HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-8122 Staff AnalysisOCTOBER 30, 2006
ITEM NO.: 4
File No.: Z-8122
Owner: John R. Holder
Applicant: E. Michael Theodore, REL Design, Inc.
Address: 700 S. Louisiana Street
Description: Lots 7-12, Block 87, Original City of Little Rock
Zoned: UU
Variance Requested: Variances are requested from the development provisions of
Section 36-342.1 to allow placement of mechanical systems and less than 60 percent
transparent/window display.
Justification: The applicant's justification is presented in an attached letter.
Present Use of Property: Vacant Office/Library Building
Proposed Use of Property: Office/Data Center
STAFF REPORT
A. Public Works Issues:
1. At time building permit is issued, portions of the curb on 7th Street which
are broken should be replaced.
2. At the time building permit is issued, the access ramp on the intersection
of 8th and Louisiana Streets which is damaged should be repaired.
3. At the time building permit is issued, access ramps should be installed on
the north and south ends of the alley.
B. Landscape and Buffer Issues:
Street trees will be required as per ordinance standards. Contact Christy
Marvel at 371-4864 for details.
OCTOBER 30, 2006
ITEM NO.: 4 (CON'T.)
C. Staff Analysis:
The UU zoned property at 700 S. Louisiana Street is occupied by a two-story
commercial building which previously housed the main Central Arkansas
Library facility. The property is comprised of the entire half block on the west
side of S. Louisiana Street, between West 7t" and West 8t" Streets.. The
building occupies the south three-quarters of the site, with a courtyard area at
the north end of the building. There is a paved alley along the west property
line, with a small area of parking on the west side of the courtyard. There are
loading dock doors at the northwest corner (north side) of the building.
Entergy Services, Inc. has entered into a contract to purchase the property at
700 S. Louisiana Street, and has developed preliminary plans to fully renovate
the property for use as a corporate data center. Tier III design criteria is
planned for the structural, electrical and mechanical systems. With request to
the electrical and mechanical systems, there will be two (2) main power feeds
with two (2) back-up generators and two (2) cooling towers to support the
redundant HVAC systems. The generators and cooling towers are proposed to
be located within the courtyard area at the north end of the building, as noted
on the attached site plan. There will be a 10 foot high masonry wall
constructed around the perimeter of the courtyard area to screen the proposed
equipment. The applicant notes that this equipment cannot be located within
the building based on the space required for remaining electrical and
mechanical equipment, the data center computer systems and support
personnel.
The applicant also notes that with renovation of the building, a section of the
first floor high-level windows at the north end of the building (east side) will be
removed and replaced with masonry. The balance of the existing windows
along the West 8t" and S. Louisiana Street sides of the building will be replaced
with enhanced strength glass. With the proposed changes, the percentage of
window surface area along the east and south building side (street -facing) will
be reduced from 30 percent to 22 percent.
Section 36-342.1(c )(2) of the City's Zoning Ordinance (UU district design
criteria) requires that ground -mounted mechanical systems be located adjacent
to alleys, if alleys are present. Mechanical systems are also required to be
oriented away from a primary street side of the property and screened from the
public right-of-way. Section 36-342.1(c )(8) requires that the ground level (street
fronting) floors of non residential structures have a minimum surface area of sixty
(6) percent transparent or window display. Therefore, the applicant is requesting
variances from these ordinance standards in conjunction with renovation of the
building for Entergy's Corporate Data Center.
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OCTOBER 30, 2006
ITEM NO.: 4 (CON'T.
Staff is supportive of the requested variances. Staff views the request as
reasonable. The proposed renovations to the property are required to achieve
the Tier III design for the data center, providing redundancy for critical systems
and structural integrity to minimize the affects of adverse weather conditions. As
noted earlier, the equipment within the existing courtyard area will be screened
from public view by a ten (10) foot high masonry wall. The proposed percentage
of window area along the south and east building sides will not be out of
character with other buildings in this immediate area. Staff believes the
proposed variances will have no adverse impact on the adjacent properties or the
general area.
D. Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommends approval of the requested UU Zoning District variances,
subject to compliance with the Public Works and Landscape and Buffer
requirements as noted in paragraphs A and B of the staff report.
BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT:
(OCTOBER 30, 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 open position.
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