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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Minutes for Z-9856 111523November 9, 2023 ITEM NO.: 9 FILE NO.: Z-9856 NAME: Celebrate! Maya Project – PD-O LOCATION: 1722 Wolfe Street DEVELOPER: Janis Kearney (Owner) 2 Rosier Court Little Rock, AR 72211 OWNER/AUTHORIZED AGENT: Celebrate Maya Project PO Box 241792 Little Rock AR 72223 SURVEYOR/ENGINEER: Brooks Surveying, Inc. 20820 Arch Street Pike Hensley, AR 72065 AREA: 0.17 acre NUMBER OF LOTS: FT. NEW STREET: 0 LF WARD: 1 PLANNING DISTRICT: 8 CENSUS TRACT: 45 CURRENT ZONING: R-4/R-4A VARIANCE/WAIVERS: None requested. A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST/APPLICANT’S STATEMENT: The applicant proposes to rezone a 0.17 acre site from R-3 to PD-O to occupy the existing 2-story residence to operate the Maya Angelou House and Celebrate! Maya Project Headquarters. The mixed-office use will include youth education and literacy programs, administrative office space, a Maya Angelou Museum and a site for community conversations and forums. November 9, 2023 ITEM NO.: 9 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-9856 2 B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The property contains an existing 2,788 square foot, 2-story, wood-framed residential building. R-3 and R-4 zoning and uses are contained in all directions. The site is located southeast of Arkansas Baptist College and located within the Central High Historic District. C. NEIGHBORHOOD NOTIFICATIONS: All owners of property located within 300 feet of the site and all neighborhood associations registered with The City of Little Rock were notified of the public hearing. D. ENGINEERING COMMENTS: 1. Contact Planning and Development Dept., Engineering Division at 501-371-4817 or at 501-918-5348 for inspections of any work in the public right-of-way prior to placement of concrete or asphalt or for on-site clarification of requirements prior to commencing work. Failure to do so can result in removal of any improperly placed concrete or asphalt at the expense of the owner or contractor. 2. Repair, replace, or extend existing damaged, missing, and noncompliant curb and gutter, sidewalk, access ramps or concrete driveway aprons within the public right-of-way adjacent to the site. Remove abandoned driveway cuts and replace with curb, gutter, and sidewalk. All work within the public right- of-way shall conform to City of Little Rock Public Works Standard Details and ADA guidelines. 3. New ADA compliant ramps shall be constructed at the northwest corner of the intersection of Wolfe Street & 18th Street (southeast corner of the property) meeting City Standard Details PW-48, & PW-50 for a Type 2 access ramp. 4. Per City Code Sec. 31-206 (f), “Property line corners at street intersections shall be rounded with a radius of at least twenty (20) feet.” Therefore, a minimum right of dedication of a twenty foot (20) radius shall be dedicated to the City of Little Rock in the southeast corner of the property (northwest corner of the intersection of Wolfe Street & 18th Street). 5. Accessible parking spaces, accessible aisle, and accessible route from accessible aisle and from the public right of way to building’s entrance shall meet all accessibility code requirements listed in ICC A117.1-2017 and 2021 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code. November 9, 2023 ITEM NO.: 9 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-9856 3 6. Existing alley along lot’s western property line will be required to be improved via new asphalt or concrete for an acceptable driving surface to support the increase in traffic to the proposed accessible parking stalls. 7. What is the current platted width of the public alley? Is there enough maneuvering room for vehicles to reverse out of the accessible parking stalls into the public alley without encroaching across private property line to the west? If not, more maneuvering room shall be provided for vehicles parking in accessible stalls which shall not encroach across on the other property owner’s property line. 8. Is the proposed concrete apron along West 18th Street for school bus parking used as a pedestrian queueing area only for the school bus to pick up and drop off students? School bus parking will only be allowed on the existing street pavement asphalt surface adjacent to the existing concrete curb and gutter. E. UTILITIES/FIRE DEPARTMENT/PARKS/COUNTY PLANNING: Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority: No comments. Entergy: No comments received. Summit Utilities: No comments. AT & T: No comments received. Central Arkansas Water: No objections: All Central Arkansas Water requirements in effect at the time of request for water must be met. Fire Department: Maintain Access: Fire Hydrants. Maintain fire apparatus access roads at fire hydrant locations as per Appendix D of the 2021 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code Vol. 1 Section D103.1 Access road width with a hydrant. Where a fire hydrant is located on a fire apparatus access road, the