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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-8441 Staff AnalysisApril 2, 2009 ITEM NO.: 7 FILE NO.: Z-8441 NAME: Arkansas Baptist College Parking Lot — Conditional Use Permit LOCATION: 1504-1510 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive OWNER/APPLICANT- Arkansas Baptist College PROPOSAL: A conditional use permit is requested to allow for construction of a parking lot on these R-3 and R-4 zoned properties. SITE LOCATIO The site is located at the southwest corner of West 15th Street and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive. 2. COMPATIBILITY WITH NEIGHBORHOO The parking lot is proposed to be constructed behind buildings housing the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the Arkansas Baptist College Alumni Association. Other uses in the area include single family homes of various styles and in various states of repair, a beauty school and salon, a restaurant and the main campus of the college. The area proposed for the new parking lot is now being used as unimproved parking. The use is compatible with uses in the area. Notice of the hearing was sent to all owners of properties located within 200 feet of the site, all residents within 300 feet who could be identified and the Downtown and Central High Neighborhood Associations. 3. ON SITE DRIVES AND PARKING: The proposed parking lot is to contain 27 spaces. An entry -only driveway will provide access off of West 15th Street. The alley will be improved to provide two-way traffic movement. The depth of the parking stalls and driveway on the east half of the parking lot are slightly less than that spelled out by the Code. The driveway will be one-way which will help the situation. The width of the stalls does comply with ordinance standard. Staff is supportive of a variance to allow the reduced stall depth and driveway width. April 2, 2009 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.) _ FILE NO.: Z-8441 4. SCREENING AND BUFFERS: Site plan must comply with the City's landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. The landscape ordinance requires that eight (8) percent of the paved surface area be green space, or interior islands. A landscape island is needed at the end of the parking lot for circulation of traffic. The zoning buffer ordinance requires an average street buffer of 11.4 feet along 15th Street. The sizes of the compact cars need to be denoted on the plan for a full review. Depending upon the size of the property in question, the landscape plan may need both a landscape plan drawn by a licensed landscape architect and an automatic irrigation system. Street trees are recommended. 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 properly preserving trees of six (6) inch caliper or larger. 5. PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS: Dedication of right-of-way is required to ten (10) feet from centerline of alley. Show the entire width and centerline of the alley with dimensions. 2. A twenty (20) foot radial dedication of right-of-way is required at the intersection of Martin Luther King Drive and 15th Street. 3. At the time of building permit, Little Rock code requires the alley to be improved by paving for the entire width of the alley for the length adjacent to the applicant's property. 4. Alleys are for two-way traffic unless signed otherwise by City Staff. If the alley is desired to be one-way, contact Bill Henry in Traffic Engineering at 379-1816 with any questions. 2 April 2, 2009 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont. 6. UTILITY. FIRE DEPT. AND CATA COMMENTS: Wastewater: Sewer available to this project. Entergy: Approved as submitted. CenterPoint Energy: No comment received. AT&T (SBC): No comment received. FILE NO.: Z-8441 Water: Contact Central Arkansas Water if larger and/or additional meters are needed. Fire Department: No comment received. County Planning: No Comments. CATA: The site is located on a CATA bus route. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (MARCH 12, 2009) Gerald Turner was present representing the College. Staff presented the item and noted additional information was needed regarding fencing, site lighting, parking stall dimensions and signage. Staff asked the applicant to provide a signed copy of the survey and to indicate property lines on the site plan. Public Works, Utility and Landscape Comments were discussed. The applicant was advised to respond to staff issues by March 18, 2009. The Committee determined there were no other issues and forwarded the item to the full Commission. STAFF ANALYSIS: The R-3 and R-4 zoned properties on the southwest corner of West 15th Street and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive are occupied by buildings housing the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the Arkansas Baptist College (ABC) alumni association offices. The college is requesting approval of a conditional use permit to allow construction of a 27-space parking lot behind the buildings. Access to the parking lot will be from an entry -only driveway off of West 151n Street and from the alley, which will be improved to accommodate two-way traffic. 