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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-7950-A Staff AnalysisFILE NO.: Z -7950-A NAME: ARM Revised Short -form PD -O LOCATION: Located at 4016 Stannus Road DEVELOPER: Mark L. Pollack Pollack Realty LLC 4016 Stannus Road P.O. Box 22717 Little Rock, AR 72221 FNC,'INFFR- Riddle Engineering 4600 West Markham Little Rock, AR 72205 AREA: 0.981 acres CURRENT ZONING: NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 ALLOWED USES: General and Professional Office FT. NEW STREET: 0 LF PROPOSED ZONING: PD -O PROPOSED USE: General and Professional Office — Allow building addition and additional parking VARIANCEMAIVERS: None requested. BACKGROUND: Ordinance No. 19,473 adopted by the Little Rock Board of Directors on February 7, 2006, rezoned the site from R-3, Single-family to PD -O to allow an existing structure to be utilized as an office use. Interior renovations were proposed to the structure and the existing parking lot was to be resurfaced. The applicant proposed a six (6) foot fence along the street right-of-way of West 41St Street and Stannus Road. A gate was to be placed along Stannus Road. Fencing was also proposed to be placed along the mid -point of the property with the remainder of the parking to be left open for employees of Wilson Elementary School and Rosedale Baptist Church to utilize as overflow .: Z -7950-A (Cont. parking. The structure contained 5,600 square feet and was constructed as a Masonic Lodge in 1951. Prior to the applicant's occupancy the structure had been vacant since 1998. The site plan included a Phase II portion for development. The applicant indicated future plans included the construction of a second building on the site not to exceed 5,600 square feet. All required parking to satisfy an office development would be included in the redevelopment of the Phase II portion of the site. A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST/APPLICANT'S STATEMENT: Affirmative Risk Management continues to grow and as a result is approaching the Planning and Development Department in order to obtain permission to add to the existing building and also encompass the remainder of ARM's existing parking lot within the fenced compound. At the present time the existing parking lot at the rear of ARM's current structure is not enclosed with fencing and is being utilized as a basketball area (ARM funded this and paved the area for local children to play for the last 6 -years) and for overflow parking for PTA meetings and school events related to Wilson Elementary. As ARM has grown it has taken over existing training, conference, and storage areas within its current structure to seat personnel. As a result, ARM is in need of new floor space to utilize as on site storage of documents, supplies and equipment. ARM is currently using floor space from Rosedale Baptist Church for this purpose as an overflow. This agreement with Rosedale will likely not be available in the future. In addition, ARM's training area and conference room(s) are no longer available for their intended purpose which creates a hardship related to continuing education of staff and business meetings along with a location for staff to enjoy their lunches. Based on historical activities of ARM there is not any anticipated increase in the traffic associated with an expansion of the existing structure or encompassing the existing parking lot. If approved the rear parking lot will be used to replace parking spaces that will be lost as a result of the building expansion. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The site is located across from Wilson Elementary School and adjacent to Rosedale Baptist Church. Currently the parking lot is being utilized as overflow parking for Wilson Elementary School and Rosedale Baptist Church. The site contains a two story structure currently being used as an office. There is a narrow drive, which extends from Stannus Road to the rear parking area on both the north and south sides of the building. There is very little landscaping or green space located on the site. 16 FILE NO.: Z -7950-A (Cont. Wilson Elementary School is located to the east of the site and Rosedale Baptist Church is located to the southwest of the site. There are single-family homes located to the south, across West 41St Street, and to the north, fronting 40th Street. C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: As of this writing, staff has received one informational phone call from the John Barrow Neighborhood Association. All property owners located within 200 -feet of the site along with the John Barrow Neighborhood Association were notified of the public hearing. D. ENGINEERING COMMENTS: PUBLIC WORKS CONDITIONS: 1. Due to the proposed use of the property, the Master Street Plan specifies that Stannus Street for the frontage of this property must meet commercial street standards. Dedicate right-of-way to 25 feet from centerline. - Ordinance #19,474 2. Due to the proposed use of the property, the Master Street Plan specifies that 41St Street for the frontage of this property must meet commercial street standards. Dedicate right-of-way to 25 feet from centerline. Provide a survey showing the centerline of 41 st Street. - Ordinance #19,474 3. A 20 foot radial dedication of right-of-way is required at the intersection of Stannus Street and 41St Street. 4. With site development, provide the design of street conforming to the Master Street Plan. Construct one-half street improvement to Stannus Street and 41St Street including 5 -foot sidewalks with the planned development. Ordinance #19,474 was approved in 2006 for deferral of all boundary street improvements for 5 -years. The street improvements have not been constructed as required by ordinance. The new back of curb should be located 15.5 feet from centerline on Stannus Street and 41St Street. At least a width of 20 feet of total pavement must be provided. 