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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-8054 Staff AnalysisJune 22, 2006 ITEM NO.: 24.1 NAME: Denman Short -form PD -O LOCATION: Located at 2 Northbrook Circle DEVELOPER: RRR Properties 614 North Ash Street Little Rock, AR 72205 ENGINEER: AM Architects, Inc. 401 Main Street North Little Rock, AR 72114 AREA: 0.31 acres CURRENT ZONING_ ALLOWED USES PROPOSED ZONING PROPOSED USE UMBER OF LOTS: 1 R-2, Single-family Single-family Residential ZKO FILE NO_- 7-8054 FT. NEW STREET: 0 LF General and Professional Office and Single-family VARIANCESJWAIVERS REQUESTED: None requested. A. PROPOSAL: RRR Properties, LLC the owner of 2 Northbrook Circle, is requesting a rezoning for this property from Single-family to Planned Office Development to allow an existing single-family structure to be converted to an office use for a Certified Public Accountant. The firm employees six (6) persons and the normal hours of operation are from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. The firm does not solicit refund anticipation customer, loan business or use banners for advertisement. The existing house will remain in tact as a residence, with the addition of a wall between the living room and the dining room, and the addition of concrete paving at the west side for parking of cars. The parking lot will be shielded from the neighbors and Rodney Parham with a fence and landscaping. The sign will be June 22, 2006 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 24.1 FILE NO.- Z-8054 matching red brick and located towards the intersection of Northbrook and Rodney Parham. The sign will also have built in planter boxes for flowers. The firm will employ a total of six (6) persons at this location, with three (3) clients on site at any one time. The employee parking will be at the paved area to the west of the residence, and the clients will use the existing drive and covered parking on the east side of the residence. The house will retain its residential appearance and in the case of the business moving out, only residential uses of the property will occur. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The site contains a single-family home accessed from Northbrook Circle. There are single-family uses located to the east, across Rodney Parham Road, to the south and west. There is a church located to the north, also across Rodney Parham Road located on a large tract. C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: As of this writing, Staff has received several information phone calls and a number of phone calls in opposition of the request from area residents. The Penbrook/Clover Hill Property Owners Association, the Santa Fe Heights Neighborhood Association, the Briarwood Neighborhood Association, all residents who could be identified located within 300 feet of the site and all property owners located within 200 -feet of the site were notified of the Public Hearing. D. ENGINEERING COMMENTS: Public Works: 1. Rodney Parham Road is classified on the Master Street Plan as 'a minor arterial. A dedication of right-of-way 45 feet from centerline will be required. Show centerline of Rodney Parham Road to determine extent of dedication. 2. Drivers exiting the proposed sight will require at least 445 feet of intersection site distance for left -turn maneuvers and 385 feet for right - turn maneuvers (based on 2001 Green Book). Since these distance requirements are not provided the driveway location has insufficient site distance. E. UTILITIES AND FIRE DEPARTMENT/COUNTY PLANNING: Wastewater: Sewer available to this property. Entergy: No comment received. Center -Point Enerav: No comment received. 2 June 22, 2006 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 24.1 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-8054 SBC: No comment received. Central Arkansas Water: Contact Central Arkansas Water if larger and/or additional meter(s) are needed. Fire Department: Install fire hydrants per code. Contact the Little Rock Fire Department at 918-3700 for additional information. County Planning: No comment. CATA: F. ISSUES/TECHNICAL/DESIGN: Planning Division: This request is located in the Rodney Parham Planning District. The Land Use Plan shows Single Family for this property. The applicant has applied for a Planned Office District for a professional office. A land use plan amendment for a change to Suburban Office is a separate item on this agenda. Master Street Plan: Rodney Parham Road is shown as a Minor Arterial, with Northbrook Circle a Local Street on the plan. A Minor Arterial is designed to provide connections to and through the urban area, with a primary function to move traffic not provide access to adjacent properties. A Local Street is to provide access to adjacent properties; movement of vehicles is a secondary function. There are no plans at this time to make further street improvements to either roadway. As a result of this application additional right-of-way or widening may be requested. Bicycle Plan: There are no Bike routes shown on the City Master Bike Plan adjacent to the area under review. The closest route is proposed to be along Brushy Flat Creek to the west. City Recognized Neighborhood Action Plan: The site is within the area covered by the West Markham Neighborhoods Plan. The Plan does not address the issue of converting a single-family house to non-residential. However it does call to "Limit expansion of non-residential development to areas shown as non-residential on the Future Land Use Plan as well as limiting businesses to areas zoned for non-residential activity." The Plan also recommends repair and replacement of sidewalks along Arterials (Rodney Parham Road). 