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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-4281-A Staff AnalysisJanuary 19, 2006 ITEM NO.: 5 FILE NO.: Z-42 NAME: New Light Baptist Church — Conditional Use Permit LOCATION: 3110 Battery Street OWNER/APPLICANT: New Light Baptist Church/Woods-Caradine Architects PROPOSAL: A conditional use permit is requested to allow for expansion of this existing church. The property is zoned R-3, Single Family. 1. SITE LOCATION: 2 3. The property is located on the west side of Battery Street, at 32nd Street. One of the proposed parking lots is located behind the church, fronting onto Summit Street. COMPATIBILITY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD: The property is located in a principally single family residential neighborhood. The church has been at this site for many years. With attention to proper landscaping and screening, the proposed expansion should 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 of the site who could be identified and the Southend Developers and Southend Neighborhood Associations were notified of this request. ON SITE DRIVES AND PARKING: The church currently has a 19 space parking lot located north of the existing building. The existing sanctuary seats 200 persons. The proposed new sanctuary will seat 400. Parking must be provided for the increased seating capacity. 200 seats require 50 parking spaces; 1 space for every 4 seats. The church is proposing to construct two new parking lots; a 20 space lot to be south of the new building and an 11 space lot to be west of the new building. The parking lots will be designed for one-way access, using angled parking. Staff is supportive of a parking variance. 4. SCREENING AND BUFFERS: Site plan must comply with the City's minimal landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. January 19, 2006 ITEM NO.: 5 [Cont. FILE NO.: Z Re -design of the proposed parking lots is recommended. With the use of 60 degree, angled, directional parking with egress/ingress by use of the existing alley most, if not all, of the following issues can become moot. Proposed site plan does not allow for the City's minimal landscaping and buffer requirements along the southern, western, and eastern property lines. Curb and gutter or another approved border will be required to protect landscaped areas from vehicular traffic. An automatic irrigation system to water landscaped areas will be required. Battery Street Parking Lot: The proposed parking lot along Battery Street does not allow for the City's minimal landscaping and buffer ordinance requirements. Along the southern property line, a minimum of nine (9) foot wide landscape buffer is required next to the residentially zoned property. In addition, a nine (9) foot wide landscape strip is required in this same area. This is a requirement of the landscape ordinance. This can be reduced to five (5) feet since this is redevelopment in the mature area. Approval is required from the City Beautiful Commission for a variance from this minimal requirement. In addition to this minimal landscape area, screening is required to be a six (6) foot high opaque screen, either a wooden fence with its face side directed outward, a wall, or dense evergreen plantings. The area between Battery Street and the proposed parking lot must be increased to a minimum of 9 foot wide to meet the City's minimum buffer ordinance requirements. The landscape ordinance will also require this area to be a minimum of six foot nine inches. Approval is required from the City Beautiful Commission for a variance from this minimal requirement. The landscape ordinance requires a three foot (3) wide minimum landscape strip between the parking lot(s) and the building, or in the general area. Summit Street Parking Lot: The proposed parking lot along Summit Street does not allow for the City's minimal landscaping and buffer ordinance requirements. 2 January 19, 2006 ITEM NO.: 5 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-4281 Along both the western, northern and southern property lines a minimum of nine (9) foot wide landscape buffer is required. The landscape ordinance will also require this area to be a minimum of nine (9) foot. This can be reduced to five (5) feet since this is redevelopment in the mature area. Approval is required from the City Beautiful Commission for a variance from this minimal requirement. In addition to this minimal landscape area, screening is required to be a six (6) foot high opaque screen, either a wooden fence with its face side directed outward, a wall, or dense evergreen plantings along the northern and southern property lines of this parking lot area along Summit Street. The landscape ordinance requires a minimum of 8% of the paved areas be landscaped with interior islands of at least 7 '/ feet in width and 150 square feet in area. Proposed plan does not currently reflect this minimum; however, if the striped areas on plan were to be changed to reflect the area as interior landscape beds then this minimum requirement would be met. 5. PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS: 1. Sidewalks with appropriate handicap ramps are required in accordance with Section 31-175 of the Little Rock Code and the Master Street Plan on Battery and Summit Streets. 2. Petition should be filed to abandon West 32nd Street right-of-way. 3. With the alley being used for access, alley should be widened to provide 18 feet of pavement. 4. An existing 12 inch concrete storm water pipe runs under the proposed building from Battery Street to Summit Street. The proposed building cannot be constructed over existing piping system. The applicant has proposed rerouting the pipe around the proposed building. The pipe should be enlarged from 12 inches to 15 inches to reduce susceptibility to blockage. 5. Repair or replace any curb and gutter or sidewalk that is damaged in the public right-of-way prior to occupancy. 6. Storm water detention will not apply to the proposed development. 7. Obtain permits prior to doing any street cuts or curb cuts. Obtain barricade permit prior to doing any work in the right-of-way. Contact Traffic Engineering at (501) 379-1817 (Derrick Bergfield) for more information. 3 January 19, 2006 ITEM NO.: 5 Cont. FILE NO.: Z -42$1-A 6. UTILITY FIRE DEPT. AND CATA COMMENTS: Wastewater: Sewer available, not adversely affected. Entergy: No Comments received. CenterPoint Energy: No Comments received. Southwestern Bell: No Comments received. Water: Contact Central Arkansas Water if larger and/or additional water meter(s) are needed. A Capital Investment Charge based on the size of the meter connection(s) will apply to this project in addition to normal charges. This fee will apply to all meter connections including any metered connections off the private fire system. 