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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-7315 Staff AnalysisNovember 14, 2002 ITEM NO.: 13 FILE NO.: Z-7315 NAME: 4 th and Broadway Parking Lot — Conditional Use Permit LOCATION: 316-320 Broadway OWNER/APPLICANT: Metropolitan Land Company/Thomas Engineering PROPOSAL: A conditional use permit is requested to allow for development of a commercial, surface parking lot on this UU zoned property. ORDINANCE DESIGN STANDARDS: SITE LOCATION: The property is located on the northwest corner of West 4 th Street and Broadway. 2, COMPATIBILITY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD,: The site is located in the intensely developed, urban core of downtown. Parking lots are located east and west of the site. The parking lot south of this site is being lost to an expansion of the federal courts building. With proper attention to the UU regulations and the City's Landscape Ordinance, the proposed parking lot should be compatible with the neighborhood. All owners of property located within 200 feet of the site, all residents within 300 feet who could be identified and the Downtown Neighborhood Association were notified of this request. 3. ON SITE DRIVES AND PARKING: The proposed parking lot will be accessed via an existing driveway onto Broadway and a new driveway onto West 4 th Street. The existing driveway on 4 th Street, near the Broadway intersection, will be removed. The parking lot will contain 65 spaces, several of which are accessed via the alley. A variance is needed for many of the right-angle spaces within the site to have a total stall and maneuvering depth of 6 inches less than the 40 feet required by the code. One of the spaces on the alley must be removed because its maneuvering space extends into the 4 1h Street right-of-way. November 14, 2002 ITEM NO.: 13 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-7315 4. SCREENING AND BUFFERS: Because of the reduction allowed for both commercial parking lots and sites within the designated "mature area", areas set aside for landscaping meet with minimum requirem�nts. The Urban Use District requires street trees spaced thirty (30) on center. Curb and gutter or another approved border will be required to protect landscaped areas from vehicular traffic. A water source within seventy-five (75) of landscaping areas will be required. 5� PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS: 1 . A 20 feet radial dedication of right-of-way is required at the intersection th of Broadway and 4 2. Driveway spacing from the intersection does not meet ordinance requirements. Close the eastern -most driveway on 4 th Street. 3. Broadway is classified on the Master Street Plan as a principal arterial. Dedication of right-of-way to 55 feet from centerline will be required. 6, UTILITY, FIRE DEPT. AND CATA COMMENTS: Wastewater: Sewer available, not adversely affected. Entergy: No Comments received. Reliant: No Comments received. Southwestern Bell: No Comments received. Water: If there are facilities that need to be adjusted and/or relocated, contact Central Arkansas Water. That work would be done at the expense of the developer., - Fire Department: Approved as submitted. County Planning: No Comments received. CATA: No Comments received. K November 14, 2002 ITEM NO.: 13 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-7315 SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (OCTOBER 24, 2002) John Pownall, of Thomas Engineering, was present representing the application. Staff presented the item and noted that some redesign of the parking lot was needed to provide proper maneuvering/back-out space for some of the parking spaces. Staff noted that a variance would be needed to allow a 6 inch reduction in parking stall depth/maneuvering area for a portion of the lot. Staff noted that ground -mounted signs were not permitted in the UU district and the applicant had indicated that a ground sign would be requested. Staff asked that details on the sign be provided, including size and location. Landscape comments were noted. 'The applicant was advised that street trees would be required, to conform to UU requirements. Public Works Comments were discussed. The applicant was advised that the driveway onto 4 th Street must be closed. There was discussion of the Master Street Plan requirement to dedicate additional right-of-way for Broadway. Mike Hood, of Public Works, stated he would meet with the applicant to discuss right-of-way and driveway issues. The applicant was advised to provide 4 copies of a revised site plan and responses to staff issues no later than noon, Wednesday October 30, 2002. The Committee determined there were no other issues and forwarded the item to the full Commission. TAFF ANALYSIS: The vacant, UU zoned property at the northwest corner of Broadway and West 4 th Street was previously occ.upied . by a