HomeMy WebLinkAboutCBC_09 22 2022The City Beautiful Commission held a planned meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 22,
2022, at the Willie Hinton Neighborhood Resource Center, 3805 W 12th St. Simultaneously the
meeting was virtually held online using the WebEx format. Chairman Sanders, called the meeting
to order.
MEMBERS PRESENT: BJ Sanders-Woods Kenny Stephens
PHYSICAL LOCATION Kristian Dane Beverly Palmer
Steve Homeyer Bob Winchester
Troy Laha
WEBEX (VIRTURAL – Louise Miller
ONLINE) Suzanne Peyton
MEMBERS ABSENT: Michael Meziere
Robert Walker
ALSO, PRESENT: D. Tracy Spillman, Plans Development Administrator, Department
of Planning and Development, City of Little Rock,
Beth Carpenter, City of Little Rock, Attorney’s Office, Virtual
Brad Jordan, Development Manager, Department of Planning and
Development, Virtual
Torrence Thrower, Development Specialist, Planning and
Development, City of Little Rock.
APPROVAL OF THE AUGUST MEETING MINUTES:
Commissioner Sanders-Woods entertained a motion to approve the June Minutes.
LITTLE ROCK CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT - 723 WEST MARKHAM - LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS 72201
PHONE: 501 371-4864, E-MAIL: DSPILLMAN@LITTLEROCK.GOV
Motion: Commissioner Stephens made a motion that the August 26, 2022, Minutes be approved
with corrections.
Second: Commissioner Dane seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
CBC CASE # 674: 12111 Bowman Rd
File No.: CBC-674
Owners: ARI EAT LLC
Applicant: Jess Griffin, PE
Address: 12111 Bowman Rd
General Location: Southeast Corner of Bowman Rd and W Markham St
Zoned: C-3
Present Use: Vacant / Parking
Proposed Use: Restaurant
Variance(s) Requested: A variance is requested from area regulations of Sec. 15-96
to allow reduced perimeter landscape strips.
STAFF REPORT
D. Staff Analysis:
The property at 12111 Bowman Rd is located on the west side of the throughfare south
of Markham St. The 0.94-acre parcel occupies the east end of the Rock Creek Square
Shopping Center, south of Gene Lockwood’s Sporting Goods and north of JJ’s Grill.
Drive aisles or additional parking border the south and west sides, and a perimeter
landscape island is located on the north side of the property separating the shopping
center’s east entry drive. The perimeter dividing the site from the Bowman Rd right-of-
way is occupied by a steep upward slope covered in riprap. A restaurant is being
proposed for this out parcel that will serve as a new David’s Burgers location.
The subject property served as overflow parking for the shopping center until recently
when the applicant purchased the property in February of 2022. Prior to a building
permit being issued the new property owner began demolition on the existing paving.
LITTLE ROCK CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT - 723 WEST MARKHAM - LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS 72201
PHONE: 501 371-4864, E-MAIL: DSPILLMAN@LITTLEROCK.GOV
Construction or demolition of any exiting site or features is not allowable without
securing the proper documentation prior to construction. The City of Little Rock’s
Planning and Development Civil Engineering office was notified, and a stop-work order
was issued.
In June of this year, after construction operations had ceased the applicant submitted
documents that included all site and architecture drawings. City reviews were conducted
and upon examination the various disciplines requested revisions to meet the minimum
code requirements. The applicant complied, staff assessments were finalized, and the
construction documents were found to meet all code requirements. A building permit
was issued for the plans as submitted and no variances were required to complete the
project as presented.
The proposed restaurant is shown to be 6,246 square feet which would require 62
parking spaces. Additionally, drive-in commercial facilities (banks, restaurants, and
similar uses) shall provide not less than three (3) holding or stacking spaces for each
service window. The site plan indicates 47 parking spaces with stacking space on three
sides of the site. Traditionally, the Department of Planning and Development has
allowed stacking spaces exceeding the 3 per service window to serve for any parking
space deficiency required by the square footage of the building. The original site plan
that complies with the perimeter requirements has a single drive drive-thru lane on the
west side of the site expanding to a double lane on the south and east perimeters
totaling approximately 680 linear feet. This will allow space for 34 vehicles to stack or a
total of 81 vehicles being able to park or maneuver onsite within the parking code
requirements.
The applicant has not started construction on the project and is now proposing a
revision that would provide additional vehicular stacking and larger drive-thru lanes
within the boundaries of the property. This revision will increase the width of the single
drive-thru aisle to a double lane on the west side of the property, expanding the
originally planned drive from 12.5-feet to a 20-foot width. The increased width of the
drive aisle area will provide for an additional 5 vehicles to be stacked on site. However,
this proposal will decrease the planting beds on both sides of this larger drive. The west
perimeter landscape strip is shown to narrow from 9-feet to 3-feet and the east planting
bed that separates the parking from the drive is shown to be reduced from 3.7-feet to
2.25-feet. The drive aisle width on the south will also increase by 3.4-feet to a width of
23.9 feet with the center line shown to be striped with a 3-foot dividing line. However, to
accomplish this revision the required 9-foot landscape perimeter will be reduced to 6-
feet to allow for the additional vehicular traffic and maneuverability.
