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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWrite-Up for LU2023-12-01 FILE NO.: LU2023-12-01 NAME: Land Use Plan Amendment – 65th Street Planning District Residential Low (RL) to Residential Medium (RM) LOCATION: 7404 Mabelvale Pike OWNER/AUTHORIZED AGENT: Joe White & Associates, Inc. 25 Rahling Cir, Ste. A-2 Little Rock, AR AREA: 1.4 acres ± WARD: 7 PLANNING DISTRICT: 12 CENSUS TRACT: 20.01 CURRENT ZONING: R-2, Single-Family District BACKGROUND: The applicant filed a rezoning application for R-2, Single Family District to R-4, Two Family District (File No. Z-9702-A). This is in conflict with the Land Use Plan Map so a Land Use Plan Map amendment was filed to be consistent with the zoning request. A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST: The applicant requests a Land Use Plan amendment from Residential Low Density (RL) to Residential Medium Density (RM). The application is located at 7404 Mabelvale Pike, in the 65th Street West Planning District. The site is approximately 1.4 acres. The existing Residential Low Density (RL) category provides for single family homes at densities not to exceed 6 dwelling units per acre. Such residential development is typically characterized by conventional single family homes, but may also include patio or garden homes and cluster homes, provided that the density remain less than 6 units per acre. The proposed Residential Medium Density (RM) category accommodates a broad range of housing types at a density between six (6) and twelve (12) dwelling units per acre. FILE NO.: LU2023-12-01 (Cont.) 2 B. EXISTING CONDITIONS/ZONING: The subject site is a large undeveloped tract. The current zoning is R-2, Single Family District. The land in the vicinity of the site is primarily residential with R-2 zoning. There are developed single-family subdivisions and larger tracts with single family houses. Two religious institutions are along Mabelvale Pike, one to the east and the other to west of the site. Two apartment complexes are near the site. One is at Forbing Road and Mabelvale Pike to the east. The other is adjacent to the site on the west. Figure 1. Zoning C. NEIGHBORHOOD NOTIFICATIONS: The South Brookwood Ponderosa Neighborhood Association was contacted November 22,2022. At the time of writing, Staff had received no contact from area residents or association. Notice of the agenda item was also sent to all neighborhood contacts as part of the January Planning Commission notification. G. TRANSPORTATION/PLANNING: Land Use Plan: The subject site is a large undeveloped tract in Residential Low Density (RL). Land Use to the west, north and east of subject site is Residential Low Density (RL), developed as subdivisions and single-family homes. To the south is an FILE NO.: LU2023-12-01 (Cont.) 3 undeveloped tract shown as Residential Medium Density (RM), bordered by undeveloped tract shown as Residential High Density (RH). Figure 2. Land Use Plan Map The Residential Low Density (RL) category provides for single family homes at densities not to exceed 6 dwelling units per acre. Such residential development is typically characterized by conventional single family homes, but may also include patio or garden homes and cluster homes, provided that the density remain less than 6 units per acre. The Residential Medium Density (RM) category accommodates a broad range of housing types at a density between six (6) and twelve (12) dwelling units per acre. The Residential High Density (RH) category accommodates residential development of more than twelve (12) dwelling units per acre. Master Street Plan: To the south of the site is Mabelvale Pike, designated a Collector. The primary function of a Collector is to provide a traffic connection from Local Streets to Arterials or to activity centers, with the secondary function of providing access to adjoining property. The Collector system should not be continuous but should direct traffic to Arterials. This class of road is generally at a spacing of a quarter to a half-mile. A 36-footwide section with a 60-foot right-of-way and one sidewalk is the standard. Mabelvale Pike was recently improved in the area to a 36-foot- wide road with a sidewalk along the north side. At the time of site development additional improvements may be required. FILE NO.: LU2023-12-01 (Cont.) 4 Figure 3. Master Street Plan Bicycle Plan: The Master Street Plan shows a Class III Bike Route proposed on Mabelvale Pike. Bike Routes require no additional right-of-way, but either a sign or pavement marking to identify and direct the route. There is no existing bicycle infrastructure along Mabelvale Pike. Historic Preservation Plan: There are no existing historic sites on or in proximity to this land. H. ANALYSIS: The subject site is situated along the north side of Mabelvale Pike, between Forbing and North Chicot Roads. Single-family houses bound the site on the east and north. A 24-unit, 3-building apartment complex is adjacent to the site on the west. It is basically three apartment buildings with an asphalt parking area. Most of the single-family housing in this area was constructed prior to 1970. Three apartment complexes (at Forbing Road; along North Chicot Road; and adjacent to the west) were added in the 1980s. This portion of Little Rock was annexed in the late 1960s