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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-7646 Staff AnalysisJune 17, 2004 ITEM NO.: 6 FILE NO.: Z-7646 NAME: Cubby Hole Storage Facility — Conditional Use Permit LOCATION: 8001 Geyer Springs Road OWNER/APPLICANT: R. J. Hendrix Properties, LLC/ The Mehlburger Firm PROPOSAL: A conditional use permit is requested to allow for conversion of the existing building on this C-3 zoned 6 -acre lot into a conditioned mini -warehouse facility. SITE LOCATION: The site is located on the east side of Geyer Springs Road; south of 1 -30 - The proposed facility is to occupy a vacant grocery store building on the west end of what was the Southwest City Mall. 2. COMPATIBILITY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD: The site is located within the commercial node formed around the Geyer Springs/1-30 Interchange. All surrounding properties are zoned C-3 and C-4 and contain a variety of office, institutional and commercial uses. The applicant is proposing minimal external modification to the building. Utilizing this existing building for "conditioned" mini -warehouse storage should be compatible with uses and zoning in the area. All owners of property located within 200 feet of the site, all residents within 300 feet who could be identified and the SWLR United for Progress, Cloverdale and Windamere Neighborhood Associations were notified of this request. 3. ON SITE DRIVES AND PARKING: The site has access from Geyer Springs and the 1-30 frontage road. With the minor modifications proposed by the applicant, the lot will contain 178± on-site parking spaces; many more than this use requires. The main driveway on the site enters from Geyer Springs and wraps around the west and north sides of the building. The applicant is proposing to place unloading areas in this driveway. Staff is concerned that this will result in congestion on the site and confusion for persons using that driveway. June 17, 2004 ITEM NO.: 6 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-7646 4. SCREENING AND BUFFERS: If the proposed rehabilitation of the existing structure exceeds fifty percent of the structures replacement cost, then an equal percentage of landscape upgrade toward compliance with the Landscape Ordinance will be required. 5. PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS: No Comments. 6. UTILITY. FIRE DEPT. AND CATA COMME Wastewater: Sewer available, not adversely affected. Entergy: No Comments received. CenterPoint Energy: Approved as submitted. Southwestern Bell: No Comments received. Water: Contact Central Arkansas Water regarding water needs for this facility. Due to the nature of this facility, installation of an approved reduced pressure zone backflow preventer assembly (RPZA) is required on the domestic and irrigation water service. The assembly must be installed prior to the first point of use. Central Arkansas (CAW) requires that upon installation of the RPZA successful tests of the assembly must be completed by a Certified Assembly Tester licensed by the State of Arkansas and approved by CAW. The test results must be sent to CAW's Cross Connection Section within ten days of installation and annually thereafter. Contact Carroll Keatts at 992-2431 if you would like to discuss backflow prevention requirements for this project. Fire Department: Approved as submitted. County Planning: No Comments. CATA: The site is located on a CATA bus route. 01, June 17, 2004 ITEM NO.: 6 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-7646 SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (MAY 27, 2004) Frank Riggins was present representing the application. Staff presented the item and noted additional information was needed on the proposed use; including days and hours of operation, signage, number and hours of employees, dumpster location, proposed location of facility owned equipment and loading/unloading areas. Staff asked the applicant to more clearly define the use to assure compliance with the Code definition of a mini -warehouse and to describe whether the facility was one or two stories. Staff asked the applicant to locate any proposed on-site manager's apartment. The applicant was advised to submit a copy of the bill of assurance. Staff voiced concerns about access to the facility and proposed loading/unloading areas; what impact there might be on the site's driveways and traffic circulation. Mr. Riggins stated he would make modifications to the site plan to address staff's concerns. Public Works, Landscape and Utility Comments were noted. Mr. Riggins was advised to respond to staff issues by June 2, 2004. The Committee then forwarded the item to the full Commission. STAFF ANALYSIS: Lot B -R -S, Southwest City Commercial Subdivision is one of the lots that formerly comprised the Southwest City Mall site. This lot contains a one-story, 54,765± square foot building that was previously occupied by a grocery store; 178± parking spaces; and a recently constructed McDonald's restaurant and parking. The building has been vacant for several years. The Arkansas State Police Headquarters occupies the remainder of the former mall site; east of this lot. The applicant is requesting approval of a conditional use permit to allow the conversion of the building into a two-story, climate controlled, mini -warehouse facility. To accommodate the proposed facility, two concrete ramps will be added on the south (rear) side of the building, a small addition will be added on the west side for an office, exterior elevators will be added on the west and south sides, overhead doors will be installed on the north and west sides of the building and the canopy area on the north (front) side of the building will be enclosed. Modifications will be made to the driveway on the west and north sides of the building to allow for the location of unloading areas. A dumpster is proposed to be located at the northwest corner of the building. Tenants will have access 7 days a week, 365 days a year, 7:00 a.m. — 8:00 p.m. A few qualified tenants will have access 24 hours a day. The facility will have a manager, assistant manager and 3 to 4 employees. They will be on site during 3 June 17, 2004 ITEM NO.: 6 (Cont_) FILE NO_- Z-7646 office hours, which are 9:00 a.m. — 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. There will be no resident manager. There will be two levels of storage inside the building. No signage plan has been submitted. The applicant has stated signage will comply with ordinance standards for commercial districts. This will allow a wall sign on the north and west facades and a ground -sign on the Geyer Springs frontage. The site has 40 feet of frontage on the 1-30 Frontage Road so there may be space for a ground sign at that location. The applicant will also be selling packing, moving and storage supplies and will be renting trucks and trailers. There will be one 15 to 17 foot truck for tenant use. Five parking spaces will be designated for rental trucks or trailers. On June 2, 2004, the applicant submitted a revised site plan and responses to staff issues raised at Subdivision Committee and reflected in the Analysis above. The bill of assurance indicates no conflict with the proposed use. While staff is comfortable with the concept of utilizing this existing building for a mini -warehouse facility, there are concerns about the impact of the unloading areas on the driveway and internal site traffic. As was previously noted, the main driveway to the site enters from Geyer Springs and wraps around the west and north sides of the building. This driveway carries traffic other than that which would be using this facility. The driveway provides movement through the site for adjacent properties, as would be expected of a site which was initially developed as a shopping center or mall. Staff feels the proposed unloading areas shown on the west and north sides of the building will create congestion and possibly an unsafe traffic situation. As such, staff cannot support the application. STAFF REPORT: Staff recommends denial of the application. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JUNE 17, 2004) The applicant was present. There was one interested party present. Staff presented the item and informed the Commission that the applicant had. submitted a revised site plan that addressed most all of staff's concerns about traffic movement on the site. Staff recommended approval of the application subject to compliance with the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the staff comments and conditions outlined in Sections 4, 5 and 6 of the staff report. 2. The parallel parking shown adjacent to the west side of the building is not permitted unless specifically approved by the Little Rock Fire Department. 4 June 17, 2004 ITEM NO.: 6 FILE NO.: Z-7646 Pat Gee, president of the Upper Baseline Neighborhood Association, stated she had concerns about traffic congestion on the site. Chairman Rahman asked the applicant to meet with Ms. Gee and to show her the revised plan. They met outside of the room as the Commission moved on to another item. Later, after returning to the room, Dana Carney of the Planning Staff, informed the Commission that Ms. Gee had no objections to the proposal. In response to a question from Chairman Rahman, Ms. Gee confirmed that. A motion was made to approve the C.U.P. application, subject to compliance with the conditions recommended by staff. The motion was approved by a vote of 8 ayes, 0 noes and 3 absent. 5