minimum road width shall be 26 feet, exclusive of shoulders. Grade Maintain fire apparatus access roads as per Appendix D of the 2021 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code Vol. 1 Section D103.2 Grade. Fire apparatus access roads shall not exceed 10 percent in grade except as approved by the fire chief. If the grade exceeds 10 percent, approval will be denied and the applicant must submit request to be reviewed by Fire Chief for Approval. November 9, 2023 ITEM NO.: 9 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-9856 4 Loading Maintain fire apparatus access road design as per Appendix D of the 2021 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code Vol. 1 Section D102.1 Access and loading. Facilities, buildings or portions of buildings hereafter constructed shall be accessible to fire department apparatus by way of an approved fire apparatus access road with an asphalt, concrete or other approved driving surface capable of supporting the imposed load of fire apparatus weighing at least 75,000 pounds. Commercial and Industrial Developments – 2 means of access. - Maintain fire apparatus access roads as per Appendix D of the 2021 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code Vol. 1. Section D104.1 Buildings exceeding three stories or 30 feet in height. Building or facilities exceeding 30 feet or three stories in height shall have at least two means of fire apparatus access for each structure. Section D104.2 Building exceeding 62,000 square feet in area. Buildings or facilities having a gross building area of more than 62,000 square feet shall be provide with two separate and approved fire apparatus access roads. Exception: Projects having a gross building area of up to 124,000 square feet that have a single approved fire apparatus access road when all building are equipped throughout with approved automatic sprinkler systems. D104.3 Remoteness. Where two fire apparatus access roads are required, they shall be placed a distance apart equal to not less than one half of the length of the maximum overall diagonal dimension of the lot or area to be served, measured in a straight line between accesses. Fire Hydrants Locate Fire Hydrants as per Appendix C of the 2021 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code. Section C101 – C105, in conjunction with Central Arkansas Water (Daniel Tull 501-377-1245) and the Little Rock Fire Marshal’s Office (Capt. Tony Rhodes 501-918-3757, or Fire Marshal Derek N. Ingram 501-918-3756 Number and Distribution of Fire Hydrants as per Table C105.1. Parks and Recreation: No comments received. County Planning: No comments received. F. BUILDING CODES/LANDSCAPE: Building Code: No Comments Received. November 9, 2023 ITEM NO.: 9 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-9856 5 Landscape: 1. Any new site development must comply with the City’s minimal landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. Refer to the Code of Ordinances, Chapter 15 Landscaping and Tree Protection, and Chapter 36, Article IX – Buffers and Screening. 2. A land use buffer equivalent to six (6) percent of the average width / depth of the lot will be required when an adjacent property has a dissimilar use of a more restrictive nature. 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. A minimum of seventy (70) percent of the land use buffer shall be undisturbed. In addition to the required screening, buffers are to be landscaped at the rate of one (1) tree and three (3) shrubs for every thirty (30) linear feet. Easements cannot count toward fulfilling this requirement. The required screening shall extend the full length of a property where any outside activity is located for ten (10) feet on either side of such activity. The activities to be screened include, but are not limited to, parking lots, drives, sanitation areas, commercial static display of merchandise, loading docks, utility service facilities and heating and air conditioning equipment. Where development which requires screening abuts land use of a more restrictive nature at least eighty (80) percent of the view of the vehicular use area and parked vehicles shall be screened to not be visible when viewed from the adjacent property. A wooden fence may satisfy sixty-five (65) percent of the requirement and evergreen trees may be used to satisfy the balance. Screening standards are intended to apply during all seasons of the year. A minimum of fifty (50) percent of the trees and a minimum of seventy-five (75) percent of the shrubs to be used for screening purposes shall be evergreen varieties. Maximum spacings of fifteen (15) feet for trees and three (3) feet for shrubs should normally be utilized in order to provide continuous full screening of the view. 3. Street buffers will be required at six (6) percent of the average depth of the lot. The minimum dimension shall be one-half (½) the full width requirement but in no case be less than nine (9) feet. 4. A perimeter planting strip is required along any side of a vehicular use area that abuts adjoining property, or the right-of-way of any street. This strip shall be at least nine (9) feet wide. One (1) tree and three (3) shrubs or vines shall be planted for every thirty (30) linear feet of perimeter planting strip. 