3 June 22, 2006 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 24.1 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-8054 Landscape: 1. Compliance with the City's Landscape and Buffer Ordinances is required. 2. An average of nine -foot (9) wide land use buffer is required to separate this proposed development from the residentially zoned property on the northern and western perimeters of the site. Seventy percent (70%) of these buffers are to remain undisturbed. Easements cannot count toward fulfilling this requirement. 3. The property to the north and west is zoned residential, therefore, a six (6) foot high opaque screen, either a wooden fence with its face side directed outward, a wall, or dense evergreen plantings, is required along the southern perimeter of the site. G. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (June 1, 2006) The applicant was present representing the request. Staff presented an overview of the proposed development indicating there were concerns with the proposed site plan. Staff stated the drive along Rodney Parham Road did not appear to allow sufficient sight distance and requested the applicant provide verification of the sight distances required to meet the 2001 Green Book standards or remove the indicated drive. The applicant questioned access to the proposed parking area. Staff stated it was possible a drive could be extended along the rear property line to connect to the proposed parking area. Staff also requested details of any proposed fencing, proposed signage and stated any site lighting must be low level and directed downward and into the sight not spilling over to the adjoining single-family properties. Landscaping comments were addressed. Staff stated a minimum 9 -foot landscape use buffer was required along the western and northern perimeters. Staff stated screening would also be required along these property lines as well. Staff noted comments from the various other reporting departments and agencies suggesting the applicant contact them directly for additional information and 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 has submitted a revised site plan to staff addressing most of the issues raised at the June 1, 2006, Subdivision Committee meeting. The applicant has indicated details of the proposed signage, the dimensions for all building setbacks for the property lines and indicated the placement of screening consisting of either a six (6) foot fence or dense evergreen plantings along the rear perimeter of the site. 0 June 22, 2006 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.. 24.1 (Cont.) _ FILE NO.: Z-8054 The revised site plan indicates the relocation of the proposed drive accessing the parking area located along the western perimeter of the site. The proposed drive will be extended from the existing driveway along the rear of the structure with a 12 -foot driving lane to serve a new parking area containing four (4) parking spaces. The site plan indicates the addition of two (2) parking spaces adjacent to Northbrook Circle extending from the existing driveway. The employee parking will be the paved area to the west of the residence, and the clients will use the existing drive and covered parking on the east side of the residence. The proposed development would typically require the placement of four (4) on site parking spaces to serve an office development based on the square footage of the residence. Based on the number of employees the minimum parking required would be seven (7) to nine (9) parking spaces to serve the employees and a limited number of clients. The site plan indicates the placement of a single sign located within the front yard area of the site. The sign will be matching red brick and located towards the intersection of Northbrook and Rodney Parham. The sign will also have built in planter boxes for flowers. The sign has been indicated as a maximum of five (5) feet in height and thirty-eight (38) square feet in area. The proposed signage is consistent with signage allowed in office zones. The hours of operation are proposed from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. No more than three (3) customers are expected to be on site at any one time. According to the applicant the firm does not solicit refund anticipation customer, loan business or use banners for advertisement. The house will retain its residential appearance and in the case of the business moving out, only residential uses of the property will occur. The existing house will remain in tact as a residence, with the addition of a wall between the living room and the dining room, and the addition of concrete paving at the west side for parking of cars. The parking lot will be shielded from the neighbors and Rodney Parham with a fence and landscaping. Staff is not supportive of the applicant's request. The proposed development is not consistent with the City's Future Land Use Plan and is located in an area identified as single-family on the Future Land Use Plan. There are areas identified for non-residential use located at the intersections of West Markham and Rodney Parham Road and Rodney Parham Road and Reservoir Road. On the current agenda there is a request to change the Future Land Use Plan for this site from Single-family to Suburban Office which staff does not support. Staff feels the rezoning of this site for an office use is not appropriate. The request is inconsistent with the City's Future Land Use Plan which staff feels should be maintained. Staff feels this site should be maintained as residential to protect the single-family homes located in the area both along Rodney Parham Road and Northbrook Circle. 