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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-5833-A Staff AnalysisOctober 29, 2001 ITEM NO.: 3 File No.: Z-5833-A Owner: City of Little Rock, Municipal Airport Commission Address: 3301 E. Roosevelt Road Description: A tract of land located in the NW 14 of Section 18, T-1-N, R-11-W Zoned: Variance Requested: Justification: Present Use of Property: Proposed Use of Property: STAFF REPORT A. Public Works Issues: No Comments. I-2 A variance is requested from the off-street parking requirements of Sections 36-502 and 36-503. The applicant's justification is presented in an attached letter. Aerospace Education Center and Pulaski Technical College Workforce Development Center Aerospace Education Center and Pulaski Technical College Workforce Development Center B. Landscape and Buffer Issues: Areas set aside for landscaping and buffers meet with ordinance requirements. An irrigation system to water landscaped areas is required. October 29, 2001 Item No.: 3 Landscape plans are required to be stamped with the seal of a Registered Landscape Architect. Detailed landscape plans meeting all landscape and buffer requirements have been submitted and approved. C. Staff Anal sis: The property at 3301 E. Roosevelt Road is zoned I-2 and is occupied by the Aerospace Education Center and Pulaski Technical College Workforce Development Center. On May 23, 1994 the Board of Adjustment approved a variance for the Aerospace Education Center for a reduced number of parking spaces. The total number of spaces allowed for the center was 247. Some years later the Workforce Development Center addition was made to the east side of the Aerospace Center building, which eliminated some of the existing parking spaces. There are currently 208 parking spaces on the site. It is unclear how this building addition was allowed without further Board of Adjustment review. The applicant is currently proposing to construct a 7,140 square foot building addition for the Workforce Development Center. This addition will be made on the east side of the existing building. With the building addition the minimum number of parking spaces required for the entire development is 348 spaces, according to Section 36-502 and 503 of the City's Zoning Ordinance and the previous Board of Adjustment approval. The applicant proposes to add ten (10) spaces with the construction of the building addition, for a total of 218 parking spaces. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance for a reduced number of parking spaces. There will be 130 parking spaces fewer than the minimum requirement. Staff is supportive of the variance as requested. Staff feels that the applicant has presented adequate justification for the variance request (see attached letters from Mike Callahan and Kenneth Quimby). According to the letters, there has been no parking problem on the site during peak hours of operation. Staff is comfortable with this summation, and feels that the proposed building addition will not create a parking problem. Mr. Quimbly notes that many of the groups that visit the Aerospace Center arrive in buses. 2 October 29, 2001 Item No.: 3 It has also been noted that if the Aerospace Education Center expands, additional parking will be included in the expansion project. Staff feels that the reduced number of required parking spaces on this site will have no adverse impact on the general area. If parking does happen to become a problem on the site, there is additional space west of the Aerospace Center and existing parking areas to construct additional parking. D. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the variance for a reduced number of parking spaces subject to compliance with the Landscape and Buffer Ordinances. BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT: (OCTOBER 29, 2001) The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of approval. The applicant offered no additional comments. The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and approved as recommended by staff by a vote of 5 ayes, 0 nays and 0 absent. 3