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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-6909 Staff AnalysisSeptember 14, 2000 ITEM NO.: 18 FILE NO.: Z-6909 NAME: New Longley Baptist Church - Conditional Use Permit LOCATION: 9900 Geyer Springs Road OWNER/APPLICANT: John Fleming / Longley Baptist Church PROPOSAL: To obtain a conditional use permit to construct a new church with accompanying on site parking on property zoned R-2, Single Family Residential, located at 9909 Geyer Springs Road. ORDINANCE DESIGN STANDARDS: 1. SITE LOCATION: The proposed 16 acre site is located on the west side of Geyer Springs Road at the intersection with Trenton Lane, Liberty Cove, and Drexel Avenue. Those three streets approach from the east and end at Geyer Springs, on the opposite side of Geyer Springs from the proposed church site. 2. COMPATIBILITY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD: The proposed site is zoned R-2, Single Family Residential,_and is surrounded by R-2 zoning. This site is in a neighborhood consisting of mostly single family homes with some multifamily complexes in the area. This is a large 16 acre site, which the church is not planning to fill up with facilities. Therefore, there is room to provide generous buffers between the developed area and the surrounding residential areas. Staff believes this use would be compatible with the surrounding area. The Allendale and Santa Monica Neighborhood Associations, the Southwest Little Rock United for Progress, all property owners within 200 feet, and all September 14, 2000 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 18 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-6909 residents within 300 feet that could be identified, were notified of the public hearing. 3. ON SITE DRIVES AND PARKING: The proposed site plan includes two access drives to Geyer Springs Road. The applicant has proposed 189 on- site parking spaces compared to the minimum requirement of 175 spaces. The minimum is based on the proposed seating capacity of 700 and one parking space for every 4 seats. Eight handicapped accessible spaces are shown versus a requirement for six. A small area on the south side of the church is noted for future parking and a continuation of the driveway along that side. 4. SCREENING AND BUFFERS: Areas set aside for buffers and landscaping meet with current and proposed ordinance requirements. A six foot high opaque screen, either a wooden fence or dense evergreen plantings, is required where adjacent to residential property not screened by existing natural on-site vegetation. The City Beautiful Commission recommends preserving as many existing trees as feasible. Extra credit toward fulfilling ordinance requirements can be given when preserving trees of six inch caliper or larger. The propose3 ordinance would require landscaped areas to be irrigated. 5. PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS: a. Geyer Springs Road is listed on the Master Street Plan as a minor arterial. A dedication of right- of-way 45 feet from centerline is required. b. Property frontage needs to have the sidewalks and ramps brought up to the current ADA standards. c. Repair or replace any curb and gutter or sidewalk that is damaged in the public right-of-way prior to occupancy. 2 September 14, 2000 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 18 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-6909 d. Plans of all work in right-of-way shall be submitted for approval prior to start of work. e. Stormwater detention ordinance applies to this property. f. Dedicate right-of-way and construct turn around at the end of Palto Alto Drive. g. Geyer Springs Road has a 1998 average daily traffic count of 9,600. 6. UTILITY, FIRE DEPT., AND CATA COMMENTS: Water: An acreage charge of $150 per acre applies in addition to normal charges. On-site fire protection may be required. Wastewater: Sewer available, not adversely affected. Southwestern Bell: Approved as submitted. ARKLA: No comments received. Entergy: No comments received. Fire Department: Contact Dennis Free, 371-3752, at the fire department concerning turning radii. CATA: Site is near bur routes #17 and 17A and has no effect on bus radius, turnout and route. 7. STAFF ANALYSIS: The applicant has requested a.conditional use permit to construct a new church on 16 acres of land with accompanying on site parking on property zoned R-2, Single Family Residential. The Church would consist of one building containing a 700 seat sanctuary, with associated Sunday School classroom space and offices. There would not be any ancillary uses such as day care or regular school. All siting requirements are met or exceeded including height of the building and steeple. The applicant has tried to preserve as many of the existing trees as 3 September 14, 2000 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 18 (Cont. FILE NO.: Z-6909 possible in laying out the facilities and paving, and in providing natural screening from the adjacent residential areas. The applicant has included a sign in the request to be installed five feet from the front property line. The entire sign structure would be 10.5 feet tall and 16 feet wide, including the brick columns. The sign face would be 10 feet wide and 6 feet tall. The square footage of the sign face would fall within normal allowed size for a church. However the height would be four feet taller than the standard six feet. Since the property frontage is 662 feet, Staff feels this size of sign would be reasonable. The sign would have to be made part of the C.U.P. since only a one foot square sign is allowed in R-2 zoning. One area of disagreement with the applicant is regarding Public Works comment that a turn around would be required at the end of Palo Alto Drive. The applicant does not want to construct that and said he would ask for a waiver of that requirement. Staff believes this is a reasonable use of this land and should be compatible with the surrounding area. 