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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-6663-A Staff AnalysisJune 14, 2001 ITEM NO.: 8 FILE NO.: Z -6663-A NAME: Hall High School - Conditional Use Permit LOCATION: 6700 "H" Street n7XMLOPER_ ARCHITECT: Little Rock School District Wittenberg Deloney and Davidson 810 West Markham Street 400 West Capitol Avenue, Ste. 1800 Little Rock, AR 72201 Little Rock, AR 72201-4857 AREA: 27.76 acres NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 FT. NEW STREET: 0 ZONING: R-2 ALLOWED USES: School PROPOSED USE: School expansion VARIANCES/WAIVERS REQUESTED: 1.A variance to allow an alternate sidewalk design along Street. 2. A variance to allow a reduced number of required parking spaces. 3.A variance to allow an increased building height for the proposed gymnasium. A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST: The Little Rock School District requests a Conditional Use Permit to allow for the expansion of the existing Hall High School at 6700 "H" Street. The property is zoned R-2. The proposal is for 72,698 square feet of building expansions and parking expansion as follows: 1_ A 21,324 square foot classroom addition (18 classrooms) on the east end of the existing school building (17 feet in height). 2. A 6,509 square foot science building addition (2 classrooms and 1 laboratory) on the north side of the June 14, 2001 ITEM NO.: 8 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -6663-A school building (17 feet in height). 3. A 4,865 square foot addition to the cafeteria within an interior courtyard area (18 feet in height). 4. A new 40,000 square foot gymnasium (54 feet in height). 5. 35 new parking spaces near the southeast corner of the property. The proposed classroom expansions will bring the total number of classrooms to 81. The classroom expansions will allow for the removal of seven (7) portables classrooms which are currently located along the east side of the student/faculty parking area. The applicant is requesting a variance to allow a reduced number of required parking spaces to serve the school site. The ordinance requires a minimum of six (6) parking spaces per classroom, which would be a minimum requirement of 486 spaces. There are currently 211 parking spaces on the site. With redesign of the existing parking areas and new parking, the number of parking spaces on the site will be 230. The applicant notes that there will be no increase in enrollment at the school, and that the current number of parking spaces is adequate to serve this school use. The applicant is also requesting a variance to allow an alternate sidewalk design along "H" Street. The typical sidewalk standards call for a two (2) foot landscape strip between the back of the street curb and the sidewalk. Based on the topography along the majority of the "H" Street frontage, the applicant is requesting to place the sidewalk at the back of the street curb (with no landscape strip). In order to construct the sidewalk along "H" Street a short retaining wall will be constructed along the north side of the walk. The applicant is also requesting a variance to allow the building height for the gymnasium to exceed the maximum height allowed in R-2 zoning of 35 feet. The proposed gymnasium will have a building height of approximately 54 feet. The existing auditorium building immediately east of the proposed gymnasium has a building height of approximately 70 feet. The applicant has also shown an area for bus loading on the site plan, within the existing student/facility parking area. This bus loading zone will be in the area where three (3) of the portable classrooms will be removed. The current bus loading area is at the east end of the school building where the new classroom addition is proposed. P% June 14, 2001 ITEM NO.: 8 (Cont.) B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: FILE NO.: Z -6663-A The property at 6700 "H" Street contains the existing Hall High School campus. There are two (2) access points from "H" Street, two (2) from McKinley Street and one (1) access point from Hughes Street. The northern portion of the property is undeveloped and very steep. There are single family residences to the north along Evergreen Street. There are also single family residences across the boundary streets to the south, east and west. C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: As of this writing, staff has received several phone calls from persons requesting information on this application. The Evergreen Neighborhood Association was notified of the public hearing. D. ENGINEERING COMMENTS: PUBLIC WORKS CONDITIONS: 1. Redesign site plan to incorporate bus parking on site. Contact Bill Henry for details. (340-4852) 2. Property frontage needs to have the sidewalks and ramps brought up to the current ADA standards. 3. Repair or replace any curb and gutter or sidewalk that is damaged in the public right-of-way prior to occupancy. 4. Plans of all work in right-of-way shall be submitted for approval prior to start of work. 5. Stormwater detention ordinance applies to this property. 6. A Sketch Grading and Drainage Plan, per Sec. 29-186(e), will be required. 7. A Grading Permit, per Sec. 29-186 (c) (d) , will be required. E. UTILITIES, FIRE DEPARTMENT AND CATA: Wastewater: School served by private sewer system. Not adversely affected by additions. Entergy: A 10 foot utility easement is requested from Street, along the west and north sides of the existing school building. ARKLA• No Comment received. Southwestern Bell: No Comment. 3 June 14, 2001 ITEM NO.: 8 (Cont.) Water: No Comment. Fire Department: No Comment. FILE NO.: Z -6663-A LATA: Project site is located near bus route #8 and has no effect on bus radius, turnout and route. F. Landscape Issues: Areas set aside for landscaping and buffers within the new vehicular use areas to be developed meet with ordinance requirements. An upgrade in landscaping toward full compliance with the Landscape Ordinance will be required equal to the expansion percentage proposed. G. