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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-5239-G Staff AnalysisFILE NO.: Z -5239-G NAME: Our House Short -form PD -O LOCATION: Located in the 300 Block of East 24th Street DEVELOPER: Our House, Inc. 302 E. Roosevelt Road Little Rock, AR 72206 ENGINEER: The Holloway Firm, Inc. 200 Casey Drive Maumelle, AR 72113 ARCHITECTS: Herron Hurton Architects, Inc. Jennifer Herron, AIA/Jeff Horton, AIA 1219 S. Spring Street Little Rock, AR 72202 AREA: 1.429 acres NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 lot FT. NEW STREET: 0 LF CURRENT ZONING: PCD ALLOWED USES: Hospital, Nursing Home, 1-1 uses PROPOSED ZONING: PD -O PROPOSED USE: Multi-use/Our House, Administrative Offices, Children's Programs VARIANCESM/AIVERS REQUESTED: None requested. BACKGROUND: Ordinance No. 16,024 adopted by the Little Rock Board of Directors on March 19, 1991, approved a rezoning of the site from R-4 to PCD. The approval allowed the reuse of the "Old VA Medical Center", located at 300 E. Roosevelt Road as a mixed use development. The overall campus consisted of five (5) Tracts. The PCD request FILE NO.; Z -5239-G consisted of two (2.) tracts of land with 8.99 acres in Tract 1 and 1.43 acres in Tract 5. The larger tract contained the main building, approximately 500,000 square feet and security building 3,488 square feet. Tract 5 contained two (2) buildings of 9,780 square feet and 7,600 square feet. The uses of the property were offices, mini -storage, clinics, record and document storage, cold storage, light manufacturing and other similar uses. It was determined during the public hearing process the approval included all 1-1 listed enclosed uses. The access for Tract 1 was to be from Roosevelt Road with emergency access provided from all other access points. There was to be no industrial use within 100 -feet measured in the horizontal plane, from any point of the building to the property line. There was a subsequent revision to the PCD to add a hospital and nursing home as an allowable use for the property excluding a psychiatric hospital and rehab use. The approval was by Ordinance No. 16,065 adopted by the Little Rock Board of Directors on July 16, 1991. Ordinance No. 17,508 adopted by the Little Rock Board of Directors on June 17, 1997, added apartments, teaching facility, and/or religious, charitable or philanthropic office coupled with all appurtenant usages associated therewith, in addition to usages previously approved. Both revisions appear to be associated with the larger tract which contains the hospital. A Conditional Use Permit was approved for Our House, which are located on Tract 2, 3 and 4, which is between Tracts 1 and 5. The approval was on October 24, 1996, and allowed the construction of a 20,000 square foot building which in conjunction with five other existing buildings on the site were to be used as transitional and emergency housing and other related services as provided by Our House. The property is zoned R-4. Our House was classified as a philanthropic/charitable organization. A. PROPOSAL/REQUESTIAPPLICANT'S STATEMENT - The request is a rezoning from PCD to PD -O to allow the development of Tract 5 as identified above with a multi -use development to serve the clients of Our House. The cover letter indicates the site will contain a buildable footprint of 22,600 square feet. The development is proposed in multiple phases with a maximum building height of 55 -feet. The building is proposed to house the Children's Center which will include a childcare center, classrooms, to support a youth program, a multi -functional space with a kitchen, a donation center, staff offices and support spaces for the programs. The cover letter states it is possible some of the activities will be located on a second or third level which would allow for an initial smaller building footprint. Our House proposes a future Phase 2 which will incorporate additional administrative offices and meeting space, additional storage as well as rental and transitional housing on the site. Depending upon funding, Phase 2 will either be incorporated within the Children's Center on second and third floors or will be an 2 FILE NO.: Z -5239-G (Cont. addition to the Children's Center located within the 22,600 square foot buildable area indicated on the site plan. Our House proposes abandoning the existing curb cut on East 24th Street as well as the asphalt paving on the property and proposes a new curb cut on East 24th Street with a circular drive, a covered entry to the building and eighteen (18) parking spaces. Due to the need for security for the residents at Our House, a security gate is proposed at the southern end of the parking area and will be closed at night. The building will have green/playground space adjacent to it in order to address required exterior playground spaced for the children. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The property is enclosed in a chain link fence and contains an abandoned non-residential building. South and west of the property is the existing Our House campus. Further west of the site is the former VA Hospital. North of the site are two (2) churches and east of the site is a former gas station which most recently sold pottery and is now owned by one of the churches and used for parking. C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: As of this writing, staff has received a few informational phone calls from area residents. All property owners located within 200 feet of the site, the Community Outreach Neighborhood Association, the East Little Rock Neighborhood Association and the Meadowbrook Neighborhood Association were notified of the public hearing. D. ENGINEERING COMMENTS - PUBLIC WORKS CONDITIONS: 1. Plans of all work in right-of-way shall be submitted for approval prior to start of work. Obtain barricade permit prior to doing any work in the right-of-way from Traffic Engineering at (501) 379-1805 (Travis Herbner). 