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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-5803-B Staff AnalysisFILE NO.: Z -5803-B NAME: Mini of Little Rock Short -form PCD LOCATION: Located at 12601 West Markham Street DEVELOPER: Parker Automotive Holdings, LLC 1700 N. Shackleford Road Little Rock, AR 72227 ENGINEER: White-Daters and Associates 24 Rahling Circle Little Rock, AR 72223 AREA: 3.3 acres NUMBER OF LOTS: CURRENT ZONING: PCD ALLOWED USES: Automobile sales PROPOSED ZONING: Revised PCD FT. NEW STREET: 0 LF PROPOSED USE: Add a 60 -foot by 26 -foot carwash for dealership use only VARIANCESNVAIVERS REQUESTED: None requested. BACKGROUND: On March 22, 1994, The Little Rock Planning Commission reviewed a request to rezone the site from C-2, Shopping Center District to PCD to allow an automobile display, sales and service business on the site located at the southwest corner of Chenal Parkway and West Markham Street. The proposal involved the development of 3.31 acres and a preliminary plat to subdivide 16.44 acres into two non-residential lots. The second lot was to remain zoned C-2, Shopping Center District. The PCD application proposed the construction of a 19,340 square foot building to house the show room, offices and administration area, service area, and parts area; and a 2,440 square foot sales office building. The building coverage was proposed at 15.11 percent of the land area and parking for 269 vehicles was proposed with the FILE NO.: Z -5803-B (Cont. largest majority being for display of vehicles. The main sales -service building was indicated as an inverted "V" shaped building, and the two end points were proposed to be located 33.1 feet from the south property line. The site plan included a primary sign to be a pole mounted sign no greater than standard sign regulations for free-standing commercial signs (i.e. 36 feet in height and 160 square feet in area) and a monument sign which was to conform to the standards set forth in the Design Overlay District for Chenal Parkway (i.e. 8 feet in height and 100 square feet in area). No additional right-of-way dedication was proposed along Chenal Parkway. Construction of an additional traffic lane for Chenal Parkway was not proposed; however construction of a deceleration lane on Chenal Parkway to the entry drive off Chenal Parkway and the required sidewalk was to be built. The proposal included Master Street Plan improvements to Atkins Road and West Markham Street. During the Public Hearing process the applicant indicated to the Commission several concessions were being offered to ease the area residents' concerns. The developer indicated a neighborhood meeting was held and several concerns were raised. The developer stated there would be no body shop constructed as a part of the development; there would be no outdoor paging of employees; there would be no off-site parking of vehicles; there would be no on -street unloading of vehicles being delivered; there would be no circus tents, flashing lights, search lights, pendants or carnival type promotions; test drive routes would be defined and not allowed through the Timber Ridge neighborhood, and customers would be accompanied by sales representative during test drives; and site lighting would be directional and controlled to light only the site, and site lighting would be reduced after hours by two-thirds. The applicant offered a second assurance he would not return to the Commission at a later time with a request for tents or banners. Ordinance No. 19,269 adopted by the Little Rock Board of Directors on February 1, 2005, allowed a revision to the PCD zoning. The approval allowed the placement of flags/banners on approximately 17 light poles. The flags were to be approximately 31/2 foot by 7 foot and consist of 2 panels per pole that were 21 inches wide and 7 feet long. The flags would be used to differentiate the areas of the dealership between the different brands of cars and also between the new and used cars sections. A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST/APPLICANT'S STATEMENT: The applicant is now proposing to amend the previously approved PCD to add a 62 -foot by 26 -foot carwash along the south property line. The fagade of the existing building will be changed to represent the new automobile dealership which will occupy the building. The plan also includes the installation of an eight foot privacy fence along the south property line. 2 FILE NO.: Z-5803-B(Cont.) B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The site is currently a vacant automobile dealership. To the south and east of the site are commercial uses including restaurants, furniture stores, fuel station, general retail and a drycleaners to name a few. To the west of the site, across Atkins Road, there is property zoned 0-3, General Office District which is undeveloped and to the southwest is a property zoned PCD which has developed with two office buildings. Across Chenal Parkway to the north is Home Depot, Chick-fi-A and Target. Across West Markham Street to the west is an office building and a retail center. Each has frontage on West Markham and Chenal Parkway. C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: As of this writing, staff has not received any comment from area residents. All property owners located within 200 -feet of the site along with the Parkway Place Property Owners Association and the Gibralter Heights Neighborhood Association were notified of the public hearing. D. ENGINEERING COMMENTS: PUBLIC WORKS CONDITIONS: 1. Repair or replace any curb and gutter or sidewalk that is damaged in the public right-of-way prior to occupancy. E. UTILITIES AND FIRE DEPARTMENT/COUNTY PLANNIN Wastewater: Sewer available to this project. Entergy: No comment received. Center -Point Energy: No comment received. AT & T: No comment received. Central Arkansas Water: 1. All Central Arkansas Water requirements in effect at the time of request for water service must be met. 2. Contact Central Arkansas Water regarding the size and location of water meter. 