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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-4336-EE Staff AnalysisJanuary 3, 2008 ITEM NO.: 6 NAME: Children's Hospital Zoning Site Plan Review FILE NO.: Z -4336 -EE LOCATION: Located on the Northeast corner of 10th and Battery Streets DEVELOPER: Arkansas Children's Hospital Attn: Mr. Scott Gordon, COO 800 Marshal Street Little Rock, AR 72202 ENGINEER - Cromwell Architects and Engineers Attn: Kent Taylor 101 South Spring Street Little Rock, AR 72201 AREA: 8.26 acres CURRENT ZONING: NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 Zoning Lot FT. NEW STREET: 0 LF 0-2, Office and Institutional District PLANNING DISTRICT: 8 —Central City CENSUS TRACT: 10 VARIANCES/WAIVERS REQUESTED - 1. A variance from Section 36-280(d) to allow an increased building height. 2. A variance from Section 36-280(e) to allow a reduced building setback. A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST: The application includes the approval of a zoning site plan review for the South Wing of Arkansas Children's Hospital. The site is located at the northeast corner of the intersection of West 10th and Battery Streets. The South Wing will include a new Emergency Department, Clinics and Inpatient Areas. The construction will be an expansion to the southwest corner of the main hospital building and west of the Sturgis Building. New landscaping and a new paved parking area will be provided in addition to ambulance bays. A pedestrian and mechanical tunnel from the northwest corner of the new construction going west across Battery January 3, 2008 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 6 Cont. FILE NO.: Z -4336 -EE Street is proposed. The tunnel will be constructed with this project, but will be blocked with a temporary wall for future use. The proposed development includes construction of a five story (plus mechanical penthouse) addition to the main hospital building. The proposed building will be on the south side of the existing main hospital and to the west of the existing Sturgis Building and will include the demolition of site structures and amenities in the immediate area of the new construction. The proposed new addition will be approximately 70 -feet tall from the lowest grade. The proposed setback along Battery Street will match the existing building. The underground tunnel is proposed for future connection to parking and/or building located across Battery Street. The tunnel is proposed to go west from the addition, under Battery Street, and be closed off for future use. The initial phase of construction is proposed to be included with the South Wing addition. Utilities in the immediate area of construction will be relocated with the new construction. A new parking lot is proposed at the south side of the new addition. There will be four (4) ambulance drop-off bays, landscaping and a covered drop-off at the emergency department. Parking for the proposed building will be provided from existing parking located two blocks across Marshall Street, an existing %2 block parking lot located to the south, and another parking lot located to the west. The development also includes the addition of a fifth floor to the existing Sturgis Building. The fifth floor will be added to the center portion of the building either in this project or in a future project, directly east of the proposed South Wing Project and directly south of the existing Main Hospital Building. The addition will increase the building height of the Sturgis Building to approximately 70 -feet from the lowest point of grade. The applicant is requesting two variances from various ordinance development standards. The variances include a variance from Section 36-280(4) to allow an increased building height and a variance from Section 36-280(e) to allow a reduced building setback. A temporary parking, staging and construction office plan has been included for consideration to allow construction of the new South Wing Building, Staging will be provided south of the expansion area on the corner of West 10th and Battery Streets, North and South of the intersection of Schiller and West 11th Streets and mid -block of Wolfe between West 10th and 11 th Streets. Temporary parking will be provided on the Southwest corner of West 13th and Wolfe Streets, the 2 January 3, 2008 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 6 Cont. FILE NO.: Z -4336 -EE Northwest comer of West 11 th and Summit Streets, the Northwest corner of West 10th and Summit Streets and the Northwest corner of West 9th and Schiller Streets. A construction office will be placed on the southwest corner of West 11th and Battery Streets. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The site is located adjacent to the existing main hospital building at the northeast corner of West 10th and Battery Streets. Currently the site contains a grass area and a parking lot accessed from West 10th Street. Wolfe Street has been closed and is a service drive to the Sturgis Building. South of the area proposed for development is a multi -story residential tower owned by the Little Rock Housing Authority. Northwest of the site is a new office building and parking deck and west of the site are office uses all awned by Arkansas Children's Hospital. Southeast of the site along West 13th and Marshall Street is the former West Side School which has been converted into residential units. C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: As of this writing, staff has not received any comment from area residents. The Central High Neighborhood Association and all property owners located within 200 feet of the site were notified of the Public Hearing. D. ENGINEERING COMMENTS: PUBLIC WORKS CONDITIONS - 1 . ONDITIONS: 1. A twenty (20) foot radial dedication of right-of-way is required at the intersection of Battery Street and West 10th Street. 