Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-5098-C Staff AnalysisMarch 8, 2001 ITEM NO.: 7 FILE NO.: Z -5098-C NAME: Dillards - Revised Zoning Site Plan LOCATION: 1600 Cantrell Road DEVELOPER: Dillards, Inc. 1600 Cantrell Road Little Rock, AR 72201 ARCHITECT: Architecture Plus 300 Washington Street, Suite 400 Monroe, LA 71201 AREA: 14.4 acres NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 FT. NEW STREET: 0 ZONING: 0-2/I-3 ALLOWED USES: Office PROPOSED USE: Office VARIANCES/WAIVERS REQUESTED: None requested. BACKGROUND: The majority of the property at 1600 Cantrell Road is zoned 0-2 and contains the existing Dillards office building. Based on the fact that the property is zoned 0-2, the site plan review process applies for any development. The 124,155 square foot, 5 -story Dillard's office building is located within the east one-half of the property, with parking along its south, east and west sides. A total of 541 parking spaces exists on the site. The site is heavily landscaped. Access to the property is gained by utilizing two (2) existing drives from Cantrell Road. On February 17, 2000, the Planning Commission approved a site plan for this property. The approved plan included a 181,858 square foot building addition to the west side of the existing building and an increase in parking to 834 spaces. The parking area west of the office building was approved as a three-level tiered design. On -grade parking along the west side of the building is to be tiered down to a mid-level parking structure, March 8, 2001 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -5098-C which is tiered down to an on grade parking area along the west and south property lines. A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST: The applicant proposes to revise the previously approved site plan by adding upper-level parking above the mid-level parking area. This new level of parking will match up to the on -grade parking along the office building's west side. The new proposed level of parking will result in a net increase of 126 spaces. This is the only proposed change to the previously approved site plan. Please see the attached site plan and south property elevation for the proposed location of the upper level parking structure. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The site contains the existing Dillard's office building and parking areas. The previously approved building and parking expansions are currently under construction. There is a mixture of commercial and industrial uses to the west along the north side of Cantrell Road. The Cathedral School development (currently under construction) is located to the south across Cantrell Road, with 0-3 zoned property to the east. The Arkansas River is located immediately north of the site. C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: As of this writing, staff has received one (1) informational phone call regarding this development. The Downtown and Capitol View-Stifft Station Neighborhood Associations were notified of the public hearing. D. 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. E. UTILITIES AND FIRE DEPARTMENT/COUNTY PLANNING: Wastewater: Sewer available, not adversely affected. E March 8, 2001 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -5098-C Entergy: No Comment received. ARKLA: No Comment. Southwestern Bell: No Comment received. Water: No Comment. Fire Department: No Comment. County Planning: No Comment. CATA: Site is on bus route #21 and has no effect on bus radius, turnout and route. F. ISSUES/TECHNICAL/DESIGN: Planning Division: No Comment. Landscape Issues: No Comment. G. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (FEBRUARY 15, 2001) Larry Blunt was present, representing the application. Staff reviewed the previously approved site plan with the Committee and the change in the west parking area that the applicant proposes to make. Staff noted that there were no outstanding issues with the revised site plan to discuss. Neither Mr. Blunt nor the committee had any additional comments. Therefore, the committee forwarded the revised zoning site plan to the full Commission for final action. H. ANALYSIS: As noted in paragraph A., the applicant is proposing to revise the previously approved zoning site plan for this property by adding an upper-level parking structure above the approved mid-level parking structure. This will result in a net increase of 126 parking spaces. As shown on the 3 March 8, 2001 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -5098-C attached south property elevation, the proposed upper-level structure will be at the same elevation as the on -grade parking along the west side of the office building. The minimum number of parking spaces required for an office development of this size is 683 spaces. The total parking proposed with revisions is 960 spaces. As justification for the total number of parking spaces, the applicant previously noted that there will be a total of 987 employees after the building expansion. Although rarely, if ever, are all of the employees at the site at any given time. Staff supports the parking plan as proposed. Otherwise, there should be no outstanding issues associated with the revised site plan. The proposed upper-level parking addition should have no adverse impact on the general area. I. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends approval of the revised zoning site plan subject to compliance with the Public Works requirements as noted in paragraph D. of this report. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (MARCH 8, 2001) The staff presented a positive recommendation on this application, as there were no further issues for resolution. There were no objectors to this matter. 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. 4