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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-4001-C Staff AnalysisMay 15, 2003 ITEM NO.: WIT&MI FILE NO.: Z -4001-C Oak Park Baptist Church — Conditional Use Permit LOCATION: 8200 Flintridge Road OWNER/APPLICANT: Oak Park Baptist Church/David Harris, Pastor PROPOSAL: A conditional use permit is requested to allow for expansion of parking and the addition of a Family Life Center building on this existing R-2 zoned church site. ORDINANCE DESIGN STANDARDS: SITE LOCATION: The property is located at the northwest corner of 1-430 and Stagecoach Road; along the Frontage Road (Flintridge Road). 2, COMPATIBILITY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD: The church has been a component of this neighborhood for many years. Undeveloped, wooded property is located to the north. A C-4 zoned tract containing a bookkeeping business is adjacent to the east. 1-430 and the Stagecoach interchange are located east and south of the site. A nonconforming salvage yard is adjacent to the west. Allowing the proposed parking expansion and family life center addition will not affect the church's continued 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 Crystal Valley, Stagecoach -Dodd and SWLR United for Progress Neighborhood Associations were notified of this request. 3. ON SITE DRIVES AND PARKING: The church site is accessed via two driveways off of Flintridge Road. The existing, paved parking area around the church contains 45 parking spaces. Some parking occurs on the adjacent, unpaved tracts. The church proposes to add 85 new parking spaces with the construction of new parking and the rehabilitation of the existing parking. No new curb cuts are proposed. This existing church has a seating capacity of 250 persons, requiring 62 parking spaces. The proposed 130 parking spaces satisfy the parking requirement. May 15, 2003 ITEM NO.: 3.1 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -4001-C 4. SCREENING AND BUFFERS: Property to the north is zoned R-2, therefore the buffer ordinance requires an average thirty-three (33) foot wide landscape strip. The landscape ordinance will also require a minimum of nine -foot (9) landscape strip. The property to the east requires a nine (9) foot wide minimum landscape strip. Currently the site shows 8.61 feet. An irrigation system to water landscaped areas will be required. Prior to a building permit being issued, it will be necessary to provide an approved landscape plan stamped with the seal of a Registered Landscape Architect. A six (6) foot high opaque screen, either a wooden fence with its face side directed outward, a wall, or evergreen plantings are required along the northern and western perimeters of the site. The City Beautiful Commission recommends preserving as many existing trees as feasible on this tree covered site. Credit toward fulfilling Landscape Ordinance requirements can be given when preserving trees of six (6) inch caliper or larger. Trees that are to be preserved will need protective orange fencing placed around the critical root zone areas prior to the beginning of any construction. This will need to be noted on both the grading/site plan and the landscape plan. Curb and gutter or another approved border will be required to protect landscaped areas from vehicular traffic. 5. PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS: 1. A grading permit in accordance with section 29-186(c) and (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. 2. Storm water detention ordinance applies to this property. Show the proposed location for stormwater detention facilities on the plan. 3. A special Grading Permit for Flood Hazard Areas will be required per Sec. 8-283 prior to construction. 2 May 15, 2003 ITEM NO.: 3.1 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -4001-C 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: Contact Central Arkansas Water if larger and/or additional water meter(s) are required. The Little Rock Fire Department needs to evaluate this site to determine whether additional public and/or private fire hydrant(s) will be required. If additional fire hydrant(s) are required, they will be installed at the Developer's expense. This development will have minor impact on existing water distribution system. Proposed water facilities will be sized to provide adequate pressure and fire protection. Fire Department: On-site fire hydrants will be required. County Planning: No Comments received. CATA: Site is not located on a dedicated bus route and has no effect on bus radius, turnout and route. