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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-5887-A Staff AnalysisSeptember 19, 1995 ITEM 7 FILE NO.: Z-5887-A NAME: EMBASSY SUITES -- AMENDED LONG -FORM PLANNED DEVELOPMENT -COMMERCIAL LOCATION: On the south side of Financial Center Parkway, approximately 0.4 mile west of Shackleford Rd. DEVELOPER• ENGINEER: Joe white JOHN Q. HAMMONS WHITE-DATERS & ASSOCIATES, INC. 300 Hammons Parkway, Suite 900 401 S. Victory St. Springfield, MO 65806 Little Rock, AR 72201 (417) 864-4300 374-1666 AREA: 6.38 ACRES NUMBER ❑F LOTS: 1 FT. NEW STREET: 586 ZONING: PD-C & R-2 PLANNING DISTRICT: 11 CENSUS TRACT: 24.04 VARIANCES REQUESTED: BACKGROUND• PROPOSED USES: None Hotel & Convention Center; Restaurant On October 18, 1994, the Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on a request to establish the Embassy Suites Short -Form PD-C on a 4.07 acre tract of land. By Ordinance No. 16,842, passed on February 7, 1995, the Board of Directors approved the PD-C, subject to the developer dedicating additional right-of-way for Financial Center Parkway. Construction of the new west boundary collector street was included in the approved PD. STATEMENT OF PROPOSAL: The applicant proposes to amend the previously approved planned development to add a 2.31 acre tract to the site. This additional tact is located at the southeast quadrant of the previously approved site, and will be used for surface parking. The approved PD anticipated providing parking for 298 vehicles in a two -level, below -grade, parking facility which would extend beneath the hotel tower and convention center buildings, plus providing 128 surface -level parking spaces, for a total of 426 spaces. The revised PD proposes to eliminate the below -grade parking facility beneath the hotel tower, and to provide 128 September 19, 1995. SQBDIVISI� ITEM NO.: 7 Cont. FILE N 7-5$ 7-A spaces below --grade beneath the convention center, plus a total of 301 surface spaces, or a total of 429 parking spaces. The amended PD also reorients the building from its front/north- facing entrance and porte cochere to a west -facing entrance. A. PRpPGSALIREQUET: Planning Commission review and Board of Directors approval of a an amended PD-C is requested. B. EXISTING CONT]ITI: The site is undeveloped and wooded and overgrown. The topography slopes fairly evenly from a high point at a knoll just southwest of the northeast corner of the tract the south, southeast, and southwest. The knoll is at an elevation of approximately 494 feet MSL; the southwest corner of the tract is at approximately 445 feet MSL; the southeast corner of the tract is at approximately 428 feet MSL. The site is currently zoned PD and collector street to the west is the on a C-3 zoned tract. To the south To the East is 0-3 zoned land. UTILI C. ENGINEERING TY COMMENTS: R-2. Across the new Pinnacle Point Hospital is a large R-2 tract. Public Works comments the revised plan does not appear to conflict with the original site plan as far as the interface with the new 36 foot collector street and Chenal Parkway are concerned. Traffic Engineering has approved the parking lot layout. Water Works comments that a front footage fee of $12.00 per foot (E.5618,1989) applies; and that this fee is in addition to normal connection fees. A main extension will be required to tie into an existing 8" main approximately 100 feet east of this property on the south side of Financial Center Parkway. Wastewater comments that a capacity analysis will be required prior to Wastewater Utility approval. If capacity is not available, the developer will be required to upgrade the existing system to handle any extra flow generated. Capacity contribution fees and Farm Bureau Fees will be assessed for this project. Arkansas Power and Light Co. did not respond. Arkansas Louisiana Gas Co. did not respond. 2 September 19, 1995 sgrenivl--0-14 ITEM O.: 7(Cont.)FILE O.; Z- 7-A Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. did not respond. The Fire Department comments that some minor changes need to be made in the fire hydrant spacing. The pumper hydrant located on the northeast corner in conjunction with where the fire service water line enters the building is O.R. The 500' spacing should begin from that hydrant on around the building with 500' or less spacing on the other 2 hydrants. There are enough hydrants to meet Code; they simply need to be relocated slightly. The Neighborhoods and Planning Site Plan Review Specialist commented that the areas set aside for buffers and landscaping meet ordinance requirements. D. Z ES LEGAL TECHNICAL DE IGN: The previous approval approved the same uses with a total of 426 parking spaces. This was approved with the assurance of the developer that this was sufficient parking. The amended application, though, has supplied the needed parking analysis. This analysis shows that, to meet the City's parking ordinance requirements, for all the various uses to be going on simultaneously, 601 spaces are