3. If there are facilities that need to be adjusted or relocated, contact Central Arkansas Water. That work would be done at the expense of the developer. 4. Contact Central Arkansas Water if additional fire protection or metered water service is required. 3 FILE NO.: Z -5803-B (Cont. 5. The Little Rock Fire Department needs to evaluate this site to determine whether additional public and/or private fire hydrant(s) will be required. If additional fire hydrant(s) are required, they will be installed at the Developer's expense. 6. Due to the nature of this facility, installation of an approved reduced pressure zone backflow preventer assembly (RPZA) is required on the domestic water service. This assembly must be installed prior to the first point of use. Central Arkansas Water requires that upon installation of the RPZA, successful tests of the assembly must be completed by a Certified Assembly Tester licensed by the State of Arkansas and approved by Central Arkansas Water. The test results must be sent to Central Arkansas Water's Cross Connection Section within ten days of installation and annually thereafter. Contact the Cross Connection Section at 377-1226 if you would like to discuss backflow prevention requirements for this project. Fire Department: Place fire hydrant(s) per code. Maintain access. Contact the Little Rock Fire Department for additional information. Count Plannin : No comment. CATA: The site is located near CATA Bus Route #5 — the West Markham route. Parks and Recreation: No comment received. F. ISSUES/TECHNICAL/DESIGN: Planning Division: This request is located in the Ellis Mountain Planning District. The Land Use Plan shows Commercial (C) for this property. The Commercial category includes a broad range of retail and wholesale sales of products, personal and professional services, and general business activities. Commercial activities vary in type and scale, depending on the trade area that they serve. The applicant has applied for a revision to the existing PCD (Planned Commercial District) zoning to allow for the addition of a carwash to a car dealership on this site. This site is within the Chenal Design Overlay District. Master Street Plan: Chenal Parkway is shown as a Principal Arterial and Markham is shown as a Collector on the Master Street Plan. A Principal Arterial is to serve through traffic and to connect major traffic generators or activity centers within the urbanized area. Entrances and exits should be limited to minimize negative effects of traffic and pedestrians on Chenal Parkway since it is a Principal Arterial. The primary function of a Collector Street is to provide a connection from Local Streets to Arterials. These streets may require dedication of right-of-way and may require street improvements for entrances and exits to the site. Bicycle Plan: There are no bike routes shown in the immediate vicinity. 4 FILE NO.: Z -5803-B (Cont. G H Landscape: 1. The site plan must comply with the City's landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. 2. An upgrade may be required if the rehabilitation cost of the structure exceeds fifty percent (50%) of the replacement cost of the building. 3. 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. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (May 8, 2013) Mr. Joe White of White-Daters and Associates was present. Staff presented an overview of the request stating there were additional items necessary to complete the review process. Staff questioned if the previously imposed conditions related to test drive, outdoor paging and turning down of the site lighting during non -business hours would remain with the current approval. Public Works comments were addressed. Staff stated any broken curb, gutter or sidewalk was to be repaired prior to the issuance of the certificate of occupancy. Landscaping comments were addressed. Staff stated additional landscaping may be required with the new construction. Staff also stated any missing or diseased landscaping located on site was to be replaced with the redevelopment of the site. Staff noted comments from the other suggesting the applicant contact them There was no further discussion of the ite item to the full Commission for final action, ANALYSIS: reporting departments and agencies individually for additional clarification. m. The Committee then forwarded the The applicant submitted a revised site plan to staff addressing the issues raised at the May 8, 2013, Subdivision Committee meeting. The applicant is requesting to eliminate a number of the previously imposed conditions. The applicant has indicated test drives through the neighborhood will not be allowed. The applicant is requesting to be allowed to maintain the lighting levels even after business hours and be allowed the placement of tents for special promotions. The applicant has indicated a paging system will be put in pace to page employees when they are on the sales lot. The applicant has indicated the ground signage will comply with the previously approved signage plan. A monument sign 8 -feet in height and 100 square feet in area will be placed on Chenal Parkway. On West Markham Street a pylon sign will be placed near the entrance drive to the service center with a maximum 