HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-8002 Staff AnalysisMARCH 27, 2006
ITEM NO.: A
File No.: Z-8002
Owner: Anderson Ross Cranford
Address: 1600 N. Taylor Street
Description: Lot B, Block 28, Mountain Park Addition
Zoned: R-2
Variance Requested: A variance is requested from the area provisions of Section 36-254 and the
building line provisions of Section 31-12 to allow a new home with a reduced front setback and which
crosses a platted building line.
Justification: The applicant's justification is presented in an attached letter.
Present Use of Property: Undeveloped
Proposed Use of Property: Single Family Residential
STAFF REPORT
A. Public Works Issues:
1. Proposed construction cannot encroach into the platted easement.
B. Staff Ari a IVs is:
The R-2 zoned property at 1600 N. Taylor Street is currently undeveloped. The property
slopes downward from front to back (east to west). There is a 20 foot wide utility easement
running diagonally through the rear portion of the property and a 7.5 foot wide easement
along the south property line. There is a 25 foot front platted building line along Taylor
Street.
The applicant proposes to construct a new two-story single family residence, as noted on
the attached site plan. The residence will have deck structures on its south and west sides.
The front of the residence will be located on the 25 foot building line, with a 6 foot by 16 foot
covered porch extending across the building line. An elevated drive and parking area will be
located between the front building line and the street. The elevated parking area will have
MARCH 27, 2006
ITEM NO.: A (CON'T.
retaining walls along its north, south and west sides. It will be level with the elevation of
Taylor Street. The back corners of the retaining walls will be approximately 10 to 12 feet
above grade. The applicant is also proposing a 24 foot by 24 foot attached carport to cover
the south portion of the elevated parking area. The carport will be unenclosed with the
exception of a three (3) foot tall extension of the retaining walls on its south and west sides.
The carport structure will be located one (1) foot back from the front property line and 9.5
feet from the south side property line.
Section 36-254(d)(1) of the City's Zoning Ordinance requires a minimum front setback of 25
feet for principal structures in R-2 zoning. Section 31-12(c) of the Subdivision Ordinance
requires variances for encroachments across platted building lines be reviewed and
approved by the Board of Adjustment. Therefore, the applicant is requesting variances to
allow the porch, carport and elevated parking structures with a reduced front setback and to
cross the front platted building line.
Staff does not support the requested variances. Staff feels the requested carport structure
extending to within one (1) foot of the front property line is not reasonable. Staffs inspection
of the area revealed no similar front encroachments along either side of N. Taylor Street,
south of Cantrell Road. Staff believes this carport structure will be out of character with the
neighborhood. Staff could however support the variances associated with the elevated
parking area and covered porch (unenclosed), if the applicant were willing to amend the
application and eliminate the proposed carport structure. The porch encroachment is
relatively minor, and the parking structure will be located at street level.
If the Board approves the building line variance, the applicant will have to complete a one -lot
replat reflecting the change in the platted front building line for the porch, carport and
elevated parking structures. The applicant should review the filing procedure with the Circuit
Clerk's office to determine if the replat requires a revised Bill of Assurance.
C. Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommends denial of the variances associated with the new residential construction,
as filed.
BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT: (FEBRUARY 27, 2006)
Staff informed the Board that the applicant requested the application be deferred to the March 27,
2006 Agenda. Staff supported the deferral request.
The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and deferred to the March 27, 2006 Agenda by a vote
of 4 ayes, 0 nays and 1 absent.
PJ
MARCH 27, 2006
ITEM NO.: A (CON'T.
Staff Update:
The applicant has obtained a new corrected survey of the property. The new survey notes
the corrected front platted building line at 15 feet. The applicant has also submitted a new
site plan for the property which is attached for Board review. The new site plan locates the
proposed residence behind the front building line with an elevated parking area between the
building and Taylor Street. There will be a one -car carport on the north side of the home
which will be set back three (3) feet (corner relationship) from the north side property line.
The remainder of the home is set back 7 to 8.7 feet from the side property lines. The
applicant notes that the building height will be approximately 30 feet, as measured from the
lowest finished floor to the flat roof. There will be a small structure on top of the flat roof to
allow access to the roof for maintenance and is not calculated into the building height.
There will be retaining walls constructed on the north and south ends of the elevated parking
area between the front of the house and Taylor Street. The wall nearest the north property
line will have a maximum height of approximately 13 feet. The southernmost wall will have a
maximum height of approximately 16 feet. A portion of the southern wall and parking pad
will be located across the front property line and in the Taylor Street right-of-way. Public
Works has reviewed this issue and notes no objection to the encroachment, based on the
fact that Taylor Street will not extend any further south than its current location. Public
Works notes that a franchise permit (John Barr 371-4646) must be obtained for the
encroachment.
The revised site plan requires two (2) variances. The first is from the area provisions of
Section 36-254(d)(2). This section requires a minimum side setback of 6.8 feet for this R-2
zoned lot. The corner of the carport on the north side of the house is located three (3) feet
back from the north side property line. The rest of the residence will be located at least
seven (7) feet back from the side property lines.
The second variance is from the fence/wall provisions of Section 36-516(e)(1)a. This
section allows a maximum fence/wall height of four (4) feet for fences/walls located between
a building setback line and a street right-of-way and six (6) feet for fences elsewhere on the
property. As noted previously, the north retaining wall will have a maximum height of
approximately 13 feet, with the southern wall having a maximum height of approximately 16
feet. These measurements include a three (3) foot high wall section which will extend above
the parking pad (safety wall).
The revised survey shows an existing six-inch sewer line near the center of the property,
under a portion of the proposed house. The line is not located within an easement.
Therefore, the applicant will have to work out this issue with Little Rock Wastewater Utility to
either relocate the line or cap it and construct over it.
Staff is supportive of the revised plan and associated variances. Staff believes the revised
plan is a much better design for the lot, given the excessive amount of slope downward from
Taylor Street. The revised plan eliminates the encroachment across the front platted
MARCH 27, 2006
ITEM NO.: A (CON'T.
building line. This was staff's only concern with the original site plan. Staff feels the
reduced north side setback is reasonable based on the fact that it is only a corner of the
structure which extends toward the north property line. With relation to the wall height
variance, the severe downward slope within the east half of this lot will require similar wall
construction with any development plan. Staff believes the revised plan will have no
adverse impact on the adjacent properties or the general area.
Revised Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommends approval of the variances associated with the revised site plan, subject to
the following conditions:
1. A franchise permit must be obtained from Public Works for the retaining wall and
parking pad sections located in the Taylor Street right-of-way.
2. The carport must remain unenclosed on the north, south and east side.
3. The sewer line issue must be resolved with written approval from Little Rock
Wastewater Utility prior to a building permit being issued.
BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT: (MARCH 27, 2006)
The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the item and a
recommendation of approval.
The applicant offered no additional comments.
The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and approved as recommended by staff by a vote of 4
ayes, 0 nays and 1 absent.
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