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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-7855 Staff AnalysisJune 9, 2005 ITEM NO.: 10 NAME: LOCATION: OWNER/APPLICANT: Young's Day Care Center — Conditional Use Permit 3501 W. 13th Street Toni Reavis/Teresa Young FILE NO.- Z-7855 PROPOSAL: A conditional use permit is requested to allow conversion of the single family residence on this R-3 zoned lot into a day care center. SITE LOCATION: The property is located on the south west corner of W. 13th and Valmar Streets. 2. COMPATIBILITY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD: The site is located in a neighborhood that is predominantly single family in nature, although there are other uses in the general area. The blocks around the site contain single family, two family and multi -family residences. Some of the structures have been boarded shut. Churches are located one block to the east and northeast. A recently approved church has not yet been built on property three blocks to the east. The C-3 zoned property to the north, at 12th Street, is occupied by a plumbing contractor's office and a vacant building. Staff is concerned that allowing this commercial day care use is not appropriate for this site and may be better located along 12th Street, not in the residential neighborhood. The site also appears too small to accommodate the use. All owners of property located within 200 feet of the site, all residents within 300 feet who could be identified and the Stephens Area Faith and Pine to Woodrow Neighborhood Associations were notified of this request. 3. ON SITE DRIVES AND PARKING: The day care center is proposed to have three (3) employees and an enrollment of thirty (30) children; requiring six (6) on-site parking spaces. The applicant proposes to utilize the existing, gravel parking pad near the rear of the site to park 2-3 vehicles and to construct a drop-off drive beside the house, on the Valmar Street side for parents dropping off or picking up the children. The drop-off drive should accommodate three (3) vehicles. As proposed, the parking spaces at the rear will back into the street and there will not be room for a landscape strip beside the drop-off drive. June 9, 2005 ITEM NO.: 10 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-7855 4. SCREENING AND BUFFERS: Compliance with the City's Landscape and Buffer Ordinances is required A minimum 6 -foot 9 -inch wide on-site landscape buffer strip will be required around the perimeter of this property. Additionally, a six-foot high opaque wooden fence with its face side directed outward is required along the western perimeter of the site. If a parking area is to be developed, then it must be landscaped in compliance with ordinance requirements. These requirements take into account the reductions allowed within the designated mature area of the City. 5. PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS: 1. The proposed land use would classify Valmar Street on the Master Street Plan as a commercial street. Existing right-of-way is adequate for the proposed use. 2. With site development, provide design of Valmar Street conforming to the Master Street Plan. Construct one-half street improvement to these street including 5 -foot sidewalks with planned development. 3. All driveways shall be concrete aprons per City Ordinance. This includes drop-off location. 4. Plans of all work in right-of-way shall be submitted for approval prior to start of work. Obtain barricade permit prior to doing any work in the right-of-way from Traffic Engineering at (501) 379-1817 (Derrick Bergfield). 6. UTILITY, FIRE DEPT. AND CATA COMMENTS: Wastewater: Sewer available, not adversely affected. Entergy: No Comments. CenterPoint Energy: No Comments received. Southwestern Bell: No Comments received. Water: Contact Central Arkansas Water if larger and/or additional water meter(s) are required. Additional fire hydrant(s) will be required. 2 June 9, 2005 ITEM NO.: 10 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-7855 Contact the Little Rock Fire Department to obtain information regarding the required placement of the hydrant(s) and contact Central Arkansas Water regarding procedures for installation of the hydrant(s). (Staff note: it has been confirmed that no new fire hydrant is required). Fire Department: Fire sprinklers may be required. County Planning: No Comments. CATA: A CATA Bus Route is located just north of this site, on W. 12th Street. