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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-8253 Staff AnalysisAUGUST 27, 2007 ITEM NO.: 5 File No.: Owner: Applicant: Address: Description: Zoned: Z-8253 Markla Realty and Development Company and Tartan Limited Partnership Dickson Flake 1010 W. Capitol Avenue Lots 1-3 and 7-12, Block 260, Original City of Little Rock UU2 Variance Requested: Variances are requested from the development provisions of Section 36-342.1 in conjunction with the construction of a new office building. Justification: The applicant's justification is presented in an attached letter. Present Use of Property: Parking Lot and Undeveloped Property Proposed Use of Property: New Office Building and Parking STAFF REPORT A. Public Works Issues: 1. No Comments on this variance. At time of building permit review, additional comments may be made on the proposed development. B. Landscape and Buffer Issues: Site plan must comply with the city's minimal landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. The UU district requires street trees at one every thirty (30) linear feet. This is a minimal city ordinance which mandates this distance. The landscape ordinance requires a minimum of 8% of the paved areas be landscaped with interior islands of at least 71/2 feet in width and 150 square feet in area. Proposed plan does not reflect this minimum. The landscape ordinance requires a minimum of three (3) feet of building landscaping between the parking areas and the building. AUGUST 27, 2007 ITEM NO.: 5 (CON'T. The site is located within the designated mature area of the city thus these minimal amounts reflect these allowances and reductions. The zoning street buffer ordinance requires an average nineteen foot (19') wide street buffer along the sites entirety and in no case to be less than half (1/2) the required minimum. Currently, the site is not meeting this minimal amount. It appears the parking lot is designed excessively large and can be reduced allowing for this minimal amount to be met. An automatic irrigation system to water landscaped areas will be required. Prior to the issuance of a building permit, it will be necessary to provide an approved landscape plan stamped with the seal of a Registered Landscape Architect. The City Beautiful Commission recommends preserving as many existing trees as feasible on this site. It appears there are very old live oak trees at this location. Credit toward fulfilling Landscape Ordinance requirements can be given when preserving trees of six (6) inch caliper or larger. C. Staff Analysis: The UU zoned property at 1010 W. Capitol Avenue consists of nine (9) lots, or three-quarters of Block 260, Original City of Little Rock. The property is bounded by Capitol Avenue to the south, W. 4t" Street to the north, S. Chester Street to the east and S. Ringo Street to the west. The east half of the block, running along S. Chester Street, contains a paved parking lot which has existed for a number of years. The northwest quarter of the block is currently undeveloped and grass -covered. The applicant proposes to redevelop the property as a new office facility for Baldwin and Shell Construction Company. The development will include a one-story, 17,200 square foot, office building located at the southeast corner of the property, as noted on the attached site plan. The proposed building will be located eight (8) feet from the front (south) property line, 10 feet from the side (east) property line and 68 feet from the rear (north) property line. A future building addition is shown on the plan on he north end of the proposed building. The applicant is also proposing 79 paved parking spaces with the proposed development. The paved parking will be located along the west and north sides of the proposed building. Access drives are proposed from Capitol Avenue, S. Ringo Street and W. 4th Street. A dumpster area is shown on the north side of the proposed building. New sidewalk and landscaped areas are shown along all street frontages. The applicant is requesting several variances from the UU (Urban Use) district standards with the proposed redevelopment of the property. The first variance AUGUST 27, 2007 ITEM NO.: 5 (CON'T. is from Section 36-342.1(f)(1) of the City's Zoning Ordinance. This section requires a 25 foot front building setback along the Capitol Avenue. The proposed front setback from the Capitol Avenue property lines ranges from eight (8) feet to 16.5 feet. The second variance is from Section 36-342.1( c)(5)b. which requires that street trees a minimum of three-inch caliper be planted along all street frontages at 30 feet on center. The applicant is showing one (1) street tree on the Capitol Avenue frontage and seven (7) trees along the Chester Street frontage with a 40 foot separation. The applicant is requesting to plant no street trees along the W. 