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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-4650-A Staff AnalysisJune 22, 2000 ITEM NO.: 12 FILE NO.: Z -4650-A NAME: Parkway Place Baptist Church - Revised Conditional Use Permit LOCATION: 300 Parkway Place OWNER/APPLICANT: Parkway Place Baptist Church PROPOSAL: To revise an existing conditional use permit located at 300 Parkway Place to add additional parking to this site which is zoned R-2, Single Family Residential. ORDINANCE DESIGN STANDARDS: 1. SITE LOCATION: This existing church site is located on the southwest corner of West Markham and Parkway Place. 2. COMPATIBILITY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD: This site is zoned R-2, Single Family Residential, and is surrounded by a mixture of zoning. The property to the south and southeast is zoned R-2 and contains several single family homes. The properties to the northeast are zoned 0-3, General Office, and contain small offices. The property to the north is zoned C-3, General Commercial, and is partially developed with a bank on the corner. Staff believes the church would continue to be compatible with the neighborhood, and the additional parking should help reduce the traffic and parking congestion. The Parkway Place Property Owners Association, all property owners within 200 feet, and all residents within 300 feet that could be identified, were notified of the public hearing. 3. ON SITE DRIVES AND PARKING: There are existing single drives from both Parkway Place and W. Markham, plus a rear drive from Markham Place. All those would remain the same except for widening of the one from W. Markham from 22 to 36 feet. June 22, 2000 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 12 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -4650-A The request primarily involves increasing the parking from the current 100 to 332 spaces. The current requirement is 135 spaces based on a current seating capacity of 540 and the ordinance ratio of 1 parking space for every 4 seats. The church plans to expand the sanctuary in the future to a capacity of 900, which would require ?25 spaces based on the ordinance requirement of 1 space for each 4 seats. Based on the church's own study, they feel that a ratio of 2.5 represents their actual person to car ratio. That would require 360 spaces. 4. SCREENING AND BUFFERS: The areas set aside for interior landscaping within the large parking lot are short of the six (6) percent (7,368 square feet) required by the Landscape Ordinance by 1,156 square feet. It is recommended that the small proposed parking lot to the southeast be deleted in order to preserve the existing trees and provide additional buffering to the residential area immediately to the south. All buffers should be measured from the property line, not the curb. A six (6) foot high opaque screen, either a wood fence with its face side directed outward or dense evergreen plantings, is required along the southern perimeter. Credit toward satisfying this requirement can be given for existing vegetation that can provide the year-round screening necessary. 5. PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS: a. Property frontage needs to have the sidewalks and ramps brought up to the current ADA standards. b. Repair or replace any curb and gutter or sidewalk that is damaged in the public right-of-way prior to occupancy. c. Plans of all work in right-of-way shall be submitted for approval prior to start of work. d.Driveways shall conform to Sec. 31-210 or Ordinance 18,031. e. Provide existing topographic information at maximum five- foot contour interval 100 base flood elevation. f. A Sketch Grading and Drainage Plan per Sec. 29-186 (e) will be required with a building permit. 2 June 22, 2000 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 12 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -4650-A g. A Grading Permit per Secs. 29-186 (c) & (d) will be required with a building permit. 6. UTILITY AND FIRE DEPT. AND CATA COMMENTS: 7. Water: No objection. Wastewater: Sewer located on site, contact Little Rock Wastewater Utility prior to construction. Southwestern Bell: No comments received. ARKLA: Approved as submitted. Entergy: No comments received. Fire Department: Approved as submitted. CATA: No affect. Site is not on a dedicated bus route. STAFF ANALYSIS: The applicant has requested to amend an existing conditional use permit to increase the number of parking spaces from the current 100 to 332. The current ordinance requirement is 135 spaces based on the current seating capacity of 540 and the ordinance ratio of 1 parking space for every 4 seats. During services currently, members park on the grass in front of the church and along the street. The church plans to expand the sanctuary in the future to a capacity of 900, which would require 225 spaces by City standards. The church determined through their own study that a 1 space per 2.5 seats would more accurately reflect their car -to -person ratio. That is the ratio they used to plan their parking area and justify the 332 spaces. At that ratio, the 900 proposed seating capacity would require 360 spaces. They have room for only 332 spaces. They wish to build all the parking capacity now to take advantage of today's costs and eliminate the additional cost for a contractor to come back later for future parking construction. Doing all the work now would also prevent disrupting the traffic and parking flow a second time with future construction. The proposed design does meet ordinance standards. 3 June 22, 2000 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 12 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -4650-A The church did remove an additional future parking area near.the southwest portion of the property from their proposal. That would have eliminated a large part of a natural tree covered buffer between the church and a single family residential area. The church proposes to also modify and relocate their existing sign to the corner of Markham and Parkway Place. Therefore, the sign has also been made part of this proposal with a maximum size of 64 square feet. It would include an area where the copy could be changed to display current information, and probably be lighted. It would be located according to the required minimum of 5 feet from the property line and be coordinated with the City's traffic department to ensure no sight hazard is created at the corner. Staff believes the proposed parking expansion is reasonable and would help manage the parking and traffic congestion that occurs now. By complying with the City's screening, landscaping, and buffer requirements, and maintaining as much of the natural vegetation as possible, the proposal should be compatible with the neighborhood. 8. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the conditional use permit subject to compliance with the following conditions: a. Comply with the City's Landscape and Buffer Ordinances. b. Comply with Public Works Comments. c. All exterior lighting must be low intensity and directed downward and inward to the property and not towards any residential zoned area. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENTS: (JUNE 1, 2000) Allen Greer, Pastor, and Joe Gallamore, Project Engineer were present representing the application. Staff gave a brief description of the proposal. Public Works and other Staff members reviewed their comments. A discussion took place about removing the island in the Markham Street entrance, and how the church arrived at the amount of proposed parking. 4 June 22, 2000 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 12 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -4650-A There being no further issues, the Committee accepted the proposal and forwarded the item to the full Commission for final action. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JUNE 22, 2000) Allen Greer, Pastor, and Joe Gallamore, Project Engineer, were present representing the application. There were no registered objectors present. Staff presented the item with a recommendation for approval subject to compliance with the conditions listed under "Staff Recommendation," paragraph 8 above. The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and approved as submitted to include staff comments and recommendations. The vote was 9 ayes, 0 nays and 2 absent. 5