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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-6715 Staff AnalysisJuly 22, 1999 ITEM NO.: 11 FILE NO.: Z-6715 NAME: First Freewill Baptist Church - Conditional Use Permit LOCATION: 13305 Lawson Road OWNER/APPLICANT: First Freewill Baptist Church PROPOSAL: To obtain a conditional use permit to construct a new sanctuary building on an existing church site to seat 250 people with accompanying parking on property zoned R-2, Single Family Residential. ORDINANCE DESIGN STANDARDS: 1. SITE LOCATION: This site is located on the south side of Lawson Road just past Duvall Road, approximately 0.4 mile outside the City limits, but inside the City's extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction. 2. COMPATABILITY WITH NEGHBORHOOD: The current church has been at this location for about 25 years. The area contains large residential lots immediately to the north and east and scattered along Lawson Road. The southern part of the property is tree covered and would form a good buffer between the church and any future development to the south. It is undeveloped now. To the west the property is zoned PCD. Planned Commercial District, and contains the Champion Builders office. The new building will sit directly behind the current building. Staff believes this expanded use would continue to be compatible with the neighborhood. There is no neighborhood association currently serving the area including this site. 3. ON SITE DRIVES AND PARKING: Currently there are two access points from Lawson Road onto the property near the east and west property lines. Existing drives and parking areas are gravel July 22, 1999 ITEM NO.: 11 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-6715 areas which are not clearly designated or clearly marked for the most part, but could be made adequate to serve the need and meet the ordinance required number of parking spaces. Church parking requirements in this case are based on the increased seating capacity of the main sanctuary over the original sanctuary which seats 100 people. The requirement would be based on 1 parking space needed for every 4 seat increase. Therefore, the required parking for the new 250 seat sanctuary (based on a 150 seat increase) would be 37 spaces, including two handicapped accessible spaces. The designated area would accommodate only 28 spaces for parking on the site plan. Therefore, space for an additional 9 parking spaces needs to be set aside on the plan. There is space for the required additional parking to the south. 4. SCREENING AND BUFFERS: A landscape upgrade of a least 755 of the full landscape ordinance requirement will be necessary. This will include perimeter, interior and building landscaping. A 6 foot high opaque screen, either a wooden fence with its face side directed outward or dense evergreen plantings will be required to the south and east. 5. PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS: a. Lawson Road is listed on the Master Street Plan as a minor arterial. A dedication of right-of-way to 45 feet from centerline is required. b. Provide design of streets conforming to "MSP" (Master Street Plan). Construct one-half street improvements to these streets including 5 foot sidewalks with planned development. C. Plans of all work in right-of-way shall be submitted for approval prior to start of work. d. Stormwater detention ordinance applies to this property. July 22, 1999 ITEM NO.: 11 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-6715 e. Driveways must comply with ordinance #18,031 which would allow only one driveway with a concrete apron, or ask for a variance to keep two driveways. 6. UTILITY AND FIRE DEPT. COMMENTS: Water: Contact the Water Works if a larger and/or additional water meter is needed, (existing meter is 5/811). If this property is annexed into the City in the future, you may be required to add on-site fire protection. Wastewater: Outside the City. No comment. Southwestern Bell: No comments received. ARKLA: No comments received Entergy: No comments received. Fire Department: Outside City. No comment CATA: There is no CATA bus service to this site at this time. 7. STAFF ANALYSIS: The applicant is requesting a conditional use permit to add a new 250 seat sanctuary to an existing church site on property zoned R-2, Single Family Residential. This church has existed at this location for over 25 years and as far as Staff is aware, has been compatible with the neighborhood during that time. Staff believes this site is large enough to accommodate the second building and parking areas being requested with no negative impact. The new sanctuary would provide an increase of 150 seats over the existing seating capacity of 100 and generate a required parking area of 37 spaces, based on 1 space for every 4 seat increase. There is room for only 28 spaces in the areas designated for parking on the site plan. Therefore, space for an additional 9 parking spaces would need to be set aside on the plan. There is space for additional parking to the south. The applicant is requesting a deferral for paving the K July 22, 1999 ITEM NO.: 11 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-6715 drives and parking area for five years. Staff does support this deferral, but would recommend that a concrete apron at the entry point to Lawson be required at the time the building is built. In addition, if the deferral is approved, Staff feels the parking areas should be outlined by railroad ties or a similar definitive method if not paved initially. All other siting requirements for the new building are met or exceeded. 8. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the conditional use permit subject to compliance with the following conditions: a. Comply with the City's Landscape & Buffer ordinances. b. Comply with Public Works Comments. c. All exterior lighting must be directed downward and inward to the property and not towards any residential area. d. Provide on-site parking for a minimum of 37 vehicles with 2 handicapped accessible spaces meeting ADA standards. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENTS: This item was accepted out of sequence as a hardship situation. Therefore, it did not go before the Subdivision Committee. STAFF UPDATE: The Staff, (Planning with Public Works) has agreed upon the following addition to the "Staff Recommendation" with regard to the applicant requested deferrals. Staff recommends approval of deferrals for up to five years for the following: a. Paving of the on-site driveways and parking areas, as long as the parking areas are outlined with railroad ties or other clearly seen borders. 4 July 22, 1999 ITEM NO.: 11 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-6715 b. Street improvements, including sidewalks, until other development in the area occurs up to this property, or to a maximum of five years, whichever occurs first. Staff also recommends approval of a variance which would be required to allow a single driveway to be located in the center of the property rather than have a shared driveway with an adjacent property owner. The shared driveway would be required by the new ordinance #18031 due to this site having less than 300 feet of street frontage. In addition, Staff recommends approval of a deferral to relocating the west driveway to the center of the property until the other on-site paving is initiated, or for up to a maximum of five years, whichever occurs first. In the mean time the east driveway must be closed now and the west driveway could continue to be used as is. Once the improvements are initiated for paving the parking area, the west driveway would have to be moved to the center of the property and meet current City standards. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JULY 22, 1999) Pastor David Dyson was present representing his application. There were no registered objectors present. Staff presented the item with the recommendation for approval subject to compliance with the conditions as described above under "Staff Recommendation" and "Staff Update." Commissioner Nunnley asked for clarification as to what access Staff was recommending to be used initially. Staff stated the recommendation was to initially use the existing west driveway and close the east driveway; and then move access to the center of the property and close the west driveway when the interior driveways and parking areas are paved. The Chairman asked the applicant if he was in agreement with the comments and recommendations as stated by Staff. He responded that he was. A motion was made to approve the application as submitted to include Staff comments and recommendations including the variance and deferrals as explained. The motion passed by a vote of 9 ayes, 0 nays, and 2 absent. 5