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (MAY 19, 2005) The applicant was present. Staff presented the item and noted additional information was needed regarding signage, days and hours of operation, fencing and site lighting. It was noted that the day care center was to have three (3) employees and an enrollment of thirty (30) children. Staff discussed the lack of ordinance -standard parking on the site. It was noted that the applicant proposed to park three (3) vehicles in front of the detached garage structure and to construct a drop-off/pick-up driveway between the house and Valmar Street. Public Works, Utility and Landscape comments were discussed. The applicant was advised to meet with the individual agencies to discuss their comments. The applicant was advised to respond to staff comments by May 25, 2005. The Committee forwarded the item to the full Commission. STAFF ANALYSIS: The R-3 zoned lot located at 3501 W. 13th Street is occupied by a one-story stucco and frame residential structure and a detached, two -car garage structure. The applicant proposes to utilize the residential structure for a day care center. The day care is proposed to have an enrollment of thirty (30) children and to have three (3) employees. Days and hours of operation are proposed as Monday — Friday, 6:00 a.m. — 12:00 midnight. A 6 -foot tall wood privacy fence is proposed to be placed along the west perimeter of the site and to enclose the rear yard, creating a playground area. A small ground -mounted sign is proposed to be placed adjacent to the front of the structure. There is no Bill of Assurance issue. 3 June 9, 2005 ITEM NO.: 10 (Cont.) _ FILE NO.: Z-7855 Monday — Friday, 6:00 a.m. — 12:00 midnight. A 6 -foot tall wood privacy fence is proposed to be placed along the west perimeter of the site and to enclose the rear yard, creating a playground area. A small ground -mounted sign is proposed to be placed adjacent to the front of the structure. There is no Bill of Assurance issue. A day care center of this size requires six (6) on-site parking spaces; one per employee and one for each ten (10) children enrolled. The applicant proposes to place three (3) parking spaces near the rear of the site, taking access off of Valmar Street. A drop-off/pick-up driveway is proposed to be placed between the structure and Valmar Street to accommodate parents dropping off or picking up children. This driveway will accommodate three (3) vehicles. Staff has concerns on two levels with the applicant's proposal. First, the request is for a day care center, not a day care family home. The surrounding properties are zoned and occupied primarily by one and two family residences. Staff is concerned that allowing this use might not be appropriate for this area. The use would perhaps be better located along 12th Street, to the north. The day care center is proposed to operate from 6:00 a.m. — 12:00 midnight. Traffic associated with the day care this early and late each day could impact nearby residences. Second, the site is too small to accommodate the needed parking and drop-off/pick-up area. The proposed parking spaces at the rear of the site would back into Valmar Street. There is approximately 11 -feet between the house and the east property line. Placing a drop-off/pick-up driveway in this area would require paving the entire area between the building and the property line. This would not allow for required landscaping and buffer strips. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: 1. Staff recommends denial of the application. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JUNE 9, 2005) The applicants were present. There was one objector present. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of denial. Staff also presented a revised plan, showing the garage being removed and 4 parking spaces being constructed at the rear of the lot, taking access off of the alley. The applicant, Ms. Young, stated the residents of the neighborhood were not opposed to the day care and, in front, saw the use as an enhancement for the area. She stated the State DHS had approved the home for up to 30 children and the Health Department and Little Rock Fire Department had approved the use. Ms. Young questioned where on West 12th Street she could put the day care. She stated there were already four (4) day care centers on 12t Street, between Woodrow and University. Ms. Young stated she would tear down the 4 June 9, 2005 ITEM NO.: 10 Cont. FILE NO.: Z-7855 garage in order to construct the 4 parking spaces. She stated she understood she had to maintain a spacing of 300 feet from other day cares. Mr. Young stated there were vacant, boarded homes on either side of the site and neighbors were excited about the proposed day care coming into the area. Commissioner Meyer stated the 300 -foot spacing requirement applied to day care family homes, not day care centers. Chairman Rahman stated he did not see how the required parking could be provided on site. He asked the applicants if they had looked at acquiring one of the adjacent vacant houses to create a parking lot. Tony Bozynski, Director of Planning and Development, interjected that staff still felt the day care center was not an appropriate use for this site. Kathleen Oleson, of the League of Women Voters, stated the League was opposed to the day care center at this location for the various reasons sated by staff. She also stated there was Likely available property along West 12t Street. Commissioner Williams stated he usually supported day care family homes but he could not support this day care center. A motion was made to approve the application subject to all staff comments and conditions, except the recommendation of denial. The vote was 0ayes, 10 noes and 1 absent; denying the application. 5