5. The existing fence along Stannus Street is located within the public right-of- way and is not permitted. Obtain a franchise agreement from Public Works (Bennie Nicolo, 371-4818) for the private improvements located in the right- of-way. 6. A backup area is not provided for parking spaces 33 & 34. 7. The parking lot stormwater flume should not drain over the future sidewalk along 41St Street. 3 NO.: Z -7950-A (Cont. E. UTILITIES AND FIRE DEPARTMENT/COUNTY PLANNING: Wastewater: Existing sewer main on site. No construction of any new buildings within five feet of existing sewer main. Contact Little Rock Wastewater for details. Entergy: Entergy has no objection. Building expansion appears to be clear of existing power lines. Center -Point Ener : No comment received. AT & T: No comment received. Central Arkansas Water: 1. All Central Arkansas Water requirements in effect at the time of request for water service must be met. 2. Contact Central Arkansas Water if additional fire protection or metered water service is required. 3. Contact Central Arkansas Water regarding the size and location of the water meter. 4. A Capital Investment Charge based on the size of meter connection(s) will apply to this project in addition to normal charges. This fee will apply to all connections including metered connections off the private fire system. 5. Due to the nature of this facility, installation of an approved reduced pressure zone backflow preventer assembly (RPZ) is required on the domestic water service. This assembly must be installed prior to the first point of use. Central Arkansas Water 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 Central Arkansas Water. The test results must be sent to Central Arkansas Water's Cross Connection Section within ten days of installation and annually thereafter. Contact the Cross Connection Section at 377-1226 if you would like to discuss backflow prevention requirements for this project. Fire Department: Place fire hydrant(s) per code. Maintain access. Contact the Little Rock Fire Department for additional information. County Planning: No comment. CATA: Less than % mile for both Routes #9 and #14. Parks and Recreation: No comment received. M FILE NO.: Z -7950-A (Cont. F. ISSUES/TECHNICAL/DESIGN: Planning Division: This request is located in the John Barrow Planning District. The Land Use Plan shows Public Institutional (PI) for this property. This category includes public and quasi -public facilities that provide a variety of services to the community such as schools, libraries, fire stations, churches, utility substations, and hospitals. The applicant has applied for a revision of an existing PD -O (Planned Office District) to allow for a building expansion and additional parking. Master Street Plan: Stannus Road is shown as a Local Street on the Master Street Plan. The primary function of a Local Street is to provide access to adjacent properties. Local Streets that are abutted by non-residential zoning/use or more intensive zoning than duplexes are considered as "Commercial Streets". This street may require dedication of right-of-way and may require street improvements for entrances and exits to the site. Bicycle Plan: There are no bike routes shown in the immediate vicinity. Landscape: 1. Site plan must comply with the City's landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. 2. The property to the west is zoned R-3, Single-family therefore, a seventeen foot (17') land use buffer is required. 3. As a component of all land use buffer requirements, opaque screening, whether a fence or other device, a minimum of six (6) feet in height shall be required upon the property line side of the buffer. The plantings, existing and purposed, shall be provided within the landscape ordinance of the City, Section 15-81. 4. All vehicular use areas which were not in compliance with the City's landscape ordinance may continue as non -conforming until such time a building permit is issued to rehabilitate a structure on the property exceeding (50) percent of current replacement cost of the structure. At such time (50) percent of the existing vehicular use area shall be brought into compliance and shall continue to full compliance on a graduated scale based on the percentage of rehabilitation cost. 5. Interior landscape areas shall comprise a minimum of eight (8) percent of any vehicular use area containing twelve (12) or more parking spaces. 6. The City Beautiful Commission recommends preserving as many existing trees as feasible on this site. Credit toward fulfilling Landscape Ordinance requirements can be given when preserving trees of six (6) inch caliper or larger. 5 FILE NO.: Z -7950-A G. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT-. (December 5, 2013) Mr. Mark L. Pollack of ARM was present representing the request. Staff presented an overview of the development stating there were a few outstanding technical issues associated with the request in need of addressing. Staff requested the site plan clearly identify the property lines. Staff also requested details of the proposed fencing to be located within the rear of the property including construction materials and total height. Public Works comments were addressed. Staff stated right of way dedication was required to 50 -feet from centerline on Stannus Road and West 41St Street. Staff stated with the approval in 2006 a 5 -year deferral was approved for the street construction to the abutting streets. Staff stated the deferral time had expired and the improvements were now required. Staff stated any private improvements located in the right of way would require a franchise agreement. Staff stated the parking lot flume should not drain onto the future sidewalk along West 41 st Street. Landscaping comments were addressed. Staff stated the property to the west was zoned residentially therefore a 17 -foot land use buffer was required. Staff stated screening was also required along this perimeter as well. Staff stated interior landscape areas were to comprise a minimum of eight percent of any vehicular use area which contained twelve or more parking spaces. Staff noted comments from the other reporting departments and agencies suggesting the applicant contact them