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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-4285-B Staff AnalysisApril 26, 2012 ITEM NO.: B FILE NO.: Z -4285-B NAME: Catholic High School Athletic Field and Facilities — Conditional Use Permit LOCATION: 6300 Father Tribou Drive OVVNERIAPPLICANT: Catholic Diocese of Little Rock/Wittenburg, Delony and Davidson PROPOSAL: A conditional use permit is requested to allow the addition of an athletic field and associated facilities to this R-2 zoned school campus. 2 SITE LOCATION: The campus is located on the north side of Father Tribou Drive, west of N. University Avenue. The proposed athletic field is to be located on the east side of the campus, near University Avenue. COMPATIBILITY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD: The school has been a part of this neighborhood for many years. North University in this area is lined with office and institutional uses. Commercial development, including Park Plaza and Mid Town, are located one block to the south. Office and Institutional use are located across Father Tribou Drive to the south. Single-family residences are located adjacent to the north. They have a rear yard relationship to this site. Care must be taken to mitigate any possible impact on those residential properties from noise and light generated by the athletic field. If that is done, the school campus and new athletic facilities can continue to be compatible with the neighborhood. Notice of the public hearing was sent to all owners of properties located within 200 feet of the site and the Hillcrest and Evergreen Neighborhood Associations. The school was scheduled to hold an open house on March 1, 2012 for interested parties to view the proposed development. 3. ON SITE DRIVES AND PARKING: The parking requirement for a school is determined by the age of the students, the number of classrooms and the number of employees. None of those elements are changing. The campus currently contains 397 parking spaces in lots taking access off of Father Tribou Drive. A small parking lot containing 6 ADA parking spaces and 1 parking space for an ambulance is being proposed adjacent to the new athletic field. Access April 26, 2012 ITEM NO.: B FILE NO.: Z -4285-B will be through the existing parking area. No new driveways onto the street are proposed. 4. SCREENING AND BUFFERS: Compliance with the City's Landscape and Buffer Ordinance is required. A forty-two (42) foot wide land use buffer is required along the site's north perimeter where adjacent to single-family residential properties. Seventy (70) percent of this buffer must remain undisturbed. The area appears to be encroached upon with a driveway and reflects grading within this area too; a variance is required. A small amount of building landscaping is required between the building and the parking lot. A six (6) foot high opaque screen, either a wooden fence with its face side directed outward, a wall, or dense evergreen plantings, is required along the northern perimeter of the site. Credit towards fulfilling this requirement can be given for existing trees and undergrowth that satisfied this year -around requirement. An automatic irrigation system to water landscaped area will be required. Prior to the issuance of a building permit, it will be necessary to provide an approved landscape plan stamped with the seal of a Registered Landscape Architect. 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 properly preserving trees of six (6) inch caliper or larger. 5. PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS: 1. At time of construction, University Avenue is classified on the Master Street Plan as a principal arterial. Dedication of right-of-way to fifty-five (55) feet from centerline will be required. 2. At time of construction, due to the proposed use of the property, the Master Street Plan specifies that Father Tribou Street for the frontage of this property must meet commercial street standards. Dedicate right-of-way to thirty (30) feet from centerline. K April 26, 2012 ITEM NO.: B (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -4285-B 3. At time of construction, a twenty (20) foot radial dedication of right-of- way is required at the intersection of University Avenue and Father Tribou Street. 4. At the time of construction, obtain a franchise agreement from Public Works (Bennie Nicolo, 371-4818) for the private improvements located in the right-of-way. 5. At time of construction, repair or replace any curb and gutter or sidewalk that is damaged in the public right-of-way prior to occupancy. 6. At time of construction, 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. Other than residential subdivisions, site grading and drainage plans must be submitted and approved prior to the start of construction. 7. Storm water detention ordinance applies to this property. Show the proposed location of the detention facility. 8. At time of construction, if disturbed area is one or more acres, obtain a NPDES storm water permit from the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality prior to the start of construction. 9. At time of construction of retaining walls, an engineer's certification of design and plans must be submitted to Public Works for approval. After construction, an as -built certification is required for construction of the retaining wall. 6. UTILITY, FIRE DEPT. AND CATA COMMENTS: Wastewater: Sewer available to this project. Private sewer system on site. Entergy: Easements will be required for service entrance. Centerpoint Energy: No comment received. AT&T (SBC): No comment received. Water: All Central Arkansas Water requirements in effect at the time of request for water service must be met. 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. 