HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-5333-A - 501-503 E.21st St - Staff Rpt
File No.: Z-5333-A
Owner: Jaybird Investments LLC
Applicant: Mike Orndorff
Address: 501-503 E 21st St
Legal Description: Lots 1 & 2, Block 407, Duvall’s Subdivision to Little Rock, Arkansas
Zoned: C-3
Variance Requested: A variance is requested from the area provisions of Section
36-301 to allow a building addition with a reduced front yard
setback.
Justification: The applicant’s justification is presented as per the attached letter.
Present Use: Vacant
Proposed Use: Mixed-use, Residential / Retail
STAFF REPORT
A. Planning and Development Civil Engineering:
No Comments
B. Landscape and Buffer Issues:
1. Site plan must comply with the City's minimal landscape and buffer ordinance
requirements.
2. A perimeter planting strip is required along any side of a vehicular use area that abuts adjoining property or the right-of-way of any street. This strip shall be at least nine (9)
feet wide. The property is located in the City’s designated mature area. A twenty-five (25%) percent reduction of the buffer requirements is acceptable. The minimum dimension of the
perimeter planting strip shall be six (6) feet nine (9) inches. One (1) tree and three (3) shrubs or vines shall be planted for every thirty (30) linear feet of perimeter planting
strip.
The north and south perimeter planting strips are deficient.
3. Screening requirements will need to be met for the vehicular use areas adjacent to street rights-of-way. Provide screening shrubs with an average linear spacing of not less at three
(3) feet within the required landscape area. Provide trees with an average linear spacing of not less than thirty (30) feet.
4. A land use buffer six (6) percent of the average width / depth of the lot will be required when an adjacent property has a dissimilar use of a more restrictive nature. As a component
of all land use buffer requirements, opaque screening, whether a fence or other device, a minimum of six (6) feet in height shall be required upon the property line side of the buffer.
A minimum of seventy (70) percent of the land use buffer shall be undisturbed. Easements cannot count toward fulfilling this requirement. The plantings, existing and purposed, shall
be provided within the landscape ordinance of the city, section 15-81.
Screening requirements will need to be met adjacent to the north residential zoned property. Surveyor to mark and place protective fencing adjacent to the residential buffer before
any site work begins.
7. An irrigation system shall be required for developments of one (1) acre or larger.
For developments of less than one (1) acre a there shall be a water source within seventy-five (75) feet of all plant material if an automatic irrigation system is not provided.
8. All landscape areas shall be protected as per City of Little Rock Landscape Ordinance (Sec. 15-100). Provide notes on plan specifying type and location of mulch, edging, wheel stops,
and/or concrete curb and gutter.
9. All ground or roof mounted mechanical systems shall be screened from abutting properties and streets. Any trash receptacles or pickup shall be oriented away from a primary street
side of the property and screened from the public right-of-way. Screen shall exceed the height of the dumpster or trash containment areas by at least two (2) feet no to exceed eight
(8) feet total height.
10. The City Beautiful Commission recommends preserving as many existing trees as feasible on this site. Credit toward fulfilling Landscape Ordinance requirements can be given when
preserving trees of six (6) inch caliper or larger
D. Staff Analysis:
The C-3 zoned property located on the southeast corner of E 21st and Commerce Streets was until recently occupied by a small one-story masonry building. The
800 sf structure was built in 1925 and has served various commercial ventures throughout the years, including a coffee shop, hair salon, and daycare. Recently the building has stood
unoccupied and was razed by the owner to provide for a new mixed-use property.
The property to the east is occupied by a park while the properties north of the site are zoned C-3 across 21st ST.
The overall site is divided by two .16 acre lots. The applicant has stated that they intend to construct two separate buildings for each of these parcels. Both buildings will be 3-stories
in height with retail space and residential on the ground floor and apartments and townhomes on the second and third floors. The site plan indicates Building 1 to be located on the
corner of Lot 1 with first floor retail facing 21st and S Commerce Streets with two ground floor residential units fronting Commerce St. at the rear of the building. Building 2 is shown
to face E.21st St with two retail spaces located on the street and three residential units placed behind these spaces on the ground floor. A courtyard will be located between the two
buildings and 16 off street parking spaces will be provided on site behind the buildings.
Multi-use developments supporting both retail and residential within a single building are allowable under C-3 zoning. However, this zoning classification does require a 25-foot front
yard setback. In addition, multi-family developments in this zoning are required to adhere to R-5 zoning standards which only allow a density of 36 units per acre. A .16-acre site would
only allow a density of 6 units per on each lot of this development. Parking is required at the rate of 1.5 spaces per multi-family unit and 1 space for every 400 square feet of retail
space. The floor plans submitted by the applicant indicated 21 residential spaces and approximately 2075 square feet of retail space. This would require a minimum of 36 on-site parking
spaces.
Section 36-301 (e)(1) Front yard. states, “There shall be a front yard having a depth of not less than twenty-five (25) feet to the front line of the building. Additionally, Section
36-301 (e)(2) Side Yard. states, “… On a corner lot, the side yard on the street side or exterior side shall be equal to the front yard setback.” Therefore, the applicant is requesting
a variance to allow the building to be constructed with a 0-lot line placing the structures on the property line adjacent to the E 21st and S Commerce Streets right-of-way
Section 36-259 (b)(1)(b) states, “Multifamily residential structures not to exceed thirty-six (36) units per gross acre.” Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to increase
the density of the sites to allow 12 residential units on Lot 1 and 13 residential units on Lot 2.
Section 36-502(b)(1) Residential Uses (c) states, “Other, 1.5 spaces per unit.” and Section 36-502(b)(3)(a) states, “General business and retail sales (except as otherwise provided herein).
One (1) space per four hundred (400) square feet of gross floor area….” Therefore, the applicant is requesting that the on-site parking requirements for this mixed-use development be
reduced to 16 on-site parking spaces.
Historically, this section of E 21st Street was the commercial center of the neighborhood, and it is reflected in the current zoning, as most surrounding
properties are zoned C-3, General Commercial district on both sides of the street with the remainder of the properties being zoned R-4. The Pettaway Neighborhood is seeing continued
investment in the construction of new homes and renovation of older homes.
A similar development is under construction northwest of the subject property in the 400 block of E 21st Street. A PCD was approved in June of 2020 that provided for a multi-building
mixed use development that included six (6) buildings with residential, office and commercial uses. Each building will be two (2) stories in height, with the building height not to
exceed 35 feet. As part of the development the buildings were allowed to be constructed adjacent to the front property line and interior parking was reduced.
Staff views the setback, density, and parking variances as reasonable. The proposed front and side yard setbacks will not be out of character with how the neighboring PCD property to
the northwest is being developed. The density of the project is approaching R-6 high rise development or 72 units per acre. The largest living unit measures at approximately 700 sq
ft with the smallest apartment measuring approximately 400 Square feet.
The proposed parking does not meet the north or south or perimeter planting strip requirements of a minimum of 6-feet 9-inches. A variance from The City Beautiful Commission will be
required before the parking can be developed as indicated on the site plan. Staff recommends reducing the parking to 4 spaces and providing perimeter planting areas, landscape, and
screening as per Chapter 15 – Landscaping and Tree Protection.
E. Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommends approval of the side setback variance, subject to the following conditions:
1. Compliance with the Landscape and Buffer requirements as noted in paragraph B. of the staff report.
2. Revise plan to remove / eliminate concrete curb and gutter from extending beyond north property line onto adjacent property and adjacent property alleyway frontage at the northwest
portion of the site,