Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-5405-B Staff AnalysisOctober 18, 2001 ITEM NO.: 5 FILE NO.: Z -5405-B NAME: Arkansas Baptist School - Revised Conditional Use Permit LOCATION: 8400 Ranch Boulevard DEVELOPER: ENGINEER: Arkansas Baptist School System White-Daters and Associates 62 Pleasant Valley Drive 24 Rahling Circle Little Rock, AR Little Rock, AR 72223 AREA: 20.9 acres NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 FT. NEW STREET: 0 ZONING: R-2 ALLOWED USES: School PROPOSED USE: School with expansion VARIANCES/WAIVERS REQUESTED: 1. A variance from the buffer and screening requirements along the north property line. BACKGROUND: On February 12, 1991, the Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit to allow for the development of a junior/senior high school campus on this property for the Arkansas Baptist School System. The approved plan included a school building, paved parking areas, and football and baseball fields. On January 21, 1999, the Planning Commission approved a revised conditional use permit, which allowed the Summit Church to hold church services in the existing school facilities. No new construction was proposed with this application. A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST: The applicant, Arkansas Baptist School System, requests a revised conditional use permit to allow for the expansion of the existing school campus. The proposed expansion will take place as follows: October 18, 2001 ITEM NO.: 5 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -5405-B ■ Phase I - A 32,000 square foot (maximum) elementary School building (2 story) with associated paved parking and pick-up/drop-off areas. • Phase II - A 36,000 square foot (maximum) classroom addition (2 story) to elementary school building. • Phase III - A 14,000 square foot (maximum) multi-purpose building (2 story) addition with seating capacity of 300 persons. • An elementary playground and a practice field (not lighted) will also be incorporated into the development. The elementary school component of the school campus will have a total of 26 classrooms. There are 51 new paved parking spaces proposed to serve the elementary school phase, with additional paved area for drop-off/pick-up vehicular stacking. The hours of operation will be from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday, with occasional special events. The applicant also notes that the proposed building will not exceed 35 feet in height. The applicant is requesting a variance to allow a reduced land use buffer and eliminate the screening fence requirement along the north property line adjacent to the elementary school phase of the school campus. A portion of the proposed practice field, playground area and a corner of the proposed building extends into the required buffer. The proposed site plan shows a ground -mounted sign along the east side of the entrance drive from Ranch Boulevard. The applicant notes that the sign will have a maximum height of six (6) feet and a maximum area of 57 square feet. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: There is an existing school building located within the southern portion of the property, with associated paved parking areas. There is a football field and a baseball field located within the western portion of the site. The area of the site proposed for the elementary school expansion is undeveloped, with some clearing and grading having taken place. There is undeveloped R-2 zoned property to the north and west, with single family residences to the northeast. There is undeveloped MF -18 zoned property across Ranch Boulevard to the east and office uses immediately south of the site. C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: As of this writing, staff has received several informational phone calls pertaining to this application. All owners of property located within 200 feet of the site, all residents within 300 feet of the site who could be identified, and the 2 October 18, 2001 ITEM NO.: 5 (Cont. FILE NO.: Z -5405-B Johnson Ranch, Bayonne Place and Aberdeen Court Neighborhood Associations were notified of the public hearing. D. ENGINEERING COMMENTS: PUBLIC WORKS CONDITIONS: 1. Property frontage needs to have the sidewalks and ramps brought up to the current ADA standards. 2. Repair or replace any curb and gutter or sidewalk that is damaged in the public right-of-way prior to occupancy. 3. Plans of all work in right-of-way shall be submitted for approval prior to start of work. 4. Grading permit will be required on this development. 5. Storm water detention ordinance applies to this property. 6. Redesign entrance to eliminate conflicting turns. Contact Bill Henry for details. E. UTILITIES AND FIRE DEPARTMENT/COUNTY PLANNING: Wastewater: Sewer available, not adversely affected. Entergy: No Comment received. ARKLA: No Comment received. Southwestern Bell: No Comment received. Water: An acreage charge of $300 per acre applies in addition to normal charges. The placement of proposed fire hydrants must be approved by the Little Rock Fire Department. Fire Department: No Comment. County Planning: No Comment. CATA: Project site is not located on a dedicated bus route and has no effect on bus radius, turnout and route. F. Landscape Issues: The drainage and utility easement area cannot count toward fulfilling the required 50 -foot wide (average width) land use buffer along the northern perimeter. The minimum width allowed at any given point is 9 feet. 3 October 18, 2001 ITEM NO.: 5 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -5405-B The land use buffer along the eastern perimeter drops below the minimum width allowed of 9 -foot. A 6 -foot high opaque screen, either a wooden fence with its face side directed outward or dense evergreen plantings, is required along the northern and eastern perimeters of the site. An irrigation system to water landscaped areas will be required. A 3 -foot wide landscape strip between the public parking areas and buildings is required. However, considerable flexibility with this requirement is allowed. Prior to a building permit being issued, a landscape plan stamped with the seal of a Registered Landscape Architect will be required. G. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENTS: (SEPTEMBER 27, 2001) Joe White and Bill Windall were present, representing the application. Staff briefly described the revised conditional use permit, noting that some additional information needed to be shown on the site plan. The Public Works requirements were discussed, specifically the requirement to redesign the entrance from Ranch Boulevard for the elementary school phase. Tad Borkowski, of Public Works, explained that the entrance area needed to be redesigned to eliminate conflicting turns. Joe White discussed using traffic cones to control the traffic flow during peak traffic times. The Committee suggested using gates to control the traffic flow. It was suggested that Mr. White meet with the City's traffic engineer and resolve the entrance issue. Mr. White indicated that he would attempt to resolve the issue. The landscape requirements were also discussed. Bill Hall, of the Planning staff, explained the requirements. The required buffer along the northern perimeter was the main topic of discussion. Mr. White noted that he would also attempt to resolve this issue. Staff noted that a variance could be requested, if needed. 4 October 18, 2001 ITEM NO.: 5 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -5405-B After the discussion, the Committee forwarded the revised conditional use permit to the full Commission for final action. H. ANALYSIS: The applicant submitted a revised site plan on October 3, 2001. The revised plan addresses some of the issues as raised by the Subdivision Committee. The applicant has noted building height, dumpster area, sign location and fencing information on the site plan. The required land use buffer width and screening along the east property line have also been provided. The site plan shows a total of 51 parking spaces for this phase of the school campus. A minimum of 26 spaces is required by ordinance. Staff supports the parking plan as proposed. As noted in paragraph A., the applicant is requesting a variance to allow a reduced land use buffer and to eliminate the screening fence requirement along the north property line of the elementary school phase of the school campus. A portion of the practice field, playground area and a corner of the proposed building extends into the 50 foot wide required buffer. There is an 80 foot wide utility and drainage easement along the north property line, which is heavily wooded. This utility and drainage easement cannot count toward the buffer requirement according to Ordinance. Staff feels that the variance request is justified based on the fact that structural improvements within this buffer area will be very minimal and the 80 foot wide utility and drainage easement is densely vegetated. Staff feels that if a utility company or the City clears the utility and drainage easement area to install new lines or drainage improvements, the applicant must construct the required screening fence along this property line. To staff's knowledge, the applicant has not yet met with the City's traffic engineer to redesign the entrance area from Ranch Boulevard. As noted at the Subdivision Committee meeting, the entrance area needs to be redesigned to eliminate conflicting turning movements. Staff will attempt to resolve this issue prior to the public hearing. 5 October 18, 2001 ITEM NO.: 5 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -5405-B Aside from the entrance area redesign issue, there should be no outstanding issues associated with this application. Staff feels that the addition of the elementary school phase to this overall school campus will have no adverse impact on the general area. I. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends approval of the revised conditional use permit subject to the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the requirements as noted in paragraphs D, E and F of this report. _ 2. Any site lighting must be low-level and directed away from adjacent residential property. 3. The dumpster area must be screened on three (3) sides with an eight (8) foot high opaque fence or wall. 4. The proposed ground -mounted sign will have a maximum height of six (6) feet and a maximum area of 57 square feet. 5. Staff recommends approval of the variance to reduce the land use buffer and eliminate the screening requirement along the north property line of the elementary school phase, as noted in paragraph H. of this report. If the 80 foot wide utility and drainage easement along the north property line is ever cleared, eliminating the natural vegetative screen, a six (6) foot high opaque screening fence must be constructed to provide the required screening of the R-2 zoned property to the north. 6. The issue relating to redesign of the entrance area from Ranch Boulevard must be resolved. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (OCTOBER 18, 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. Staff noted that the applicant had met with the City's Traffic Engineer and redesigned the entrance area to the elementary school phase, eliminating conflicting turning movements. 6 October 18, 2001 ITEM NO.: 5 (Cont. FILE NO.: Z -5405-B The Chairman placed this 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. 7