2. Sidewalks with appropriate handicap ramps are required in accordance with Section 31-175 of the Little Rock Code and the Master Street Plan. 3. A grading permit in accordance with Section 29-186 (c) and (d) will be required prior to any land clearing or grading activities at the site. Other than residential subdivisions, site grading and drainage plans must be submitted and approved prior to the start of construction. 4. All driveways shall be concrete aprons per City Ordinance. 3 FILE NO.: Z -5239-G (Co 5. Stormwater detention ordinance applies to this property. Show the proposed location for stormwater detention facilities on the plan. E. UTILITIES AND FIRE DEPARTMENT/COUNTY PLANNING. Wastewater: Sewer available to this project. Contact Little Rock Wastewater for any additional details. Entergy: A 30 -foot overhead or 10 -foot underground easement along East 24tH Street is required by Entergy. Relocation of existing facilities will be at customer's expense. Contact Entergy for additional information. Center -Point Energy: No comment received. AT & T: No comment received. Central Arkansas Water: All Central Arkansas Water requirements in effect at the time of request for water service must be met. Contact Central Arkansas Water regarding the size and location of the water meter. If there are facilities that need to be adjusted and/or relocated, contact Central Arkansas Water. That work would be done at the expense of the developer. Contact Central Arkansas Water if additional fire protection or metered water service is required. The Little Rock Fire Department needs to evaluate this site to determine whether additional public and/or private fire hydrant(s) will be required. If additional fire hydrant(s) are required, they will be installed at the Developer's expense. Due to the nature of the facility, installation of an approved reduced pressure zone backflow preventer assembly (RPZ) is required on the domestic water service. This assembly must be installed prior to the first point of use. Central Arkansas Water requires that upon installation of the RPZ assembly, successful test of the assembly must be completed by a Certified Assembly Tester licensed by the State of Arkansas and approved by Central Arkansas Water. The test results must be sent to Central Arkansas Water's Cross Connection Section within ten (10) days of installation and annually thereafter. Contact the Cross Connection Section at 377-1226 if you would like to discuss backflow prevention requirements for this project. Fire Department: Maintain access of at least twenty (20) feet; fire hydrants per Code. Contact Fire Marshall Tony Rhodes at 607-3560 with any questions. County Planning: No comment. CATA: The site is located within %-mile of CATA Routes #2, the South Main Route. Parks and Recreation: No comment received. 4 FILE NO.: Z -5239-G Cont.) F. ISSUES/TECHNICAL/DESIGN: Planning Division: This request is located in the Central City Planning District. The Land Use Plan shows Mixed Office Commercial (MOC) for this property. The Mixed Office Commercial category provides for a mixture of office and commercial uses to occur. Acceptable uses are office or mixed office and commercial. A Planned Zoning District is required if the use is mixed office and commercial. The applicant has applied for a rezoning from PCD (Planned Commercial District) to PDO (Planned District Office) to allow for the development of a building for office/daycare and future residential use on the site. Master Street Plan: 23rd Street is a Local Street on the Master Street Plan. The primary function of a Local Street is to provide access to adjacent properties. Local Streets that are abutted by non-residential zoning/use or more intensive zoning than duplexes are considered as "Commercial Streets". A Collector design standard is used for Commercial Streets. This street may require dedication of right-of-way and may require street improvements for entrances and exits to the site. Bicycle Plan: There are no bike routes shown in the immediate vicinity. Landscape: 1. Site plan must comply with the City's landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. 2. Same ownership to the south; therefore, no land use buffer is required. 3. Any/all new parking must comply with the City of Little Rock's landscape and buffer ordinances. 4. A landscape plan will be required in conjunction with any new building renovation or construction. G. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (November 15, 2012) Mr. Jeff Horton was present representing the request. Staff presented an overview of the development stating there were few outstanding technical issues associated with the request. Staff questioned the dumpster placement, the proposed signage plan and details of the children's center. Staff also stated all site lighting was to be low level and directional, directed downward and into the site. 5 FILE NO.: Z -5239-G Cont.) Public Works comments were addressed. Staff stated a grading permit would be required with the site development. Staff also stated all driveways were to be concrete aprons. Staff stated the stormwater detention ordinance would apply to the redevelopment of the site. Staff stated the detention would be based on predevelopment runoff and post development runoff. Staff stated if the difference was small the applicant could provide an in -lieu payment for the stormwater detention. Landscaping comments were addressed. Staff stated buffering was not required to the south since this was the same ownership. Staff stated the new parking would require the placement of landscaping