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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-6178 Staff AnalysisFILE NO.: Z-6 NAME: STAMAR DRIVING RANGE -- PLANNED COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT LOCATION: 9222 Stagecoach Road DEVELOPER: ENGINEER• Gerald Staley Michael Clayton, P.E. 14200 Wimbledon 6303 Blackhawk Little Rock, AR 72209 No. Little Rock, AR 72116 AREA: 19.2 ACRES NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 FT. NEW STREET: 0 ZONING: "PCD" Proposed PROPOSED USES: Driving range and outdoor recreation PLANNING DISTRICT: #16 Otter Creek CENSUS TRACT: 42.08 VARIANCES REOUESTED: Deferral of road improvements on Stagecoach Road until State Highway work begins. BACKGROUND• This owner approached staff with a request for a variety of outdoor recreational uses centered around a golf driving range. Staff recommended that the land owner apply for a Planned Commercial Development designation of this 19.2 acre parcel. A. PROPOSAL RE UEST: A one lot PCD consisting of a golf course driving range, practice green, pro shop, baseball batting cages, parking and landscaping. Proposed hours of operation are 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., 7 days a week. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The site is currently vacant. Several older dwellings were recently removed by the current owner. Three domestic water wells remain and may be used for irrigation purposes on the future driving range. A small pond consisting of .7 acres is situated in the southwest portion of the site. The property is bordered by Stagecoach Road and rural residential on the east, a 100 foot wide AP&L easement on the south, a 40 foot Arkla easement to the west, and vacant land on the north. FILE C. Em E. Z-6178 (Cont. Stagecoach Road is a minor Street Plan but currently with open ditches. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: Staff has received several Stagecoach Road. To date the proposal. ENGINEERING COMMENTS: PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS: arterial street on the Master exist as a 24 foot asphalt road calls mostly from passersbys on all calls have been supportive of A development permit will be required prior to construction. A portion of the property is located in the flood plain. A sketch grading and drainage plan with soil loss calculations is also required. The drainage maps indicate a pond in excess of one acre, provide documentation as to Little Rock Corps of Engineers approval for draining this pond. Stagecoach is a minor arterial, thus dedicate 45 feet of right-of- way from centerline widen to 30 feet from centerline with a sidewalk or contribute in -lieu fees for like amount. Existing Stagecoach is a 24 foot asphalt lane with open ditches. Traffic Count was 7,790 ADT in 1992. UTILITY COMMENTS FIRE DEPARTMENT COUNTY PLANNING: Wastewater: Sewer available, not adversely affected. Water: Service charge is $150/acre and $15/front foot. AP&L : No comment Arkla: OK Southwestern Bell: OK Fire Department: A 50 foot radius by the proposed equipment shed is required. No fire hydrants are shown on the site plan. We need a hydrant within 500 feet of all buildings. County Plannin : No comment F. ISSUES TECHNICAL/DESIGN: Landsca e• Areas set aside for street and land use buffers meet and exceed ordinance requirements. Six percent of the interior of the vehicular use area will be required to be landscaped with interior landscaped islands. Landscaped islands are required to be at least 100 square feet in area. K, FILE NO.: Z-6178 (Cont. Because the property to the north, south and east are zoned residential, opaque screening is required by ordinance. This screening can consist of dense evergreen plantings or six foot high wood fence with its face directed outward. Since the property to the south is used for public utilities, screening in this area may not serve much of a purpose. Curb and gutter or another approved border will be required to protect landscaped areas from vehicular traffic. Issues• The following are unresolved items on the PCD submittal. • Covered tee boxes not to exceed 12 feet in height. • Remove notation concerning "future mini -golf course". • Provide more specific details on entrance sign. • Project name on site plan to remain "StaMar Driving Range". Planning Division: The site is located in the Otter Creek District. The adopted Land Use Plan recommends Multifamily. At this time, Staff cannot recommend a Plan amendment to nonresidential. However if the use is limited to a driving range, it is staff's opinion that the request would not be in conflict with the adopted Plan. In other areas and in the zoning ordinance golf courses have been considered appropriate uses in a residential area. G. ANALYSIS• The adopted Land Use Plan recommends Multifamily uses for this site. A golf driving range and limited batting cage area can be viewed as a transitional use in an area planned for residential development. A small Pro Shop and practice green are compatible uses with a golf driving range facility. H. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: APPROVAL of the PCD request (Z-6178) as illustrated on the proposed site plan. Approval is subject to the conditions and revisions listed in paragraphs D, E, F of this report. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: Gerald Staley and Stan Martin staff requested more specific lighting and signage, adjacent under Stagecoach Road. Public an existing pond that is to be The developers contribution to (AUGUST 8, 1996) represented the project. Planning information on hours of operation, utility easements and the culvert works indicated that the size of drained needs to be determined. future improvements to Stagecoach 3 FILE NO.: z-6178 Cont. was discussed. Staff noted the Fire Departments requirement that a hydrant be provided within 500 feet of all structures. The item is to be forwarded to the full Commission for determination. