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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-4336-HH Staff AnalysisMay 8, 2008 ITEM NO.: 5 FILE NO.: Z -4336 -HH NAME: Children's Hospital Zoning Site Plan Review LOCATION: Located between Marshall and Wolfe Streets and 11th and 12th Streets DEVELOPER: Arkansas Children's Hospital Attn. Scott Gordon, COO 800 Marshal Street Little Rock, AR 72202 ENGINEER/ARCHITECT: Cromwell Architects Engineers Attn. Kent W. Taylor 101 South Spring Street Little Rock, AR 72201 AREA: 0.5 acres NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 zoning lot FT. NEW STREET: 0 LF CURRENT ZONING: 0-2, Office and Institutional District PLANNING DISTRICT: 9-1-630 CENSUS TRACT: 12 VARIANCES/WAIVERS REQUESTED: A variance from Section 36-201 to allow an increased tower height (75 feet above the adjacent ground) for a maximum height of 196 feet. A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST: The applicant is seeking site plan approval for the relocation of the communications tower at Arkansas Children's Hospital (ACH). The current tower must be moved from the top of the Sturgis Building in order to allow another story to be added to the Sturgis Building. This tower is used by ACH for internal campus paging, communication with ambulances and helicopters. Those functions will be relocated to the new tower and other uses might be added in the future. The new tower will be a maximum of 180 feet tall on a 16 -foot base for a maximum total height of 196 feet. The tower is a square tapering tower, constructed of lattice truss of light steel angles. The most suitable location for May 8, 2008 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 5 FILE NO.: Z -4336 -HH the tower is at a driveway to a loading dock off of Marshall Street between 11th and 12th Streets, south of the northern portion of the Energy building. The tower is to be elevated 14 feet to 16 feet above the driveway in order to preserve access by trucks to the loading dock that serves the old laundry building. The tower will be located on drilled piers as indicated on the site plan. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The tower is currently located on top of the Sturgis Building, which is located at the intersections of Wolfe and 13th Streets. The tower structure is proposed in a service area between the energy building and the Sturgis Building. To the west is a multi -story residential tower owned by the Little Rock Housing Authorit�r and north is the Ronald McDonald House. Southeast of the site along West 13t 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 property owners. All property owners located within 200 feet of the site, the Downtown Neighborhood Association and the Central High Neighborhood Association were notified of the Public Hearing. D. ENGINEERING COMMENTS: PUBLIC WORKS CONDITIONS: No comment. E. UTILITIES AND FIRE DEPARTMENT/COUNTY PLANNING: Wastewater: Sewer not required for this project. Entergy: No comment received. Center -Point Ener : No comment received. AT & T: No comment received. Central Arkansas Water: No objection. Fire Department: Approved as submitted. County Planning: No comment. 4 May 8, 2008 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 5 Cont. PILE NO.: Z -4336 -HH CATA: The site is located near CATA Route #11 — the ML King, Jr. Route. F. ISSUESITECHNICAUDESIGN: Planning Division: No comment. Landscape: No comment. G. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT. (April 17, 2008) Mr. Kent Taylor was present representing the request. Staff presented an overview of the proposed request stating there were no outstanding technical issues associated with the request in need of addressing. Staff stated the request was to relocate the existing communications tower from the Sturgis Building to a ground mounted base. Staff stated the tower based would be constructed in the loading dock area adjacent to the energy building and would be constructed on a 16 -foot base to allow continued access to the loading dock. Staff stated the maximum height of the tower including the base would be 196 feet. Mr. Taylor stated all proper permits would be obtained prior to construction. There was no further discussion of the item. The Committee then forwarded the item to the full Commission for final action. H. ANALYSIS: There were no outstanding technical issues associated with the request in need of addressing raised at the April 17, 2008, Subdivision Committee meeting. The request is for site plan approval for the relocation of the communications tower at Arkansas Children's Hospital from theSturgis Building to an area located within the loading dock area adjacent to the energy building. The relocation is necessary to allow another story to be added to the Sturgis Building. The tower is used by ACH for internal campus paging, communication with ambulances and helicopters. The new tower will be a maximum of 180 feet tall on a 16 -foot base for a maximum total height of 196 feet. The tower is a square tapering tower, constructed of lattice truss of light steel angles. The tower is to be elevated 14 feet to 16 feet above