Sec. 15-96(a) states, “A perimeter planting strip is required along any side of a vehicular
use area that abuts adjoining property or the right-of-way of any street, highway, or
freeway. This strip shall be at least nine (9) feet wide.” Therefore, the applicant requests
a variance to allow a reduction of the south and west perimeter planting strips to less
LITTLE ROCK CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT - 723 WEST MARKHAM - LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS 72201
PHONE: 501 371-4864, E-MAIL: DSPILLMAN@LITTLEROCK.GOV
than the nine (9) feet as typically required by the Department of Planning and
Development, reducing the south perimeter planting strip to 6-feet and the west
perimeter planting strip to 3-feet.
Staff is not supportive of the requested landscape perimeter reduction. The applicant
previously submitted construction documents that met all site and landscape perimeter
requirements and was issued a building permit. Staff views the addition of the second
drive-thru lane on the west side of the site and the additional vehicular traffic as
excessive and too intense for this small site. Staff additionally notes that the proposed
restaurant will be a ground-up construction on an undeveloped parcel and should be
held to the standards of the current code requirements for new construction and as
indicated by the applicants first submittal.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends denial of the perimeter variances as per the above staff analysis and
attached second submittal site plan indicating the reduced south and east landscape
perimeters, and the increased widths of the adjacent drive-thru lanes.
DISCUSSION:
The applicant’s attorney Mr. Kendal Grooms addressed the commission. Mr. Grooms
provided photocopy exhibits demonstrating the site conditions, approved site plan, and
the proposed site plan. Further, Mr. Grooms discussed in detail his clients’ intentions
and reasons for requesting the variance.
Project Civil Engineer, Mr. Jesse Griffith addressed the commission to discuss any
technical issues that would need clarification.
Commissioner Winchester inquired if the original plan was approved, and a building
permit was issued why is there a need for a variance.
The applicant Mr. Alan Bubbuss addressed the commission and explained his reasons
for seeking the variances sighting safety and protentional vehicle stacking issues as the
main concerns.
COMMISSION ACTION:
Commissioner Sanders-Woods entertained a motion to approve the applicant variance
request to allow for the landscape perimeters to be reduced to 3-feet on the west side
and 6-feet on the south side.
LITTLE ROCK CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT - 723 WEST MARKHAM - LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS 72201
PHONE: 501 371-4864, E-MAIL: DSPILLMAN@LITTLEROCK.GOV
Motion: Commissioner Homeyer made a motion that the applicants variance request
be approved with the condition that additional plant materials (flowers and native plants)
be provided to compensate for the reduction of the perimeter landscape strips.,
Second: Commissioner Dane seconded the motion and it passed with a vote of 7
ayes, 1 no, and 3 absent.
TREASURER’S REPORT:
Expense Report:
In the absence of Commissioner Peyton there was nothing new to report.
COMMITTEE REPORTS, UPDATES:
Public Relations
Commissioner Miller stated that there was nothing new to report.
KLRB:
Commissioner Dane stated the next KLRB meeting will be held the last week of September.
Adopt-A-Street:
Commissioner Winchester stated he and Commissioner Peyton were able to complete the trash
pickup on the north end of Bowman and suggested that an additional pickup be scheduled for
October.
The commissioners discussed possible dates for the next trash pickup and decided on Saturday
October 15 to focus on the south end of Bowman. The commissioners agreed to meet on this date
at 8:00am in the Senior Tequila’s (1011 S Bowman d) parking lot.
Eye of the Beholder:
Staff stated that there had been no new nominations.
T.R.E.E Fund:
Staff and Commissioner Stephens stated that there have been no new actions.
LITTLE ROCK CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT - 723 WEST MARKHAM - LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS 72201
PHONE: 501 371-4864, E-MAIL: DSPILLMAN@LITTLEROCK.GOV
Landscape Awards:
Staff provided a PowerPoint Presentation of the 2022 Landscape Award nominees. The
commissioners voted and selected the following properties.
• Bass Pro Shops
1 Bass Pro Dr
(Ward 7)
• Fresenius Kidney Care Clinic
1401 Aldersgate Rd
(Ward 6)
• ScholarMade Achievement Place
at the Historic Mitchell Building
2410 S Battery St
(Ward1)
The commissioners generally discussed the award presentation and the production of the award
posters.
Commissioner Homeyer presented Staff with an invoice for $309.58 for the production of the
metal landscape award lawn signs. The commissioner stated that the amount of $300 approved by
the commission was exceeded by $9.58 and asked the commission to approve the additional
funding.
Chairman Sanders-Woods entertained a motion to approve additional CBC funds to pay for the
metal lawn signs.
Motion: Commissioner Homeyer made a motion to appropriate an additional $9.58 to be used for
the production the Landscape Award lawn signs.
Second: Commissioner Stephens seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
NEW BUSINESS:
Staff made the announcements:
That the next Bowman Rd pickup will be held on Saturday October 15 at 8:00am and the
commissioners will meet in the Senior Tequila parking lot at 1011 S Bowman Rd.
LITTLE ROCK CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT - 723 WEST MARKHAM - LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS 72201
PHONE: 501 371-4864, E-MAIL: DSPILLMAN@LITTLEROCK.GOV
The next meeting will be October 27, at 4:00pm
ADJOURNMENT:
Chairman Sanders-Woods entertained a motion to adjourn the meeting.
Motion: Commissioner Dane made a motion to adjourn.
Second: Commissioner Stephens seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:31pm.
LITTLE ROCK CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT - 723 WEST MARKHAM - LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS 72201
PHONE: 501 371-4864, E-MAIL: DSPILLMAN@LITTLEROCK.GOV