individually for additional clarification. There was no further discussion of the item. The Committee then forwarded the item to the full Commission for final action. H. ANALYSIS: The applicant submitted a revised site plan addressing staff's concerns raised at the December 5, 2013, Subdivision Committee meeting. The revised plan clearly identifies the property lines, indicates the proposed fencing to be located around the perimeters, and the minimum landscape strips required by the buffer and landscape ordinances. The request is to amend the previously approved PD -O to allow the existing office user to expand their present building square footage. The existing building contains 5,608 square feet located on two levels. The proposed addition is to allow 4,128 square feet of floor area on two levels. Upon completion the total building square footage on both levels will be 9,736 square feet of floor area. The site plan indicates the placement of 34 on-site parking spaces. Four of the spaces will be located in front of the building and the remaining spaces will be located in the rear of the building. Based on the typical minimum parking D FILE NO.: Z -7950-A (Cont. required to serve an office use 24 parking spaces would typically be required. Currently the proposed parking area in the rear of the building is paved but not striped for parking. Upon redevelopment of the site striping and landscape islands will be installed in this area. The site plan indicates perimeter fencing will be placed along the western property line and the southern property where not currently in place. The plan indicates plant materials will be placed along the western and northern perimeter to provide screening of the adjacent property. The typical hours of operation are from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. The applicant has indicated based on their business and the clients they serve, many in different time zones and some overseas, there are employees who work outside these hours. The employees are allowed flextime hours to allow mothers to be home with their children when they arrive home from school. The applicant is requesting the hours of operation be amended to 6:00 am to 7:00 pm but be allowed the flexibility to allow employees to work additional hours when necessary to meet client's needs. The applicant has provided the right of way dedication and sidewalk to meet the Boundary Street and Master Street Plan requirement. The applicant was previously allowed a 5 -year deferral of the required improvements to Stannus and 41St Streets. The deferral has expired and the street construction must be completed with the current application request. The landscaping proposed with the new parking area is not in full compliance with the typical standards of the Landscape Ordinance. Staff feels with additional plantings the landscaping as proposed meets the intent of the ordinance. Staff recommends in addition to the existing trees and shrubs shown on the site plan the applicant provide one (1) additional tree and place additional shrubs within the landscape area on Stannus Road to screen the paved area. In addition staff recommends additional shrubs be placed within the landscape strip along 41St Street adjacent to the paved area to aid in screening the parking lot. Staff is supportive of the request. To staff's knowledge there are no remaining outstanding technical issues associated with the request. Staff does not feel the building expansion as proposed will adversely impact the development or the area. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the request subject to compliance with the comments and conditions as outlined in paragraphs D, E and F of the agenda staff report. 7 FILE NO.: Z -7950 -A -(Cont.) Staff recommends one additional tree and additional shrubs be placed along Stannus Road and additional shrubs be placed adjacent to the paved area along 41St Street to screen the parking areas. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JANUARY 9, 2014) The applicant was not present. There were no registered objectors present. Staff presented the item stating the applicant had submitted a request dated December 10, 2013., requesting deferral of the item to the February 20, 2014, public hearing. Staff stated they were supportive of the deferral request. There was no further discussion of the item. The Chair entertained a motion for approval of the item as presented by staff. The motion carried by a vote of 6 ayes, 0 noes, 4 absent and 1 open position. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (FEBRUARY 20, 2014) The applicant was present. There were no registered objectors present. Staff presented the item with a recommendation of approval of the request subject to compliance with the comments and conditions as outlined in paragraphs D, E and F of the agenda staff report. Staff presented a recommendation one additional tree and additional shrubs be placed along Stannus Road and additional shrubs be placed adjacent to the paved area along 41St Street to screen the parking areas. There was no further discussion of the item. The Chair entertained a motion of approval of the item as presented by staff. The motion carried by a vote of 10 ayes 0 noes and 1 absent. E-3 ITEM NO-- 13. Z -7950-A NAME: ARM Revised Short -form PD -O LOCATION: located at 4016 Stannus Road Planning Staff Comments: 1. Provide notification of the abutting property owners including the certified abstract list, notice form with affidavit executed and proof of mailing. The notice must be mailed no later than December 25, 2013. The Office of Planning and Development must receive the proof of notice no later than January 3, 2014. 2. The previous approval limited the hours to 8 to 5 and 25 to 30 employees. Are the hours and number of employees still consistent with the use of the property? 3. Provide details of the proposed fencing to be located within the rear of the property. Provide the construction material, total height and location. 4. Provide a site plan indicating the parking both existing and proposed. The detail should include any proposed landscaping and landscape islands. 