HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-7374 Staff AnalysisApril 3, 2003
ITEM NO.: 15 FILE NO.: Z-7374
NAME: Central High School Parking Lot — Conditional Use
Permit and Right -of -Way Abandonment
LOCATION: North side of Daisy Bates Drive at Dennison Street
OWNER/APPLICANT: Little Rock School District/Peters and Associates
PROPOSAL: A conditional use permit is requested to allow for
construction of a school parking lot and renovation of
an existing parking lot. The properties are zoned R-3
and R-4. The District also requests abandonment of
the Dennison Street Right -of -Way, between West 13tH
and Daisy Bates and of a portion of alleys located
either side of that block of Dennison Street.
ORDINANCE DESIGN STANDARDS:
SITE LOCATION:
The property in question is located north of Daisy Bates Drive, either side
of Dennison Street, north of Central High School.
2. COMPATIBILITY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD:
The property in question is located directly north of Central High School.
Six of the nine lots included in the proposal are already developed as
paved parking lots. Uses immediately around the proposed parking lot
are primarily residential; including single family homes, multifamily and
two-family residences and vacant residential lots and structures. The
Central High School commemorative garden is located just east of the
site. With proper attention given to screening and landscaping, 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 Central High Association
are notified of this request.
3. ON SITE DRIVES AND PARKING:
The proposed 231 -space parking lot is accessed by a single driveway off
of West 13th Street. The driveway will be gated to prohibit access to the
lot outside of school activity hours. More than half of the site is currently
developed as a paved parking lot for the school. That portion of the site
will be resurfaced and striped.
April 3, 2003
ITEM NO.: 15 Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-7374
4. SCREENING AND BUFFERS:
Perimeter screening is requested where adjacent to residential properties.
Six (6) percent of the interior of the proposed vehicular use area is
required to be landscaped with interior landscaping islands. This takes
into account the reduction allowed within the designated mature area of
the city.
5. PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS:
1. Daisy L. Gatson Bates is classified on the Master Street Plan as a
collector street. Extend street improvements in accordance with the
Master Street Plan.
2. At other location, repair or replace any curb and gutter or sidewalk that
is damaged in the public right-of-way prior to occupancy. Curbing and
sidewalks are in poor condition in many places. And need to be
replaced.
3. Remove any existing un -used driveway aprons.
4. It would appear that the parking lot should take primary access the
collector street (Daisy Bates) and not 13th Street.
5. The Dennison Street right-of-way should be retained as a drainage
and utility easement.
6. UTILITY FIRE DEPT. AND CATA COMMENTS:
Wastewater: Existing Sewer Mains on site. Easement must be retained.
Any adjustments of existing sewer mains or manholes shall be at
Developer's expense.
Entergy: Approved as submitted.
Reliant: No Comments received.
Southwestern Bell: Approved as submitted.
Water: Central Arkansas Water has no existing or planned facilities
located within these rights-of-way and has no objected to its closure
and abandonment of easement rights.
Fire Department: Place a pedestrian gate at the southwest corner for fire
hose.
County Planning: No Comments.
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April 3, 2003
ITEM NO.: 15 (Cont_
FILE NO.: Z-7374
CATA: Site is near bus route #3 but has no effect on bus radius, turnout
and route.
SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (MARCH 13, 2003)
The applicant was present. Staff presented the item and noted additional
information was needed regarding signage, site lighting, fencing material and
vehicle gates. In response to staff questions, the applicant stated the parking lot
would be used by students and access was placed on the 13th Street side to help
alleviate congestion along Daisy Bates Drive. Staff noted that the plan needed
to be modified to eliminate the fencing and driveway in the alley behind Lot 2,
Block 7 since that portion of alley was not proposed for abandonment. Staff
advised the applicant to meet with the neighborhood association since the
association had voiced objections to staff.
Public Works and Landscape Comments were presented.
There was a general discussion regarding the proposed closure of Dennison
Street. Commissioner Faust expressed concern about breaking the grid pattern
of streets in the area. She asked why so many parking spaces were proposed.
The applicant responded that the school district was attempting to address the
problem of congestion on the streets around the school. The applicant noted
that over half of the area shown on the plan was already a parking lot; that area
east of Dennison Street.
The applicant was advised to respond to staff issues no later than noon,
Wednesday March 19, 2003. The Committee then forwarded the item to the full
Commission.
STAFF ANALYSIS:
The Little Rock School District proposes to develop a 231 space parking lot on
R-3 and R-4 zoned properties located across Daisy Bates Drive, directly north of
Central High School. The proposal includes the abandonment of the block of
Dennison Street between 13th and Daisy Bates and of portions of the two alleys
located either side of that block of Dennison. The area of the abandoned rights-
of-way will be incorporated into the new parking lot. The property east of
Dennison is already developed as a paved parking lot for the school. That area
will be resurfaced and striped to fit in with the parking lot expansion. Entrance to
the parking lot will be via a gated driveway off of West 13th Street. Two
pedestrian gates along Daisy Bates Drive provide access from the school. The
parking lot will be fenced for security and screening. Along the western
perimeter and along the eastern perimeter where the existing parking lot is
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April 3, 2003
ITEM NO.: 15 (Cont.
FILE NO.: Z-7374
adjacent to a single family residence, the parking lot will be screened by a 6 foot
tall, wood privacy fence. A 6 foot tall chainlink fence will be located along both
street frontages and along the east perimeter where the site is adjacent to the
park. No signage is proposed. There are three existing floodlights mounted on
utility poles in the existing parking lot that provide security lighting. Two
additional, similar lights will be installed on existing utility poles to provide lighting
for the parking lot expansion area.
