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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-7212 Staff AnalysisILE NO.: Z-7212 NAME: Little Rock Association for the Deaf Short -form POD LOCATION: 9005 Lew Drive DEVELOPER: ENGINEER: Little Rock Association for the Deaf 9005 Lew Drive Little Rock, AR 72209 AREA: .604 Acres NUMBER OF LOTS: 3 CURRENT ZONING: R-2, Single-family Laha Engineers 6602 Baseline Road, Suite E Little Rock, AR 72209 FT. NEW STREET: 0 ALLOWED USES: Single-family residential (Non -conforming office) PROPOSED ZONING: POD and 0-1 Uses PROPOSED USE: Continue existing office use. VARIANCES11111AIVERS REQUESTED: 3 -year deferral of hard surface parking. A. PROPOSAUREQUEST: The Little Rock Association for the Deaf, Inc. proposes to continue an existing use on the site. The Association currently operates a clubhouse in an existing 46 foot by 50 foot block building located at 9005 Lew Drive. The applicant proposes to add a 40 x 46 foot patio area and enclose the area with a 6 -foot wooden fence. The applicant also proposes to add a 10 foot by 16 foot storage shed adjoining the rear of the building. In addition to the clubhouse use, the applicant is requesting 0-1, Quite Office uses be allowed as potential future uses for the site. There is an existing gravel parking lot to the south containing 29 parking spaces. The applicant is requesting a three-year deferral of the hard surface parking area. FILE NO.: Z-7212 (Cont. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The site contains a block building used by the Little Rock Association for the Deaf as a meeting facility. On the east property line, there is a chain link fence between the site and the residential uses, a mobile home park. To the south of the site, there is multi -family housing and The Pines Apartments are located to the northwest. Also to the northwest are Auto Zone and MPG Service Company; commercial type uses. There are several non-residential uses located along Baseline Road including a used automobile dealership, an appliance store and the U -Haul Rental business. C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: As of this writing staff has received several informational phone calls concerning the proposed application. All property owners within 200 feet of the site, all residents within 300 feet of the site who could be identified and the Upper Baseline, OUR, Windamere and the Southwest Little Rock United for Progress Neighborhood Associations were notified of the Public Hearing. D. ENGINEERING COMMENTS: PUBLIC WORKS CONDITIONS: 1. Repair or replace existing sidewalk and driveway apron prior to occupancy. E. UTILITIES AND FIRE DEPARTMENT/COUNTY PLANNING: Wastewater: Sewer available, not adversely affected. ENTERGY: No comment received. ARKLA: Approved as submitted. Southwestern Bell: No comment received. Water: Contact Central Arkansas Water at 992-2438 if additional and/or larger meter(s) are required. Fire Department: Place fire hydrants per code. Contact the Dennis Free at the Little Rock Fire Department for additional information at 918-3752. County Planning: No comment received. CATA: No comment received. 2 FILE NO.: Z-7212 (Cont. F. ISSUES/TECHNICAUDESIGN: Planning Division: No comment. City Recognized Neighborhood Action Plan: The site is located in an area covered by the Upper Baseline Neighborhood Action Plan. The Economic Development Goal states as an Objective to "Retain existing businesses, and when necessary, find new businesses to replace those that close". Landsca a Issues: The street and eastern land use buffers drop one -foot below the minimum width requirement of nine (9) feet. A total of 984 square feet of the interior of the vehicular use area must be landscaped with interior landscaping islands of at least 150 -square feet in area and with a width of at least 8'/ feet. A six (6) foot high opaque screen, either a wooden fence with its face directed outward or dense evergreen plantings, is required to the south, east and north of this site. Building Codes: No comment. G. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (April 18, 2002) Mr. Troy Laha was present representing the application. Staff briefly described the item along with the proposed additions to the site. Staff stated the applicant had requested a five-year deferral of the hard surface parking area. Staff stated a five year deferral was not acceptable but staff would be supportive of a three- year deferral. Staff requested the applicant submit a plan detailing activities to be taking place outdoors. Staff stated the use was for the Little Rock Association for the Deaf only and not a transferable use to any other organization or business. Landscaping issues were discussed. Staff stated the applicant would be required to screen the north, south and east property lines. Staff stated the screening on the east would be required upon approval and on the north and south when the improvements were made to the parking area. 3 ILE NO.: Z-7212 (Cont. After the discussion, the Committee then forwarded the item to the full Commission for final action. H. ANALYSIS: The applicant submitted a revised plan to Staff addressing most of the issues raised by Staff and the Subdivision Committee. The applicant has indicated a nine (9) foot landscaped strip along the east and south property lines and a six (6) foot wooden fence along the east property line to screen the site from the adjacent residential structures. The applicant has also indicated the placement of cross ties to contain the gravel until the parking area has a hard surface. The applicant is requesting a three year deferral of the hard surface