Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-8481 Staff AnalysisJ U LY 27, 2009 ITEM NO.: 6 File No.: Owner: Applicant: Address: Description: Zoned: United Hoist and Crane, Inc. Steve Littleton Southeast Corner of Zeuber Road and Sloane Drive Tract F-1, Area 102, Little Rock Port Industrial Park. 1-3 Variance Requested: A variance is requested from the paving provisions of Section 36-508 to allow an unpaved vehicular use area. Justification: The applicant's justification is presented in an attached letter. Present Use of Property: Undeveloped Proposed Use of Property: Office/Warehouse STAFF REPORT A. Public Works Issues: 1. The Master Street Plan classifies Zeuber Road as a minor arterial. At time of building permit, additional right-of-way dedication will be required. B. Landscape and Buffer Issue: 1. Compliance with the City's Landscape and Buffer Ordinances is required. 2. Street buffers are required along the Sloane Drive and Zeuber Road perimeters. Street buffers are to be six (6) percent of the average depth of the lot. The street buffer on the Zeuber Road perimeter is to be no less than 19.5 feet. The street buffer on the Sloane Drive perimeter is to a no less than 35 feet. Any required right-of-way dedication could affect placement of the buffers. Buffers are to be exclusive of any right-of-way. 3. Zeuber Road perimeter Landscape strip should extend 10 feet south of the south driveway. Any development of the portion of the tract extending to the south will require additional landscaping in that area. J U LY 27, 2009 ITEM NO.: 6 (Con't. 4. Screening of dumpsters is required. 5. Screening requirements for street perimeter planting strips are noted in Chapter 15, Section 15-55. Screening may be vegetation or combination of plantings and berms. Contact staff for information. C. Staff Analysis: The 1-3 zoned property located at the southeast corner of Zeuber Road and Sloane Drive is currently undeveloped and mostly grass covered. Some site work is taking place in preparation of new building construction. The overall property is flat and free of slope. All surrounding properties are undeveloped. The applicant is proposing to construct a new office/warehouse facility on the property, as noted on the attached site plan. The office portion of the building will represent 1,267.5 square feet, with 5,000 square feet of warehouse space. A 1,000 square foot trailer canopy will be located at the east end of the building. Two (2) access drives from Zeuber Road will serve the property. The northernmost drive will access a paved parking lot located along the north (front) and west sides of the building. The south drive will access a fenced area at the rear of the building, which will be utilized for heavy truck and trailer access. The rear fenced area as indicated on the attached plan will be covered with crushed stone and not paved. With the new building construction, the City's Zoning Ordinance requires that the rear portion of the property be paved where subject to vehicular traffic as per Section 36-508. The applicant is requesting a variance to maintain the rear area of the property with a crushed stone base. The rear fenced area will be utilized for heavy truck and trailer traffic to and from the site. Staff is supportive of the requested paving variance for the rear (south) portion of this property. Staff feels the maintenance of the gravel area is appropriate in this situation. The large truck maneuvering within this area, as well as the unloading of very heavy materials, would likely tear up an asphalt area rather quickly. It is very common to find unpaved vehicular use areas for larger vehicles in heavy commercial and industrial zonings in the City. Examples of gravel vehicular use areas can be found along Interstate 30 as well as the City's port industrial area. Staff believes the use of the crushed stone vehicular use area is reasonable and should have no adverse impact on the adjacent properties or the general area. As noted earlier, the front portion of the property where customers and employees will park will be paved and landscaped. J U LY 27, 2009 ITEM NO.: 6 Con't. D. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the requested paving variance, subject to the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the Public Works requirements as noted in paragraph A. of the staff report. 2. Compliance with the Landscape and Buffer requirements as noted -in paragraph B. of the staff report. BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT: (JULY 27, 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 5 ayes and 0 noes.