the driveway in order to preserve access by trucks to the loading dock that serves the old laundry building. The tower will be located on drilled piers as indicated on the site plan. The request includes a variance from the zoning ordinance Section 36-201. The variance is being requested to allow an increased tower height for a total height of 196 feet. The ordinance typically allows a tower height not to exceed 75 feet 3 May 8, 2008 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 5 Cont. FILE NO.: Z -4336 -HH above the adjacent ground. The site is located in an area zoned 0-2, Office and Institutional District which typically allows a maximum building height of 45 -feet but additional height may be allowed with proper setbacks for a maximum height of 120 feet. The applicant has indicated all required permits will be obtained prior to construction. Staff is supportive of the request. The applicant is proposing a relocation of an existing communications tower located in the same general area of the request. To staff's knowledge there are no outstanding technical issues associated with the request. Staff does not feel the tower relocation will significantly impact the area. 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 to allow an increased tower height for the proposed communications tower. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (MAY 8, 2008) Ms. Debra Roberts was present representing the applicant. There were no registered objectors present. Staff presented the item with a recommendation of approval. Commissioner Nunnley questioned Ms. Roberts as to the height of the existing tower in relation to the proposed new tower height. He also questioned if the tower were to fall what impact the falling tower would have on adjoining properties. Ms. Roberts stated the existing tower was 140 feet and the new tower was proposed with a maximum height of 196 feet. She stated there were only two property owners located within 200 feet of the tower site in the area which were notified of the date and time of public hearing. She stated if the tower fell it would not fall on property owned by anyone other than Children's Hospital. She stated the tower was designed in 20 -foot sections and was designed to collapse on itself. Commissioner Nunnley questioned if staff had concerns with the tower height and the potential danger to adjoining properties. Staff stated they were not concerned. Staff stated if the tower fell in any direction other than the east the tower would fall on Children's Hospital Buildings. Staff stated if the tower fell to the east if was unlikely the tower would reach the public street and the property was owned by Children's Hospital. Commissioner Nunnley questioned why the tower could not be removed and replaced on the Sturgis Building after the construction of the additional floor. Ms. Roberts stated 2 May 8, 2008 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 5 Cont. FILE NO.: Z -4335 -HH the hospital could not do without the tower for the length of construction time to add the additional floor to the Sturgis Building. She stated if the tower were relocated for the temporary time period to add the floor to the Sturgis Building the desire was to allow permanent placement of the tower with the move. Commissioner Nunnley questioned if Children's would seek commercial antenna placement on the tower. Ms. Roberts stated there were no plans for placement of commercial antennas on the tower. She stated Children's desired the option to allow the placement of additional antennas on the tower in the future should they be approached and the collocation was amenable to both parties. Staff stated the desire was for collocation to limit the number of new towers constructed in the City. There was no further discussion of the item. The chair entertained a motion for approval of the item. The motion carried by a vote of 9 ayes, 0 noes and 2 absent. ITEM NO.: 5, Z -4336 -HH NAME: Children's Hospital Zoning Site Plan Review LOCATION: located between Marshall and Wolfe Streets and 11th and 12th 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 April 23, 2008. The Office of Planning and Development must receive the proof of notice no later than May 2, 2008. Neighborhood Associations Notified — Downtown Neighborhood Association Central High Neighborhood Association Variance/Waivers: A variance from Section 36-201 to allow an increased tower height (75' above the adjacent ground) for a total height of 196'. Public Works Conditions: No comment. Utilities and Fire Department/County Planning: Wastewater: Sewer not required for this project. Entergy: No comment received. Center -Point Energy: No comment received. AT & T: No comment received. Central Arkansas Water: No objection. Fire Department: Approved as submitted. County Planning: No comment. CATA: The site is located near CATA Route #11 — the ML King, Jr. Route. Planning Division: No comment. Item # 5. Landscape: No comment. Revised plat/plan: Submit four (4) copies of a revised preliminary plat/plan (to include the additional information as noted above) to staff on Wednesday, April 23, 2008. Item # 5.