3 April 2, 2009 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont. FILE NO.: Z-8441 The applicant submitted responses to the issues raised at Subdivision Committee. The bill of assurance for Centennial Addition does not address use issues. A signed copy of the survey was provided. Any new lighting will be shielded downward and into the site to prohibit lighting spilling off of the site. There will be no fencing installed. The property lines have been added to the site plan. The dimensions of the parking stalls have been provided and comply with ordinance standard for stall width. The depth of the stalls and maneuvering area for the spaces on the east half of the parking lot are less than ordinance standard. Staff is supportive of allowing the reduced stall depth and driveway width since the driveway is one-way only. Signage will consist of directional signage within the parking lot and a new monumental entry sign to be placed at the southwest corner of 15th and MLK. The entry sign will be built of brick and stone and will provide a defined entrance into the area of the College Campus. The name of the school, a message board and three crosses will be incorporated into the monumental sign. The wall forming the basis of the sign may be as tall as 10 feet. Staff is supportive of allowing the sign subject to Public Works Traffic Engineering approval of placement to assure no sight -distance issues. The revised plan incorporates interior landscape islands and shows the required street buffer area. To staff's knowledge, there are no outstanding issues. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the requested Conditional Use Permit subject to compliance with the comments and conditions outlined in Sections 4, 5 and 6 of the agenda staff report. Staff recommends approval of variances to allow the monumental entry sign and to allow reduced parking stall depth and driveway width. Approval of the entry sign is subject to Public Works Traffic Engineering approval for sight -distance. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (APRIL 2, 2009) The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of approval subject to compliance with the conditions outlined in the "staff recommendation" above. There was no further discussion. The item was placed on the consent agenda and approved by a vote of 10 ayes, 0 noes and 1 absent. rd SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENTS MARCH 12, 2009 ITEM NO.: 7. ARKANSAS BAPTIST COLLEGE PARKING LOT CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 1502 DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DRIVE Z-8441 . Panning Staff Comments: 1. Provide copy of Bill of Assurance for Centennial Addition. 2. Provide signed copy of survey. 3. Provide lighting plan. All lighting should be shielded downward and into the site to prohibit lighting spilling off of the site. 4. Locate and describe any proposed fencing. 5. Provide signage pan. 6. Provide days and hours of operation. 7. Provide typical dimensions of parking stalls, including designated compact spaces. 8. Show property lines on site plan. Variance/Waivers: • Parking variance to allow off -site parking. Public Works: 1. Dedication of right-of-way is required to ten (10) feet from centerline of alley. Show the entire width and centerline of the alley with dimensions. 2. A twenty (20) foot radial dedication of right-of-way is required at the intersection of Martin Luther King Drive and 15`" Street. 3. At the time of building permit, Little Rock code requires the alley to be improved by paving for the entire width of the alley for the length adjacent to the applicant's property. 4. Alleys are for two-way traffic unless signed otherwise by City staff. If the alley is desired to be one-way, contact Bill Henry in Traffic Engineering at 379-1816 with any questions. Utilities and Fire Dgpartment/County Planning: Wastewater: Sewer available to this project. Entergy: Approved as submitted. Centerpoint Energy: No comment received. AT&T (SBC): No comment received. Water: Contact Central Arkansas Water if larger and/or additional meters are needed. Fire Department: No comment received. 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. A full review of this site isn't possible due to the submission not including a legal survey, and not being drawn to scale. ITEM NO.: 7. CON'T 441 The landscape ordinance requires that eight (8) percent of the paved surface area be green space, or interior islands. A landscape island is needed at the end of the parking lot for circulation of traffic. The zoning buffer ordinance requires an average street buffer along 15`h Street; however, the full depth of the property is not shown. The sizes of the compact cars need to be denoted on the plan for a full review. Depending upon the size of the property in question, the landscape plan may need both a landscape plan drawn by a licensed landscape architect and an automatic irrigation system. Street trees are recommended. The City Beautiful Commission recommends preserving as many existing trees as feasible on this tree -covered site. Credit toward fulfilling Landscape Ordinance requirements can be given when properly preserving trees of six (6) inch caliper or larger. Other: Submit responses to staff comments and four (4) copies of revised site plan no later than Wednesday March 18, 2009. Required notices must be sent via certified mail no later than March 18, 2009 and proof of notice returned to staff by March 27, 2009.