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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-6199-B Staff AnalysisMarch 4, 1999 ITEM NO.: A FILE NO.: Z -6199-B NAME: Grey Rock -- Short -Form PD -C LOCATION: Northeast corner of Chenal Parkway and Gamble Road DEVELOPER: ENGINEER: Moses/Nosari Real Estate McGetrick and McGetrick Engineers 201 East Markham Street 319 East Markham St., Ste. 202 Little Rock, AR 72201 Little Rock, AR 72201 AREA: 3.0 acre NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 FT. NEW STREET: 0 ZONING: PCD ALLOWED USES: C-3 Commercial Uses PROPOSED USE Automobile Dealership VARIANCES/WAIVERS REQUESTED: None requested. BACKGROUND: On November 21, 1996, the Planning Commission approved a preliminary plat for Lots 1-4, Grey Rock Subdivision. On December 3, 1996, the Board of Directors approved Ordinance No. 17,332 establishing the Grey Rock - Long -Form PD -C (Target) for Lot 1 of the subdivision. Lot 4 of the subdivision included a section of Rock Creek and floodway and was to be dedicated to the City of Little Rock Parks Department. Lots 2 and 3 were left for future development. On July 7, 1998, the Board of Directors approved Ordinance No. 17,765 establishing the Grey Rock - Short -Form PCD for Lots 2 and 3 of the Subdivision. The approved development included a 26,400 square foot commercial building and 139 parking spaces. The building was approved for C-3 permitted uses. Ordinance No. 17,766 and No. 17,767 were also approved by the Board of Directors on July 7, 1998. Ordinance No. 17,796 granted a March 4, 1999 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: A (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -6199-B waiver of boundary street improvements for the property and Ordinance No. 17,767 removed this property from the Master Parks Plan. A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST: The applicant proposes to rezone Lots 2 and 3, Grey Rock Subdivision from PCD to PD -C for a single -use commercial development. The applicant proposes to construct a 33,900 square foot building on the property with 176 parking spaces. The applicant plans to use the property as an automobile dealership (new cars). The 176 parking spaces would be for new cars, a few newer used cars, employee and customer parking. The applicant proposes to use 13,000 square feet of the building as showroom and office space, with the remaining 20,900 square feet being used as a service and repair facility. Operating hours would be from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, with the showroom open on Saturday. The applicant also proposes to abandon the north section of Gamble Road as previously approved and agreed to by the City's Parks and Recreation Department. Access to a future park site to the north will be gained from the north end of the existing Gamble Road. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The site has been cleared and some site preparation work has been done. There is a mixture of commercial uses located to the east along the north side of Chenal Parkway with a medical clinic and a multifamily development to the west across Gamble Road. Vacant C-3 zoned property and an auto dealership are located to the south across Chenal Parkway. Rock Creek is located to the north. C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: As of this writing, staff has received no negative comment from the neighborhood. The St. Charles, Parkway Place and Gibralter Heights/Point West/Timber Ridge Neighborhood Associations were notified of the public hearing. D. ENGINEERING COMMENTS: PUBLIC WORKS CONDITIONS: 1. Dedicate right-of-way per Chenal Parkway standards and construct improvements including reconstruction of Gamble O►: March 4, 1999 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: A (Cont. FILE NO.: Z -6199-B intersection to MSP standards for commercial intersection. 2. Development permit required. 3. All above ground power poles shall be relocated to 100' from right-of-way or be located underground at developer's expense per Section 36 zoning requirements. 4. Dedicate right-of-way and construct a turn -around for vehicles at the end of Gamble Road. 5. Relocate existing culvert under fill area or provide equal capacity bypass. 6. Request variance of Section 29 for height of wall planned adjacent to floodway from Planning Commission and address construction type and appearance. 7. Provide internal circulation (access easement) to Target Center. (Commercial Street Standards) E. UTILITIES AND FIRE DEPARTMENT/COUNTY PLANNING: Wastewater: Sewer available along Gamble Road. Sewer main extension required with easements to serve the east end of property. AP &L : No Comment. Arkla: No Comment. Southwestern Bell: A 5 foot utility easement is requested along the east and west property lines. A 10 foot easement is requested along the north property line. Water: Development fee, based on the size of connections, will apply in addition to normal fees. Easements for 8" water main and 42" raw water line should be shown. These facilities must be protected during and after construction. Fire Department: Place fire hydrants per city code. Contact Dennis Free at 918-3752 for details. County Planning: No Comment received. CATA: Not currently served by a Central Arkansas Transit, but near Route #5 (West Markham). No foreseeable adverse impacts on transit. F. ISSUES/TECHNICAL/DESIGN: Planning Division: This request is in the Chenal Planning District. The property is shown as Commercial on the Land Use Plan. This 3 March 4, 1999 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: A (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -6199-B area is part of the Rock Creek Neighborhood Plan, which was heard at the Planning Commission on October 29, 1998. This request is in conformance with the Land Use Plan. Landscape Issues: Areas set aside for landscaping and buffers meet with ordinance requirements with the possible exception of the building landscaping proposed. The Landscape Ordinance requires a three foot wide landscaping strip between the public parking areas and building. Two thirds of this requirement can be transferred to other areas of the site. Areas set aside for building landscaping should be identified. Since the property to the north is residential, it will be necessary to