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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-6068 Staff AnalysisNovember 14, 19.95 ITEM NO.: 7 FILE NO.: 7-6080 NAME: HUNT -- SHORT -FORM PLANNED COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT LOCATION: At the southwest corner of Kavanaugh Blvd. and N. Jackson St., at 3201 Kavanaugh Blvd. DEVELOPER: ELLA CAROL HUNT 411 N. Jackson St. Little Rock, AR 72205 666-4787 AREA: 0.07 ACRES NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 FT. NEW STREET: 0 ZONING: R-2 PROPOSED USES: Beauty Shop, Residence, Office PLANNING DISTRICT: 4 _CENSUSTRACT: 15 VARIANCES RE VESTED: None STATEMENT OF PROPOSAL: Proposed is a Planned Development to permit the use of the main and upper (Kavanaugh Blvd. -fronting) levels of an existing residential structure as a "spa" and the continued use of the downstairs (Jackson St. -fronting) apartment for residential use. The main floor is to include space for a waiting room, hair -stylist area, sitting massage area for manicures and pedicures, and hair and body care products sales; the upper floor is to have space for massage therapy, an aromatherapy steam room, a wet spa room for seaweed body mask and herbal flower mists, and for facials. Requested as an alternate use is approval for the use of the downstairs apartment area, as well as the upper floor area, for office space. The applicant anticipates having herself and four employees in the operation of the "spa", plus having a tenant in the apartment. Requested is approval: a) to add a deck off the upper level for a gardening area and to provide a needed exit; and, b) to add a screened porch off the west side of the structure for use as a steam room and hot tub area, and a tea room for spa clients. The hours of operation are, initially, to be from 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM, Mondays through Saturdays, with, eventually, the hours November 14, 19.95 ITEM NO.: 7 Z-6080 Cont. extending to 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Employees are to work in shifts, with half working at any one time. Parking is to be "on -street", but employees will not be permitted to park on the street immediately around the subject property. A. PROPOSAL RE VEST: Planning Commission review and a recommendation for approval to the Board of Directors is requested for a Planned Commercial Development. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The site is the north one-half of what was once a full City lot. The structure which is proposed to be used is a three-story home, with approximately 680 square feet per floor, or 2940 square feet total. The site slopes downward from Kavanaugh Blvd., so the main "at grade" entrance to the home is located on Kavanaugh Blvd., with the lower level of the home being "below grade" on the Kavanaugh Blvd. side, but having an "at - grade" entrance on the N. Jackson St. face. There is a driveway off Kavanaugh Blvd. and one off N. Jackson St. The current zoning of the site is R-2. The R-2 zoning district extends to the abutting property to the south and west, and to the property across N. Jackson St. to the east. To the north, across Kavanaugh Blvd., to the northeast, is an R-4 zoned tract; to the northwest, is the Mount St. Mary's campus, which is a conditional use in an R-2 zoned area. C. ENGINEERING UTILITY COMMENTS: Public Works comments that there is a sight distance problem for traffic turning onto Kavanaugh Blvd. from N. Jackson St., and that there is insufficient land available on the lot to construct proper off-street parking with driveways which conform to City ordinances. Little Rock Water Works approved the submittal. Little Rock Wastewater utility approved the submittal. Arkansas Power and Light Co. approved the submittal. Arkansas Louisiana Gas Co. did not provide comments. Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. approved the submittal. The Fire Department did not provide comments. 2 November 14, 19.95 ITEM NO.: 7 Z-6080 nt• D. ISSUES/LEGAL/TECHNICAL/DESIGN: Sec. 36-502 requires, for "personal service" establishments, 1 off-street parking space for each 200 square feet of gross floor area; for general business and retail sales, 1 space for each 300 square feet; and for professional and business office, 1 space for each 400 square feet. A residential use requires 1.5 spaces. Required off-street parking, then, could range from a minimum of 7 spaces to at least 10 spaces, depending on the use mix. A garage and two driveways are provided, for a total of 4 available spaces; 1 space behind the other in each driveway; none having the required off-street maneuvering space for a turn- around. The alternative uses which are requested are for "office" uses. Generally, office uses includes all uses listed in the 0-1, 0-2, and 0-3 zoning districts, and this can include anything from professional offices, to funeral homes, to daycare facilities. The