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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-6364 Staff AnalysisAugust 21, 1997 ITEM NO.• 6 FILE NO.• Z-6364 Owner: Resolution Trust Corporation/ McClellan Community Development Corporation Applicant: Pamela Mercer, Secretary/ McClellan CDC Location: 3615-3623-3700-3706 American Manor Drive Request: Rezone from R-2 to R-5 Purpose: Bring existing multifamily units into conformance with zoning. Size: 4 lots, totaling 1.59± acres Existing Use: Three of the lots are occupied by one building each. Each building contains 4, two bedroom dwellings. The 4th lot is vacant. SURROUNDING LAND USE AND ZONING North - Vacant tract, zoned R-2 South - Single Family residences, zoned R-2 East - Single Family residence and boarded up 4 unit apartment building, zoned R-2 West - Vacant lots, duplex and triplex, zoned R-2 PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS With Construction: 1. Construct sidewalks conforming to Sec. 31-175 and the "MSP". 2. Appropriate handicap ramps will be required per current ADA standards. 3. All driveways shall be concrete aprons per City Ordinance. 4. Provide striping for Parking Lot. 5. Street is a residential standard versus commercial standard, improve or seek waiver. August 21, 1997 ITEM NO.: 6 Cont. FILE NO.: Z-6364 PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT This site is not located on a Central Arkansas Transit Bus Route. The nearest bus route is at Scott Hamilton and Baseline Road, 4-5 blocks to the north. LAND USE ELEMENT The property is located in the Geyer Springs East District. This District Plan was adopted in May of 1986. The property is question is shown on the Land Use Plan as Single Family, as is the area surrounding it. The buildings on the site were constructed as Multi -family structures, but were not recognized on the Plan. The location is at the intersection of a collector and arterial which has traditionally had higher density development. Staff recommends a change to the Land Use Plan from Single Family to Multi -family. This would be a minor plan amendment. STAFF ANALYSIS The request before the Commission is to rezone these 4 lots from R-2 Single Family to R-5 Urban Residence district. Three of the lots are each now occupied by a two story, 4 unit multifamily structure. The structures are vacant and boarded up. The 4th lot is vacant other than for the concrete foundation of a building which was torn down some time ago. These 4 lots and 6 others located on this portion of American Manor Drive were occupied by multifamily dwellings when this area was annexed into the City on April 29, 1985. The properties were zoned R-2 and the apartments rendered nonconforming. Since that time, most of the units fell into disrepair and were either razed and removed or boarded up, as is the case with these properties. Two of the lots were occupied by a duplex and a triplex. These units, located at the corner of Hilaro Springs and American Manor are in good shape and are currently occupied. The McClellan Community Development Corporation has a purchase agreement with the Resolution Trust Corporation, who now owns the properties, and is seeking to rezone the properties to R-5. Based on the density of development, R-5 is the appropriate multifamily zoning category to bring the properties into compliance with zoning. The properties have been vacant for some time now and the nonconforming status is in question. Once the properties are rezoned, the CDC proposes to rehabilitate the dwellings and make them available for occupancy. A laundry room/storage building may be built on the vacant lot where only the foundation of a building now exists. The laundry room/storage building 2 August 21, 1997 ITEM NO.: 5 Cont. FILE NO.: Z-5364 would be a secured facility, serving only the residents of the fourplexes located on the other 3 lots. Staff believes the rezoning request to be reasonable. These multifamily dwellings were in place prior to the area's annexation to the City. Allowing the CDC to rehab and make available these units will eliminate a neighborhood nuisance and will provide needed housing. The properties on this end of American Manor have a long history of use as Multifamily. The properties are located on the fringe of the neighborhood and take access from Hilaro Springs Road, an arterial street. Other properties immediately adjacent to these 4 also contain boarded up multifamily dwellings or occupied multifamily dwellings. If the cost of rehabilitating these structures exceeds 50% of the replacement value, an upgrade in landscaping and screening will be required. The Geyer Springs East District Land Use Plan does not recognize the multifamily uses on these lots. The Plan recommends Single Family. Staff believes it would be appropriate now to recognize these multifamily properties and to amend the plan to multifamily for these lots on American Manor Drive. This has been determined to be a minor plan amendment. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends approval of the requested R-5 zoning and of a minor plan amendment from Single Family to Multifamily. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (AUGUST 21, 1997) The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the item and recommended approval of the rezoning request and a minor plan amendment. The Commission was informed that the required notices had been sent out only 10 days prior to the hearing, not 15 days as required by the Commission's bylaws. It was noted that all notices had been accounted for, either the return cards had been received or those undeliverable had been returned. After a brief discussion, a motion was made to waive the bylaws and to accept the notices as done by the applicant. The motion was approved by a vote of 10 ayes, 0 noes and 1 absent. The rezoning request and minor plan amendment were placed on the Consent Agenda and approved by a vote of 10 ayes, 0 noes and 1 absent. 3