to comply with Chapter 15, the Landscape Ordinance. Staff noted comments from the other reporting departments and agencies suggesting the applicant contact them individually for additional clarification. There was no further discussion of the item. The Committee then forwarded the item to the full Commission for final action. H. ANALYSIS: The applicant submitted a revised site plan to staff addressing a number of the issues raised at the November 15, 2012, Subdivision Committee meeting. The revised plan and/or cover letter indicates the proposed signage plan, the dumpster placement, and a note indicates detention will be provided per ordinance requirements. The new building will use dumpsters on the existing Our House Campus. The hours of dumpster services are limited to daylight hours. Should additional dumpsters be needed for this site the dumpster placement will be mindful of the abutting properties and uses and all facilities will be screened per typical ordinance requirements. The applicant has indicated the development will take place in multiple phases. The applicant has indicated there is not a definite time frame for completion of the project. The development includes a buildable footprint of 22,600 square feet. The maximum building height proposed is 55 -feet. The first phase is a building to house the Children's Center which will include a childcare center, classrooms, to support a youth program, a multi -functional space with a kitchen, a donation center, staff offices and support spaces for the programs. The applicant has indicated the building may contain a second and or third level in the initial phase which will allow for a smaller building footprint. Our House proposes a future Phase 2 which will incorporate additional administrative offices and meeting space, additional storage as well as rental and transitional housing on the site. Depending upon funding, Phase 2 will either be C FILE NO.: Z -5239-G (Cont. incorporated within the Children's Center on second and third floors or will be an addition to the Children's Center located within the 22,600 square foot buildable area indicated on the site plan. The applicant has indicated the Children's center will serve the children of Our House client's but not all the youth served will be residents of Our House's housing programs. The applicant states Our House currently serves a number of non-resident children, formerly homeless children, children from low-income families and children from the local community. The new Children's Center will expand the current services provided to youth. The services to be provided include homework assistance, tutoring, cultural enhancement activities, hands-on learning activities, physical fitness and recreation, community service, speech therapy, counseling and health programs. The services will be provided from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday with an occasional evening or weekend program. The building will have green/playground space adjacent to it in order to address required exterior playground spaced for the children. The development proposes abandoning the existing curb cut on East 24th Street as well as the asphalt paving on the property. A new curb cut on East 24th Street with a circular drive, a covered entry to the building and eighteen (18) parking spaces will be developed. According to the applicant due to the need for security for the residents at Our House, a security gate is proposed at the southern end of the parking area and will be closed at night. The request is rezoning from an expired PCD to PD -0 to allow the redevelopment of this site to provide a new structure for the Youth Services program of Our House. Funding for the redevelopment of the site is based on pelages and fund raisers by Our House. Although the building has not been designed the applicant has provided an overall development plan including maximum buildable areas and building heights. Staff is supportive of the request. Staff feels the redevelopment of the site to serve the youth services programs offered by Our House will be a benefit to the neighborhood and the future phases for redevelopment of this site with additional office space, residential, retail and/or meeting space will not adversely impact the area. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the request subject to compliance with the comments and conditions as outlined in paragraphs D, E and F of the agenda staff report. VA FILE NO.: Z -5239-G (Cont.) PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (DECEMBER 13, 2012) The applicant was present. There were no registered objectors present. Staff stated the request included the placement of signage on the front of the building which was located without public street frontage in addition to signage on the fagade of the building fronting East 24 h Street. Staff presented the item with a recommendation of approval of the request subject to compliance with the comments and conditions as outlined in paragraphs D, E and F of the agenda staff report. There was no further discussion of the item. The Chair entertained a motion for approval of the item as presented by staff on the Consent Agenda. The motion carried by a vote of 8 ayes, 0 noes and 3 absent. E ITEM NO.: 4, NAME: Our House Short -form PD -O LOCATION: located in the 300 Block of East 24th Street Planning Staff Comments: 1. Provide notification of the property owners located within 200 -feet of the site including the certified abstract list, notice form with affidavit executed and proof of mailing. The notice must be mailed no later than November 28, 2012. The Office of Planning and Development must receive the proof of notice no later than December 7, 2012. 