through 1980. The subject property has been vacant for close to two decades. Mabelvale Pike is the ‘old highway’ to Little Rock (pre-dating University Avenue and the freeway system). Mabelvale Pike and North Chicot Road were recently FILE NO.: LU2023-12-01 (Cont.) 5 reconstructed to Collector standard. These roads had been two-lane county roads with open drainage and no pedestrian or bicycle infrastructure. Both are now 36-foot-wide roadways with curb/gutter and a sidewalk. There are developed single-family subdivisions to the east, north and west of the subject site. These subdivisions were developed in the 1950s and 1960s. Since 2010 there has been no new construction of either single-family or multifamily structures in the vicinity. During this time seven permits for multifamily rehab or additions were issued. Twenty-six permits for rehab or additions to single-family structures have been issued since 2010. This shows some continued investment in the residential structures located in the general area. Single-family structures were permitted for demolition in 2006 and 2011 on this property. Today the subject site is vacant and well maintained. The surrounding tracts are all developed and are being maintained by their owners. All the lots within the existing single-family subdivisions have been developed with houses. In the vicinity, there are some larger tracts which are either vacant or could be subdivided to allow for additional single-family housing (including this tract). This portion of Mabelvale Pike is lined with single-family houses and single-family subdivisions. The area has a residential ‘feel’ when driving through it. Interstate 30 is approximate a third of a mile due south and approximately half a mile via Mabelvale Pike and Chicot Roads. The development pattern is heavy commercial and light industrial uses along the freeway with apartments north of that. The Land Use Plan Map shows this pattern with Commercial (C) along the freeway then Residential High Density (RH) then, Residential Medium Density (RM) to Residential Low Density (RL). The Residential Medium Density (RM) is all south of Mabelvale Pike at this location. There is a tract of land south of Mabelvale Pike that is vacant and wooded that is shown as Residential High Density (RH) for the southern half and Residential Medium Density (RM) for the northern half. This tract is approximately 19 acres. The majority of the tract is zoned MF-18. The land north of Mabelvale Pike in this area is zoned and shown on the Land Use Plan as R-2, Single Family District or Residential Low Density (RL) respectively. The Land Use Plan recommends a gradual reduction in residential intensity from more than 12 or more units per acre near the non-residential uses along the freeway to lesser intensity – not more than 12 units per acres to Mabelvale Pike. There has been no new residential activity in the vicinity at any density level in the last few years. There is undeveloped land shown on the Land Use Plan Map at all residential density levels. The site in question is bounded by both existing single family and multi-family developments. The single-family units back to the property and the multi-family’s parking lot is adjacent to the site. Future development will not be able to connect to the existing single-family subdivision and is impacted by the multi-family development. An increase in density from Low and Medium Density should not adversely affect the existing single-family area. The change in FILE NO.: LU2023-12-01 (Cont.) 6 use does not eliminate the possibility of additional single-family in the area or on the site. I. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approval PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JANUARY 12, 2023) Walter Malone, Planning Staff reviewed the staff report on this item. He discussed the surrounding residential developments and lack of any new residential units in the last decade. Staff recommended approved based on the surrounding uses and lack of connectivity of the site with the adjacent developed single-family. Monte Moore, Planning Staff reviewed the accompanying zoning case – Z-9702-A (see the minute record for Z-9702-A for a complete record). Brian Dale, spoke for the application. He indicated he would wait and hear the issues from the opposition. Troy Laha, Vice-President of Southwest United for Progress, indicated the group was opposed to the application. He stated that this would be over building the site. The people had moved into these neighborhoods for the views and a large multi-story development would block the views. Brian Dale returned to the podium. He indicated the applicant had initially requested MF-12 but had withdrawn this due to concerns about density. The current application is for duplexes. The owner intends to build 4 duplexes – 8 units. In response to a question the applicant indicated, they had not spoken to any association in the area but had talked to some of the adjacent owners. Commissioner Hart asked about the structures being multi-story. The applicant indicated they would be one-story buildings. Mr. Moore stated for the record that this was not a ‘multifamily’ application but was a ‘Two-family Residential’ application. There was a motion to approve the application as filed. By a vote of 10 for 0 against and 1 vacancy the motion was approved.