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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-8564 Staff AnalysisJUNE 28, 2010 ITEM NO.: 7 File No.: Owner: Applicant: Address: Description: Zoned: Z-8564 Besser-Modi, Inc. Steve Modi 1019 Main Street Lot 6 and part of Lot 5, Block 11, Original City of Little Rock UU Variance Requested: A variance is requested from the development provisions of Section 36-342.1 to allow outside display of rental equipment. Justification: The applicant's justification is presented in an attached letter. Present Use of Property: Retail Hardware Store Proposed Use of Property: Retail Hardware Store with Equipment Rental STAFF REPORT A. Public Works Issues: If the area of outdoor display creates a sight distance problem, the area may need to be reduced or adjusted to provide adequate sight distance. B. Staff Analysis: The UU zoned property at 1019 Main Street contains a one-story commercial building, part of a two -building commercial development which houses a hardware store business. The property is located at the northeast corner of Main Street and the 1-630 frontage road. A driveway from Main Street serves the development. Paved parking is located between the two (2) buildings. There is some outdoor storage of bagged landscape materials which has existed on the site for a number of years. The applicant recently began renting small equipment as part of the hardware store business, within the southernmost of the two (2) commercial buildings. As part of the equipment rental portion of the business, the applicant proposes to have JUNE 28, 2010 ITEM NO.: 7 a small area of outdoor equipment display on the paved area along the west side of the building, as noted on the attached site plan. The equipment rental will include smaller equipment, targeting the homeowner and not commercial contractors. The applicant has noted that the equipment displayed will be moved into the building at the close of each business day. Section 36-342.1(d)(1) of the City's Zoning Ordinance states that all permitted uses within the UU zoning district must be inside or enclosed, except outdoor dining. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance from this development criteria to allow the outdoor display of small equipment. Staff is supportive of the requested variance. Staff views the request as reasonable. This property is located near the outer edge of the UU zoning district and along Interstate 630. There is a history of businesses with outdoor display in this area. The vacant property across Main Street to the west previously housed an auto dealership. There was additional auto display to the north across W. 101h Street. Also, the hardware store at the southwest corner of Main Street and W. 9fh Street was granted approval by the Board of Adjustment to have outdoor display/storage of materials. Additionally, there are a number of surface parking lots in this general area. The proposed outdoor display of small equipment at this location will not be out of character with other uses in this area of the UU zoning district. Staff believes that the area of outdoor display will have no adverse impact on the adjacent properties or the general area. C. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the requested variance to allow outdoor equipment display, subject to the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the Public Works comments as noted in paragraph A. of the staff report. 2. The equipment displayed must be moved inside the building at the close of each business day. BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT: (JUNE 28, 2010) The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of approval as noted in the "staff recommendation" above. There was no further discussion. The item was placed on the consent agenda and approved as recommended by staff. The vote was 5 ayes, 0 noes and 0 absent.