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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-7110 Staff AnalysisNovember 29, 2001 ITEM NO.: 8 FILE NO.: Z-7110 NAME: Crystal Volunteer Fire Department Conditional Use Permit MCATION: 17325 Lawson Road OWNER/APPLICANT: Crystal Volunteer Fire Department PROPOSAL: A conditional use permit is requested to allow construction of a fire station on this R-2 zoned property. ORDINANCE DESIGN STANDARDS: 1. SITE LOCATION: The property is located between Lawson and Minton Roads, west of Sullivan Road. The property is outside of the corporate city limits, just inside the City's extraterritorial jurisdiction. 2. COMPATIBILITY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD: It is staff's opinion that uses such as this are inherently compatible with neighborhoods, whether those neighborhoods are residential or nonresidential in nature. In this case, the station is to be located in an area of mixed uses and zoning, adding to its compatibility. All owners of property located within 200 feet of the site were notified of this request. The property is located outside of the city and staff has no database to notify residents around the site. There is no neighborhood association in the vicinity. 3. ON SITE DRIVES AND PARKING: Two driveways are proposed to access the site from Lawson Road; a 45' wide driveway for use by the emergency vehicles and a 25' driveway for use by other vehicles. Paved driveways and a concrete apron will be located in front of the building. Two areas of gravel parking will be located adjacent to and behind the building. These will be sufficient for firefighters' personal vehicles as well as for other visitors to the site. A third driveway will take November 29, 2001 ITEM NO.: 8 (Cont. FILE NO.: Z-7110 access off of Minton Road. This driveway will be paved to a depth of 50' to prevent gravel from the parking lot being dragged onto the street. The driveway and parking arrangement is sufficient for the use. Staff supports use of the gravel parking lot as shown. 4. SCREENING AND BUFFERS: A six foot high opaque screen, either a wooden fence with its face side directed outward or dense evergreen plantings, is required east of the proposed construction. Unless necessary for fire truck egress and ingress, it is recommended that the 100 foot Wide driveway be reduced 1A width to preserve additional trees and greenspace. It will be necessary to identify where the parking area will be in order to determine landscaping and buffer requirements. The City Beautiful Commission recommends preserving as many existing trees as feasible. Extra credit can be given toward fulfilling landscape requirements when preserving trees of 6 -inch caliper or larger. The gravel parking areas are to be enclosed by railroad ties or some other device to prevent the gravel from being spread beyond the parking area. 5. PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS: 1. Lawson Road is classified on the Master Street Plan as a minor arterial. A dedication of right-of-way to 45 feet from centerline will be required. 2. Minton Road is classified on the Master Street Plan as a commercial street. Dedicate right-of-way to 30 feet from centerline. 3. 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. 4. Driveways shall conform to Sec. 31-210 or Ordinance 18,031. Request driveway with variance. 5. Plans of all work in right-of-way shall be submitted for approval prior to start of work. 6. Stormwater detention ordinance applies to this property. 2 November 29, 2001 ITEM NO.: 8 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-7110 6. UTILITY, FIRE DEPT. AND CATA COMMENTS: Wastewater: Outside service boundary, no comment. Entergy: No Comment received. ARKLA: No Comment received. Southwestern Bell: No Comment received. Water: Execution of a pre -annexation agreement and approval of the City will be required prior to obtaining water service. Fire Department: Outside city, no comment. County Plannin : No Comments received. CATA: Project site is not located on a dedicated bus route and has no effect on bus radius, turnout and route. Planning Division: No Comments. 7. STAFF ANALYSIS: Crystal Fire Protection District #24 requests approval of a conditional use permit to allow for construction of a fire station on the vacant, R-2 zoned property located at 17325 Lawson Road. The property is some 3 miles outside of the corporate city limits but is within the City's zoning jurisdiction. The District proposes to build a single story (30' tall), 120' X 80' building on the 4± acre tract. Two driveways will access the site from Lawson Road; a 45 foot driveway for use by the emergency vehicles and a 25 foot driveway for use by other vehicles. A third driveway will access the site from Minton Road. A gravel parking lot with space for 30 vehicles will be located adjacent to and behind the building. The building will be used principally as a fire station; however it will be made available for community meetings and events. There will be training inside the building as well as outside. Current training schedule is two Saturdays in the daytime and two Monday nights a month with a maximum of 30 volunteer firemen in attendance. The training meetings last approximately 3 hours. Security lighting will be placed on 3 November 29, 2001 ITEM NO.: 8 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-7110 and around the building. Ground mounted signs will be placed on each street frontage. Each sign will not exceed 6' in height and 64 square feet in area. No dumpster will be located on the site. Staff is supportive of the proposed fire station. The property is located in an area of mixed zoning and uses. The use should be compatible with development in this rural neighborhood. The applicants submitted a revised site plan and cover letter on November 14, 2001 that addressed issues raised at the Subdivision Committee meeting. 8. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the conditional use permit subject to compliance with the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the comments outlined in Sections 4, 5 and 6 of this report. 2. All site lighting is to be low-level and directional, aimed inward and away from adjacent properties. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENTS: (NOVEMBER 8, 2001) Ray Carnahan and Danny Harris were present representing the application. Staff noted that additional information was needed regarding building height, signage, fencing, dumpster location and screening and site lighting. Staff noted that parking areas were not shown for any vehicles other than the fire equipment. The applicants stated they would show additional parking and asked that they be allowed to have gravel parking. Staff responded that the driveway would need to be paved to a sufficient length to prevent gravel being pulled onto the street. Staff asked that the applicant provide a more detailed cover letter indicating more fully what activities would take place on the site; such as training and community meetings. Public Works Comments were discussed. Staff questioned the need for the wide driveway from Lawson Road. The applicants responded that they had 5 emergency vehicles and needed a wider 4 November 29, 2001 ITEM NO.: 8 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-7110 driveway to accommodate movement onto and off of the site by - those vehicles as well as civilian vehicles. It was suggested that the width could be narrowed if a second driveway was installed to accommodate the other vehicles. The applicants stated they would discuss the issue with Public Works staff to determine the best way to make the driveways work. The Committee determined there were no other issues and forwarded the item to the full Commission. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (NOVEMBER 29, 2001) The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of approval subject to compliance with the conditions outlined in the "Staff Recommendation" above. Staff also recommended approval of a variance to allow the area of gravel parking, as shown. There was no further discussion. The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and approved as recommended by staff. The vote was 10 ayes, 0 noes and 1 absent. 5