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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-3960-A Staff AnalysisJuly 7, 2005 ITEM NO.: 14 FILE NO.: Z -3960-A NAME: Southern Automotive Short -Form PD -C LOCATION: Located at 7305 Cantrell Road DEVELOPER: Southern Automotive Companies 7321 Cantrell Road Little Rock, AR 72207 ENGINEER: The Holloway Firm, Inc. 200 Casey Drive Maumelle, AR 72113 AREA: 0.638 acres CURRENT ZONING ALLOWED USES PROPOSED ZONING: PROPOSED USE: NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 C-3 General Commercial P D -C Automobile dealership VARIANCESM/AIVERS REQUESTED: FT. NEW STREET: 0 LF 1. Waiver of required right-of-way dedication for Cantrell Road and Kentucky Street 2. Waiver of required street improvements to Cantrell Road and Kentucky Street A. PROPOSAUREQUEST: The applicants propose to redevelop this site for temporary use as an automobile dealership. The proposal is to remove all buildings from the site and build in their place a paved and landscaped parking lot for vehicle display and customer parking and a temporary office building. The applicants propose to operate the automobile dealership for no more than 24 months after which, the property is to revert to C-3. The proposed dealership is in conjunction with the automobile July 7, 2005 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 14 (Contj FILE NO.: Z -3960-A dealership which is located one lot to the west. Waivers of right-of-way dedication and street improvements are requested. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The site currently contains two vacant commercial buildings and a paved parking area. The property is located within an intensely commercial corridor containing a variety of commercial uses. Multifamily uses are located across Kentucky Street to the south. Commercial use are located to the north, east and west. C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: All owners of property located within 200 feet of this site, all residents within 300 feet who could be identified and the Meriwether Neighborhood Association were notified of this proposal. D. ENGINEERING COMMENTS: Cantrell Road is classified on the Master Street Plan as a principal arterial. Dedication of right-of-way to 55 feet from centerline will be required. The centerline shown must be corrected to 24 feet from Cantrell's south curb line. The north curb line is misleading because developers already widened that side. 2. The proposed land use would classify Kentucky Street on the Master Street Plan as a commercial street. Dedicate right-of-way to 30 feet from centerline. Public Works supports a variance to 25 feet from centerline. 3. With site development, provide design of street conforming to the Master Street Plan. Construct one-half street improvement to these streets including 5 -foot sidewalks with planned development. Public Works supports a variance to a 13 -ft half width for Kentucky Street, or to match any nearby established curb lines. Sidewalk may be per detail PW -44, adjacent to curb with upturned short wall. Cantrell requires construction of half a lane, to bring street into conformance with the 5 -lane standard for this arterial. 4. All driveways shall be concrete aprons per City Ordinance. 5. Obtain permits for improvements within State Highway right-of-way from AHTD, District VI. 6. Plans of all work in right-of-way shall be submitted for approval prior to start of work. Obtain barricade permit for Kentucky Street prior to doing any work in the right-of-way from Traffic Engineering at (501) 379-1817 (Derrick Bergfield). 1 July 7, 2005 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 14 FILE NO.: Z -3960-A 7. A grading permit in accordance with Section 29-186 (c) & (d) will be required prior to any land clearing or grading activities at the site. Site grading, and drainage plans will need to be submitted and approved prior to the start of construction. 8. Cantrell Road has a 2003 average daily traffic count of 32,000 vehicles per day. 9. Widen driveway onto Kentucky Road for two (2) way truck access. E. UTILITIES AND FIRE DEPARTMENT/COUNTY PLANNING: Wastewater: Existing sewer main on site. No building construction within five feet of any existing sewer main. Contact Little Rock Wastewater Utility for details. Entergy: No Comments received. Reliant: Approved as submitted. Southwestern Bell: No Comments received. Water: Contact Central Arkansas Water if larger and/or additional water meter(s) are required. Additional fire hydrant(s) will be required. Contact the Little Rock Fire Department to obtain information regarding the required placement of the hydrant(s) and contact Central Arkansas Water regarding procedures for installation of the hydrant(s). Fire Department: Fire hydrant will be required. County Planning: No Comments. CATA: The site is located on a CATA Bus Route. F. ISSUES/TECHNICAL/DESIGN: Planning Division: This request is located in the West Little Rock Planning District. The Land Use Plan shows Commercial for this property. The applicant has applied for a zoning change from C-3 (General Commercial District) to PCD (Planned Commercial Development) for construction of a temporary auto sales lot. The request does not require a change to the Land Use Plan. 9 July 7, 2005 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 14(Cont.)FILE