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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-9730 -91 Orle Circle - BOA Staff Rpt File No.: Z-9730 Owners: Reddy Sanjeeva Onteddu & Sukanthi Kovvuru Applicant: Hemachand Atluri – HRPG HOMES LLC Address: 91 Orle Circle Legal Description: Lot 44, Block 113 of Chenal an Addition to the City of Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas Zoned: R-2 Present Use: Vacant Proposed Use: Single-family Residence Variance(s) Requested: A variance is requested from area regulations of Sec. 36-254 to allow a reduced front yard setback in the R-2 district Will side and rear yard variances be required for the retaining walls. Justification: The applicant’s justification is presented as per the attached letter. STAFF REPORT Planning and Development Civil Engineering Comments: No Comments. B. Buffering and Landscape Comments: No Comments. C. Building Codes Comments: The required fire separation distance (building to property line) prescribed by the building code terminates at five (5) feet. Buildings are allowed to be closer than five 5) feet if they have properly constructed fire walls which provide the requisite one 1) hour fire resistance rating. When buildings are five (5) feet or more from the property line, the requirement no longer applies to the wall itself, only the projections such as eaves or overhangs. Openings such as doors and windows are limited when the exterior wall is three (3) feet from the property line, and are prohibited when the exterior wall is less than three (3) feet from the line. There is no restriction on openings when the exterior wall is more than three (3) feet from the property line. Contact the City of Little Rock Building Codes at 371-4832 for additional details. D. Staff Analysis: The R-2 zoned property located in the Chenal neighborhood is located within the gated community of Orle. The property at 91 Orle Circle is positioned on the south side of the road and is currently under construction and being developed with a single-family residence. The adjacent and surrounding R-2 zoned parcels are either under construction, undeveloped, or occupied by single-family residences. The site is located in the northwest portion of this development. The terrain along this section of Orle Circle is generally characterized as having a higher elevation on the west of the development and steeply sloping eastward on both of the street to the to the lower elevation properties at the east end of the neighborhood. The new home is being constructed within the prescribed setbacks however, due to the steeply sloping terrain retaining walls will be incorporated to manage the grades of the site. The applicant has stated that the site has a significant slope with a finished grade 7-feet lower than the adjacent property to the west while the parcel to the east will sit 8-feet below the subject property when completed. In an effort to lessen the slopes within the property and provide a level access and foundation for the home the applicant is proposing the use of retaining walls which will be required to cross the front building line. These significant walls will also be placed adjacent to the both the east and west property lines and extend to the rear limits of the parcel. The retaining wall proposed on the west side of the property will cross a platted 25-foot front building line 8-feet. At the front of the property the wall is proposed to be 7-feet in height. As it meets the west property line it will travel south towards the back of the property where it will decrease vertically to 1-foot and terminate on the property line. The proposed retaining wall located on the east property line is also shown to cross the platted building line 8-feet. The finished grade of the neighboring property will be 8-feet below the retaining wall at the front of the property sloping to the south increasing the height of the wall to 10-feet at the back property line when viewed from the neighbor’s lower level. The property owner has noted that the walls will not cross into the platted 15-foot utility easement at the front of the property. And the retaining wall on the east side of the property will allow access to the home at street level. Section 36-254(d)(1) states, “There shall be a front yard setback having a depth of not less than twenty-five (25) feet.” The applicant requests a variance to allow a reduction of the required front yard setback to 0 to allow the southeast corner of the home and the retaining walls required to locate the house to be within the setback. Based on the above analysis, Staff believes the proposal is in keeping with the character and scale of the neighborhood and views the variance request as reasonable. E. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the requested platted front building line reduction from 25 feet to a minimum of 0-feet as presented on the attached survey / site plan. Staff additionally recommends the width expansion of the parking pad from maximum 20-feet in width to a width of 22-feet 8-inches.