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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-4100-B Staff AnalysisJanuary 21, 1999 ITEM NO.• 18 NAME: LOCATION• OWNER/APPLICANT: PROPOSAL• ORDINANCE DESIGN STANDARDS: 1. Site Location: FILE NO.: Z -4100-B Mount St. Mary Academy Expansion - Revised Conditional Use Permit 3224 Kavanaugh Boulevard Sisters of Mercy/Hank Kelley and White Daters Architects To amend an existing conditional use permit to allow for additions to existing facilities and additional parking with no additions to enrollment, at 3224 Kavanaugh Boulevard on property zoned R-2 Single Family Residential. This site is located on the n&th side of Kavanaugh Blvd within the Mount St. Mary Academy. 2. Comvatibility with Neighborhood: This existing 9.5 acre high school site is zoned R2 and is surrounded mostly by R2 and R4, Single and Two Family duplex zoning, plus a small area of C3 and 03 zoning to the south. The additional parking will provide more on-site parking, and driveways which are farther from intersections. These measures should improve and lessen the impact on the neighborhood by improving flow and reducing on -street parking. This proposal would be compatible with the neighborhood. The Hillcrest, Prospect Terrace, and South Normandy Neighborhood Associations were notified of the public hearing. 3. On -Site Drives and Parkin This phased plan shows three driveways onto Jackson Street from parking areas. That is too many for the street frontage shown and the Southern most driveway on Jackson Street is to close to Kavanaugh. It should be 100 feet away. Staff would prefer that the Southern most parking area be moved farther north and if possible combine the driveways for it and the next January 21, 1999 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 18 FILE NO.: Z -4100-B parking area along Jackson. If that is not possible then work with Public Works on an acceptable compromise and waiver. Parking requirements are exceeded. The site requires 234 parking spaces based on 39 classrooms and 296 are being provided once all three phases are completed. 4. screening and -Buffers: a.Areas set aside for buffers and landscaping for the proposed expansion meet with ordinance requirements. b. The City Beautiful Commission recommends preserving as many existing trees as feasible. Extra credit toward fulfilling Landscape Ordinance requirements can be given when preserving trees of 6 inch caliper or larger. c.Because of the site's grade changes, cross sections must be provided showing proposed landscaping treatments and parking lot cut information. d.Curb and gutter or another approved border will be required to protect landscaped areas. e. Prior to a building permit being issued, a detailed landscape plan must be approved by the Plans Review Specialist. 5. Public Works Comments: a.Kavanaugh Blvd. is listed on the Master Street Plan as a minor arterial. A dedication of right-of-way to 35 feet from centerline is required. b.Hillcrest Avenue is a commercial street. Dedicate right-of-way to 30 feet from centerline. c 20 feet radial dedication of right-of-way is required at the corner of Hillcrest Avenue and Jackson Street; Jackson Street and Kavanaugh Blvd. d. Jackson Street is one way. Staff will support a waiver of widening and reduction of right-of-way to 25 feet from centerline, and waiving driveway spacing. The southern parking lot drive on Jackson is too close to the intersection and also to the next driveway to the north. e.Provide a detail phasing and improvements plan to include street improvements. Coordinate improvements with the Lutheran Church to widen Hillcrest Avenue. f. Property frontage needs to have the sidewalks and ramps brought up to the current ADA standards. g.All driveways shall have concrete aprons per City Ordinance. h. Plans of all work in right-of-way shall be submitted E January 21, 1999 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 18 FILE NO.: Z -4100-B for approval prior to start of work. i. Stormwater detention ordinance applies to this property. j. Grading permit will be required on this new development if it disturbs more than one acre. k. Existing topographic information at maximum five foot contour interval 100 year base flood elevation is required. 1. A Sketch Grading and Drainage Plan per Sec. 29- 186(e) is required. m. A Grading Permit per Sec. 29-186(c) and (d) is required. n. Provide cross section views and cut data for new parking areas. 6. Utility and Fire Department Comments: Water: Contact the Water Works for additional meters. Contact the LR. Fire Department to determine requirements for additional fire protection. Every effort should be made to avoid the 39" and 42- raw water lines with any changes in grade and storm drainage on Hillcrest. Wastewater: Sewer available,"remaining capacity of existing mains unknown. Contact Little Rock Wastewater Utility for details. Southwestern Bell: Approved as submitted. ARKLA: Approved as submitted. Entergy: No Comments received. Fire Department: Approved as submitted. LATA: This site is on LATA Route #1 (Pulaski Heights), and part time Route #22 (Pleasant Valley). 7. Staff Analysis: There are two previous conditional use permits for this site. The first, Z-3959, was obtained on November 3, 1981 for a convent with three buildings. The second, Z-4100, formalized the school conditional use permit and approved adding buildings on November 1, 1983. Now the applicant is requesting a revised conditional use permit for a three phase expansion of existing facilities on this 9.5 acre, R2 zoned property. The purpose is to improve existing facilities and be able to provide the kind of facilities required to meet 3 January 21, 1999 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 18 FILE NO.; Z -41.00-B today's educational standards. There is no intention to expand enrollment. Phase I includes a two story 15,000 square foot addition to provide new classrooms and labs for the science department. The entrance/exit from Jackson Street into the North parking area would also be relocated further south along Jackson street as part of this phase. Phase II would include rehabilitating the existing main classroom building to remove asbestos, install new heating and air conditioning, upgrading electrical, communication and security systems, plus window replacement. Phase III would include constructing a new 15,000 square foot auditorium and support space adjacent to the south side of the main classroom building, and adding two parking areas along Kavanaugh Boulevard containing approximately 144 new parking spaces. On-site drives and parking, screening and buffers requirements are all met or exceeded. The applicant plans to maintain the overall—park-like" character of the site and preserve existing trees wherever possible. The additional on site parking should help reduce the impact on the neighborhood by reducing street -side parking, but will need to be well landscaped to screen it from Kavanaugh. 8. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the revised conditional use permit subject to the following conditions: a. Comply with comments under "screening and buffers" b. Comply with Public Works Comments. c_ --Comply with Water Works Comments. Staff also recommends approval of a waiver of Jackson street widening and reduction of right-of-way to 25 feet from centerline, and approval of a waiver of driveway spacing on Jackson Street. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (DECEMBER 30, 1998) Tim Daters from White-Daters & Associates, Inc. was present representing the application. Staff gave a brief description of the proposal. Discussion took place mainly regarding Public Works comments 4 January 21, 1999 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 18 FILE NO.: Z -4100-B and requirements, and the need for more detail for landscaping and cross sections showing how much cutting would be involved for the new parking areas. There being no further issues, the Committee accepted the proposal and forwarded the item to the full Commission for final resolution. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JANUARY 21, 1999) Sister Deborah Troillett, Tommy Jameson, and Tim Daters were present representing the application. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the item with a recommendation for approval subject to compliance with "Screening and Buffers", Public Works, and Water Works comments. Under Public Works item e, the detailed phasing plan would have to be submitted prior to obtaining a building permit. Staff also recommended approval of a waiver to widening of Jackson Street, reduction of the right-of-way required to 25 feet from centerline and to the required spacing of driveways along Jackson Street. Commissioner Berry outlined his concerns that the school's proposal includes increasing net parking capacity which he stated he felt may not be necessary or appropriate for this hillside development. He asked if the school would be willing to make the new parking area a single row instead of two rows. That would keep the number closer to the current number of spaces once all three phases are completed. The original proposal would result in approximately 60 spaces over the minimum requirement. Current on site available spaces match the minimum. He stated he would prefer the school come back to the Commission when they are ready for Phase III and justify additional parking then with current actual needs rather than projections. Mr. Jameson responded with some background on the development of the school's master plan and he stated why they felt the parking was appropriate and necessary. Their main justification was to address the neighborhood's expressed desire to reduce daily student parking on the streets, and also during events which could be held in the new 700 seat auditorium to be built in Phase III. He added that the school does not want to build the parking lot and won't if it doesn't have to. However, they would want this included in this C.U.P. so that if, at the time of Phase III, the school and neighborhood agree the parking is needed, it could be built without having to come back to the Commission. Sister Troillett added that reduced allowable on -street parking in the neighborhood has added to the problem. 5 January 21, 1999 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: IS FIT.E NO.: 177 -410p -B Commissioner Nunnley asked about the school's total number of students and faculty, and if Public Works had any traffic concerns. Sister Troillett stated there are approximately 600 students, plus 50-60 faculty, and the parking serves both. Public Works stated they are comfortable with the traffic flow on and off this site once improvements are made to Hillcrest Street. Commissioner Nunnley added that the issue here is that this amount of parking does not meet the common sense test, is not needed, and removes an open green space that should be maintained. Commissioner Hawn approved of increasing on-site parking versus taking up street parking. Commissioner Muse asked how many students at most usually drive and the response from Sister Troillett was about 240. Commissioners Putnam and Rahman applauded the school's efforts as good stewards of their property and would rely on their judgment regarding the building of additional parking as shown in this master plan. Commissioner Faust expressed concern with approving increased parking spaces up to 10 years in advance which may not be built or needed. Mr. Lawson, Planning Director, pointed out that staff encourages institutions to come in with master plans rather than piece -meal approaches. Some of these plans have forecasted as much as 20 years into the future. St. Mary's has done what the City requested and yet we are now asking them to come back later with Phase III. Commissioner Lowry expressed concern over whether the inconvenience of coming back to the Commission in the future outweighed the possibility of their being another solution in 10 years. Chairman Earnest made the point that what the Commission is looking at is a conceptual master plan. He stated that he does not believe the school board and managers would build something that is not needed or can be met through other methods. A motion was made to approve the application as submitted to include staff comments and recommendations, including the recommendation to the Board to approve the waiver of Jackson Street widening and reduction of right-of-way to 25 feet from centerline, and waiver of driveway spacing on Jackson Street. The motion passed by a vote of 6 ayes, 4 nays and 1 absent. 6