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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-7281 Staff AnalysisSeptember 19, 2002 ITEM NO.: 15.1 FILE NO.: Z-7281 NAME: Threadgill Short -form PD -R LOCATION: 12800 Arthur Lane DEVELOPER: Richard Threadgill 2303 East Grand Avenue Hot Springs, AR 71901 AREA: 0.46 Acres NUMBER OF LOTS: 3 CURRENT ZONING: R-2, Single-family ENGINEER: Donald Brooks 20880 Arch Street Hensley, AR 72065 FT. NEW STREET: 0 ALLOWED USES: Single-family residential (6 units per acre) PROPOSED ZONING: PD -R PROPOSED USE: Residential —Townhouse development (17 units per acre) VARIANCES/WAIVERS REQUESTED: Waiver of street improvements to Arthur Lane. A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST: The applicant proposes the placement of eight (8) townhouse residential units on these three lots. There are four (4) units proposed to be located on the south property line (to back-up to Arthur Lane) and four (4) units to be located along the north property line. There will be a single concrete drive access point to the site from Atkins Road entering the center of the development. Units 2, 3, 6 and 7 are proposed at 1440 square feet with a 240 square foot garage. Units 1, 4, 5 and 8 are proposed at 1656 square feet with a 240 square foot garage. The applicant has indicated all units will be two-story. The units will consist of concrete block foundation, concrete slab on the first floor, wood September 19, 2002 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 15.1 (Cont. FILE NO.: Z-7281 framing, drywall interiors, composition shingles and brick and vinyl siding exteriors. The applicant has also indicated a six (6) foot wood fence along the north, south and west property lines and a wrought iron fence along the street side of Atkins Road. The development will utilize city garbage pick-up with residents taking their trash to the street side. The applicant has stated the units are for resale as individual homes and a Property Owners Association will be formed for maintenance and upkeep of the common areas. The applicant is requesting a waiver of street improvements to Arthur Lane. The applicant has indicated street improvements will be constructed to Atkins Road. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The site contains three lots one of which (the southern most lot) contains a single-family residence facing Arthur Lane. The site is zoned R-2, single-family as is the area surrounding the site and is shown as Single Family on the Future Land Use Plan. The area to the east is a developed single-family subdivision (Point West Subdivision) and the area to `the north and west are developed with single-family residences. The area to the south of the site from Atkins Road to Nix Road is vacant (with the exception of a few homes located on Atkins Road) down to Kanis Road. Atkins Road is a two lane roadway with curb and gutter on the east side of the road but has no sidewalk. Arthur Lane is a narrow chip seal roadway with no curb, gutter or sidewalk adjacent to the site. C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: The Parkway Place and the Gibralter Heights/Point West/Timber Ridge Neighborhood Associations, all residents, who could be identified, within 300 -feet of the site and all property owners within 200 -feet of the site were notified of the public hearing. Staff has received several phone calls and letters in opposition to the proposed development. D. ENGINEERING COMMENTS: Public Works: 1. Atkins Road is classified on the Master Street Plan as a commercial street. Dedicate right-of-way to 30 feet from centerline. 2 September 19, 2002 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 15.1 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-7281 2. Arthur Lane is classified on the Master Street Plan as a residential street. Dedicate right-of-way to 25 feet from centerline. 3. A 20 feet radial dedication of right-of-way is required at Atkins Road and Arthur Lane. 4. Provide design of the streets conforming to "MSP" (Master Street Plan). Construct one-half street improvement to these streets including 5 -foot sidewalks with planned development. 5. All driveways shall be concrete aprons per City Ordinance. Curb radius of driveway at Atkins needs to be 10' minimum. 6. Obtain permits prior to doing any street cuts or curb cuts. Obtain barricade permit prior to doing any work in the right-of-way. Contact Traffic Engineering at 501-379-1817 (Derrick Bergfield) for more information. E. UTILITIES AND FIRE DEPARTMENT/COUNTY PLANNING: Wastewater: Sewer main extension required with easements is service is required for the project. Contact Little Rock Wastewater Utility for additional details at 376-2903. AP & L: No comment received. ARKLA: No comment received. Southwestern Bell: No comment received. Water: A water main extension, installed at the expense of the developer, will be required to provide domestic service and adequate fire protection. The Little Rock Fire Department needs to evaluate this site to determine whether additional public and/or private fire hydrant(s) will be required. If additional fire hydrant(s) are required, they will be installed at the expense of the developer. An acreage charge of $600.00 per acre and a development fee based on the size of the connection currently applies in addition to normal charges in the area. Contact Central Arkansas Water at 992-2438 for additional details. Fire Department: Place fire hydrants per code. Contact the Little Rock Fire Department at 319-3752 for additional details. County Planning: No comment received. CATA: Site is located on Bus Route #5 and has no effect on bus radius, turnout and route. 