parking area. Staff is supportive of the request for the three year deferral. The applicant has indicated the hard surfacing df the handicapped spaces and the driveway apron to eliminate the tracking of gravel onto Lew Drive. The applicant has indicated the patio area will be utilized by the Little Rock Association for the Deaf from 5:00 pm to 1:00 am on Friday and Saturday nights for cookout and smoking. The Association expects the maximum participation to be between 25 and 30 people at any one function. Staff is supportive of the application as filed. The proposed uses should have no adverse impact on the surrounding neighborhood. With the placement of the six (6) foot wooden fence around the patio area and the addition of the six (6) foot wooden fence on the east property line, the patrons should have no adverse impact on the adjoining residential units. The request for 0-1 as alternative uses should also not have any adverse impact on the surrounding neighborhoods. 0-1 uses are generally quiet office uses and normally considered neighborhood friendly. Otherwise, to Staffs knowledge, there are no outstanding issues associated with the proposed Planned Development for the Little Rock Association for the Deaf Short -form POD. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends approval of the proposed application as filed subject to compliance with the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the conditions outlined in Paragraphs D, E and F of this report. 15! FILE NO.: Z-7212 (Cont. 2. The use of the outside patio area is to be for the Little Rock Association for the Deaf and is not a transferable use to any other organization or business. Any other use must be operated totally within the enclosed building. Staff recommends approval of the requested three-year deferral of the hard surface parking area. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (MAY 9, 2002) Mr. Troy Laha was present representing the application. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the item with a recommendation of approval subject to compliance with the conditions outlined in the "staff recommendation" above. Staff stated the applicant had requested a three (3) year deferral of the hard surface parking area. Staff stated they were supportive of the requested deferral. 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 Item No. 11 — Little Rock Association for the Deaf Short -form POD Z-7212 planning Staff Comments: 1. Provide a certified list of property owners within 200 -feet of the site along with notice form, affidavit executed, and proof of mailing. 2. What activities will be taking place on the proposed patio. Provide details of activities, hours of expected use and estimated number of persons to utilize this outdoor site. 3. This is to be used by the Little Rock Association of the Deaf only and is not a transferable use to any other organization or business. 4. Provide the days and hours of operation and/or the anticipated hours the facility will be utilized. 5. Provide the number of employees and/or estimated clientele. 6. There is an existing chain link fence on the east property line. This fence will not meet the screening requirement. Provide the proposed treatment of the east perimeter of the property including materials and techniques used such as screens, fences, walls or landscaping. Screening is to be installed upon approval of the Planned Development. 7. Will there be a dumpster located on the site? If so indicate on the site plan along with the required screening — 8 -foot opaque screen on 3 sides. 8. Will there be a sign located on the site? If so indicate on the site plan along with details — location/height/area. 9. Staff is supportive of a three (3) year deferral of the paved parking area. The applicant must contain the gravel parking area to the west by the use of cross ties or some other devise which will not allow the gravel to spill out of the proposed parking area onto the landscaped area. The applicant must also pave the Handicap Parking Stalls and the entryway to eliminate the tracking of gravel onto Lew Drive. 10. Provide details on the site plan of all interior landscaped areas including landscaped islands of the vehicular use area. VariancelWaiyers: Five year deferral of the hard surface parking area. Public Works: Repair or replace existing sidewalk and driveway apron prior to occupancy. Utilities and Fire Department/County Planning: Wastewater: Sewer available, not adversely affected. ENTERGY: No comment received. ARKLA: Approved as submitted. Southwestern Bell: No comment received. Water: Contact Central Arkansas Water at 992-2438 if additional and/or larger meter(s) are required. Fire Department: Place fire hydrants per code. Contact the Dennis Free at the Little Rock Fire Department for additional information at 918-3752. County Planning_ No comment received. CATA: No comment received. Planning Division: No comment. Page 2 Subdivision Committee Comments Little Rock Association of the Deaf Shortform POD Landscape: The street and eastern land use buffers drop one -foot below the minimum width requirement of nine (9) feet. A total of 984 square feet of the interior of the vehicular use area must be landscaped with interior landscaping islands of at least 150 -square feet in area and with a width of at least 8 '/i feet. A six (6) foot high opaque screen, either a wooden fence with its face directed outward or dense evergreen plantings, is required to the south, east and north of this site. Submit 4 copies of the revised site plan (to include additional information as noted above) to staff no later than Wednesday April 24, 2002.