applicant needs to specify what she means by "office" uses as alternative uses of the site. The applicant should consult with the Building Codes Division to determine what building -related codes will impact the conversion of the building to the proposed uses. The size of the proposed deck and screened porch additions need to be specified. Signage and site lighting need to be specified by the applicant. The Neighborhoods and Planning Site Plan Review Specialist comments that a 6 foot high opaque wood fence, with its face directed outward or with slats on both sides, is requred along the west and south property lines. Unless otherwise present, 2 trees or tree -form crape myrtles of 2" caliper are required to be planted within the back yard. E. ANALYSIS• The Planning staff reports that the subject site is located in the Heights/Hillcrest District, and that the adopted Land U -se Plan shows "Single -Family" uses for the site. Since the request is for commercial use, staff cannot support a change in the Plan for this location at this time. Public Works notes the lack of off-street parking and the potential traffic hazard of increased traffic at r November 14, 1995 ITEM NO.: 7 Z-6080 Cont.) the Kavanaugh Blvd. -N. Jackson St. intersection. The possible locations of off-street parking are both insufficient to provide the needed number of spaces, and do not have area available to provide the required off-street maneuvering space. F. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends denial of the Planned Development. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (OCTOBER 12, 1995) Ms. Ella Carol Hunt, the applicant was present. Staff outlined the nature of the requested Planned Development, and reported that, because of the short time period between the applicant filing the application and the Subdivision Committee meeting, there were no comments available from utilities or City departments. The Committee forwarded the item to the full Commission for the public hearing. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (NOVEMBER 14, 1995) Staff presented the item, noting that staff had delivered to Commission members copies of letters concerning the proposed PCD that had been received, both in support of and in opposition to the application. Staff related that the staff recommendation is for denial of the PCD application, noting that the proposal is in conflict with the Land Use Plan and that no off-street parking is proposed. Ms. Ella Hunt, the applicant, related that the home which she proposes to use for her spa is an 1,857 square foot, three-level home. She said that the lowest level, the level opening to Jackson St., would remain a residential use. The ground level opening to Kavanaugh, she said, would be used for her office and for the hair services she offers, as well as for manicures and pedicures. The upper level would, she continued, be used for facials and massage services. She reported that, based on the actual square footage of the residence, the Ordinance will require 7 parking spaces. She explained that she proposes a "day spa", where clients come for extended services. She said that, from the original application, the hours would be more restricted, so that the residential uses abutting the site would not be affected. She said that she would have four employees, and that, on an average, there would be four clients per hour; at the most, 21 clients per day. Based on this anticipated client load, she said that she would anticipate needing no more than 5 4 November 14, 1995 ITEM NO.: 7 2-6d$d Cont. parking spaces for clients. Employees, she said, would not be permitted to park on site. She has, she explained, made arrangements for leased parking spaces in the neighborhood, within a block and a block and a half, and employees would be required to use these leased spaces. She said that she would have a limousine service available for clients, further limiting the need for parking. Additionally, she would provide valet parking to clients, with clients' vehicles being parked in leased spaces away from the site. She reported that all deliveries would be made to the "Mail Boxes, Etc." address. She presented a survey of available parking in the area, and said that, on a regular basis, there is a lot of available parking within a short walk from the site. She said that she has a total of 3 parking spaces on site, with one space off Jackson St. and 2 off Kavanaugh. She said that the Kavanaugh drive is overly wide, and that there is enough room for a backing movement within its width to permit a car to turn around and head out, instead of backing out onto Kavanaugh, plus a space for stacked parking. Staff responded to the parking proposal by stating that none of the Hillcrest businesses have excess parking which would allow them to lease out parking for another business' use. Ms. Lynne Haubenreich spoke in support of the application. She said that she both