Staff is supportive of the requested conditional use permit and right-of-way
abandonment. As was mentioned previously, the largest portion of the subject
property is currently developed as a parking lot. Parking also occurs along
Dennison Street and on an unimproved vacant lot west of Dennison. There
clearly is a shortage of parking around the school site, as evidenced by the large
number of vehicles parked on area streets. Traffic along the streets around
Central High, particularly Park and Daisy Bates, is impacted by vehicles parking
on the streets. The problem is compounded by buses having to park on the
street for loading/unloading. Staff initially felt that it would be best to have the
entrance to the parking lot located on the Daisy Bates side. Staff has reviewed
the issue with the District and now concurs that it would be better to have the
entrance on West 13th Street, thus further lessening congestion along Daisy
Bates.
Dennison Street is not a through street. It ends at the north perimeter of the
school and picks up south of the campus. North -south traffic currently uses
other streets and should not be impacted greatly by the abandonment of this one
block of Dennison Street. There is no physical alley located in the block east of
Dennison. The alley west of Dennison will remain open from the Rice Street end
to provide access to the remaining properties in that block. The area of the
abandoned rights-of-way will be retained as utility and drainage easements.
On March 19, 2003, the applicant submitted a revised site plan and responses to
issues raised at Subdivision Committee as outlined in the analysis above. To
staff's knowledge, there are no outstanding issues.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the requested conditional use permit and right-of-
way abandonments subject to compliance with the following conditions:
Compliance with staff comments and conditions outlined in Sections 4, 5 and
6 of this report.
2. Any new site lighting must be directed inward to the site so as to prohibit light
spilling over onto adjacent properties.
3. The areas of the abandoned rights-of-way must be retained as utility and
drainage easements.
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April 3, 2003
ITEM NO.: 15 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-7374
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (APRIL 3, 2003)
Ernest Peters, engineer; Doug Eaton, LRSD; and Nancy Rousseau, principal of
Central High School were present representing the application. There were two
objectors present. Staff presented the conditional use permit and right-of-way
abandonment requests and a recommendation of approval subject to
compliance with the conditions outlined in the "Staff Recommendation" above.
Doug Eaton addressed the Commission and stated there was a real need for
additional parking at Central High School. He stated the school had 2,000
students (500 of whom arrive by bus), 150 employees and only 400 on-site
parking spaces. He stated the District had attempted to limit the number of
students who drive to school and had surveyed the area immediately around the
school to find the best location for additional parking. Mr. Eaton stated the
District had studied the traffic pattern around the school and had concluded that
this parking lot would empty in 30-40 minutes after school adjourns. He noted
that the school served the entire City and there were not adequate public
transportation options. Nancy Rousseau spoke of the historic value of the
school. She also stated that the District had attempted to limit the number of
students who drive to the campus. Ms. Rousseau stated there were limited
alternatives to students driving to the school. She stated the District had worked
with the Little Rock Police Department to address traffic concerns around the
campus. Ms. Rousseau noted that some additional parking space would be
made available once 13 portable classroom buildings were removed from the
site. She surmised that the new parking lot would be a plus for the
neighborhood; with appropriate landscaping, screening and security. Ms.
Rousseau stated the parking lot would be available during summer months to be
used by the neighborhood; perhaps as temporary basketball courts. She stated
the lot would be cleaned on a regular basis and would be monitored by security
personnel 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Ethel Ambrose, president of the Central High Neighborhood Association,
addressed the Commission. She made reference to a letter that she had sent to
the commissioners in which she outlined several concerns. Staff did not receive
a copy of that letter. Ms. Ambrose stated the proposed parking lot was at odds
with the neighborhood's long range plan. She urged the District to work with
Central Arkansas Transit to device a better transportation plan to meet the
school's needs.
Larry Wright, of 2319 West 13th Street, voiced concerns about traffic, speeding
vehicles, crime around the campus and lowered property values.
Ms. Ambrose interjected that there were "good things" going on in the
neighborhood.
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April 3, 2003
ITEM NO.: 15 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-7374
Doug Eaton responded that the Little Rock School District could not solve the
City's public transportation problems. He stated the proposed improvements did
fit the neighborhood plan and would help to alleviate traffic problems. Mr. Eaton
stated there were no objectors from the immediate residents. He stated there
was limited space on the campus itself and this site was the best choice for
placement of a parking lot.
Ms. Rousseau stated the District utilized 8 security guards and 2 reserve police
officers for security of the campus and the parking lot. She stated the school
would continue to work with the neighborhood.
In response to questions from Commissioner Faust, Mr. Eaton stated the parking
lot east of Dennison Street currently had 140-145 spaces, the resulting new
parking lot would have 230 spaces and 140 spaces were located west of the
gymnasium; a total of 370-375 spaces.
Commissioner Faust stated that she recognized that Central High School was an
anchor in the community but that she felt this proposal was not good for the
neighborhood. She stated she was opposed to closing Dennison Street, that
she felt the incursion of the institutional use further into a fragile neighborhood
was inappropriate and all this was being done for a net gain of 90 parking
spaces.
Commissioner Rector stated this proposal was akin to an infill development. He
stated it was absolutely essential that Central High School thrives. Mr. Rector
stated he felt this parking lot would be better than what is currently on the site.
Commissioner Floyd commented that it appeared too many students were
driving to the school. He stated the problem would be exacerbated by making it
easier for students to park.
Commissioner Allen stated parking was a problem when he was a student at
Central. He stated this proposal was treating the symptoms, not the disease.
Commissioner Lowry commented that enhanced public transportation would be a
better solution but that it was not possible at this time.
A motion was made to approve the conditional use permit and right-of-way
abandonment applications subject to compliance with staff comments and
conditions. The motion was approved by a vote of 7 ayes, 1 noe and 3 absent.
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