5. Clearly identify the property lines on the proposed site plan. Variance/Waivers. None requested. Public Works Conditions: 1. Due to the proposed use of the property, the Master Street Plan specifies that Stannus Street for the frontage of this property must meet commercial street standards. Dedicate right-of-way to 25 feet from centerline. -Ordinance #19,474 2. Due to the proposed use of the property, the Master Street Plan specifies that 41St Street for the frontage of this property must meet commercial street standards. Dedicate right-of-way to 25 feet from centerline. Provide a survey showing the centerline of 41St Street. - Ordinance #19,474 3. A 20 foot radial dedication of right-of-way is required at the intersection of Stannus Street and 41St Street. 4. With site development, provide the design of street conforming to the Master Street Plan. Construct one-half street improvement to Stannus Street and 41St Street including 5 -foot sidewalks with the planned development. Ordinance #19,474 was approved in 2006 for deferral of all boundary street improvements for 5 -years. The street improvements have not been constructed as required by ordinance. The new back of curb should be located 15.5 feet from centerline on Stannus Street and 41St Street. At least a width of 20 feet of total pavement must be provided. 5. The existing fence along Stannus Street is located within the public right-of-way and is not permitted. Obtain a franchise agreement from Public Works (Bennie Nicolo, Item # 13. 371-4818) for the private improvements located in the right-of-way. 6. A backup area is not provided for parking spaces 33 & 34. 7. The parking lot stormwater flume should not drain over the future sidewalk along 41St Street. Utilities and Fire Department/County Planning: Wastewater: Existing sewer main on site. No construction of any new buildings within five feet of existing sewer main. Contact Little Rock Wastewater for details. Entergy: No comment received. Center -Point Energy: No comment received. AT & T: No comment received. Central Arkansas Water: 1. All Central Arkansas Water requirements in effect at the time of request for water service must be met. 2. Contact Central Arkansas Water if additional fire protection or metered water service is required. 3. Contact Central Arkansas Water regarding the size and location of the water meter. 4. A Capital Investment Charge based on the size of meter connection(s) will apply to this project in addition to normal charges. This fee will apply to all connections including metered connections off the private fire system. 5. Due to the nature of this facility, installation of an approved reduced pressure zone backflow preventer assembly (RPZ) is required on the domestic water service. This assembly must be installed prior to the first point of use. Central Arkansas Water 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 Central Arkansas Water. The test results must be sent to Central Arkansas Water's Cross Connection Section within ten days of installation and annually thereafter. Contact the Cross Connection Section at 377-1226 if you would like to discuss backflow prevention requirements for this project. Fire Department: Place fire hydrant(s) per code. Maintain access. Contact the Little Rock Fire Department for additional information. County Planning: No comment. CATA: Less than '/4 mile for both Routes #9 and #14. Item # 13. Parks and Recreation: No comment received. Planning Division: This request is located in the John Barrow Planning District. The Land Use Plan shows Public Institutional (PI) for this property. This category includes public and quasi -public facilities that provide a variety of services to the community such as schools, libraries, fire stations, churches, utility substations, and hospitals. The applicant has applied for a revision of an existing PD -O (Planned Office District) to allow for a building expansion and additional parking. Master Street Plan: Stannus Road is shown as a Local Street on the Master Street Plan. The primary function of a Local Street is to provide access to adjacent properties. Local Streets that are abutted by non-residential zoning/use or more intensive zoning than duplexes are considered as "Commercial Streets". This street may require dedication of right-of-way and may require street improvements for entrances and exits to the site. Bicycle Plan: There are no bike routes shown in the immediate vicinity. Landscape: 1. Site plan must comply with the City's minimal landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. 2. The property to the west is zoned R-3, Single-family therefore, a seventeen foot (17') land use buffer is required. 3. As a component of all land use buffer requirements, opaque screening, whether a fence or other device, a minimum of six (6) feet in height shall be required upon the property line side of the buffer. The plantings, existing and purposed, shall be provided within the landscape ordinance of the City, Section 15-81. 4. All vehicular use areas which were not in compliance with the City's landscape ordinance may continue as non -conforming until such time a building permit is issued to rehabilitate a structure on the property exceeding (50) percent of current replacement cost of the structure. At such time (50) percent of the existing vehicular use area shall be brought into compliance and shall continue to full compliance on a graduated scale based on the percentage of rehabilitation cost. 5. Interior landscape areas shall comprise a minimum of eight (8) percent of any vehicular use area containing twelve (12) or more parking spaces. 6. The City Beautiful Commission recommends preserving as many existing trees as feasible on this site. Credit toward fulfilling Landscape Ordinance requirements can be given when preserving trees of six (6) inch caliper or larger. Revised plat/plan: Submit four (4) copies of a revised preliminary plat/plan (to include the additional information as noted above) to staff on Wednesday, December 11, 2013. Item 4 11