. No additional signage is proposed. Signage for the sales area consists of point of purchase product identification and prices,. On March 18, 2003, the applicant submitted responses to staff issues raised at Subdivision Committee and reflected in the above analysis. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the amended conditional use permit, as filed. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (APRIL 3, 2003) The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. Letters of support had been submitted by the West Baseline and SWLR United for Progress Neighborhood Associations. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of approval. There was no further discussion. The item was placed in the Consent Agenda and approved by a vote of 8 ayes, 0 noes and 3 absent. 12