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 and Buffer Ordinances. b. Comply with Public Works Comments. c. Comply with Fire Department Comment. d. All exterior lighting must be low intensity and directed downward and inward to the property and not towards any residential zoned area. Staff also recommends approval of the requested sign described on the site plan. 4 September 14, 2000 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 18 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-6909 Staff does not support the waiver request for a turn around at the end of Palo Alto Drive. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENTS: (AUGUST 24, 2000) Pastor Gerald Young and Troy-Laha were present representing the application. Staff gave a brief description of the proposal, briefly reviewing the comments provided to the applicant. The applicant clarified the sign size he wanted and that the classrooms mentioned were for Sunday School. He stated that he has no intention of having a school at this site. He also withdrew the portion of the request dealing with a day care center. He stated they have not decided for sure how large a center they would have, so they would come back to the Commission at a later date once more firm plans are made. Pastor Young also stated they had concerns about the turn around at the end of Palo Alto Drive, and that they would probably ask for a waiver of that requirement. There being no further issues, the Committee accepted the proposal and forwarded the item to the full Commission for final action. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (SEPTEMBER 14, 2000) Pastor Gerald Young and Troy Laha were present representing the application. There were no registered objectors present. Staff presented the item with a recommendation for approval subject to compliance with the conditions listed under "Staff Recommendation," paragraph 8 above. Staff noted that the applicant had changed their application from a waiver to a deferral for 12 months of the construction of the turnaround at the end of Palo Alto Drive. Public Works stated they could accept the deferral. The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and approved as submitted to include staff comments and recommendations, 5 September 14, 2000 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 18 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-6909 the deferral of the construction of a turn around on Palo Alto Drive, and the sign as revised to a height of ten feet. The vote was 11 ayes, 0 nays and 0 absent. i 2 July 26, 2001 ITEM NO.: 20 FILE NO.: Z-6909 Name: New Longley Baptist Church - Conditional Use Permit; landscaping and paving deferral Location: 9900 Geyer Springs Road owner/Applicant: Longley Baptist Church; Dr. G. Martin Young, Pastor Proposal: Longley Baptist'Church is requesting a 12 month deferral of the paving and landscaping requirements for a new church facility that is currently under construction. Staff Re ort: On September 14, 2000, the Planning Commission approved a Conditional Use Permit allowing for construction of a new church on the R-2 zoned property located at 9900 Geyer Springs Road. The approved plan consists of a single building housing a 700 seat sanctuary and associated classrooms and offices and 189 on- site parking spaces. No additional uses such as private school or day-care were requested. The church is to occupy only a portion of the 16 acre site; leaving generous buffers on the south and west perimeters where the site is adjacent to single family residences. The church is now under construction and costs have exceeded the church's expectations. The church is now requesting a 12 month deferral of the paving and landscaping requirements. The 12 month period is to commence upon completion of the building. Staff is supportive of the requested deferral, with conditions. An appropriate length of the driveway(s) must be paved to assure that gravel from the parking lot is not pulled onto the street. Any required screening where the site is adjacent to residential properties must be installed at this time. Only a temporary certificate of occupancy is to be issued for the structure and the 12 month deferral is to commence upon the issuance of the temporary C.O. Residents within 300 feet of the site and the Santa Monica, Allendale, O.U.R. and SWLR UP Neighborhood Associations were notified of the deferral request. July 26, 2001 ITEM NO.: 20 Staff Recommendation: FILE NO.: z-6909 Staff recommends approval of the requested 12 month deferral of the paving and associated landscape requirements subject to compliance with the following conditions: 1. The driveway(s) accessing the site from Geyer Springs Road must be paved to a distance of 100 feet from the street to prevent gravel being pulled out onto the road. 2.Any required screening where the site is adjacent to residential properties is to be installed at this time. 3. Only a temporary Certificate of Occupancy is to be issued for the structure and the 12 month deferral is to commence upon issuance of the temporary C.O. 4. Compliance with all other conditions imposed at the time of the original approval of the C.U.P. (Z-6909, September 14, 2000). PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JULY 26, 2001) The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. A letter of support had been received from Janet Berry, president of SWLR UP. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of approval subject to compliance with the conditions as noted. There was no further discussion. The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and approved as recommended by staff. The vote was 9 ayes, 0 noes and 2 absent. 2