5. Building landscape areas shall be provided at the rate equivalent to planter strip three (3) feet wide along the vehicular use area. One (1) tree and four (4) shrubs shall be planted in the building landscape areas for each forty (40) linear feet of vehicular use area abutting the building. November 9, 2023 ITEM NO.: 9 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-9856 6 6. The interior landscape area of the vehicular use area shall, at a minimum, equal eight percent (8%) of the vehicular use area and must be designated for green space; this green space needs to be evenly distributed throughout the parking area(s). The minimum size of an interior landscape area shall be one hundred fifty (150) square feet for developments with one hundred fifty (150) or fewer parking spaces. Interior islands must be a minimum seven and one half (7 1/2) feet in width. Trees shall be included in the interior landscape areas at the rate of one (1) tree for every twelve (12) parking spaces. Please indicate the square footage of the areas considered for the interior landscape area. 7. An automatic irrigation system to water landscaped areas shall be required for developments of one (1) acre or larger. Developments of less than one (1) acre shall have a water source within seventy-five (75) feet of the plants to be irrigated. 8. All lawn areas shall be sodded with a regionally appropriate turfgrass species. There should be no hydroseeding. 9. Evergreen shrubs should be containerized. All shrubs are to be a minimum of 18 inches in height at installation. 10. The development of two (2) acres or more requires the landscape plan to be stamped with the seal of a Registered Landscape Architect. 11. 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. G. TRANSPORTATION/PLANNING: Rock Region Metro: No comments received. Planning Division: The request is in the Central City Planning District. The Land Use Plan shows Residential Low Density (RL) for the requested area. The Residential Low Density (RL) category provides for single family homes at densities not to exceed 6 dwelling units per acre. Such residential development is typically characterized by conventional single family homes but may also include patio or garden homes and cluster homes, provided that the density remains less than 6 units per acre. The application for a Planned Development - Office (PD-O) in R-3 zoning. Surrounding the application in all directions are Residential Low Density (RL) uses. November 9, 2023 ITEM NO.: 9 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-9856 7 Zoning is R-3 (Single Family District) and R-4 (Two Family District). R-3 (Single Family District) is for small lot single family development with a minimum lot size of 5,000 square feet. R-4 (Two Family District) is for the development of duplex dwellings with a minimum lot size of 7,000 square feet. Master Street Plan: Wolfe St is a Local Street on the Master Street Plan. May require dedication of ROW or improvements. Bicycle Plan: There are no Bike facilities in the vicinity. Historic Preservation Plan: This property is located in the Central High Historic District. H. ANALYSIS: The applicant proposes to rezone a 0.17 acre site from R-3 to PD-O to occupy the existing 2-story residence to operate the Maya Angelou House and Celebrate! Maya Project Headquarters. The mixed-office use will include youth education and literacy programs, administrative office space, a Maya Angelou Museum and a site for community conversations and forums. The property contains an existing 2,788 square foot, 2-story, wood-framed residential building. R-3 and R-4 zoning and uses are contained in all directions. The site is located southeast of Arkansas Baptist College and located within the Central High Historic District. The site plan shows 18.5 foot setback from the front property line, 7.4 feet from the south property line, 8.3 feet from the north property line and well over 25 feet from the rear (west) property line and conforms with ordinance requirements. The applicant provided the following operating hours:  Office operations: Monday-Friday from 9am to 2pm.  After/out of school: Saturdays from 10am to 2pm.  Public forums/Once monthly: Thursday evenings from 5pm to 9pm. November 9, 2023 ITEM NO.: 9 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-9856 8 The applicant notes plans to continue and expand youth and community services to include:  Youth writing, literacy, history, poetry and art Workshops  After school tutoring, mentoring and summer camps  A computer lab/library for students needing a place for afterschool studies or use of computers.  A Dr. Maya Angelou photo and archives gallery, available to visitors and students to learn more about this global icon.  