HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-4691-A Staff AnalysisAUGUST 29, 2005
ITEM NO.: C
File No.: Z-4691 -A
Owner: Diamond State Oil, LLC
Applicant: Eddie Martin
Address: 8824 Fourche Dam Pike
Description: Tract M (R ) Area 201, Little Rock Port Industrial Park
Zoned: C-3
Variance Requested: Variance are requested from the sign provisions of Section
36-555 to allow a ground sign which exceeds the maximum height allowed and has a
reduced separation.
Justification: The applicant's justification is presented in an attached letter.
Present Use of Property: Convenience store with gas pumps
Proposed Use of Property: Convenience store with gas pumps
STAFF REPORT
A. Public Works Issues:
No comments.
B. Staff Analysis:
The C-3 zoned property located at 8824 Fourche Dam Pike is occupied by a
convenience store development. The property is located at the northwest
corner of Fourche Dam Pike and Lindsey Road. The main store building is
located near the center of the property, with covered gas pumps on the
building's east and south sides. Existing drives from Fourche Dam Pike and
Lindsey Road serve as access to the development. There is paved parking on
the east and south sides of the building, with paved truck parking within the
west half of the property. There are existing ground -mounted signs at the
northeast and southeast corners of the property. There is also an existing sign
pole at the northeast corner, within a few feet of the existing ground -mounted
sign. The existing pole is approximately 40 feet tall.
AUGUST 29, 2005
ITEM NO.: C CON'T.
The applicant proposes to place a fuel price sign on top of the existing pole.
The sign will be 96 square feet in area, with an overall height of 48 feet. The
sign pole is located approximately eight (8) feet from the existing sign. The
existing sign has a height of 30 feet and an area of approximately 91 square
feet.
Section 36-555(a)(2) of the City's Zoning Ordinance allows a maximum sigh
height of 36 feet in commercial zoning. Section 36-557(c ) requires a minimum
separation of 150 feet between commercial signs on a property's street
frontage when a minimum of 300 feet of street frontage exists. Therefore, the
applicant is requesting variances from these ordinance standards to allow use
of the existing sign pole. There is slightly over 300 feet of street frontage along
Fourche Dam Pike.
Staff is not supportive of the variances as requested. Although staff could
support variances for increased sign height and area at this location, staff has
serious concerns with allowing two (2) ground -mounted signs this close
together. A number of years ago these two (2) signs were combined as a
single sign, with the smaller sign attached to the side of the larger pole. Staff
could support height and area variances associated with this type of
arrangement, if the applicant were willing to revise the application accordingly.
Otherwise, staff feels that the number of signs proposed for the property is in
excess of what should be allowed for a development of this size.
C. Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommends denial of the requested sign variances, as filed.
BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT: (JUNE 27, 2005)
Staff informed the Board that the applicant requested to defer the application to the
July 25, 2005 Agenda. Staff supported the deferral request.
The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and deferred to the July 25, 2005
Agenda by a vote of 4 ayes, 0 nays and 1 absent.
BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT: (JULY 25, 2005)
Staff informed the Board that the applicant requested to defer the application to the
August 29, 2005 Agenda. Staff supported the deferral request.
The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and deferred to the August 29, 2005
Agenda by a vote of 4 ayes, 0 nays and 1 open position.
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AUGUST 29, 2005
ITEM NO.: C (CON'T.
BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT: (AUGUST 29, 2005)
Staff informed the Board that the applicant had revised the application to combine
the two (2) ground -mounted signs (existing and proposed) at the northeast corner of
the property, as suggested by staff in paragraph B of the staff report. Staff
recommended approval of the revised application, subject to the following
conditions:
1. A sign permit must be obtained for the new sign.
2. The existing sign at the northeast corner of the property must be taken down
and attached to the larger existing sign pole prior to signage being added to
the top of the larger existing sign pole.
The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and approved as revised and
recommended by staff by a vote of 5 ayes and 0 nays.
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