provide a 6 foot high opaque screen. This screen may be a wooden fence with its face side directed outward or dense evergreen plantings. This screen should be placed at the higher elevation to provide maximum screening. Prior to a construction permit, detailed landscape plans must be approved by Bob Brown, Plans Review Specialist. Mr. Brown may be reached at 371-4864. G. ANALYSIS: An issue which needs to be worked out relates to the right- of-way for Chenal Parkway. Currently, the right-of-way for Chenal Parkway has varying widths along this property frontage. In final platting the property, the applicant can show a straight right-of-way dedication of 55 feet from the centerline of Chenal Parkway. However, this will leave a couple of "pockets" of right-of-way which will still be owned by the city due to previous purchase. The applicant needs to work with Public Works and the City Attorney's Office to resolve this issue prior to final platting the property. Another issue which needs to be resolved relates to a 40 foot access easement which runs across the front of Lots 2 and 3, abutting Lot 1 (Target) of the subdivision. The access easement was shown on the preliminary plat of the subdivision and was to provide cross -access between the Target site and this site. This proposed use being an automobile dealership, the applicant does not want the 4 March 4, 1999 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: A (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -6199-B cross -access primarily for security purposes. This issue needs to be worked out between the owners of this property and the Target property. The applicant indicated to the Subdivision Committee that a deferral would be requested in order to work out this issue. The proposed site plan must comply with the Chenal/Financial Center Design Overlay District with respect to site signage, lighting and utilities. The proposed ground -mounted sign must be of "monument" type, with a maximum area of 100 square feet and a maximum height of 8 feet. Parking lot lighting must be designed and located in such a manner so as not to disturb the scenic appearance of the corridor. Lighting must be'directed to the parking areas and not reflected to adjacent parcels. All lighting and other utilities on lots adjacent to Chenal Parkway which are located in front of the rear line of the building shall be underground. No overhead utilities shall be constructed within 100 feet of the Chenal Parkway right- of-way. With the Chenal Overlay issues and the landscape and buffer ordinances being complied with, along with the issues relating to right-of-way dedication and cross -access easement being resolved, the proposed development should have no adverse impact on the general area. H. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends approval of the PD -C zoning with the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the requirements noted in paragraphs D, E and F of this report. 2. The Chenal right-of-way and cross -access issues need to be resolved as discussed in paragraph G. 3. The site must comply with the Chenal/Financial Center Design Overlay District ordinance with respect to site signage, lighting and utilities. 4. A portion of Gamble Road right-of-way will be abandoned as requested by Parks. 5. The site must be final platted. A March 4, 1999 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: A (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -6199-B SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (NOVEMBER 5, 1998) Pat McGetrick was present, representing the application. Staff gave a brief description of the proposed development, noting the Chenal Overlay requirements. Bob Turner, of Public Works, reviewed the Public Works requirements with the applicant and Committee. Mr. Turner noted that a variance would need to be requested for the height of the retaining wall which will be constructed along the north property line. The cross -access easement between this property and the Target property was mentioned by staff. Mr. McGetrick noted that a deferral would be requested to provide time to resolve this issue. After the brief discussion, the Committee forwarded the application to the full Commission for resolution. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (DECEMBER 3, 1998) Staff informed the Commission that the applicant had submitted a letter requesting that the item be deferred to the January 21, 1999 agenda. Staff supported the deferral as requested. The Chairman placed the item before the Commission for inclusion within the Consent Agenda for deferral to the January 21, 1999 agenda. A motion to that effect was made. The motion passed by a vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays and 4 absent. STAFF UPDATE: The applicant submitted a letter to staff on January 4, 1999 requesting that this item be deferred to the March 4, 1999 agenda. There are issues relating to the proposed site plan which the applicant is continuing to work out. Staff supports the deferral as requested. 6 March 4, 1999 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: A (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -6199-B PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JANUARY 21, 1999) Staff informed the Commission that the applicant had submitted a letter requesting that the item be deferred to the March 4, 1999 agenda. Staff supported the deferral as requested. The Chairman placed the item before the Commission for inclusion within the Consent Agenda for deferral to the March 4, 1999 agenda. A motion to that effect was made. The motion passed by a vote of 11 ayes and 0 nays. STAFF UPDATE: The applicant submitted a letter•to staff on February 18, 1999 requesting that this item be withdrawn. The developers have decided not to proceed with the project. Staff recommends approval of the withdrawal as requested. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (MARCH 4, 1999) The staff informed the Commission that the applicant submitted a letter on February 18, 1999 requesting that this item be withdrawn. Staff supported the withdrawal request. The Chairman placed the item before the Commission for inclusion within the Consent Agenda for withdrawal. A motion to that effect was made. The motion passed by a vote of 9 ayes, 0 nays and 2 absent. 7