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (APRIL 24, 2003) The applicant was present. Staff presented the item and noted additional information was needed regarding building design, signage, site lighting, on-site parking, fencing and the seating capacity of the sanctuary. Staff noted there was a wireless communication facility compound on the site that needed to be noted on the site plan. Staff noted that the driveway north of the proposed family life center intruded into the land use buffer on the north perimeter. Staff noted that the driveway could be reduced in width and labeled for one-way traffic only, thereby providing for the required landscape strip. The applicant indicated that the proposal would be studied. It was noted that a variance from the requirement to provide a 33 -foot buffer on the north perimeter might be an option, as long as the required 9 -foot wide landscape strip was provided. Public Works and Landscape Comments were discussed. The applicant was asked to indicate the status of the remainder of Tract 1 and to label any areas to remain undisturbed. Staff noted that any trees to be preserved would have to be properly protected during construction. 3 May 15, 2003 ITEM NO.: 3.1 (Cont. FILE NO.: Z -4001-C The applicant was advised to respond to staff issues by April 30, 2003. The Committee determined there were no other issues and forwarded the item to the full Commission. STAFF ANALYSIS: Oak Park Baptist Church is located on the R-2 zoned, 1.567 acre tract at 8200 Flintridge Road. The church is proposing an expansion consisting of additional parking and a 28,000 square foot family life center building. The expansion will occur on two adjacent tracts located directly north and west of the existing church site. One of the tracts is currently zoned C-4. A rezoning request to R-2 for that tract is item no. 3 on this agenda. The 0.834 acre, C-4 zoned tract is cleared and mostly gravel -covered. Concrete foundations remain on the tract from former commercial buildings. The 5t acre tract on the west is heavily wooded. The parking lot and a portion of the family life center will occupy only a small percentage of this tract. The remainder will stay undeveloped and natural. Staff is supportive of the request. The church and its proposed expansion are compatible with uses in the area which include a salvage yard to the west, a commercial use to the east, wooded tracts and single family homes on large tracts to the north and the 1-430/Stagecoach Road interchange to the south. On April 30, 2003, the applicant submitted revised site plans and responses to staff issues raised at Subdivision Committee. The proposed new building will have a height of 37 feet and will be constructed of metal and masonry with a metal roof. The church has an existing ground -mounted sign and no additional signage is proposed. Site lighting is to be "shoebox" style lighting on 30 -foot tall poles; designed to aim the light downward and into the site. The existing cellular tower site has been shown on the site plan. It will have no effect on the proposed expansion. The new parking has been modified to provide the required landscape strip on the north and east perimeters closest to the family life center. A 6 -foot tall wood fence will be installed along the north perimeter, directly north of the new building. The driveway north of the new building has been converted to one-way traffic and reduced in width to provide the required landscaping on that perimeter. Staff supports a variance from the requirement to have a 33 -foot land use buffer on that perimeter in light of the 6 -foot fence, the undeveloped nature of the adjacent property and the fact that this tract was previously used as a commercial site. The larger portion of Tract 1 will remain in its undisturbed, natural, wooded state. The wooded area along the north and west perimeters of this tract will satisfy the screening requirement. CI May 15, 2003 ITEM NO.: 3.1 -(Cont.) _ FILE NO.: Z -4001-C STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the requested conditional use permit subject to compliance with the following conditions: 1. Tract 2 must be rezoned to R-2 from C-4. 2. Compliance with the staff comments and conditions outlined in Sections 4, 5 and 6 of the staff report: 3. All site lighting must be directional, aimed downward and into the site. 4. Compliance with the approved site plan. 5. The remainder of Tract 1 is to remain in its natural, wooded state. Staff recommends approval of the land use buffer variance on the north perimeter directly north of the family life center and the request to utilize the existing wooded west, north and south portions of Tract 1 to satisfy the screening and land use buffer requirements for that tract. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (MAY 15, 2003) The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. A letter of support from Southwest Little Rock United for Progress had been received. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of approval subject to compliance with the conditions outlined in the "Staff Recommendation" above. There was no further discussion. The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and approved as recommended by staff. The vote was 11 ayes, 0 noes and 0 absent. 5