NO.: Z -3960-A Master Street Plan: Cantrell Road is shown as a Principal Arterial on the Master Street Plan and Kentucky Avenue is shown as a Local Commercial Street. The primary function of a Principal Arterial is to serve through traffic and to connect major traffic generators or activity centers within urbanized areas. The primary function of a Local Street is to provide access to adjacent properties. Local Commercial Streets are built to Collector standards. Entrances and exits should be limited from Cantrell Road to minimize negative effects of traffic and pedestrians. The highway department is planning on future addition of a center turn lane along this section of Cantrell Road to alleviate traffic concerns. These streets will require dedication of right-of-way and may require street improvements. Bicycle Plan: Existing or proposed Class I, II, or III Bikeways are not in the immediate vicinity of the development. City Recognized Neighborhood Action Plan: The applicant's property lies in the area covered by the Midtown Neighborhood Action Plan. The Commercial Development goal is "To increase the long-term viability of our retail, office, and medical centers, and prevent destabilization of surrounding neighborhoods." Several action statements are relevant to this case. These action statements indicate a desire to continue to service regional demand, transition to a pedestrian friendly environment, increase the amount of greenspace and landscaping in the area, revitalize declining commercial areas, and support smart growth and infill development. Even though this application is temporary, it does represent redevelopment in the area_ The redevelopment will lead to new landscaping and street and sidewalk improvements helping to achieve the neighborhood plan goals. Landscape: With the dedication of right-of-way along Cantrell Road, the plan submitted will not provide the minimum nine -foot wide street buffer required by the Zoning Ordinance nor the minimum 6 -foot 9 -inch wide perimeter landscape strip required by the Landscape Ordinance. A variance from the Landscape Ordinance will require City Beautiful Commission approval. Compliance with the City's Landscape and Buffer Ordinances is required. G. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (June 16, 2005) The applicants were present. Staff presented the item and noted additional information was needed regarding signage, days and hours of operation, number of employees, site lighting, dumpster location and screening and fencing. The 4 July 7, 2005 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 14 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -3960-A applicant was asked to label employee parking spaces and to submit a copy of the current bill of assurance. The applicant was advised to remove the two display islands nearest the northwest corner of the site due to sight -distance concerns. Staff informed the Committee that the proposed use was for a maximum of 2 years, after which the property is proposed to revert to C-3. Public Works, Utility and Landscape Comments were noted and discussed. Much discussion took place regarding the applicants' desire to have the required right-of-way dedication and street improvements waived. Staff noted that the centerline of Cantrell Road was incorrectly labeled on the site plan. Staff stated they would accept a reduced standard of right-of-way dedication and street widening for Kentucky Street but a complete waiver could not be supported for either street. The applicant stated the requirement to dedicate right-of-way and improve the streets should go to the future, permanent user; not this temporary user. Staff also commented that City Beautiful Commission approval would be needed, if the landscaping was in the right-of-way. The applicant was advised to respond to staff comments by June 22, 2005. The committee forwarded the item to the full Commission. H. ANALYSIS: The C-3 zoned property located at 7305 Cantrell Road is currently occupied by two, vacant commercial buildings and a paved parking area. Previous businesses on the site have sold lawn equipment and golf carts. The applicant is proposing, through a PD -C rezoning, to use the site, on a temporary basis, for an automobile sales lot. No other uses are proposed. The applicant proposes to remove the existing structures and to redevelop the site with a 1,960 square foot temporary office structure, new paving and new landscaping. The sales lot is to accommodate an additional line of inventory in conjunction with the Jaguar -Land Rover dealership which is located nearby to the west. The dealership is eventually relocating to Colonel Glenn Road and use of this lot for automobile sales is requested for a maximum of 24 months. At that time, the zoning is to revert from PD -C to C-3 and the temporary office building will be removed. The proposed temporary office building is to be located near the southwest corner of the site. An entrance -only driveway will be located on Cantrell Road and an exit -only drive will be located on Kentucky Street. The paved parking lot will accommodate 30 vehicles. Eight spaces are designated for customer parking and 22 spaces are indicated for vehicle display. An additional 3 vehicle display pads are located outside of the parking lot. Signage will consist of a single, ground -mounted sign on