2. All driveways shall be concrete aprons per City Ordinance. 3. 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) 379-1805 (Travis Herbner) for more information. E. UTILITIES AND FIRE DEPARTMENT/COUNTY PLANNING: Wastewater: Sewer available to this property. Entergy: No comment received. Center -Point Energy: No comment received. IF January 3, 2008 UBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 6 AT & T: No comment received. FILE NO.: Z -4336 -EE Central Arkansas Water: Central Arkansas Water is working with the developer to coordinate the needed changes in water service to this facility. Fire Department: Approved as submitted. County Planning: No comment. CATA: The site is located on CATA Bus Route #3, the Baptist Medical Center Route. F. ISSUES/TECHNICAL/DESIGN: Planning Division: No comment. Landscape: 1. The site plan must comply with the City's landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. 2. Street trees are needed along West 10th Street and Battery Street. 3. Otherwise, areas appear to be set aside to meet the City's minimum landscape ordinance requirements. 4. An automatic irrigation system to water landscaped areas will be required. 5. 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. 6. The City Beautiful Commission recommends preserving as many existing trees as feasible on tree covered sites. Credit toward fulfilling Landscape Ordinance requirements can be given when preserving trees of six (6) inch caliper or larger. G. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (November 29, 2007) Mr. Kent Taylor and Mr. Thomas Moore were present representing the request. Staff presented an overview of the proposed development stating there were a few issues in need of addressing to clarify the proposed development. Staff noted the proposed building height exceed the typical minimum ordinance standard. Staff stated the building height as proposed was 70 -feet and the maximum height typically allowed was 45 -feet without proper setbacks per the 0-2, Office and Institutional zoning district. Staff requested the applicant provide E January 3, 2008 SUBDIVISION )TEM NO.: fi(Cont.)FILE NO.: Z -4336 -EE the total building coverage and indicate the proposed building setbacks from property lines. Staff requested the applicant provide details of the proposed signage. Mr. Taylor stated the signage would match the signage plan approved by the Commission at their January 2007, public hearing. Public Works comments were addressed. Staff stated a 20 -foot radial dedication was required at the intersection of West 10th and Battery Streets. Staff also stated all driveways were required as concrete aprons per City code. Landscaping comments were addressed. Staff stated street trees were needed along West 10th Street. Staff also stated irrigation and a landscape plan would be required at the time of development. Mr. Taylor questioned the required approvals for the proposed tunnel. Staff stated an ordinance adopted by the Little Rock Board of Directors for a franchise would be required. Commissioner Laha suggested the applicant contact the FAA concerning the proposed building height. Staff noted comments from the various other reporting departments and agencies suggesting the applicant contact them directly for additional information and clarification. There was no further discussion of the item. The Committee then forwarded the item to the full Commission for final action. H. ANALYSIS: The applicant submitted a revised site plan to staff addressing most of the issues raised at the November 29, 2007, Subdivision Committee meeting. The applicant has provided the total building coverage, the proposed setbacks and indicated a 20 foot radial dedication at the intersection of West 10th and Battery Streets. The maximum building coverage proposed is within the 40 percent building coverage typically allowed per the 0-2, Office and Institutional zoning district. The maximum building coverage proposed is 39.7 percent of the site area. The application includes the approval of a zoning site plan review for the South Wing of Arkansas Children's Hospital. The South Wing will include a new Emergency Department, Clinics and Inpatient Areas. The construction will be an expansion to the southwest corner of the main hospital building and west of the Sturgis Building. New landscaping and a new paved parking area will be provided in addition to ambulance bays. A pedestrian and mechanical tunnel from the northwest corner of the new construction going west across Battery Street is proposed. The tunnel will be constructed with this project, but will be blocked with a temporary wall for future use. The tunnel construction will require 9 January 3, 2008 UBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 6 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -4336 -EE a franchise agreement with the City. The Board of Directors through an Ordinance will execute the agreement. There are variances associated with the new construction being sought. The building is proposed as a five story building with a maximum building height of 70 -feet. The property is zoned 0-2, Office and Institutional District, which typically allows a maximum building height of 45 -feet. The building will be constructed with a setback to match the existing main