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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-8298 Staff AnalysisJanuary 17, 2008 ITEM NO.: 12 (Cont,) FILE NO.: Z-8298 Public Works and Landscape Comments were discussed. The applicants were advised to relocate the eastern drive on the south side of the site more to the east to align with the vacuum area. The applicants responded that they preferred some off -set in the driveway to reduce the possibility of persons utilizing the vacuums without having gone through the car wash. They were advised to meet with the City's Traffic Engineer. The Committee determined there were no other issues. The applicants were advised to respond to staff issues by January 2, 2008. The Committee forwarded the item to the full Commission. STAFF ANALYSIS: The C-3 zoned lot located at 4220 S. University Avenue is occupied by the vacant, K-Mart Auto Service building and a paved parking lot. The lot is located within a commercial subdivision and is surrounded by access easements/service driveways. The applicants are requesting approval of a conditional use permit to allow for construction of a new car wash facility on the site. The automatic car wash will be located within a 37 feet X 124 feet building. After entering the site at the single entrance on the south side of the lot, customers pay out the pay station (touch screen terminal accepting cash or credit cards). Customers remain in the vehicle as it is pulled through the car wash on a conveyor belt. All washing, waxing, etc ... is completed by the equipment in the car wash. The company's employees do not touch the car, however there are at least two employees on the site at all times. Once the vehicles exits the car wash tunnel, customers have the option of vacuuming their vehicle at one of twenty (ten, two-sided), canopy covered vacuum islands. Customers must do the vacuuming themselves, but there is no additional cost. Hours of operation are 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday during daylight savings time and 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday the remainder of the year. When the car wash is closed, the tunnel will be locked with garage doors on both ends and there will be gates and chains at the driveways to prevent entry onto the lot. The one-story car wash building will have an exterior finish of brick and block with an 8/12 pitched, colored metal roof. The east facade facing University Avenue will have windows for much of its length of the structure. Canopies will be erected over the vacuum islands and over the pay station. Signage will consist of a single ground -mounted sign to comply with the ordinance standards for commercial districts (36-foot tall, 160 square feet in area) and a six foot diameter wall sign on each facade of the building. A variance is necessary to allow wall signs on the north, west and south facades since those do not face directly to a street. Those facades do, however, face the service and access 3 SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENTS DECEMBER 27, 2007 ITEM NO.: 12. TEAM CLEAN CAR WASH CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT Z-8298 Planning Staff Comments: 1. The Bill of Assurance does not address use issues. 2. Provide signage plan. 3. Locate gates and fencing. 4. Will the vacuum islands be covered? Variance/Waivers: 0 None requested. Public Works: 1. Move east exit drive on the southside of the property to the east to align with the vacuum area. The current configuration is confusing to drivers. 2. Storm water detention ordinance applies to this property. Utilities and Fire Department/County Planning: Wastewater: Sewer main extension required with easements. Entergy: No comment received. Centerpoint Energy: Approved as submitted. AT&T (SBC): No comment received. Water: All Central Arkansas Water requirements in effect at the time of request for water service must be met. Contact Central Arkansas Water regarding the size and location of the water meter. A Capital Investment Charge based on the size of meter(s) in addition to normal charges. Additional fire hydrant(s) may be required. Contact the Little Rock Fire Department to obtain information regarding the required placement of the hydrant(s) and contact Central Arkansas Water regarding procedures for installation of the hydrant(s). Fire Department: Approved as submitted. County Planning: No Comments. CATA: The site is located on a CATA bus route. Planning Division: No Comments. Landscape: Site plan must comply with the City's minimal landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. The plan appears to meet with the City's minimal landscape and buffer requirements. An automatic irrigation system to water newly landscaped areas will be required. Good upgrade of the site and good overall circulation design. ITEM NO.: 12. CON'TL--8298 Other: Submit responses to staff issues and four (4) copies of revised site plan no later than Wednesday January 2, 2008. Required notices must be sent no later than January 2, 2008 and proof of notice returned to staff by January 11, 2008. January 17, 2008 ITEM NO.: 12 FILE NO.: Z-8298 NAME: Team Clean Car Wash — Conditional Use Permit LOCATION: 4220 South University Avenue OWNER/APPLICANT-. Van D'Lay Industries/Brad Vaden PROPOSAL: A conditional use permit is requested to allow for construction of a new, automatic car wash on this C-3 zoned tract. 