5 FILE NO.: Z -5803-B (Cont. height of 36 -feet and a maximum sign area of 160 square feet. Building signage will be placed on the facades which have public street frontage. The plan also includes the placement of a sign west of the service entrance which includes the name of the business and two model cars with a dividing lane which gives the appearance the cars are driving on a street. The current request includes extending the cars beyond the roof. Section 36-543 prohibits roof signs or any sign that is not mounted on a vertical surface. The car must be lowered to be mounted on a flat surface. The request includes the allowance of banners as approved by the Board of Directors in 2005. There are minor modifications proposed to the building. There is a slight modification of the front of the building and customer entrance. The site plan also includes the placement of a new carwash. The carwash is a 26 -foot by 62 -foot building to be used solely by the dealership to wash the new cars and to wash cars for customers after service or maintenance is performed on their vehicle. The applicant is proposing the placement of an 8 -foot screening fence along the southern perimeter of the property. The fence is presently not in place. The applicant states the fence is desired for enhance the site and limit access during non -business hours. The applicant has provided the truck route. The trucks can enter the site from Atkins Road and exit onto West Markham Street. All loading and unloading of vehicles will take place on-site. The applicant is requesting to not limit the hours of operation for the dealership. The applicant indicates they will operate seven days per week within typical hours of others dealerships in the area. Staff is supportive of the request. Staff is also supportive of the applicant's request to eliminate a number of the previously imposed conditions. The request is to allow minor modifications to the front of the building and add a carwash for the dealership on the site. The applicant has agreed to limit the impact of the dealership on the subdivisions to the west by eliminating test drives through the neighborhood and instructing customers of test drive routes. To staff's knowledge there are no remaining outstanding technical issues associated with the request. Staff feels the amendment to the PCD as proposed should have minimal impact on the area. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the request subject to compliance with the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the comments and conditions as outlined in paragraphs D, E and F of the agenda staff report. FILE NO.: Z -5803-B 2. All signage must be mounted on a flat surface and not extend beyond the roof of the building. 3. Compliance with the following conditions previously imposed with the PCD approval: a. No body shop constructed as a part of the development b. No off-site parking of vehicles c. No on -street unloading of vehicles being delivered d. No flashing lights, search lights or carnival type promotions e. Test drive routes are to be defied and not allowed through the Timber Ridge neighborhood f. All site lighting is to be directional and controlled to light only the site. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (MAY 30, 2013) The applicant was present. There were no registered objectors present. Staff stated the only item they and the applicant were in disagreement over was the proposed signage plan. Staff stated they felt the car proposed extending above the roof constituted a roof sign. Staff stated the applicant was contending the car was not a part of the signage plan but was in fact an architectural feature. Mr. Joe White addressed the Commission stating the sign package was developed from a firm from Florida and the parapet wall and the cars were not a part of the sign package. He stated the parapet wall was a part of the building construction and the cars were bolted onto the wall by the construction company. Staff stated they did not feel this was an item for the Commission to determine. Staff stated typically the Zoning Board of Adjustment made decisions regarding interpretation of various standards of the ordinance. Staff stated there were two options: one was to take the item to the Zoning Board of Adjustment, the second was to forward the item to the Board of Directors for their determination as to the placement of the car above the parapet was appropriate. Staff presented a recommendation of approval of the request subject to compliance with the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the comments and conditions as outlined in paragraphs D, E and F of the agenda staff report. 2. All signage must be mounted on a flat surface and not extend beyond the roof of the building. 3. Compliance with the following conditions previously imposed with the PCD approval: a. No body shop constructed as a part of the development 7 FILE NO.: Z -5803-B (Cont. b. No off-site parking of vehicles c. No on -street unloading of vehicles being delivered d. No flashing lights, search lights or carnival type promotions e. Test drive routes are to be defied and not allowed through the Timber Ridge neighborhood. f. All site lighting is to be directional and controlled to light only the site. There was no further discussion of the item. The Chair entertained a motion for approval of the item as presented by staff. The motion carried by a vote of 8 ayes, 0 noes, 2 absent and 1 open position. 