hospital building setback along Battery Street, which has been constructed at 17.7 feet from the property line. The 0-2, Office and Institutional Zoning District typically requires the placement of a 25 -foot building setback. The development also includes the addition of a fifth floor to the existing Sturgis Building. The fifth floor will be added to the center portion of the building either in this project or in a future project, directly east of the proposed South Wing Project and directly south of the existing Main Hospital Building. The addition will increase the building height of the Sturgis Building to approximately 70 -feet from the lowest point of grade. A variance to allow an increased building height for this new construction is also being requested. The Commission in January 2007 approved a signage plan for the Children's Hospital Campus. Any signage associated with the development will adhere to the previously approved plan. Staff is supportive of the request. The development is proposed a zoning site plan review for the development of additional hospital space for the applicant. Although there are variances associated with the request, staff does not feel the variances will negatively impact the development or the area. The applicant owns a large portion of the property around the proposed expansion area and the adjoining property owner to the south is a high-rise multi -family building owned by the Little Rock Housing Authority. To staffs knowledge there are no outstanding technical issues associated with the request. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends approval of the request subject to compliance with the comments and conditions as outlined in paragraphs D, E and F of the agenda staff report. Staff recommends approval of the variance request from Section 36-280(d) to allow an increased building height and from Section 36-280(e) to allow a reduced building setback. 9 January 3, 2008 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO,: 6 Cont. FILE NO.: 2 -4336 -EE PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JANUARY 3, 2008) The applicant was present. There were no registered objectors present. Staff presented the item with a recommendation of approval of the request subject to compliance with the comments and conditions as outlined in paragraphs D, E and F of the agenda staff report. Staff also presented a recommendation of approval of the variance request from Section 36-280(d) to allow an increased building height and from Section 36-280(e) to allow a reduced building setback. There was no further discussion of the item. The chair entertained a motion for placement of the item on the Consent Agenda for Approval. The motion carried by a vote of 10 ayes, 0 noes and 1 absent. 7 ITEM NO.: 6. Z -4336 -EE NAME: Children's Hospital Zoning Site Plan Review LOCATION: located on the Northeast corner of 10th and Battery Streets Planning Staff Comments: 1. Provide notification of property owners located within 200 feet of the site, complete with the certified abstract list, notice form with affidavit executed and proof of mailing. The notice must be mailed no later than December 19, 2007. The Office of Planning and Development must receive the proof of notice no later than December 28, 2007. 2. The building height proposed is 60 -feet. The maximum height allowed per the 0-2 Zoning District is 45 -feet without approval by the commission. With proper setbacks a maximum height of 120 feet is allowed. 3. Provide the total building coverage proposed for the site. A maximum aggregate area of not more than 40 percent of coverage is allowed per the 0-2 Zoning District. 4. The property is zoned 0-2 which typically requires the placement of a 25 -foot side, rear and front yard setback. 5. Provide details of any proposed signage including ground mounted and building signage. Variance/Waivers: A variance from Section 36-280(d) to allow an increased building height. A variance from Section 36-280(e) to allow a reduced building setback. A variance from Section 36-280(3) to allow an increased building coverage. Public Works Conditions: 1. A twenty (20) foot radial dedication of right-of-way is required at the intersection of Battery Street and 10th Street. 2. All driveways shall be concrete aprons per City Ordinance. 3. 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- 1805 (Travis Herbner) for more information. Utilities and Fire Department/County Planning: Wastewater: Sewer available to this property. Entergy: No comment received. Center -Point Energy: No comment received. Item # 6. AT & T: No comment received. Central Arkansas Water: Central Arkansas Water is working with the developer to coordinate the needed changes in water service to this facility. Fire_ Department: Approved as submitted. County Planning: No comment. CATA: The site is located on CATA Bus Route #3, the Baptist Medical Center Route. Planning Division: No comment. Landscape: 1. The site plan must comply with the City's minimum landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. 2. Street trees are needed along 10th Street and Battery Street. 3. Otherwise, areas appear to be set aside to meet the City minimum landscape ordinance requirements. 4. An automatic irrigation system to water landscaped areas will be required. 5. 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. 6. 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. Revised lat/plan: Submit four (4) copies of a revised preliminary plat/plan (to include the additional information as noted above) to staff on Wednesday, December 5, 2007. Item # 6.