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). This will involve installation of a public water main and will be done at the expense of the developer. Fire Department: Install fire hydrants per code. County Planning: No Comments. CATA: The site is located on a CATA bus route. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (DECEMBER 22, 2005) The applicant was present. Staff presented the item and noted additional information was needed regarding building height, setbacks, signage, site lighting and fencing. Staff asked the applicant to provide the seating capacity of the existing and proposed sanctuary buildings. The applicant was asked to locate the dumpster on the site plan and to provide a copy of the Bill of Assurance for Sunset Addition. The applicant was asked to specify the uses proposed for the site, including use of the existing sanctuary building. Public Works and Utility Comments were noted. Staff noted the presence of a 12 inch concrete storm water pipe, which runs under the proposed building, from Battery Street to Summit Street. Staff stated the pipe would have to be rerouted. The applicant was advised to contact the individual reviewing agencies. 0 January 19, 2006 ITEM NO.: 5 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -4281-A Landscape and Buffer Comments were discussed at length. Staff made suggestions about redesigning the parking lots to provide the required landscape and buffer strips. It was noted that variances from the landscape requirements would require City Beautiful Commission approval. The applicant was advised to respond to staff issues by Wednesday, December 28, 2005. The Committee this forwarded the item to the full Commission. STAFF ANALYSIS: New Light Baptist Church is located on the R-3 zoned property at 3110 Battery Street. The church currently has a single building and a 19 space parking lot. The church building contains classrooms, offices and a 200 seat sanctuary. The church proposes to expand by constructing an addition that will contain new classrooms, offices and a 400 seat sanctuary. The existing building will be converted into a fellowship hall. In conjunction with the building addition, two new parking lots containing a total of 31 parking spaces will be constructed. No additional uses such as day care or private school are proposed. There appears not to be any bill of assurance issue. The new building will be one-story and will have an exterior finish of brick and E.I.F.S. The pitched roof will have fiberglass composition shingles. Due to the high pitch of the roof, the building will have a height of nearly 35 feet. A steeple on the roof will extend another 30+ feet, not exceeding a total height of 70 feet. A single wall sign, composed of aluminum cast lettering, will be located on the front wall of the new sanctuary. The new building will have a front yard setback of 10 feet and a rear yard setback of 11 feet. The R-3 zoning district typically requires front and rear yard setbacks of 25 feet. Staff supports the reduced setbacks. The addition will have a setback of 25 feet from the curb of Battery Street and there is an alley to the rear, providing additional setback. On December 28, 2005, the applicant submitted a revised site plan and responses to issues raised at Subdivision Committee. With some additional slight modification of the plan, it should address staff's concerns. The dumpster and required screening have been shown at the rear of the existing parking lot, located north of the existing church building. Light poles have been located on the site plan. All lighting must be shielded downward and onto the site. The two new parking lots have been redesigned to incorporate angled parking and one-way traffic flow off of Battery Street, exiting onto Summit Street. Perimeter landscape strips of 5.5 — 6 feet in width have been shown on the two new parking lots. A 6 -foot tall wood privacy fence has been shown on the perimeters of the new parking lots where they abut adjacent residential property. The alley will be improved and the storm water pipe will be relocated 61 January 1'9, 2006 ITEM NO.: 5 [Cont. FILE NO.: Z-4281 as required by Public Works. The applicants have stated they will follow-up with an application to abandon the undeveloped West 32nd Street right-of-way. In addition to the reduced setbacks, there are two other minor variances. The proposed 31 new parking spaces fall 19 short of the 50 required to accommodate the increased seating capacity. The church has functioned for years will just 19 parking spaces. The church is located in a developed urban neighborhood and there appears to be adequate on -street parking in the general vicinity. The church's principal parking needs will be on Sunday mornings since no additional uses are being proposed. The proposed parking lot south of the new sanctuary building has a slight reduction of 2-3 feet in required maneuvering area between the angled and 900 parking spaces. Since it is not anticipated that there will be a lot of in and out traffic, staff can support the variance. It was felt that it was more important to accommodate as much on-site parking as feasible. To staff's knowledge, there are no major outstanding issues. Staff believes it is appropriate to allow the expansion of this existing neighborhood church. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the requested C.U.P. subject to compliance with the following conditions - 1 . onditions:1. Compliance with the comments and conditions in Sections 4, 5 and 6 of the agenda staff report. 2. All site lighting is to be shielded downward and into the site. 3. The 6 -foot wood privacy fence on the perimeters of the new parking lots is to be constructed with its finished side facing outward. 4. Three (3) copies of the final approved site plan must be submitted to staff. 5. Pickup/service of the dumpster is to be limited to the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Staff recommends approval of the parking, building setback and parking maneuvering area variances. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JANUARY 19, 2006) The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of approval subject to compliance with the conditions outlined in the "Staff Recommendation" above. Staff also recommended approval of the parking, building setback and parking maneuvering area variances. There was no further discussion. Ff January 1'9, 2006 ITEM NO.: 5 (Cont. FILE NO.: Z -4281-A The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and approved as recommended by staff, including all comments and conditions. The vote was 10 ayes, 0 noes and 1 absent. 7