required. The analysis shows, however, that, based on the time of day, and when, during the day the various uses will be taking place, the 429 spaces provided with this application will be sufficient. All agreements associated with the originally approved PD have been reaffirmed; e.g., that the additional right-of-way for Financial Center Parkway is being dedicated, and that the full width of the west boundary collector street will be constructed as part of this project. E. ANALYSIS: The Planning staff comments that the site is located in the I-430 Planning District. The adopted Land Use Plan recommends "Mixed Office CommOrcial" uses. The use is consistent with the adopted Plan. The developer has furnished a parking analysis which justifies to their satisfaction the adequacy of the number of parking spaces provided. The Planning Commission may either concur with this conclusion, or may require more (or fewer) spaces. F. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends approval of the amended PD-C. 3 September 19, 1995, 5VBDIVISz9N ITEM NO.: 7 nt. FILE NO-: Z- 87-A BDIVI I MMITTEECOMMENT: (AUGUST 31, 1995) Mr. Joe White, with White-Daters & Associates, was present. Staff explained that an amended planned development was being sought in order to add a 4 acre tract to the previously approved PD in order to accommodate needed surface parking for the hotel and convention center. Staff explained that, initially, the developer had anticipated extending the below -grade parking deck not only under the convention center, but under the hotel area as well, but that this was not going to be possible; that structural requirements of the 9-story hotel would preclude having workable maneuvering and parking areas under the hotelp.consequently, the lost below -grade parking would have to be made.up for in surface parking. Mr. White reported that his, as well as the developer's staff, were in consultation with Bill Henry, the Traffic Engineer, and that all concerns of Traffic Engineering would be addressed. Staff reported that, other than Mr. White and the developer getting finished drawings in to staff, there were no major issues to be resolved. The Committee forwarded the planned development to the full Commission for the public hearing. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: Staff reported that the developer and communication with Public Works, and resolved. Staff recommended approval item was approved with the vote of 8 0 abstentions, and 1 open position. (SEPTEMBER 19, 1995) his engineer had been in that all issues had been of the amended PD, and the ayes, 0 nays, 2 absent, 4 FILE NO.: Z-5887-A NAME: EMBASSY SUITES -- AMENDED LONG -FORM PLANNED DEVELOPMENT -COMMERCIAL LOCATION: On the south side of Financial Center Parkway, approximately 0.4 mile west of Shackleford Rd. DEVELOPER: ENGINEER: Joe White JOHN Q. HAMMONS WHITE-DATERS & ASSOCIATES, INC. 300 Hammons Parkway, Suite 900 401 S. Victory St. Springfield, MO 65806 Little Rock, AR 72201 (417) 864-4300 374-1666 AREA: 6.38 ACRES NUMBER OF LOTS: I FT. NEW STREET: 586 ZONING: PD-C & R-2 PLANNING DISTRICT: 11 CENSUS TRACT: 24.04 VARIANCES REQUESTED: PROPOSED USES: None Hotel & Convention Center; Restaurant BACKGROUND: On October 18, 1994, the Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on a request to establish the Embassy Suites Short -Form PD-C on a 4.07 acre tract of land. By Ordinance No. 16,842, passed on February 7, 1995, the Board of Directors approved the PD-C, subject to the developer dedicating additional right-of-way for Financial Center Parkway. Construction of the new west boundary collector street was included in the approved PD. STATEMENT OF PROPOSAL: The applicant proposes to amend the previously approved planned development to add a 2.31 acre tract to the site. This additional tact is located at the southeast quadrant of the previously approved site, and will be used for surface parking. The approved PD anticipated providing parking for 298 vehicles in a two -level, below -grade, parking facility which would extend beneath the hotel tower and convention center buildings, plus providing 128 surface -level parking spaces, for a total of 426 spaces. The revised PD proposes to eliminate the below -grade parking facility beneath the hotel tower, and to provide 128 spaces below -grade beneath the convention center, plus a total of 301 surface spaces, or a total of 429 parking spaces. The FILE N . Z-5887-A C n amended PD also reorients the building from its front/north- facing entrance and porte cochere to a west -facing entrance. A. PROPOSAL LaB UE T: Planning Commission review and Board of Directors approval of a an amended PD-C is requested. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The site is undeveloped and wooded and overgrown. The topography slopes fairly evenly from a high point at a knoll just southwest of the northeast corner of the tract the south, southeast, and southwest. The knoll is at an elevation of approximately 494 feet MSL; the southwest corner of the tract is at approximately 445 feet MSL; the southeast corner of the tract is at approximately 428 feet MSL. The site is currently zoned PD and collector street to the west is th on a C-3 zoned tract. To the south To the East is 0-3 zoned land. C. E INEERING ❑TILITY COMMENTS: R-2. Across the new e Pinnacle Point Hospital is a large R-2 tract. Public Works comments the revised plan does not appear to conflict with the original site plan as far as the interface with the new 36 foot collector street and Chenal Parkway are concerned. Traffic Engineering has approved the parking lot layout. Water Works comments that a front footage fee of $12.00 per foot (E.5618,1989) applies; and that this fee is in addition to normal connection fees. A main extension will be required to tie into an existing 8" main approximately 100 feet east of this property on the south side of Financial Center Parkway. Wastewater comments that a capacity analysis will be required prior to Wastewater Utility approval. If capacity is not available, the developer will be required to upgrade the existing system to handle any extra flow generated. Capacity contribution fees and Farm Bureau Fees will be assessed for this project. Arkansas Power and Light Co. did not respond. Arkansas Louisiana Gas Co. did not respond. Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. did not respond. The Fire Department comments that some minor changes need to be made in the fire hydrant spacing. The pumper hydrant K FILE NO.: Z- 887-A (Cont located on the northeast corner in conjunction with where the fire service water line enters the building is O.R. The 500' spacing should begin from that hydrant on around the building with 500' or less spacing on the other 2 hydrants. There are enough hydrants to meet Code; they simply need to be relocated slightly. The Neighborhoods and Planning Site Plan Review Specialist commented that the areas set aside for buffers and landscaping meet ordinance requirements. D . ISSUES/LEGALITECHNICAL/DESiGHI : The previous approval approved the same uses with a total of 426 parking spaces. This was approved with the assurance of the developer that this was sufficient parking. The amended application, though, has supplied the needed parking analysis. This analysis shows that, to meet the City's parking ordinance requirements, for all the various uses to be going on simultaneously, 601 spaces are required. The analysis shows, however, that, based on the time of day, and when, during the day the various uses will be taking place, the 429 spaces provided with this application will be sufficient. All agreements associated with the originally approved PD have been reaffirmed; e.g., that the additional right-of-way for Financial Center Parkway is being dedicated, and that the full width of the west boundary collector street will be constructed as part of this project. E. ANALYSIS• The Planning staff comments that the site is located in the I-430 Planning District. The adopted Land Use Plan recommends "Mixed Office COMMOrcial" uses. The use is consistent with the adopted Plan. The developer has furnished a parking analysis which justifies to their satisfaction the adequacy of the number of parking spaces provided. The Planning Commission may either concur with this conclusion, or may require more (or fewer) spaces. F. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends approval of the amended PD-C. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: Mr. Joe white, with White-Daters Staff explained that an amended sought in order to add a 4 acre (AUGUST 31, 1995) & Associates, was present. planned development was being tract to the previously approved 3 FILE N Z- 87-A(Cont.) PD in order to accommodate needed surface parking for the hotel and convention center. Staff explained that, initially, the developer had anticipated extending the below -grade parking deck not only under the Convention center, but under the hotel area as well, but that this was not going to be possible; that structural requirements of the 9-story hotel would preclude having workable maneuvering and parking areas under the hotel; consequently, the lost below -grade parking would have to be made up for in surface parking. Mr. White reported that his, as well as the developer's staff, were in consultation with Bill Henry, the Traffic Engineer. and that all concerns of Traffic Engineering would be addressed. Staff reported that, other than Mr. White and the developer getting finished drawings in to staff, there were no major issues to be resolved. The Committee forwarded the planned development to the full commission for the public hearing. pLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (SEPTEMBER 19, 1995) Staff reported that the developer and his engineer had been in communication with Public Works, and that all issues had been resolved. Staff recommended approval of the amended PD, and the item was approved with the vote of 8 ayes, 0 nays, 2 absent, 0 abstentions, and 1 open position. 4