the Cantrell Road frontage and wall signs on the north, east and south facades of the building. The proposed signage complies with commercial district standards. Days and hours of operation are proposed as Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. to 5 July 7, 2005 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 14 Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -3960-A 4:00 p.m. No Sunday sales are proposed. Four employees will work at this site. They will park at the Jaguar dealership employee parking area. Site lighting is to be shielded downward and into the site. The site plan shows a single dumpster and required screening. A fence will be located on the south perimeter of the vehicle parking area, at the top of the slope down to Kentucky Street. The applicant is requesting a waiver of the required right-of-way dedication and street improvements for Cantrell Road and Kentucky Street. Staff does not support either waiver. Cantrell Road is a principal arterial, requiring 55 feet of right-of-way from the centerline. There currently is 30 feet of right-of-way, requiring a dedication of an additional 25 feet plus a radial dedication at the corner of Cantrell and Kentucky. The applicant's survey shows right-of-way for Kentucky Street at 25 feet from centerline. Staff will support this slight reduction from the required 30 feet from centerline due to the nature of this short commercial street. Improvements to both streets are needed. Staff will support franchising of the parking and landscaping in the Cantrell Road right-of-way. Allowing the landscaping in the right-of-way will also require City Beautiful Commission approval. Other than for the issues associated with the right-of-way dedication and street improvements, staff is supportive of the proposal to redevelop this site for temporary use as a vehicle sales lot. The bill of assurance is illegible but it is likely there is no bill of assurance issue. I. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the requested PD -C to allow for temporary use of this site as an automobile sales lot subject to compliance with the comments and conditions outlined in Sections D, E and F of the agenda Staff Report. Staff recommends denial of the requested waiver of right-of-way dedication and street improvements for Cantrell Road and Kentucky Street. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JULY 7, 2005) The applicants were present. Staff presented the item and recommended approval of the PD -C and denial of the right-of-way dedication and street improvement waivers. Dana Carney, of the Planning Staff, stated staff would accept a reduced right-of-way of 45 feet from centerline for Cantrell Road, a reduced right-of-way of 25 feet from centerline for Kentucky Street, half -street improvements for Kentucky Street and a two- year deferral of half -street improvements for Cantrell Road. Mr. Carney explained the importance of acquiring the needed right-of-way. He stated there was a nexus between the need for the right-of-way and the increased activity on the site. IV July 7, 2005 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 14 Cont. FILE NO.: Z -3960-A Bob Holloway, the project engineer, stated the use was temporary in nature and the dedication of right-of-way would impact the usability of the property. He stated the City, in the meantime, would benefit from having an improved site. Mr. Holloway stated any future user of the site would have to deal with the right-of-way issues prior to redeveloping the site for a permanent use. In response to a question from the Commission, Luke Quinn, real estate agent for the applicant, stated the applicant was a second lessor of the site and had no authority to dedicate right-of-way. There was a discussion of the need for the additional right-of-way and of the Master Street Plan requirement that right-of-way be dedicated through rezoning. Several commissioners voiced their thoughts that the benefit to the City of having the site improved for the temporary use outweighed the need to obtain right-of-way. Commissioner Rector asked the applicant to address the issue of half -street improvements to Kentucky Street. Mr. Holloway responded that the applicant would contribute $12,800 to an in -lieu account for the street improvements. Chairman Rahman commented that the City historically has required the dedication of right-of-way. Commissioner Rector stated it would be wise to take the $12,800 offered by the applicant and to add it to any money that might be spent by a future developer of this site to improve Kentucky Street. Lee Owens, owner and manager of the automobile dealership, stated he had to weigh the cost of making improvements, knowing the business would be relocating in less than 2 years. Commissioner Rector voiced support for the applicant's proposal and reiterated the applicant's commitment to contribute $12,800 into an in -lieu account for the street. A motion was made to waive the right-of-way dedication requirement during the period of this PD -C (both streets). The motion was approved by a vote of 10 ayes, 0 noes and 1 absent. A motion was then made to approve the PD -C application subject to compliance with all staff comments and conditions, except the requirement to dedicate right-of-way. The motion was approved by a vote of 10 ayes, 0 noes and 1 absent. 7