4t" Street and S. Ringo Street frontages. The applicant notes that their architect suggests the 40 foot separation as being more adequate for mature tree spacing. The applicant also notes that low power lines dictate the request for no street trees along W. 41h and S. Ringo Streets. Landscaped areas will be provided along all street frontages. The next variance is from Section 36-342( c)(8), which requires the ground - level (street fronting) floors of non-residential structures to have a minimum surface area of sixty (60) percent window display. The applicant notes that this variance is requested based on the fact that it will be an office building and not a commercial/retail building. No elevations currently exist for the proposed building. The applicant is asking that their architects be given flexibility to design the office building with less than the 60 percent window requirement. The final variance is from Section 36-342( c)(10)b. This section requires that surface parking be located behind or adjacent to a structure and never between the building and abutting street. The proposed site plan has parking located between the proposed building and W. 4tn and Ringo Streets. Therefore, the variance is requested. Staff is supportive of the proposed redevelopment of the property including the requested variances. Staff believes the proposed office building with associated parking area represents a quality development in the downtown area. However, staff does have two (2) minor concerns associated with the proposed plan. Staff believes there is space to add one (1) more street tree along the Capitol Avenue frontage. Staff also believes the dumpster area should be moved away from the busier Chester Street frontage to along the S. Ringo Street frontage to the west. With these two (2) minor changes, staff believes the proposed development will have no adverse impact on the adjacent properties or the overall downtown area. AUGUST 27, 2007 ITEM NO.: 5 (CON'T.) D. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the requested variances from the UU district standards, subject to the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the landscape and buffer requirements as noted in paragraph B. of the agenda staff report. 2. The dumpster area must be relocated away from the Chester Street frontage. 3. One (1) additional street tree must be planted along the Capitol Avenue frontage. BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT: (AUGUST 27, 2007) Dickson Flake and Eldon Bock were present, representing the application. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the application with a recommendation of approval. Dickson Flake addressed the Board in support of the application. He made no additional comments to the staff presentation. James Van Dover asked about the plans to save trees on the site and plant new trees. Mr. Flake explained that there will be street trees planted along S. Chester Street and Capitol Avenue, Mr. Van Dover asked if the existing trees along W. 4th and S. Ringo Street would be preserved. Mr. Flake explained that if trees are removed they would be replaced, but the specimens may be of a smaller variety than the street trees. Mr. Flake noted that the site's development will comply with the City's Landscape Ordinance. Eldon Bock also addressed the Board in support. He noted that the development will utilize as many of the existing trees along S. Ringo and W. 4th Streets as possible. He also noted that the site will comply with the City's Landscape Ordinance. Dana Carney, City Planning Staff, explained the difference between the street tree requirements and the City's Landscape Ordinance requirements. Mr. Van Dover explained that he could not see justification in not providing street trees along W. 4th and S. Ringo Streets. Mr. Flake made comments related to applying the UU District requirements west of Broadway. Chairman Francis asked if the applicant knew what percentage of the front fagade will be glass. Mr. Bock explained that the building plans were not that far along, but that the amount of windows on the front fagade would be appropriate for an office building. Mr. Flake referenced Baldwin and Shell's existing office building at 6th and Ringo as an example of the amount of window openings. Mr. Van Dover expressed concern with approving the variance for less window coverage without plans. AUGUST 27, 2007 ITEM NO.: 5 (CON'T. There was a motion to approve the requested variances for Sections 36-342.1(f)(1) and 36-342.1( c)(10)b., as recommended by staff. The motion passed with a vote of 4 ayes, 0 nays and 1 absent. There was a second motion to approve the requested variances from Sections 36- 342.1(c)(5)b. and 36-342.1(c)(8), as recommended by staff. The motion passed with a vote of 3 ayes, 1 nay and 1 absent. All variances associated with the proposed development plan were approved.