Administrative office space for program administrators, interns, volunteers and visitors  Outdoor public events space that hold up to 100 guests. and, Plans for expanded and more intentional programing at the Maya House to include:  Summer Camps  After-School Tutoring and Mentoring.  Cross-generational forums and community conversations (interactions inclusive of youth and seniors).  public/community partnerships  Presentations on Arkansas and Maya Angelou history for schools and visitors Educational partnerships (public schools, colleges and universities).  Public forums - book talks, Poetry Readings, history presentations, art and photographic exhibits, Community Panel Discussions. Staff supports all outdoor activities with the following conditions: 1. The applicant shall not violate the City’s noise ordinance. 2. The outdoor use shall not create any nuisance to surrounding properties (no excessive or unusual noise, odor, vibration, etc.). The applicant proposes to construct a new five (5) foot concrete walkway extending from Wolfe Street to provide access to the site. The applicant will also construct a new five (5) foot sidewalks along Wolfe Street and a new concrete sidewalk along W. 18th Street which includes a concrete, curbside apron for school bus parking with wheelchair accessibility. November 9, 2023 ITEM NO.: 9 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-9856 9 The front of the building fronting Wolfe Street will be remodeled to include a new front covered front porch and steps. In the back of the building the applicant will construct new raised concrete landing with metal railing serving egress door opening and to accommodate wheel chair bound guests, new steel-framed egress stairway from the upper level and new concrete steps and railing. The center portion of the site will serve as an outdoor activity space and will include a raised portable stage covered by a portable stretched-fabric canopy. The outdoor activity space area will be used for partially enclosed events, movies, plays and recitals. The outdoor activity space area will contain an artificial grass turf surface and perimeter landscaping. In the rear portion the site plan shows a new 12’x12’ metal framed building, new tent covered activity workshop area, two parking spaces with one designated for handicap parking. Access to the parking area is provided from an existing alley in the rear of the site. The applicant will construct a new 30’x36’ on a concrete slab with solar paneled roof. This will serve as an alternate use as a covered shelter for outdoor activities. The applicant provide the following parking plan for events: 1. Bus parking: on the east side of the building along W. 18th Street- between Battery Street and Wolfe Street for bus dislodging, two (2) space in the rear of the building for the duration of events. 2. Parent/student parking: along Wolfe Street between Wright Avenue and W. 16th Street. 3. Tentative parking for buses and cars: the applicant notes the facility is in conversation with Arkansas Baptist College to utilize the parking lot for extended parking. Staff feels the parking is sufficient to serve the use. A new six (6) foot tall opaque wood fence will be constructed along the north property line, encompassing the metal building and outdoor activity workshop area. The applicant is proposing an illuminated monument-type sign located in the southeast corner of the site. All signs must comply with Section 36-553 of the City’s Zoning Ordinance (signs permitted in institutional and office zones). A dumpster is located in the southwest corner of the site along the alley. The dumpster shall be screened as per Section 36-523 of the City’s Zoning Ordinance. November 9, 2023 ITEM NO.: 9 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-9856 10 The applicant is not proposing any lighting at this time. All lighting must be low- level and directed away from adjacent properties. All landscaping shall comply with Chapter 15 of the City of Little Rock Landscaping Ordinance. Any variance from the landscape ordinance must be approved by the Little Rock City Beautiful Commission. Staff is supportive of the requested PD-O rezoning. To staff’s knowledge there are no outstanding issues with this application. The applicant’s proposed use of the site is similar to the intensity of other developments in the general area and feels the proposed use will have no adverse impact on the surrounding properties. Staff is supportive of the overall concept and agrees that this type of development will be beneficial to the area. I. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the requested PD-O rezoning, subject to compliance with the comments and conditions outlined in paragraphs D, E, and F, and the staff analysis, of the agenda and staff report. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (NOVEMBER 9, 2023) The applicant was present. There were no persons registered in opposition. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of approval as outlined in the “staff analysis” above. The item remained on the Consent Agenda for Approval. The vote was 8 ayes, 0 nays, 2 absent and 1 open position. The application was approved.