restaurant. The building was recently removed. The site now contains only a paved parking lot and the concrete foundation remaining from the restaurant. The applicant proposes to redevelop the site as a commercial, surface parking lot. A portion of the site will need to be filled and graded to bring the slope of the site up to the elevation of the alley adjacent to the west. Perimeter and interior landscaping, which the site currently lacks, will be installed. The existing driveway onto Broadway will be retained. The current driveway onto 4 th Street will be removed because it is too close to the intersection. A new driveway will be opened onto 4 th Street farther west from the intersection. Angled parking will be installed off of the alley. Within the UU "Urban Use" zoning district, commercial surface parking lots are permitted only as a conditional use. Staff is supportive of the requested conditional use. The site is currently paved from property line to property line by either the concrete slab of the old restaurant building or the existing asphalt parking lot. Allowing the property to be used as a parking lot seems reasonable and is not incompatible with uses in the area. 3 November 14, 2002 ITEM NO.: 13 (Cont.)_ FILE NO.: Z-7315 On October 30, 2002, the applicant submitted a revised site plan and responses to staff issues raised at Subdivision Committee. There are two outstanding issues that need to be addressed. The applicant is requesting approval of a 10 -foot tall, 64 square foot round -mounted sign to be Rh placed at the southeast corner of thb site, near the 4 and Broadway intersection. The UU zoning district does not permit ground -mounted signs by -right. The concept of the UU district is that buildings are to be located on the front building line, with no room for ground -mounted signs. In this case of a . parking lot, being reviewed through the conditional use process, the Commission may find it appropriate to allow signage to identify the parking lot. The proposed sign will also contain the money boxes where patrons pay to use the lot. Staff does not support the sign as proposed. Staff recommends that the sign be relocated to the northeast corner on the site on the interior of the new landscape area or to the interior of the site on the interior landscape Island. Either location is preferable to the highly visible intersection of 4 th and Broadway. Staff recommends that the sign be limited to the size and height allowed in office zones; 64 square feet and 6 feet in height. The second issue concerns the right-of-way for Broadway. The Master Street Plan designates Broadway as a principal arterial and requires the dedication of a bring it up to the requirement of 55 feet an additional 15 feet of right -of -w y from centerline. This will result in the entire landscape strip and first row of parking along Broadway being in the new right-of-way. Staff will support franchising the parking and landscaping. Staff believes it would be appropriate to consider a possible amendment to the Master Street Plan whereby a reduced right-of-way standard could be established for Broadway. Until such time as that amendment occurs, the franchise process is reasonable and appropriate for the parking spaces and landscaping. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff , recommends approval of the requested conditional use permit subject to compliance with the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the City's Landscape and Buffer Ordinances, 2. Compliance with staff comments and conditions outlined in Sections 4, 5 and 6 of this report. 3. The southernmost parking space off of the alley must be removed. Staff recommends approval of a variance to allow a ground -mounted sign subject to the ground -mounted sign not exceeding 6 feet in height and 64 square El November 14, 2002 ITEM NO.: 13 (Cont. FILE NO.: Z-7315 feet in area and the sign being located either at the northeast corner of the site or at an interior landscape island away from the intersection of 4 th and Broadway Staff recommends that the Commission support a franchise and City Beautiful Commission variance to allow the landscape strip and first row of parking to be located in the new, Broadway right-of-way once the required right-of-way is dedicated. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (NOVEMBER 14,2002) The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of approval. Staff informed the Commission staff was now supporting a waiver of the required right-of-way dedication for Broadway. Staff stated the Master Street Plan was going to be reviewed for possible amendment to establish a red U-ced, urban arterial right-of-way standard for Broadway. There was no further discussion. The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and approved as recommended by staff, including the right-of-way waiver. The vote was 10 ayes, 0 noes and 1 absent.