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Home My WebLink AboutZ-6952 Staff AnalysisDecember 21, 2000 ITEM NO.: 1 Owner: Applicant: Location: Request: Purpose: Size: Existing Use: FILE NO.: Z-6952 Jeff Jenkins Jeff Jenkins 9119-9213-9215 Asher Avenue Rezone from R-2, C-3 and C-4 to C-4 Wrecker Service 2+ acres Wrecker Service and Office/Vacant Lot SURROUNDING LAND USE AND ZONING North - Vacant; zoned C-3 South - Single Family; zoned R-2 East - Vacant; zoned C-3 and R-2 West - Commercial; zoned C-3 PUBLIC WORKS CODMNTS 9119 Asher Ave. 1. Asher Avenue is classified on the Master Street Plan as a principal arterial; dedication of right-of-way to 45 feet from centerline is required. WITH BUILDING PERMIT 2. Provide design of street conforming to "MSP" (Master Street Plan). Construct one-half street improvement to these streets including 5 -foot sidewalks with planned development. 3. Driveways shall conform to Sec. 31-210 or Ordinance 18,031. 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. Prepare a letter of pending development addressing streetlights as required by Section 31-403 of the Little December 21, 2000 ITEM NO.: 1 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-6952 Rock Code. All requests should be forwarded to Traffic Engineering. 7_ Obtain permits for improvements within State Highway right-of-way from AHTD, District VI. 9213 & 9215 Asher Ave. 8. Asher Avenue is classified on the Master Street Plan as a principal arterial, dedication of right-of-way to 55 feet from centerline is required. WITH BUILDING PERMIT 9. Provide design of street conforming to "MSP" (Master Street Plan). Construct one-half street improvement to these streets including 5 -foot sidewalks with planned development. 10. Driveways shall conform to Sec. 31-210 or Ordinance 18,031. 11. Plans of work in right-of-way shall be submitted for approval -prior to start of work. 12. Stormwater detention ordinance applies to this property. 13. Prepare a letter of pending development addressing streetlights as required by Section 31-403 of the Little Rock Code. All requests should be forwarded to Traffic Engineering. 14. Obtain permits for improvements within State Highway right-of-way from AHTD, District VI. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT The site is located on a CATA Bus Route. PUBLIC NOTIFICATION All owners of property located within 200 feet of the site, all residents within 300 feet who could be identified and the John Barrow, Westwood, Pecan Lake, SWLR UP and Stagecoach/Dodd Neighborhood Associations were notified of the rezoning request. 2 December 21, 2000 ITEM NO.: 1 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-6952 LAND USE PLAN ELEMENT The site is located in the Boyle Park Planning District. The adopted Plan recommends Commercial and Single Family for the area proposed for rezoning. The biggest portion of that area shown as Single Family is already zoned C-4 or C-3. With the loss of a substantial portion of the applicant's property to the Asher Avenue widening project, allowing this minor expansion of the commercial zoning will result in a very small net gain of commercially zoned property. Staff believes it would be appropriate to zone a 20 foot wide OS buffer strip along the sides of the R-2 zoned portion of the applicant's property proposed for rezoning. This would provide a buffer for the adjacent residentially zoned tracts. Staff does not believe a Plan Amendment is necessary. The property lies within the area covered by the Pecan Lake- Stagecoach/Dodd - Westwood neighborhood action plan that was adopted on April 4, 2000. The site is on the perimeter of the Westwood area, although this 3 -part neighborhood plan covered a much larger area along the Asher -Colonel Glenn - Stagecoach corridors. Objectives within the Westwood Plan were to "maintain adequate or sufficient buffering between residential and non-residential uses" and that "commercial and office activities should remain on Asher Avenue." With the staff -suggested 20 -foot buffer, this rezoning request should meet the intent of the action plan. STAFF ANALYSIS The request before the Commission is to rezone these tracts, totaling 2+ acres, from "R-2" Single Family, "C-3" General Commercial and 11C-4" Open Display Commercial to "C-4" Open Display Commercial. The area proposed for rezoning consists of 4 identifiable tracts: • A vacant tract located at 9119 Asher Avenue. This tract was previously occupied by Claghorn Shoe Store. This tract is zoned C-3, General Commercial. o The Asher Wrecker Service property located at 9213-9215 Asher Avenue. This tract comprises the largest portion 3 December 21, 2000 ITEM NO.: 1 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-6952 of the properties proposed for rezoning. The bulk of this site is already zoned C-4 and is occupied by an auto repair/wrecker service. The rear portion of this tract is located on a small bluff, behind and above the wrecker service buildings, and is used for vehicle parking/storage. A small remnant of C-3 zoned property located adjacent to and west of the wrecker service property. This property was previously occupied by a veterinary clinic that was removed as a result of the street -widening project, leaving an undevelopable remnant. ■ A tract wrapping around the wrecker service and veterinary clinic tracts. Portions of this tract are zoned C-3, C-4 and R-2 and are already used for parking and vehicle storage. The properties are located on the south side of Asher Avenue, within the commercial node established at the Asher Avenue/Colonel Glenn/Stagecoach Road intersection. Several vacant, C-3 zoned tracts are located across Asher Avenue to the north. The C-3 zoned property across Stagecoach Road is occupied by a gift/variety shop. This property will be substantially impacted by the realignment of the intersection. Vacant, C-3 zoned tracts and an R-2 zoned City of Little Rock Parks Department maintenance facility are located east of the site. Single-family homes are located southwest of the site. A large area of R-2 zoning extends southwest and southeast of the property. The property to the southeast is undeveloped. As a result of the Asher Avenue widening project, substantial right-of-way was taken from these properties. The amount acquired from the Asher Wrecker property varied from 20+ feet to 30+ feet, virtually eliminating the parking area located in front of the buildings. The right-of-way acquisition for the veterinary clinic property caused the building to be removed, leaving only the remnant of property. The other properties were similarly, though not as dramatically, impacted. To mitigate the loss of parking area, the applicant has acquired the adjacent properties and seeks their rezoning to accommodate needed parking/vehicle storage space. 4 December 21, 2000 ITEM NO.: 1 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-6952 Staff believes the C-4 zoning request is appropriate for the site. The property is located at a major arterial/state highway intersection. The largest portion of the site is already zoned C-4. Due to the loss of property to right-of- way, there is little net gain in commercially zoned property. The zoning is compatible with uses and zoning along the corridor. Staff believes a 20 foot wide OS zoned buffer along the portion of the subject property adjacent to residentially zoned properties would help to mitigate the impact of expanding the commercial zoning. Since the bulk of the site is currently zoned commercial, staff does not believe a Land Use Plan Amendment is required. It appears that the request is not in conflict with the objectives of the adopted Neighborhood Action Plan. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends approval of the requested C-4 zoning with a 20 -foot wide -OS zoned buffer strip to be placed along the portion of the applicant's property that is adjacent to residentially zoned property. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (DECEMBER 21, 2000) The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. A letter of support had been received from Janet Berry, President of SWLR United for Progress. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of approval of the C-4 zoning with a 20 -foot wide OS zoned buffer strip to be placed along the portion of the applicant's property that is adjacent to residentially zoned property. The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and approved as recommended by staff. The vote was 8 ayes, 0 noes and 3 absent. 5