lived in the neighborhood and owned a business in the neighborhood, and that Ms. Hunt's proposed business would be both an asSE�t to the area and would be in keeping with the character of the neighborhood. She expressed fear that the property would become rental property, and that its condition would deteriorate. Ms. Brenda Kennett spoke in support of the application. She said she is a long-time resident and property owner in the Hillcrest area. She pointed out that the area of the proposed spa is primarily a business area, beginning, she said, with the cleaners at the corner, and continuing all the way up through the Hillcrest business area. Mr. Bill Rector spoke in support of the application. He stated that he has no financial interest in the application; that he is not involved as a real estate agent in the matter. He said that Ms. Hunt is a friend of his. He pointed out that, when the subject residence was built, Kavanaugh probably had trolley cars on it, and that the character of the uses along Kavanaugh has changed since then. It is, he said, an area in transition. He said that either Ms. Hunt's use can be approved, which will maintain the character of the types of uses in Hillcrest, or it will probably become a rent house. It is not, he said, still viable as an owner -occupied residence. A well -thought-out 5 November 14, 1995 ITEM NO.: 7 z-6080 Cont. commercial use is, on the other hand, the best use for the neighborhood. 4 Mr. Roy Dudley spoke in support of the application. He said that he had knows Ms. Hunt for a number of years, and was certain that her business would be one of which Hillcrest residents could be proud. Ms. Jennifer Rector spoke in support of the application. She said that she had know the applicant for over 25 years, and had known her to almost obsessive about her environment. She related that the applicant had gone to the rain forest to gain knowledge about environment issues. when she lived downtown, Ms. Rector continued, the applicant had build a rose garden which was featured in the newspaper. The house the applicant is currently living in, Ms. Rector added, Ms. Hunt has turned into a "small paradise". The applicant, she said, has done a beautiful job in renovating the house she is currently living in, and, she said, she was sure that Ms. Hunt would do the same outstanding job of maintaining the Kavanaugh and Jackson house for her business. She said that, if the house is turned into a rental unit, not only will it not be maintained as well, but parking will even be a worse problem. Commissioner Lichty interjected that rental property in Hillcrest can go at a premium, and that the problem may be with who rents a piece of property, not necessarily that it is rental property. Mr. Rector explained that the subject property, because of where it is (next to a commercial use, next to a piece of rental property that is not maintained well, across the street from a school, and in an area that is in transition), is not as likely to be a rental property that will go at a premium. Commissioner Lichty responded that he was concerned about extending the commercial node at the Kavanaugh -Van Buren intersection another block east, and adding to the already existing traffic problem at this intersection. Ms. Mary Delores Longinotti, noting that she was speaking for Gail and Charles Batson, who live in the neighborhood, as well as a number of other neighbors, and her husband and herself, spoke in opposition to the proposed rezoning. She said that she and her neighbors had opposed commercialization of the neighborhood for many years, and that she feared that parking would be a problem. Mrs. Stratton spoke in opposition to related that she was representing her and that she lived in the house next N the proposal. She family at the hearing, door to the subject November 14,`1995 ITEM NO.: 7 Z-6080 Cant. property in the house that had been described as "dilapidated" by other speakers. She said that any increase in traffic would increase an already hazardous situation. Mr. Bo Montgomery spoke in opposition to the proposal. He said that the area is a strong residential neighborhood, and he opposed any erosion of its character. He said that any increase in traffic or parking would add to the already bad problem. Ms. Karen Derrick Coleman, saying that she lived immediately next door to the subject property, spoke in opposition to the proposal. She said that there is no extra parking in the area. Commissioner Hawn noted that he did not see in Ms. Hunt's proposal a solution to the parking problem. Commissioner McCarthy asked for clarification from Ms. Hunt that the residential character of the house was to be retained. Ms. Hunt affirmed that it would; that the only major renovation project will be to make a restroom handicap accessible. The question was called, and the motion to recommend approval of the PCD failed with the vote of 2 ayes, 7 nays, and 2 absent. 7