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (MAY 24, 2001) Doug Eaton and Jack See were present, representing the application. Staff briefly described the proposed conditional use permit, noting that some additional information needed to be shown on the site plan. The project was briefly discussed. The area for bus loading was discussed. Mr. Eaton explained that the bus loading area was currently at the east end of the school building where the classroom expansion is proposed. Mr. Eaton noted that the bus loading area would be relocated to the student/faculty parking area and shown on the site plan. The Public Works requirements were discussed. The sidewalk construction along "H" Street was discussed at length. Mr. Eaton noted that the sidewalk would need to be constructed at the back of the curb line, based on the topography along "H" Street. He noted that the sidewalk would require a short retaining wall along its north side, and if the walk were pulled back from the curb line, the retaining wall would have to be increased in height. Tad Borkowski, of Public Works, noted that the applicant needed to request a variance to allow the sidewalk to be constructed at the back of the "H" Street curb line. 4 June 14, 2001 ITEM NO.: 8 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -6663-A The landscape requirements were also discussed. Bob Brown, of the Planning Staff, noted that an upgrade in landscaping would be required based on the percentage of building expansion. After the discussion, the Committee forwarded the conditional use permit to the full Commission for final action. H. ANALYSIS: The applicant submitted a revised site plan to staff on May 30, 2001. The revised plan addresses the issues as raised by staff and the Subdivision Committee. The revised plan shows the height/area for the building additions, existing dumpster location, existing ground -mounted sign location, existing portable classrooms which will be removed and an off-street bus loading zone. The applicant has also submitted a building elevation (from "H" Street) of the proposed gymnasium building. The elevation notes that the exterior will have a fagade which will be mostly brick veneer to match the existing school building. A copy of the elevation has been attached for Planning Commission review. The minimum number of parking spaces for a school of this size is 486 spaces (six (6) per classroom). With revisions, the total number of parking spaces on the site will be 230 spaces, 19 more spaces than currently exist on the site. The applicant is requesting a variance from this parking requirement. Staff supports the variance based on the fact that the school enrollment will not increase and the applicant notes that there is adequate parking currently on the site to serve the school use. The applicant is also requesting a variance to allow the sidewalk along "H" Street to be constructed along the back of the curb line. As noted earlier, this request is made because of the existing topography along "H" Street and an attempt to keep the retaining wall along the north side of the walk as short as possible. Public Works has indicated support of this variance request. Also noted in paragraph A., the applicant is requesting a variance to allow an increased building height for the proposed gymnasium building. The maximum height allowed in R-2 zoning is 35 feet. The proposed gymnasium will have a height of approximately 54 feet. Staff supports the variance request given the fact that the existing auditorium building is taller than the proposed gymnasium and has had 5 June 14, 2001 ITEM NO.: 8 (Cont.) I. FILE NO.: Z -6663-A no apparent adverse impact on the general area. Staff's support is also based on the fact that the exterior of the gymnasium building will be designed to match the existing school building. To staff's knowledge, there are no outstanding issues associated with this application. Staff feels that the proposed school expansions will have no adverse impact on the general area. All of the proposed building setbacks conform to the R-2 zoning standards. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends approval of the conditional use permit subject to the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the requirements as noted in paragraphs D, E and F of this report. 2. Any site lighting must be low-level and directed away from adjacent property. 3. Staff supports the variance for a reduced number of required parking spaces. 4. Staff also supports the variance to allow sidewalk construction along "H" Street to be at the back of the curb line. 5. Staff also supports the variance to allow increased building height for the proposed gymnasium. 6. All bus loading/unloading must be off-street. 7. The existing portable classrooms must be removed with the new building construction. B. The exterior of the proposed gymnasium building must be constructed to match the existing school building. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JUNE 14, 2001) Doug Eaton was present, representing the application. There were two (2) persons present with concerns. Staff briefly described the conditional use permit with a recommendation of approval subject to the conditions as noted in paragraph I. of the agenda report. Doug Eaton, Director of Facility Services for the Little Rock School District, addressed the Commission in support of the application. He provided several reasons for the proposed expansions to the school. Dewayne Vance noted that he was concerned with traffic at the intersection of "H" and Hughes Streets. He noted safety concerns at this intersection. He noted support of removing the portable 6 June 14, 2001 ITEM NO.: 8 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -6663-A classrooms from the property and no concern with the proposed height of the gymnasium building. He also stated that he was satisfied that the bus drop-off/pick-up would be off-street. Rosemary Brandt addressed the Commission. She stated that she had no objection to the proposed school expansions. She noted that she wished to see the existing pine trees near the southeast corner of the property preserved. She also stated that she would like the trim work on the existing and proposed buildings painted a color other than white. Commissioner Lowry noted that he would like assurance that the proposed additions would not increase the traffic flow. Mr. Eaton noted that the enrollment at the school would not increase and that there is currently no parking problem at the school. Commissioner Lowry asked about the existing pine trees at the southeast corner of the property. Mr. Eaton noted that the plan was to preserve as many of the trees as possible. This issue was discussed. Mr. Eaton noted that all of the trees east of the new drive (east side of building) would be preserved. There was a motion to approve the conditional use permit as recommended by staff. The motion passed by a vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays, 3 absent and 1 open position. 7