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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-4649-B Staff AnalysisJuly 26, 2001 ITEM NO.: 2 FILE NO.: Z -4649-B NAME: First Baptist Church Highland Park - Conditional Use Permit LOCATION: 3800 West 18th Street DEVELOPER: ENGINEER: First Baptist Church Highland Park 3800 West 18th Street Little Rock, AR 72204 AREA: Approximately 0.97 acre FT. NEW STREET: 0 Bartlett and West Engineers, Inc. 1701 Centerview, Suite 210 Little Rock, AR 72211-4312 NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 ZONING: R-3 ALLOWED USES: Church PROPOSED USE: VARIANCES/WAIVERS REQUESTED: Church expansion 1.A variance to allow a reduced number of parking spaces. 2. A variance to allow reduced building setbacks. A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST: The applicant, First Baptist Church Highland Park, requests a conditional use permit to allow expansions to the existing church building at 3800 West 18th Street (zoned R--3). The building additions will be for additional classrooms, office space and storage space, and will not increase the church's seating capacity (801 seats). The proposed building expansions include a 2,920 square foot addition to the building's west side and a 2,120 square foot addition to the east side. The proposed additions will align with the existing building setbacks, which do not conform to the ordinance required minimum setbacks for R-3 July 26, 2001 ITEM NO.: 2 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -4649-B zoned property. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a setback variance for the new additions. The property is accessed from the alley which runs along the propertY:s north boundary, with three (3) access drives from West 18 Street. No changes in access are proposed with this site plan. There are currently four (4) existing ground -mounted signs along West 18th Street. There are also no changes proposed in signage. The approximate building height proposed is 31 feet (mean height of the sloped roof). The maximum building height allowed in R-3 zoning is 35 feet. The church's steeple does not exceed the 70 foot maximum height allowed for this type of structure. The overall parking for the church will be reduced from 170 spaces to 155 spaces with the proposed building expansions. There will be 44 on-site spaces and 111 approved off-site spaces across West 18th Street to the south and southeast. The existing seating capacity for the church is 801 seats, which requires 160 parking spaces. Therefore the applicant is requesting a variance to allow a reduced number of parking spaces. The proposed site plan shows the required right-of-way dedication along Pine and Oak Streets. The required dedication extends into the existing landscaped areas along both streets and the existing parking area along Oak Street. There are also two (2) existing ground -mounted signs which would be in the new right-of-way. The applicant will request a franchise for continued use of the landscape and parking areas and signs. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: There is an existing church building and parking on the site at 3800 West 18th Street. There is off-site parking across West 18th Street to the south and southeast. There are also single family residences across West 18th Street to the south. There are two (2) commercial buildings and additional single family residences across Pine Street to the west.- There is one (1) vacant single family residence and an old church building immediately north, with single family residences further north across West 17th Street. The Stephens Elementary School is located across Oak Street to the east. 2 July 26, 2001 ITEM NO.: 2 (Cont.) C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: a E. F. FILE NO.: Z -4649-B As of this writing, staff has received no comment from the neighborhood. The Hope, Love, Midway and Stephens Area Faith Neighborhood Associations were notified of the public hearing. ENGINEERING COMMENTS: PUBLIC WORKS CONDITIONS: 1. Repair or replace any curb and gutter or sidewalk that is damaged in the public right-of-way prior to occupancy. 2. Property frontage needs to have the sidewalks and ramps brought up to the current ADA standards. 3. Plans of all work in right-of-way shall be submitted for approval prior to start of work. 4. Additional right-of-way on all streets will be required. UTILITIES AND FIRE DEPARTMENT/COUNTY PLANNING: Wastewater: Sewer available, not adversely affected. Entergy: No Comment. ARKLA: No Comment received. Southwestern Bell: No Comment. Water: The Little Rock Fire Department needs to evaluate this site to determine whether additional public and/or private fire hydrant(s) will be required. Fire Department: A fire hydrant is needed at 18th and Oak. Contact Dennis Free at 918-3752 for details. County Planning: No Comment received. CATA: Project site is located near bus route #16 and has no effect on bus radius, turnout and route. Landscape Issues: A landscape upgrade toward compliance with the Landscape Ordinance will be required equal to the building expansion proposed. 3 July 26, 2001 ITEM NO.: 2 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -4649-B Landscaping in the public right-of-way will require a city franchise. G. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: Thomas Graham was present, representing Staff briefly described the conditional that some additional information was ne that a variance needed to be requested setbacks. In response to a question fr noted that the building expansion would church's seating capacity. (JULY 5, 2001) the application. use permit, noting ded. Staff noted or reduced building m staff, Mr. Graham not increase the The Public Works requirements were briefly discussed. It was noted that additional right-of-way would be required for Pine and Oak Streets. Mr. Graham noted that a franchise would be requested for the landscaping which would be in the new right-of-way along Pine and Oak Streets and the parking area along Oak Street. The landscaping issues were also discussed. After the discussion, conditional use permit action. H. ANALYSIS: the Committee forwarded the to the full Commission for final The applicant submitted a revised site plan to staff on July 11, 2001. The revised plan addresses the issues as raised by staff at the Subdivision Committee. Public Works has reviewed the revised site plan and notes no outstanding issues. As noted in paragraph A., the applicant is requesting a variance to allow reduced front and rear building setbacks. The proposed building expansions align with the existing building setbacks, which do not conform to the ordinance required minimum setbacks. The ordinance requires minimum front and rear yard setbacks of 25 feet. The front building setback ranges from 15 to 17 feet, with the rear yard setback being approximately four (4) feet, adjacent to the alley. Based on the fact that the proposed building expansions extend no further into the required setbacks than the existing building, staff will support the requested variance. 4 July 26, 2001 ITEM NO.: 2 (Cont. FILE NO.: Z -4649-B The applicant is also requesting a variance to allow a reduced number of parking spaces. The ordinance requires a minimum of 160 parking spaces to serve a church of this size. There are 155 parking spaces total (on-site and off- site) which are proposed for the church use. Staff supports the variance request based on the fact that the deficient number of spaces represents only approximately three (3) percent of the required minimum number of parking spaces. To staff's knowledge, there are no outstanding issues associated with the proposed conditional use permit. Staff feels that the requested church building expansion will have no adverse impact on the general area. I. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends approval of the conditional use permit subject to the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the requirements as noted in paragraphs D, E and F of this report. 2. Staff recommends approval of the variance to allow reduced building setbacks. 3. Staff also recommends approval of the variance for reduced number of parking spaces. 4.Any site lighting must be low-level and directed away from adjacent residential property. 5. The applicant must obtain a franchise for continued use of the existing landscape and parking areas and two (2) ground -mounted signs along Pine and Oak Streets. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JULY 26, 2001) Staff presented a positive recommendation on this application, as there were no further issues for resolution. There were no objectors to this matter present. The Chairman placed the item before the Commission for inclusion within the Consent Agenda for approval as recommended by staff. A motion to that effect was made. The motion passed by a vote of 9 ayes, 0 nays and 2 absent. 5