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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-5127-A Staff AnalysisMarch 13, 1990 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: A FILE NO.: Z -5127-A NAME: Woodland Heights Office/Space Center LOCATION: The west side of Woodland Heights Road at Fairview Road. DEVELOPER: ENGINEER: Rees Development Co. White-Daters & Associates 13401 Beckenham Drive 401 Victory Little Rock, AR 72212 Little Rock, AR 72202 224-3826 374-1666 AREA: 3.0 acres NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 FT. NEW STREET: .. _......... .......... . ..... ZONING: 110-2" PLANNING DISTRICT: CENSUS TRACT: 42.05 VARIANCES REQUESTED: PROPOSED USES: 1 - Highway 10 STATEMENT OF PROPOSAL: None Office/storage The tract in this application is one of the few remaining undeveloped properties in this neighborhood and is surrounded by a mix of office buildings and residential. N The project consists of the construction of an office building and five mini -storage buildings. The front building on the property will be an office with brick front and glass windows with canopies and a steel roof. There will be 28 parking spaces for this 13,000 square foot office building. The remaining five buildings will vary in size from 10,800 square feet to 5,400 square feet. These will be storage spaces. The developer plans to have 50 foot setbacks on the front 30 feet on the north and south. At the rear of the site, the developer proposes 50-65 feet of buffer zone. The property also will be surrounded by a six foot fence which will not be noticeable from the front of the development. 1 March 13, 1990 SUBDIVISION Item No. A (Con tinuedI A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST: The developer proposes the construction of an office building and five mini storage buildings on a three acre tract. The site is proposed to be entered from Woodland Heights Road. The proposal includes buffer area along the west property line. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: This site, approximately three acres in area, is cleared. The property is accessed by a street along the east boundary. The area to the north is currently vacant and zoned for office use. The area to the south is currently occupied by a small engine repair shop and residential house. To the west along Pleasant Forest Cove and rearing this project are single family homes. C. ENGINEERING COMMENTS: Site Plan is based on obsolete survey; new information required on existing street names, right of way and improvements. Engineering and survey certificates are not in conformance with City of Little Rock requirements. Detention and excavation ordinances apply. D. ISSUES/LEGAL/TECHNICAL/DESIGN: This PUD filing is rather incomplete in nature with a failing of several important elements, one being a proper updated survey of the site. The site plan is only partially dimensioned, thereby leaving too many elements to question. This is a significant issue for a PUD and the subsequent plat that will be required. There are also a number of site plan elements missing. These include the source of title, and book and page on the certificate of ownership, preliminary engineering certificate, legal description and existing street names. Finally, we would like to point out that the properties on this site have been involved in previous applications. This subdivision plat, when approved by the Planning Commission, was approved for Nursery PCD development. 2 March 13, 1990 SUBDIVISION Item. No. A (Continued) E. ANALYSIS: The staff view of this proposal is that the project requires significant changes due to its impact on the adjacent residential properties to the west. There are a number of homes along Pleasant Forest Cove that rear upon this property. If it is to be approved, it is our feeling that a significant buffering action should occur adjacent to the rear property lines of those homes. There are also several additional items concerning the site plan we feel require additional work on the part of the developer. This includes the updated survey and site plan completely dimensioned; and the redesign of the several buildings to increase compatibility with neighbors. If required to offer a recommendation on this project at this time, we will recommend denial because of the land use plan incompatibility and spot use of a warehouse nature. F . STAFF R)COMMENDATI.ON : The staff feels that this PUD filing is of such a nature that a proper review cannot be accomplished at this time. We would suggest that the applicant request a withdrawal and resubmit it in a proper form in order to answer the several issues pointed out above. We would like to point out that the previous PUD on this site was controversial with and caused ordinance amendments in order to deal with a nursery and landscape business. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENTS_: (January 18, 1990) ........................................._.._........................................... ..... ..... Mr. Rees was present as was his contractor for this project. A lengthy discussion followed, principally dealing with land use concerns. These had to do with questions concerning the residential neighborhood directly west, and spot use of a warehouse nature. Mr. Rees agreed to meet with the neighborhood, and submit an updated survey and site plan before Thursday noon of next week. 3 March 13, 1990 SUBDIVISION Item No. A (Continued As a last item, the Engineering staff pointed out that the applicant would need to comply with Detention and Excavation ordinances. The Water Works Department would need to approve an on-site fire hydrant and determine the depth of raw water lines. There being no further discussion, the item was forwarded to the full Commission for resolution. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (January 30, 1990) The staff informed the Commission that the PCD application needed to be deferred due to some notice deficiencies. The item was placed on the consent agenda and deferred to the March 13, 1990 meeting. The vote was 10 ayes, 0 noes and 1 absent. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (March 1, 1990) The applicant was not present nor was he represented. The staff reported that the applicant had submitted a revised survey. Staff has also received a letter from abutting property owners requesting denial of this application as incompatible with the land use plan which calls for office use. There being no further discussion on this item, it was forwarded to the full Commission. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (March 13, 1990) There was one person registered to speak against the proposed development. The Planning staff told the Commission that the applicant had provided a written request for withdrawal. At the public hearing, the Planning Commission determined that the objector, Mr. Tommy Hanson, did not oppose the withdrawal. A motion was made to approve the request for withdrawal. The motion passed by a vote of 11 ayes, 0 nays, 0 absent. 4 May 7, 1991 C 2w Owner: Applicant: Location: Request: Purpose: Size: Existing Use: 7-A A. Richard Smith John A. Rees Woodland Heights Road Rezone from PCD to 0-3 Office 2.3 Acres Vacant SURROUNDING LAND USE AND ZONING: North - Vacant, zoned 0-3 South - Vacant and single-family, zoned R-2 and 0-3 East - Vacant, zoned 0-3 West - Easter Seals, zoned 0-2 STAFF ANALYSIS: The issue before the Planning Commission is to revoke the existing PCD and to reestablish the previous 0-3 classification. The PCD was approved in 1989 for a landscape and nursery business with plant sales, greenhouse areas, and open storage. The project was never developed, and the site is still vacant. Restoring the 0-3 conforms to the adopted Highway 10 Plan which identifies the site for office use/development. Also, 0-3 is more compatible with the general area and the residential neighborhood, Pleasant Forest Cove, to the southwest. Office zoning abuts the property on the northwest and south sides. Across Woodland Heights Road, the existing zoning is 0-3. Staff views this as a routine matter and supports the revocation of the PCD and the rezoning to 0-3. There are no unresolved issues. (In addition to acting on the rezoning request, the Planning Commission must also endorse a resolution recommending to the Board of Directors that the existing PCD be revoked.) ENGINEERING COMMENTS: None reported. 1 May 7, 1991 ITEM N❑.: C �-5127-A Cant. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the PCD to 0-3 reclassification. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION (April 9, 1991) Staff reported that the item needed to be deferred because the applicant failed to notify the required property owners. A motion was made to defer the issue to the May 7, 1991, hearing. The motion was approved by a vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays, and 4 absent. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION (May 7, 1991) Staff reported that the request could be withdrawn because no rezoning action was required. The item was placed on the consent agenda and a motion was made to withdraw the 0-3 rezoning. The motion was approved by a vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays, 3 absent and one open position. (NOTE: A rezoning from PCD to 0-3 is not needed because a condition of the reclassification ordinance, final plan approval, has not been met. Therefore, it has been determined that a rezoning did not take place, and the zoning map should be changed to reflect the 0-3.) 2