3 April 26, 2012 ITEM NO.: B (Cont. FILE NO.: Z -4285-B Please submit plans for water facilities and/or fire protection system to Central Arkansas Water for review. Plan revisions may be required after additional review. Contact Central Arkansas Water regarding procedures for installation of water facilities and/or fire service. Approval of plans by the Arkansas Department of Health Engineering Division and Little Rock Fire Department is required. Contact Central Arkansas Water regarding the size and location of the water meter. Due to the nature of this facility, installation of an approved reduced pressure zone backflow preventer assembly (RPZ) is required on the domestic water service. This assembly must be installed prior to the first point of use. Central Arkansas Water (CAW) requires that upon installation of the RPZA, successful tests of the assembly must be completed by a Certified Assembly Tester licensed by the State of Arkansas and approved by CAW. The test results must be sent to CAW's Cross Connection Section within ten (10) days of installation and annually thereafter. Contact the Cross Connection Section at 377-1226 if you would like to discuss backflow prevention requirements for this project. Fire Department: Approved as submitted. Install Fire hydrants per Code; maintain access. County Planning: No Comments. CATA: The site is located on a CATA bus route. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (FEBRUARY 22, 2012) The applicants were present. Staff presented the item and noted little additional information was needed. Staff asked that the applicant indicate the speakers on the plan and describe measures to eliminate noise impact on adjacent residences. Public Works and Landscape Comments were noted and discussed. Staff noted there would be a variance to allow an encroachment into the buffer on the north side of the property. Utility and outside agency comments were noted. The applicants described the proposed lighting and stated at the north edge of the property, the lighting "spillover" would be equivalent to moonlight. They stated there would be a meeting for the neighborhood and interested parties on March 1 where the plan would be presented. 4 April 26, 2012 ITEM NO.: B (Cont. FILE NO.: Z -4285-B The Committee determined there were no other issues and forwarded the item to the full Commission. STAFF ANALYSIS: Catholic High School for Boys is located on the R-2 zoned property located at 6300 Father Tribou Drive. The school building and parking lots are located on the west side of the campus. An athletic field is located on the east side of the site. An existing field house is located on the north side of the athletic field. The school is requesting approval of a conditional use permit to allow for construction of a new, permanent athletic field to replace the existing, informal field. Associated with the new field are a new field house and small parking lot. The school will be installing a synthetic turf football field, also sized for soccer, with an eight lane running track around the perimeter of the field. The new turf field will be used for football and soccer practices, freshman and junior varsity games. Varsity football games will remain at War Memorial for the foreseeable future. The field will have new lighting and bleacher style seating for 500 fans on the west side. Concessions and toilets will remain in the existing field house until the new two story field house is constructed in the northwest corner of the existing field area, in the summer of 2013. An 8 ft. high chain link fence will be installed on three sides of the facility for security and control access. An 8 ft. high decorative aluminum picket fence will be installed along Father Tribou Street from near the school sign on University Ave. to the first existing parking lot entrance drive. In this Conditional Use Permit application, the school is requesting a variance from the required 70% buffer on the northwest side of the property to allow for the planned improvements to the existing access road and grading necessary for the new track. Both improvements encroach into a portion of the required 39 ft. buffer. The access road is necessary to connect an existing parking lot to the new required ADA parking area near the field and provide ambulance access to the athletic field area. The access road will be gated for limited use by maintenance and service vehicles and ADA parking during athletic events on the field. The disturbed areas of the buffer will be mitigated by installing enhanced evergreen planting at 15 ft. minimum, as shown in the clouded area on the attached site plan. This will provide landscape screening in the re -graded buffer area and between the ADA parking and adjacent property. The 39 ft. buffer is being maintained on all of the other sides of the property along with a large undisturbed area of the property fronting University Avenue. To minimize the disturbed area and maintain the 50 ft. buffer along University Ave., a segmented concrete block wall, varying from two to ten feet height will be installed on the east side of the track. 5 April 26, 2012 ITEM NO.: B Cont. FILE NO.: Z -4285-B This athletic facility will primarily be used after regular school hours, evenings and some weekends during football and soccer seasons. The campus currently has 397 existing parking spaces plus Handicap parking spaces. The initial bleacher capacity is 500 with provisions being made for an additional 1000 seats in the future if needed. Lighting for the field will be pole mounted energy efficient, "night -sky" type fixtures. The lights will be installed to focus directly on the field and track area only, minimizing light spillover. The light spillover is expected to be less than .5 foot candles at the property line, which is equivalent to moonlight. To staffs knowledge, there are no outstanding issues. The applicant responded to issues raised at Subdivision Committee and stated the school will comply with all staff comments. The public address system will be directed toward the fans in the bleachers and away from neighboring properties. There is no bill of assurance for this acreage tract. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the requested CUP subject to compliance with the comments and conditions outlined in Sections 4, 5 and 6 of the agenda staff report. Staff recommends approval of the requested buffer variance subject to the disturbed and remaining area of the buffer being replanted with enhanced evergreen plantings. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (MARCH 15, 2012) The applicants were present. There were 4 registered objectors present. Chairman Ferstl recused on the item. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of approval, subject to compliance with the comments and conditions outlined in the "staff recommendation" above, included the buffer variance. Wallie Sprick addressed the Commission on behalf of the School and described the proposed project. He noted the proposed buffer variance and stated the area would be planted and replanted to provide screening. He presented a planting plan showing the proposed landscaping in the buffer area. He stated the proposed athletic building had not yet been designed but he anticipated it to have an eave height of about 25 feet. Mr. Sprick stated a lighting study had been competed and, using 80 foot tall poles, lighting spillover at the property boundary adjacent to the residential properties would be equivalent to moonlight. He stated speakers would be mounted on the light poles and aimed directly at the stands so there would be no noise spilling over onto the residential properties. [01 April 26, 2012 ITEM NO.: B (Cont. FILE NO.: Z-428 He concluded by stating he thought they had done a good job of addressing issues for this type of development in an urban setting. David Rieger, of 6306 Ridgecrest, addressed the Commission and presented a petition signed by neighborhood residents opposed to the project. He expressed concerns about the proposed intrusion in to the buffer and asked if the School could design the project so that the buffer was not impacted. Monica Issitt, of 6201 Ridgecrest, stated the neighborhood had generally positive feelings about the school but she also had concerns about the buffer variance. She stated an appraiser had told her the proposed change could negatively impact property values in her neighborhood. She stated she wanted one more meeting with the school and wanted to get timely updates as the project progressed. Ms. Issitt showed the Commission a photograph of the school property taken from her back yard. She expressed concern about the height and color of the proposed chain link fence to be placed along her property, the size and height of the athletic building and the sound and light from the athletic field. Kathy Naylor, of 6305 Ridgecrest, also expressed concerns about the buffer. She stated the previous owner of her home had an agreement with catholic high whereby he planted a rose garden on the school property just behind her home. She stated she wanted a buffer. Mr. Sprick stated the school did not want to alienate any of their neighbors. He said the proposed plantings would be a bonus for the neighbors and would provide better landscaping screening than they currently had. He said a neighborhood meeting had been held at the school and some of those now present had not attended that meeting. In response to a question from Commissioner Nunnley, Mr. Sprick said notice of he neighborhood meeting had gone out to the individual property owners. He said a letter from the school had also been sent. Commissioner Nunnley asked what plan was in place if the buffer variance was denied. Mr. Sprick responded that the school could look at moving the entire project further to the south, away from the neighbors. In response to a question from Commissioner Finney, Mr. Sprick further described the measures to be taken to reduce the impact of lighting and noise on the neighbors. There was further discussion of the possibility of moving the project about 20 feet to the south, greatly reducing the amount of any intrusion into the required buffer. During the discussion, Cynthia Lemley, of 6111 Ridgecrest, expressed her concerns about the buffer. 7 April 26, 2012 ITEM NO.: B (Cont. FILE NO.: Z -4285-B When asked, Mr. Sprick agreed to amend the application to move the project 20 feet to the south. Staff stated they would support the buffer variance on the south rather in lieu of a variance on the north. Discussion continued and the neighbors still had questions. It was agreed to defer the item to allow for further discussions. A motion was made to defer the item to the April 26, 2012 meeting. The motion was approved by a vote of 9 ayes, 0 noes, 1 absent and 1 recusing (Ferstl). STAFF UPDATE: The plan has been revised by pulling the entire project to the south, out of the required buffer on the north. Only a small portion of the new ADA and ambulance driveway extends into the 39 foot buffer. The total area of encroachment is approximately 50 feet by 2 feet in width. Plantings will be installed in the buffer area to entrance screening. The proposed chain link fence along the rear of the residential properties has been reduced in height from 8 feet to 6 feet. Moving the project to the south has now created the need of a buffer variance on the Father Tribou Street perimeter. A segmented block wall and landscaping will be placed in the area of the reduced buffer. Staff believes the applicants have done a good job of addressing the concerns raised by adjacent residents at the previous hearing. Staff is supportive of the revised plan and of a variance to allow the reduced street side buffer. The applicants held additional meetings with the residents. The revised plan was presented to the Subdivision Committee at their April 5, 2012 meeting. REVISED STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the requested CUP subject to compliance with the comments and conditions outlined in Sections 4, 5 and 6 of the agenda staff report. Staff recommends approval of the requested buffer variance on the street perimeter subject to the disturbed and remaining area of the buffer being replanted with enhanced evergreen plantings. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (APRIL 26, 2012) The applicants were present. There were no objectors present. David Rieger, of 6306 Ridgecrest, was present in support. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of approval as outlined in the "staff recommendation" above. 0 April 26, 2012 ITEM NO,: B (Co FILE NO.: Z -4285-B There was no further discussion. The item was placed on the consent agenda and approved as recommended by staff by a vote of 8 ayes, 0 noes, 2 absent and 1 recusal (Ferstl). E7