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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-8140 Staff AnalysisDecember 21, 2006 ITEM NO.: 5 FILE NO.: Z-8140 Owner: M. E. Seckt LTD Co. Applicant: Chuck Clifton Location: 4720 West Markham Street Area: 0.16 Acre Request: Rezone from R-3 to 0-3 Purpose: Real Estate Office Existing Use: Single family residence SURROUNDING LAND USE AND ZONIN North — Single family residences; zoned R-3 South — Arkansas State Health Department complex (across West Markham Street); zoned R-2 East — Office and commercial uses (along West Markham Street); zoned 0-3, C-1 and C-3 West — Single family residences (across N. Spruce Street); zoned R-3 A. PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS: 1. Markham Street is classified on the Master Street Plan as a minor arterial with special design standards. A dedication of right-of-way 35 feet from centerline is usually required. Due to the location of the structure and fence in relationship to the street, dedicate to 1 foot south of the existing fence. 2. A 20 -foot radial dedication of right-of-way is required at the intersection of Markham and Spruce Street. 3. Spruce Street is classified on the Master Street Plan as a collector street. A dedication of right-of-way 30 feet from centerline will be required. B. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT: The site is located on a CATA Bus Route #5 (West Markham Route). December 21, 2006 ITEM NO: 5 (Cont. C. PUBLIC NOTIFICATION: FILE NO.: Z-8140 All owners of property located within 200 feet of the site, all residents within 300 feet who could be identified, and the Hillcrest Residents Association were notified of the public hearing. D. LAND USE ELEMENT: This request is located in the Heights -Hillcrest Planning District. The Land Use Plan shows Office for this property. The applicant has applied for a rezoning from R-3 Single Family District to 0-3 General Office District. The request does not require a change to the Land Use Plan. Master Street Plan: West Markham Street is shown as a Minor Arterial on the Master Street Plan. The street may require dedication of right-of-way and may require street improvements. A Minor Arterial provides connections to and through an urban area and their primary function is to provide short distance travel within the urbanized area. Entrances and exits should be limited to minimize negative effects of traffic and pedestrians on Markham Street since it is a Minor Arterial. Bicycle Plan: According to the Master Street Plan Bicycle section, a Class III bike route is shown just west of this location on North Monroe Street. A Class III bikeway is a signed route on a street shared with traffic. No additional paving or right-of-way is required. Class II bicycle route signage may be required. City Recognized Neighborhood Action Plan: The applicant's property lies in the area covered by the Hillcrest Neighborhood Action Plan. The Zoning and Land Use goal has this objective relevant to this case: "Adopt a plan of action to stop the degradation, to reverse its course, and to recreate a neighborhood that is once again a pleasant place to work and live. This includes no net loss of residential units by demolition or conversion to other uses." E. STAFF ANALYSIS: M. E. Seckt LTD Co., owner of the 0.16 acre lot at 4720 West Markham Street, is requesting to rezone the property from "R-3" Single Family District to "O-3" General Office District. The property is located at the northeast 2 December 21, 2006 ITEM NO: 5 (Cont. FILE NO.: Z-8140 corner of West Markham Street and N. Spruce Street. The rezoning is proposed to allow use of the existing building as a real estate office. There is currently a one-story frame single family structure on the property. There is a paved alley along the rear (east) property line. The alley does not extend the entire length of the block. The alley ties into a paved parking lot for the office use immediately to the east. The general area contains a mixture of uses and zoning. The State Health Department facilities are located across West Markham Street to the south. There are single family residences to the north and across N. Spruce Street to the west. There is a mixture of office and commercial uses further west. There is also a mixture of office and commercial uses to the east, along the north side of West Markham Street. The City's Future Land Use Plan designates this property as "Office". The requested 0-3 zoning does not require an amendment to the Land Use Plan. Staff is not supportive of the requested rezoning. The City's Zoning ordinance requires 0-3 zoned lots to have a minimum of 14,000 square feet. The property in question is only 7,000 square feet in area. Given the fact that the applicant wishes to utilize the existing residential structure as an office and that there are adjacent single family residences to the north and west, staff recommends the applicant file for a "PZD" Planned Zoning Development. Staff feels that site plan issues such as maintaining the residential appearance of the property, parking design, lighting, signage, etc. should be addressed with the property's proposed change in use. If the applicant were to secure the additional lot or two to the north for an overall redevelopment, staff could possibly support as 0-3 zoning, as was the case with the office building immediately to the east. Staff believes that rezoning only one (1) residential lot at this location could have an adverse impact on the adjacent residential property. F. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends denial of the requested 0-3 rezoning. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (DECEMBER 21, 2006) Staff informed the Commission that the applicant submitted a letter on December 19, 2006 requesting the application be deferred to the March 1, 2007 Agenda. Staff supported the deferral request. 3 December 21, 2006 ITEM NO: 5 (Cont.) FILE Na.: Z-8140 With a vote of 11 ayes and 0 nays, the Commission voted to waive their bylaws and accept the deferral request being less than five (5) days prior to the public hearing. The Chairman placed the item before the Commission for inclusion within the Consent Agenda for deferral to the March 1, 2007 Agenda. A motion to that effect was made. The motion passed by a vote of 11 ayes and 0 nays. 2