0 ITEM NO.: 13 NAME: Mini of Little Rock Short -form PCD LOCATION: located at 12601 West Markham Street Planning Staff Comments: Z -5803-B 1. Provide notification of property owners located within 200 -feet of the site including the certified abstract list, notice form with affidavit executed and proof of mailing. The notice must be mailed no later than May 15, 2013. The Office of Planning and Development must receive the proof of notice no later than May 24, 2013. 2. Will the carwash be limited to use by the automobile dealership customers? If someone buys a car from the dealership will they have access to the wash at any time? 3. Will the existing signage continue to be used? The approved PCD allowed a 36 -foot 160 square foot sign on West Markham Street and an 8 -foot 100 -square foot sign on Chenal Parkway. 4. Provide details of the proposed building signage. Location, percentage of fagade etc. 5. An amendment to the PCD allowed the placement of banners 3 '/-feet by 7 -feet on eight of the light poles. Will the banners continue to be used with this dealership? 6. Is there any new fencing proposed with the development? If so not the location of the fencing along with the height and construction material. 7. The previous approval did not allow test drives thru the neighborhood. The lighting was to be reduced by 2/3rds after hours, no outdoor paging, no loading or unloading of vehicles in the right of way, no circus tents, flashing lights or search lights were allowed. Will these conditions continue to apply to this approval? 8. Provide the days and hours of operation for the business. 9. Will there be a dumpster located on the site? If so provide the location of the dumpster on the site plan. Will the hours of dumpster service be limited to daylight hours? 10. Will the auto dealer provide service of vehicles — the previous approval eliminated a body shop as an allowable use Variance/Waivers: None requested. Public Works Conditions: 1. Repair or replace any curb and gutter or sidewalk that is damaged in the public right- of-way prior to occupancy. Utilities and Fire Department/County Planning: Wastewater: Sewer available to this project. Entergy: No comment received. Item # 13. Center -Point Energy: No comment received. AT & T: No comment received. Central Arkansas Water: 1. All Central Arkansas Water requirements in effect at the time of request for water service must be met. 2. Contact Central Arkansas Water regarding the size and location of water meter. 3. If there are facilities that need to be adjusted or relocated, contact Central Arkansas Water. That work would be done at the expense of the developer. 4. Contact Central Arkansas Water if additional fire protection or metered water service is required. 5. The Little Rock Fire Department needs to evaluate this site to determine whether additional public and/or private fira4 hydrant(s) will be required. If additional fire hydrant(s) are required, they will be installed at the Developer's expense. 6. Due to the nature of this facility, installation of an approved reduced pressure zone backflow preventer assembly (RPZA) is required on the domestic water service. This assembly must be installed prior to the first point of use. Central Arkansas Water requires that upon installation of the RPZA, successful tests of the assembly must be completed by a Certified Assembly Tester licensed by the State of Arkansas and approved by Central Arkansas Water. The test results must be sent to Central Arkansas Water's Cross Connection Section within ten days of installation and annually thereafter. Contact the Cross Connection Section at 377-1226 if you would like to discuss backflow prevention requirements for this project. Fire Department: Place fire hydrant(s) per code. Maintain access. Contact the Little Rock Fire Department for additional information. County Planning: No comment. CATA: The site is located near CATA Bus Route #5 — the West Markham route. Parks and Recreation: No comment. received. Planninq Division: This request is' located in the Ellis Mountain Planning District. The Land Use Plan shows Commercial (C) for this property. The Commercial category includes a broad range of retail and wholesale sales of products, personal and professional services, and general business activities. Commercial activities vary in type and scale, depending on the trade area that they serve. The applicant has applied for a revision to the existing PCD (Planned Commercial District) zoning to allow for the addition of a carwash to a car dealership on this site. This site is within the Chenal Design Overlay District. Master Street Plan: Chenal Parkway is shown as a Principal Arterial and Markham is shown as a Collector on the Master Street Plan. A Principal Arterial is to serve through traffic and to connect major traffic generators or activity centers within the urbanized area. Entrances and exits should be limited to minimize negative effects of traffic and Item # 13. pedestrians on Chenal Parkway since it is a Principal Arterial. The primary function of a Collector Street is to provide a connection from Local Streets to Arterials. These streets may require dedication of right-of-way and may require street improvements for entrances and exits to the site. Bicycle Plan: There are no bike routes shown in the immediate vicinity. Landscape: 1. The site plan must comply with the City's landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. 2. An upgrade may be required if the rehabilitation cost of the structure exceeds fifty percent (50%) of the replacement cost of the building. 3. 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. Revised plat/plan: Submit four (4) copies of a revised preliminary plat/plan (to include the additional information as noted above) to staff on Wednesday, May 15, 2013. Item # 13.