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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-5392-C Staff AnalysisNovember 18, 2010 TEM NO.: 4 NAME: LOCATION: OWNER/APPLICANT FILE NO.: Z - Cloverdale Middle School Parking Expansion — Conditional Use Permit 6300 Hinkson Road Little Rock School District/Peters and Associates PROPOSAL: A conditional use permit is requested to allow for the addition of new parking spaces and the improvement of existing parking spaces on this R-2 zoned public school site. 2. SITE LOCATION: The property is located south of West 83rd Street, north of Hinkson Road, approximately one block west of Geyer Springs Road. COMPATIBILITY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD: The school has been a part of this neighborhood many years, predating the area's annexation into the City. If done appropriately, the addition of more on-site parking should not affect the school's continued compatibility with the neighborhood. The campus is located at the eastern edge of the residential neighborhood, where uses transition to the commercial Geyer Springs corridor. Other institutional uses in the immediate vicinity include churches located to the north and east, a charter school located one block to the ease and a day care to the east. Notice of the public hearing was sent to owners of properties located within 200 feet of the site, all residents within 300 feet who could be identified and the SWLR United for Progress and Cloverdale Neighborhood Associations. 3. ON SITE DRIVES AND PARKING: The site contains a total of approximately 111 on-site parking spaces spread over the campus. An 18 -space lot is located on the north side of the building with access off of West 83 d Street. A 10 -space lot is located east of the school with access off of Holland Lane, a private street. A total of 32 spaces are. located in the area in front of the school with access off of Holland Land and Hinkson Road. Parking lots located on the west part of the school property (adjacent to the cafeteria and where the elementary school was previously located) contain a total of 48 spaces. November 18, 2010 ITEM NO.: 4 (Cont.) FILE NO_: Z -5392-C 9 The school is proposing to construct 2 small parking lots containing a total of 19 parking spaces east of the building, taking access off of Holland Lane. The parking lot within the circular drive in front of the school is proposed to be enlarged by 9 spaces. A total of 52 new spaces are proposed to be constructed in the area west of the cafeteria. The existing parking lot on the west perimeter of the campus is to be reconstructed and restriped. Two of the four driveways off of Hinkson Road, west of the cafeteria, will be removed. It appears, once the construction of new spaces and renovation of some of the existing spaces is complete, the site will contain approximately 191 on-site parking spaces, a net gain of 80± spaces. Parking standards for a middle school are 1 space per classroom and 1 space for each teacher, employee and administrator. The school contains 52 classrooms, with 66 teachers and 26 other employees. Based on these numbers, the campus should contain a minimum of 144 on-site parking spaces. SCREENING AND BUFFERS: Proposed new parking areas must comply with the City's Landscape and Buffer Ordinances. Site plan must comply with the City's minimal landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. An automatic irrigation system to water landscaped areas will be required. Prior to the issuance of a building permit, it will be necessary to provide an approved landscape plan stamped with the seal of a Registered Landscape Architect. The City Beautiful Commission recommends preserving as many existing trees as feasible on this site. Credit toward fulfilling landscape ordinance requirements can be given when preserving trees of six (6) inch caliper or larger. 5. PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS: 1. At time of building permit, repair or replace any curb and gutter or sidewalk that is damaged in the public right-of-way prior to occupancy. 2. A back up area should be provided on the existing western parking area. 2 November 18, 2010 ITEM NO.: 4 Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -5392-C 6. UTILITY, FIRE DEPT. AND CATA COMMENTS: Wastewater: Sewer available to this project. Existing six (6) inch sewer main on north side Hinkson Road is a private sewer main serving the school site. Entergy: No comments received. Centerpoint Energy: Approved as submitted. AT&T (SBC): No comments received. Water: No objections. Fire Department: Approved as submitted. County Planning: No Comments. CATH: This site is not located on a CATA bus route. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (OCTOBER 28, 2010) Ernie Peters was present representing the application. Staff presented the item and noted the Public Works and Landscape Comments. In response to a question from the Committee, Mr. Peters stated no trees would be removed in the area in front of the school or west of the cafeteria building. He stated 4 trees would be removed east of the building, adjacent to Holland Lane. The Committee determined there were no outstanding issues and forwarded the item to the full Commission. STAFF ANALYSIS: Cloverdale Magnet Middle School is located on the R-2 zoned property at 6300 Hinkson Road. The school is located on the east half of the 16± acre LRSD property. An elementary school used to be located on the west half. The school site contains a 52 classroom building, a detached cafeteria building, approximately 111 parking spaces distributed around the campus and play areas. Of the 111 spaces, approximately 60 are located in close proximity to the building. The remainder are located on the west side of the campus, some distance away from the building. 