2. A minimum of 10 -percent of the gross planned commercial mixed use district or planned office district area shall be designated as landscaped open space not to be used for streets or parking. 3. Will children other than Our House client's youth be served by the facility. 4. Detail the after school activities to take place on the site. 5. Provide the days and hours of operation for the youth services building. 6. Will the hours of dumpster service be limited to daylight hours? If so provide a note on the site plan indicating the limited hours of dumpster service. 7. All site lighting must be low level and directional, directed downward and into the site. 8. The cover letter indicates the development as a multi -phase development. Is there a time line anticipated for the multiple phases? Variance/Waivers: None requested. Public Works Conditions: 1. Pians of all work in right-of-way shall be submitted for approval prior to start of work. Obtain barricade permit prior to doing any work in the right-of-way from Traffic Engineering at (501) 379-1805 (Travis Herbner). 2. Sidewalks with appropriate handicap ramps are required in accordance with Section 31-175 of the Little Rock Code and the Master Street Plan. 3. A grading permit in accordance with Section 29-186 (c) and (d) will be required prior to any land clearing or grading activities at the site. Other than residential subdivisions, site grading and drainage plans must be submitted and approved prior to the start of construction. 4. All driveways shall be concrete aprons per City Ordinance. 5. Stormwater detention ordinance applies to this property. Show the proposed location for stormwater detention facilities on the plan. Utilities and Fire Department/County Planning: Wastewater: Sewer available to this project. Contact Little Rock Wastewater for any additional details. Item # 4. Entergy: A 30 -foot overhead or 10 -foot underground easement along East 24th Street is required by Entergy. Relocation of existing facilities will be at customer's expense. Contact Entergy for additional information. Center -Point Energy: No comment received. AT & T: No comment received. Central Arkansas Water: All Central Arkansas Water requirements in effect at the time of request for water service must be met. Contact Central Arkansas Water regarding the size and location of the water meter. If there are facilities that need to be adjusted and/or relocated, contact Central Arkansas Water. That work would be done at the expense of the developer. Contact Central Arkansas Water if additional fire protection or metered water service is required. The Little Rock Fire Department needs to evaluate this site to determine whether additional public and/or private fire hydrant(s) are required. If additional fire hydrant(s) are required, they will be installed at the Developer's expense. The Little Rock Fire Department needs to evaluate this site to determine whether additional public and/or private fire hydrant(s) will be required. If additional fire hydrant(s) are required, they will be installed at the Developer's expense. Due to the nature of the facility, installation of an approved reduced pressure zone backflow preventer assembly (RPZ) is required on the domestic water service. This assembly must be installed prior to the first point of use. Central Arkansas Water requires that upon installation of the RPZ assembly, successful test of the assembly must be completed by a Certified Assembly Tester licensed by the State of Arkansas and approved by Central Arkansas Water. The test results must be sent to Central Arkansas Water's Cross Connection Section within ten (10) days of installation and annually thereafter. Contact the Cross Connection Section at 377-1226 if you would like to discuss backflow prevention requirements for this project. Fire Department-. Maintain access of at least twenty (20) feet; fire hydrants per Code. Contact Fire Marshall Tony Rhodes at 607-3560 with any questions. County Planning: No comment. CATA: The site is located within Y4 -mile of CATA Routes #2, the South Main Route. Parks and Recreation: No comment received. Planning Division: This request is located in the Central City Planning District. The Land Use Plan shows Mixed Office Commercial (MOC) for this property. The Mixed Office Commercial category provides for a mixture of office and commercial uses to occur. Acceptable uses are office or mixed office and commercial. A Planned Zoning District is required if the use is mixed office and commercial. The applicant has applied for a rezoning from PCD (Planned Commercial District) to PDO (Planned District Office) to allow for the development of a building for office/daycare and future residential use on the site. Item # 4. Master Street Plan: 23 Id Street is a Local Street on the Master Street Plan. The primary function of a Local Street is to provide access to adjacent properties. Local Streets that are abutted by non-residential zoning/use or more intensive zoning than duplexes are considered as "Commercial Streets". A Collector design standard is used for Commercial Streets. This street may require dedication of right-of-way and may require street improvements for entrances and exits to the site. Bicycle Plan: There are no bike routes shown in the immediate vicinity. Landscape: 1. Site plan must comply with the City's landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. 2. Same ownership to the south; therefore, no land use buffer is required. 3. Any/all new parking must comply with the City of Little Rock's landscape and buffer ordinances. 4. A landscape plan will be required in conjunction with any new building renovation or construction. Revised plat/plan. Submit four (4) copies of a revised preliminary plat/plan (to include the additional information as noted above) to staff on Wednesday, November 21, 2012. Item # 4