5 June 22, 2006 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.; 24.1 Cont. FILE NO.: Z-8054 STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends denial of the request. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JUNE 22, 2006) The applicant was present representing the request. There were registered objectors present. Staff presented the item with a recommendation of denial. Mr. Neil Denman addressed the Commission on the merits of his request. Mr. Denman stated the demand for office and residential in the area were limited. He stated the building was not acceptable as a residential use. He stated the volume of traffic on Rodney Parham Road was 16,000 cars per day. He stated to allow an office use within a residential neighborhood did not destroy the fabric of the neighborhood. He stated the Heights/Hillcrest and Park Hill were all examples of residential and non-residential uses locating adjacent to each other with limited impact. He stated the desire was to maintain the image of the structure as a residential unit and add amenities to the site to enhance to property. He stated there were a limited number of customers which accessed his business. He stated on the previous day there were six customers who came into his business. He stated his desire was not to move west but to provide in -fill development for the area. Ms. Mollie Irvin addressed the Commission in opposition of the request. She stated the home was located in a curve and across from a church. She stated the area was a neighborhood and the residents were not in favor of opening the door to non-residential development. She stated she did not see the conversion of the home as a good fit for the neighborhood. Ms. Ruth Bell addressed the Commission in opposition of the request. She stated the area was a very strong residential area within the City and offered homes at a reasonable price. She stated the homes in the area were well maintained and were worth preserving. She stated in her opinion to rezone the site would be spot zoning on this four lot street. Mr. Denman stated the project should be judged on the merits of the request. He stated the area was very busy and heavily traveled. He stated he did not feel the site suited for a residential unit. A motion was made to approve the request. The motion failed by a vote of 1 ayes, 8 noes and 2 absent. 9 ITEM NO.- 24.1. NAME: Denman Short -form PD -O LOCATION: located at 2 Northbrook Circle Z-8054 Planning Staff Comments - 1 . omments:1. Provide notification of property owners located within 200 feet of the site, complete with the certified abstract list, notice form with affidavit executed and proof of mailing. The notice must be mailed no later than June 7, 2006. The Office of Planning and Development must receive the proof of notice no later than June 16, 2006. 2. Provide details of any proposed fencing to be placed along the perimeters of the site. 3. Provide details of any proposed signage height/area/location). Provide details of any proposed building signage. 4. Provide the number of employees. , 5. Any additional site lighting must be lowi el and directional, directed into the site. 6. Provide the total square footage of the structure. [GO -0 7. The request includes single-family as an alternative use for the site. Variance/Waivers: Public Works Conditions: �r► 1. Rodney Parham Road is classified on the Master Street Plan as a minor arterial. A dedication of right-of-way 45 feet from centerline will be required. Show centerline of Rodney Parham Road to determine extent of dedication. 2. Drivers exiting the proposed sight will require at least 445 feet of intersection site distance for left -turn maneuvers and 385 feet for right -turn maneuvers (based on 2001 Green Book). Since these distance requirements are not provided the driveway location has insufficient site distance. Utilities and Fire Department/County Planning: Wastewater: Sewer available to this property. Entergy: No comment received. Center -Point Ener : No comment received SBC: No comment received. Item # 24.1 Central Arkansas Water: Contact Central Arkansas Water if larger and/or additional meter(s) are needed. Fire Department: Install fire hydrants per code. Contact the Little Rock Fire Department at 918-3700 for additional information. County Planning: No comment. CATA: Planning Division: Landscape: Revised plat/plan: Submit four (4) copies of a revised preliminary plat (to include the additional information as noted above) to staff on Wednesday, June 7, 2006. Item 9 24.1