3 November 18, 2010 ITEM NO.: 4 (Cont.) FILE NO_: Z -5392-C The District is proposing to expand parking on the campus to a total of approximately 191 spaces. Two new parking lots containing a total of 19 spaces are proposed east of the school building, taking access off of Holland Lane. 9 new spaces will be added off of the circular drive at the front of the school. 52 new spaces will be added to the existing parking located west of the cafeteria building. The existing parking in that area will be repaired, resurfaced reconstructed and restriped as needed. A new sidewalk will tie the new and improved parking lot to a covered canopy that provides access to the school buildings. The new parking areas will be landscaped and irrigated to comply with ordinance requirements. No new signage, fencing or lighting is proposed. Two of the four existing driveways off of Hinkson Road, west of the cafeteria, will be removed and curb, gutter and sidewalk improvements will be installed. Staff is supportive of this proposed plan. On August 28, 2010, the Commission denied a proposal to expand parking on this site. That plan focused more on expanding the parking directly in front of the school, resulting in the loss of some of the green space in that area. There had been concerns that the parking would intrude into the required street buffers. Under this new plan, all required buffers are provided. The existing parking, west of the cafeteria, that does not currently comply with buffer requirements, will remain but will be reconstructed and restriped. To staff's knowledge, there are no outstanding issues. There is no bill of assurance for this acreage tract. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the requested C.U.P. subject to compliance with the comments and conditions outlined in Sections 4, 5 and 6 of the Agenda Staff Report. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (NOVEMBER 18, 2010) The applicant was present. There were eight commissioners present. The applicant was asked if he wished to defer the item or proceed. Ernie Peters stated he wished to proceed. There was one objector present. That same objector had submitted a letter of opposition which staff had forwarded to the commission. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of approval, subject to compliance with the comments and conditions outlined in the "staff recommendation" above. Mr. Peters addressed the commission and stated he wished to reserve his time to respond to any issues that might be raised by the person present in opposition. 0 November 18, 2010 ITEM NO.: 4 (Cont. FILE NO.: Z -5392-C Pam Adcock, of 6205 Hinkson Rd., spoke in opposition to a portion of the proposal. She stated she did appreciate Mr. Peters working with her and keeping her engaged in the process. Ms. Adcock made reference to the letter she had submitted. She stated she was okay with the proposed parking east of the school and west of the cafeteria building but she was opposed to the expansion of parking in front of the school. Ms. Adcock noted the proposed 191 parking spaces exceeded the Ordinance requirement and the 9 spaces at the front of the school were not needed. She made reference to her letter and asked that the commission impose additional conditions if the 9 spaces at the front of the school were approved. Ms. Adcock stated the enrollment at the school was down to 570 students from an enrollment of 686 students last school year. She again questioned the need for additional parking. Ernie Peters responded that he was grateful for Ms. Adcock working with the District on the issue. He stated the 9 spaces at the front of the building would be screened by landscaping that would be more than sufficient to block the headlights of any vehicles parked in the spaces. He stated the spaces were needed to accommodate visitors, who needed to access the building through the front entrance. Mr. Peters stated all of the proposed parking improvements would be done at the same time. He said adding the new parking would help to address some of the issues Ms. Adcock had raised in her letter. Mr. Peters stated the 9 new spaces were actually being created by adding a smaller area of new pavement to an area that is currently used for parallel parking and turning the spaces from parallel to right-angle parking. Commissioner Laha asked if the contract with the construction company could be worded so that the 9 spaces at the front of the building would be built last. Commissioner Laha expressed concern that the 9 spaces would be built first and the remaining spaces might be delayed or not built. Mr. Peters responded that it could, but it was the District's intention to build all of the spaces at the same time. Commissioner Laha commented that people park on the grass around the school and the District needed to take measures to make people park on the paved surfaces only. In response to a question from Vice -chair Ferstl, Mr. Peters stated full use of the existing parking would remain during the construction process. In response to a question from the commission, Mr. Peters stated he was amending his application, agreeing to stage construction as follows: Phase I.....Parking off of Holland Lane Phase 11. _Parking west of the cafeteria building Phase III...Parking in front of the school 5 November 18, 2010 M NO.: 4 [Cont. FILE= NO.: Z-5 Ms. Adcock asked about the additional conditions she had proposed in her letter. Deputy City Attorney Cindy Dawson commented that some of the proposed conditions were inappropriate to the issue before the commission. A motion was made to approve the application as amended, subject to all staff comments and conditions. The motion was approved by a vote of 6 ayes, 2 noes, 1 absent and 2 open positions. 9