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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-5466-B Staff AnalysisFILE NO.: Z -5466-B NAME: Advantage Publishing Company Short -form POD LOCATION: 1000 Nix Road DEVELOPER: Dewey & Frances Yarbrough 1000 Nix Road Little Rock, AR AREA: 2.820 Acres NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 ARCHITECT: Terry Burruss, AIA 1202 Main Street Little Rock, AR 72201 FT. NEW STREET: 0 CURRENT ZONING: R-2, Single-family with a CUP for a Church ALLOWED USES: Single-family/Church PROPOSED ZONING: POD PROPOSED USE: Office VARIAN C ESMAIVERS REQUESTED: None requested. BACKGROUND: On September 10, 1999, the Planning Commission approved a request for a CUP for the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses Church to bring into compliance a gravel parking area. In February 2002, an application was filed for a Conditional Use Permit for a Montessori School, which was later withdrawn. A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST: The applicant is proposing to convert the existing church building into offices for Advantage Publishing Company's Home office on the site. The applicant has FILE NO.: Z -5466-B (Cont. indicated there will be no customer sales from the site and the site will not be used as a publishing facility. The applicant also proposes the placement of two additional office buildings located at the western edge of the existing paved parking area. The buildings will be two story buildings and each contains 4800 square feet. Due to the topography of the site the buildings when viewed from Nix Road will appear one story. The applicant has indicated the use for the buildings will be quiet office uses of professional and general office uses as defined by the City. The applicant is proposing a future Phase II in the western most portion of the property. The applicant has indicated a revision to the POD will be sought should Phase II develop. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The east one-half of the lot contains a church and a hard surface parking lot with approximately 70 parking spaces. The western portion of the site is vacant and tree covered with a substantial drop-off from the existing developed area. There are single-family homes located to the north, northwest and south of the site. There is a new single-family home east (across Nix Road) of the north property line. Other areas of Nix Road are scattered with vacant lots and single-family residences. There is a Planned Office Development located to the west (with a new office building located on the site) with access from Kanis Road. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: As of this writing, staff has received several informational phone calls as well as statements of opposition to the future development plans for the addition of four office buildings on the west portion of the site. All property owners within 200 feet of the site, all residents within 300 feet of the site who could be identified, the Gibralter/Point West/Timber Ridge Neighborhood Association and the Parkway Place Property Owners Association were notified of the Public Hearing. D. ENGINEERING COMMENTS: PUBLIC WORKS CONDITIONS: 1. Nix Road is classified on the Master Street Plan as a commercial street. Dedicate right-of-way to 30 feet from centerline. 2. Provide design of street conforming to "MSP" (Master Street Plan). Construct one-half street improvement to the street including 5 -foot sidewalk with Planned Development. 2 FILE NO.: Z -5466-B (Contj_ 3. Appropriate handicap ramps will be required per current ADA standards. 4. Sidewalks shall be shown conforming to Sec. 31-175 and the "MSP". 5. Plans of all work in right-of-way shall be submitted for approval prior to start of work. 6. Storm water detention ordinance applies to this property. 7. Easements for proposed storm water detention facilities are required. 8. A Sketch Grading and Drainage Plan will be required per Sec. 29-186 (e). E. UTILITIES AND FIRE DEPARTMENT/COUNTY PLANNING: Wastewater: A sewer main extension will be required, with easements, if service is required for the project. Contact Jim Boyd at 376-2903 for details. ENTERGY: No comment received. ARKLA: Approved as submitted. Southwestern Bell: Approved as submitted. A revised site plan, with right-of- way and easements, for the future development will be required to be submitted for review. Water: An acreage charge of $600 per acre applies in addition to normal charges in this area. A water main extension and on site fire protection will be required in order to prove water service to this project. Contact Marie Dugan at 992-2438 for details. Fire Department: Place fire hydrants per code. Contact the Dennis Free at the Little Rock Fire Department for additional information at 918-3752. County Planning: No comment received. CATA: No comment received. F. ISSUES/TECHNICAUDESIGN: Planning Division: This request is located in the Ellis Mountain Planning District. The Land Use Plan shows Low Density Residential for this property. The applicant has applied for a Planned Office Development for an office. A Land Use Plan amendment for a change to Suburban Office is a separate item on this agenda (LU02-18-02, Item #5). 3 FILE NO.: Z -5466-B (Cont.) City Recognized Neighborhood Action Plan - The applicant's property lies in the area covered by the Rock Creek Neighborhood Action Plan. The Office and Commercial Development Goal call for the enhancement of the residential character of the neighborhood. The Office and Commercial Development Goal also lists as an objective recommending the aggressive use of Planned Zoning Districts (PZD's) to influence more neighborhood friendly and better quality developments to insure that office and commercial development fit the residential character of the neighborhood. Landscape Issues: Areas set aside for landscaping and buffers meet with ordinance requirements. A six (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 southern perimeters of the site. Credit may be given for existing vegetation that gives the year round screening required. Curb and gutter or another approved border will be required to protect landscaped areas from vehicular traffic. An irrigation system to water landscaped areas will be required. The City Beautiful Commission recommends preserving as many existing trees as feasible. Extra credit toward fulfilling Landscape Ordinance requirements can be given when preserving trees of six (6) inch caliper or larger. Building Codes: No comment. G. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (April 18, 2002) Mr. Terry Burruss and Ms. Charlotte Yarborough were present representing the application. Staff briefly described the proposed rezoning request and noted additions needed on the proposed site plan. Staff stated the applicant was to identify all site lighting, both existing and proposed, to determine the effect on the surrounding neighborhood. Staff also requested the applicant indicate the driveway as a cross access and service easement. Staff noted the comment from Wastewater. Staff stated the existing church was served by a septic system. The proposed construction of four new buildings would require the extension of a sewer line to serve the site. Staff stated the applicant should contact Wastewater to determine if the sewer line extension was feasible. 4 FILE NO.: Z -5466-B (Cont. Public Works comments were noted. Staff stated the development would require dedication of right-of-way and half street improvements to Nix Road. Staff presented the landscaping issues associated with the proposed site plan. Staff stated the proposed landscaping and buffers would meet the ordinance requirements. Staff stated the applicant would be required to screen the northern and southern perimeters of the site. Staff also stated the City Beautiful Commission recommended preserving as many existing trees as feasible. Staff stated the applicant was to provide a phasing plan for the future development. Mr. Burriss stated the desire was to achieve as much flexibility as possible for future development. He stated the proposed buildings were shown larger than the applicant proposed to construct. Mr. Burriss stated with potentially smaller buildings there would be larger buffers. Mr. Jim Lawson, Director of Planning and Development, indicated the applicant should consider scaling back the development until some point in the future when there were fewer unknowns. He stated, if the applicant was unsure of the proposed tenants, building size and sewer availability then the applicant should consider submitting an application for the portion of the property that would be used currently and revise the Planned Development at some point in the future. Mr. Lawson stated the required street improvements and landscaping requirements would be tied to the future development and not the existing building and parking area. After the discussion, the Committee forwarded the proposed rezoning to the full Commission for final resolution. H. ANALYSIS: The applicant submitted a revised plan to Staff on April 24, 2002, addressing the issues raised by Staff and the Subdivision Committee. The applicant scaled back the development by eliminating the two buildings furthest west. The current proposal is to convert the existing church building to offices and to construct two (2) additional buildings adjacent to the existing parking lot. The applicant proposes the buildings to be two-story in height and contain 4800 square feet each. The applicant eliminated the proposed additional parking leaving the site with the existing 70 parking spaces. The applicant has not indicated tenants for the buildings or a specific use (only general and professional office uses). The applicant has stated the buildings will be constructed in three -years. 5 FILE NO.: Z -5466-B (Cont.) The proposed parking (70 parking spaces) would be more than adequate to serve the site. The typical minimum parking requirement for a development of this type based on square footage would be 30 parking spaces. The applicant has indicated a single -ground mounted sign on the site plan. The sign is to be located near the south corner of the existing driveway and Nix Road, five (5) feet from the property line. The proposed sign is shown as a maximum of six (6) feet in height and sixty-four (64) square feet in area. The applicant is also proposing a single wall mounted sign on each building identifying the building and occupant. The site plan indicates the wall sign will comply with ordinance standard for office zones (not to exceed ten (10) percent of the occupant's fagade area). The applicant proposes an average of 185 -feet of undisturbed area between the proposed development and the adjoining properties to the west. This area is shown on the site plan as Future Phase II. The site to the west is developed as an office development through a Planned Development. Properties to the northwest are developed as single-family. Staff is not supportive of the proposal as filed. Staff feels the development is still unclear of the future for the site with regard to tenants and the availability of sewer. Staff feels the development would be better served by developing the existing building into an office uses and in the future, when prospective tenants are identified and sewer is made available, revise the Planned Development to include additional uses. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends denial of the application as submitted. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (MAY 9, 2002) Mr. Terry Burruss and Ms. Charlotte Yarborough were present representing the application. There were two objectors present. Staff presented the item with a recommendation of approval subject to compliance with the requirements in Paragraphs D, E and F above. Staff stated the applicant had revised the site plan, eliminating the two proposed buildings in the rear, and now developing the church building only, as an office use. Staff stated the applicant had indicated there would not be any changes to the exterior of the site. Staff stated the only modifications would be to the interior of the structure and the applicant would utilize the existing parking area. Mr. Tim Franklin spoke in opposition to the application. He stated an office use would increase traffic into the neighborhood. He stated Nix Road was not designed to handle the increased traffic. He stated the residents of the neighborhood bought their n