3 September 19, 2002 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 15.1 Cont. FILE NO.: Z-7281 F. ISS U ESITECHN ICALID ESIG N: Planning Division: This request is located in the Ellis Mountain Planning District. The Land Use Plan shows Single Family for this property. The applicant has applied for a Planned Development — Residential to build an eight (8) unit townhouse development. A Land Use Plan Amendment is a separate item on the agenda (LU02-18-04) City Recognized Neighborhood Action Plan: The applicant's property lies in the area covered by the Rock Creek Neighborhood Action Plan. The Residential Development goal is supported by an objective of encouraging lower density development in the area. Action Statements include using multi -family housing to act as a buffer between office and single-family uses and limiting the density and square footage of multi -family developments. Landscape: The plan submitted falls short of the required nine (9) foot wide land use buffer along the northern and western perimeters of the site. Additionally, a portion of the landscape strip west of the proposed paved area drops below the 6.7 -foot minimum width requirement of the Landscape Ordinance. A water source within seventy-five (75) feet of all landscaped areas will be required. The face side of the proposed wood fence must be directed outward. Building Codes: No comment received. G. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (August 29, 2002) Mr. Richard Threadgill was present representing the application. Staff presented the item to the Committee noting additions, which were needed on the site plan (Signage, height of the wrought iron fence). Staff stated there were questions with regard to maintenance of the development and the common areas. Staff questioned if the units were to be sold what portion would the homeowner own; the unit or would the land area be final platted in some configuration of lots such as zero lot line housing. Public Works comments were addressed. Staff stated street improvements would be required to both Atkins Road and Arthur Lane. Staff also stated a 20 - foot radial dedication would be required at the intersection of the two roadways. Staff noted comments from the various utility companies noting a sewer main extension would be required and a water main extension along with easements. Staff also noted the comment from the Little Rock Fire Department and suggested the applicant contact the Fire Department and Water Department to determine the cost of placement of the fire hydrants. CI September 19, 2002 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 15.1 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-7281 There being no further issues to discuss, 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 patios to be attached to each structure within the side yard setback and a six (6) foot wood fence separating the units and acting as a screen. The applicant proposes a six (6) foot wooden fence located along the north, south and west property lines with a six (6) foot wrought iron fence along the street side of Atkins Road. The applicant is requesting a waiver of street improvements to Arthur Lane. The applicant has indicated the roadway is a narrow road and the residents will not be taking access from Arthur Lane therefore the development will not increase traffic on this roadway. The applicant has indicated street improvements will be constructed to Atkins Road per the Master Street Plan requirements. Staff is not supportive of the requested waiver of street improvements to Arthur Lane. Staff feels without knowing the potential development in the area, streets should be constructed per the Master Street Plan requirements. The landscaping along the north and south property lines is insufficient when the patios are added. The landscaping strip along the northern and western perimeter should maintain a minimum of nine (9) feet in width and at no point fall below 6.7 -feet. This is a land use buffer issue and the reduction can be approved by the Planning Commission. Staff is not supportive of the reduction of landscaping. The site abuts single-family in each direction and the single-family should be buffered per the Ordinance requirement. Additionally, the applicant should consider the narrowing of the turnaround along the western driveway to five (5) feet instead of the 7.8 feet shown. Staff recommends the applicant install flat landscaping stones and mondo grass between the stones to allow for additional landscaping in this area. Staff is not supportive of the application as filed. Staff feels the proposed development is too intense for the site and should be developed with single-family homes. Similar developments have been approved and developed to the north of the site, nearer West Markham Street, but were developed adjacent to multi -family and were in areas shown on the Future Land Use Plan for more intense developments. The site is shown on the Future Land Use Plan as Single Family as is the area to the south of the site. The development pattern along this section of Atkins Road has not yet been established although, there are newer (within the last 0 September 19, 2002 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 15.1 Cont. FILE NO.: Z-7281 15 — 20 years) single-family subdivisions located immediately east of the site and immediately west of the site. As stated Staff feels the area would be better served if the site developed as single-family homes. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends denial of the requested Planned Residential Development for Threadgill Short -form PD -R. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (SEPTEMBER 19, 2002) Mr. Richard Threadgill was present representing the application. There were numerous objectors present. The land use plan and the rezoning request were discussed simultaneously. Staff introduced the items with a recommendation of denial on each item. Staff stated the density requested was too intense for the proposed site. Mr. Terry Hailey spoke in opposition to the request. He stated he lived at 515 Trumpler Street just west of the site. He stated the land use plan indicated single family for the site. Mr. Hailey stated the proposed development offered a small buffer. He stated the two-story development would impede on his existing privacy. He stated property values in the area could be adversely affected. Mr. Hailey stated he felt the Planning Commission should adhere to the land use and zoning plans for the area. He stated when he purchased his home he did have these two issues in mind and did check the zoning of surrounding properties. He stated he had made an attempt to meet with the applicant and Mr. Threadgill was not responsive to a meeting. Ms. Shirley McFarland spoke in opposition to the proposed development. She stated her opposition was based on the proposed density. She stated she represented the persons who signed the petition but were not asked to attend the meeting. Ms. Mary Douglas spoke in opposition of the proposal. She stated her home was on Atkins Road nearer Markham. She stated the staff analysis wording confused the meaning of the intent of the neighborhood action plan. She stated the intent was to encourage lower density development and not multi -family developments in the area. She stated these developments were proposed to act as a buffer between the single family and the non-residential developments in the area. She stated the proposed development was mid block, surrounded by single family. She stated the Commission should adhere to the land use plan and not place multi -family mid block. n September 19, 2002 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 15.1 Cont. FILE NO.: Z-7281 Bill Gentry spoke in opposition to the proposed development. He stated the proposal would change in the character of the development pattern in the area. He stated the Commission should uphold the existing land use plan for the site. Mr. Threadgill spoke on behalf of the application. He stated there were three lots and he proposed to combine the lots into one lot. He stated the units would be brick and siding. He stated development would be an investment into the neighborhood, which had been stagnate. He stated a property owners association would be formed to care for the maintenance of the grounds and buildings. He stated the units would be for resale and not held as rental units. Commissioner Nunnley questioned of the orientation of the buildings could be changed to break up the concrete areas. Mr. Threadgill stated staff was not supportive of the request to change the orientation because of the number of curb cuts that would be required. Commissioner Berry questioned the street conditions in the area. Staff stated Arthur Lane was an unimproved chip seal roadway with open ditches for drainage. Staff also stated they did not support the waiver of street improvements. Commissioner Berry questioned Ms. McFarland as to an appropriate number of units for the site. She stated the site should be developed as single-family. Commissioner Allen asked Mr. Threadgill what would happen to the units if they did not sell. Mr. Threadgill stated the units would then be rented for approximately $800 per month. Commissioner Faust stated the proposal was too dense. She stated the proposal did not feel compatible to the neighborhood. She stated buffers and screening would be a requirement. Mr. Threadgill stated six (6) units would be acceptable and requested to amend his application. Mr. Jim Lawson, Director of Planning and Development, stated the application would have to be reviewed with regard to buffers, screening and setbacks. There was a motion to approve the land use plan amendment as filed. The motion failed by a vote of 2 ayes, 8 noes and 1 absent. Commissioner Rector made a motion to approve the application as filed. The motion failed by a vote of 0 ayes, 11 noes and 0 absent. 7 September 19, 2002 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 15.1 (Cont. FILE NO.: Z-7281 There was a motion to waive the filing fee for the applicant should he revise his plan and resubmit to staff within three (3) months. The motion carried 11 ayes, 0 noes and 0 absent. 0