1. SITE LOCATION_ E Q The site is located on the west side of S. University Avenue, south of Colonel Glenn Road (old K-Mart Auto Service Center site). COMPATIBILITY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD: The property is located within the Asher Avenue/University Avenue/Colonel Glenn Road commercial node. All surrounding properties are zoned C-3 and contain a variety of commercial uses. The proposal is to redevelop the site with a new car wash facility. The new facility will be landscaped in excess of code requirements. The proposed car wash is compatible with uses in the area and the new development will be an improvement over the existing site development, which should be of benefit to the area. All owners of properties located within 200 feet of the site, all residents within 300 feet who could be identified, the University District representative and the Curran -Conway Neighborhood Associations were notified of this request. ON SITE DRIVES AND PARKING: Access to the site will be via a single entry drive off of an access easement service drive. Egress will be via one of three drives onto service drives. There are no driveways directly onto the public street. Five employee parking spaces are located on site. Parking is also located at the vacuum islands. No additional parking is required. 4. SCREENING AND BUFFERS: Site plan must comply with the City's landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. The plan appears to meet with the City's landscape and January 17, 2008 ITEM NO.: 12 (Cont. FILE NO.: Z-8298 buffer requirements. An automatic irrigation system to water newly landscaped areas will be required. 5. PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS: 1. Move east exit drive on the south side of the property to the east to align with the vacuum area. The current configuration is confusing to drivers. 2. Storm water detention ordinance applies to this property. 6. UTILITY. FIRE DEPT. AND CATA COMMENTS: Wastewater: Sewer main extension required with easements. Entergy: No comment received. CenterPoint Energy: Approved as submitted. AT&T (SBC): No comment received. Water: All Central Arkansas Water requirements in effect at the time of request for water service must be met. Contact Central Arkansas Water regarding the size and location of the water meter. A Capital Investment Charge based on the size of meter(s) in addition to normal charges. Additional fire hydrant(s) may be required. Contact the Little Rock Fire Department to obtain information regarding the required placement of the hydrant(s) and contact Central Arkansas Water regarding procedures for installation of the hydrant(s). Fire Department: Approved as submitted. County Planning: No Comments. CATA: The site is located on a CATA bus route. Planning Division: No Comments. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (DECEMBER 27, 2007) The applicants were present. Staff presented the item and asked the applicants to indicate gates and fencing on the site plan. The applicants were advised to indicate any proposed covering for the vacuum islands and to provide a signage plan. 2 January 17, 2008 ITEM NO.: 12 (Cont. FILE NO.: Z-8298 drives of the commercial subdivision and the area of signage is much less than that typically allowed in commercial zones. Staff is supportive of the requested Conditional Use Permit. The property has been used for automobile service related uses for many years. The site as it currently exists has virtually no landscaping. It is covered with either building or pavement. The applicants have submitted a plan with substantial areas of landscaping. Staff views the proposed redevelopment of the site as a positive occurrence for the area. The site lies within the University Study Area, which has a goal of redevelopment of the larger area around the University -Asher -Colonel Glenn intersection. The applicant did submit a revised plan in response to issues raised at Subdivision Committee. The eastern driveway on the south perimeter has been moved eastward to eliminate potential turning conflicts. There is no bill of assurance conflict. To staffs knowledge, there are no outstanding issues. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the requested Conditional Use Permit subject to compliance with the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the Comments and Conditions outlined in Sections 4, 5 and 6 of the agenda staff report. 2. Any site lighting is to be shielded downward and into the site. Staff recommends approval of the requested variance to allow the proposed wall signs on the north, south and west facades of the tunnel building. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JANUARY 17, 2008) The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of approval, subject to compliance with the conditions outlines in the "staff recommendation" above. Staff also recommended approval of a variance to allow wall signs on the north, south and west facades of the tunnel building. There was no further discussion. The item was placed on the consent agenda and approved, as recommended by staff. The vote was 10 ayes, 0 noes and 1 absent. 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