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (AUGUST 29, 1996) After presentation of the staff report, Mr. Lawson indicated that the project as proposed is a "activity center" which is in conflict with the Land Use Plan. Mr. Lawson stated that the batting cage element of the proposal would be a C-4 use. He stated that this could result in this portion of Stagecoach Road becoming commercial. Applicant Gerald Staley indicated that the proposed uses can be considered commercial but the complex except for the structures are not permanent. He stated that his project will provide a place for the Otter Creek Community youth to go. Commissioner Brandon ask Mr. Staley why he changed the project description after the Subdivision Committee meeting. Mr. Staley stated that the civil engineer who drew the original site plan should have shown The Pro Shop as 3,000 rather than 1,800 square feet in size. Commissioner Adcock asked if the applicant planned to include miniature golf in his proposal. Mr. Staley stated that if the initial elements of the facility were economically successful than he plans to have a future phase that would include miniature golf. The applicant presented a lighting plan to the Commission. He indicated the importance of lighting in respect to the golf driving range. Sonya Martin spoke in support of the project and read a letter from Coach Randy Rutherford of Fair High School. Walter Coleman IV read a letter from Coach Mike Johnson from Fair High School in support of the project. At this point in the meeting, Mr. Lawson changed the staff recommendation to denial since the proposal is in conflict with the multifamily designation on the Land Use Plan. He also stated that staff does not have a good feel for the proposal since the applicant has continually changed the project description. In response, Mr. Staley and Mr. Stan Martin stated that the proposed project is a good use for this 19 acre site. Mr. Martin said there is widespread support of this project in the Otter Creek Community. They showed to the Commission typical elevation and architectural style of the proposed Pro Shop. Commissioner Adcock and Chairman Woods asked for the neighborhood association position on the project. Commissioner Hawn would 4 FILE NO.: Z-6178 (Cont. like to see staff look at the Land Use Plan for this site and area. Assistant City Attorney Cindy Dawson stated the Commission policy in this type of matter is that they discuss the land use issue at one meeting and the proposal itself at a subsequent meeting. A motion to defer the land use decision on this item to September 26, 1996 and consider the Planned Development for this site on November 21, 1996. The motion passed 8 ayes, 0 nays, 2 absent and 1 open position. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (SEPTEMBER 26, 1996) Jim Lawson, Director Planning and Development, reviewed the issue and proposed an option to the Commission. If the Commission believes the use is temporary, then do not change the Plan. The proposal which initiated this request started as an outdoor use (drive range, batting cage) but grew to include a 4,000 square foot recreation building. Staff felt this was too intensive and a commercial use should be on the Plan is the proposal were approved. Staff is opposed to amending the Plan and increasing the commercial use area. The residents do have some concerns about the Plan Change but like the proposal (driving range, etc.). The Commission could agree by leaving the Plan as Multifamily and approving the PCD (driving range, etc.) on the basis it is a temporary or holding use. If the Plan is change the power line south of the property could be used as the line to stay commercial. But there is a concern about being able to stop the commercial, making Stagecoach another Rodney Parham or Geyer Springs (strip commercial) . There was a discussion about the zoning application, intensity of use, what the neighborhood wanted to see, availability of existing commercial land. Carl Moody, Otter Creek Residents Association, the association would like to be involved in every step of development in their area. A presentation was made to the Association, and they would like to see the area developed as shown - there should be tight controls. The preference of the Association is not to change the Land Use Plan but to allow the development. The Association wants to learn and work with the City to assure a good development pattern. Commissioner Adcock summarized that the neighborhood wanted family oriented commercial uses. There was discussion about the PCD and Plan Change, etc. Mr. Gerald Staley, owner of PCD property, stated he believes everyone is trying to get to the same place. Mr. Staley reviewed a letter from Phillip McConnell of the Highway Department. The existing zoning and floodway issues were illustrated by two other handouts from Mr. Staley. In principle Mr. Staley agreed to the suggestion by Mr. Lawson - no plan 6i FILE NO.: Z-6178 (Cont. change, approve PCD as temporary use. Mr. William Seffens, owner to north, stated he wanted is property commercial. There was a review of where his property was, existing use versus zoning, etc. Mr. Seffens was advised to speak to staff at their office about his property. Dr. Peter Thomas, representing land to south, stated after review of what exists on Stagecoach all the property should be commercial. Thomas family ownership is zoned multifamily and single family. Mr. Jim Gray, realtor for Thomas, stated there is not demand for multifamily and there has been inquiries about using their land for an equipment yard. Commercial is the appropriate use. Mr. Moody returned to speak to the Commission. There has been little development in the area for the last 8-10 years. Now that development is an issue the Association wants to be intelligent and Plan for growth. Ruth Bell, League of Women Voters, requested that the Commission please reject the plan amendment. The area is changing from old uses to a new diverse area. A large amount of commercial will be a problem. Staff should be directed to work with interests in the area to develop alternative uses for the area. Commissioner Earnest moved to not amended the Plan. There was discussion about approving the PCD and leaving the Plan. Mr. Giles stated the Plan did not have to be changed to zone it PCD. By a vote of 10 for 0 against the Commission approved the motion. (The Plan was not amended). PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (NOVEMBER 21, 1996) Gerald Staley represented the project before the Commission. David Scherer stated that the 15% in -lieu fee for road improvements was appropriate for this case. Mr. Staley agreed to pay the fee. No one from the public spoke about the project. A motion to approve the rezoning to PCD passed with 9 ayes, 0 nays and 2 absent. 11