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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-8671 Staff AnalysisAugust 11, 2011 ITEM NO.: B (Cont. FILE NO.: Z-8671 2. Any site lighting is to be low-level and directional, aimed downward and into the site. 3. Three (3) copies of a final plan are to be submitted to staff prior to a building permit being requested. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JUNE 30, 2011) The applicant was not present. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of deferral as the applicant did not complete the required notification. There was no further discussion. The item was placed on the consent agenda and deferred to the August 11, 2011 meeting by a vote of 10 ayes, 0 noes and 1 absent. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (AUGUST 11, 2011) The applicant was present. There were four (4) objectors present. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of approval including the comments and conditions outlined in the "staff recommendation' above. The applicant, Kurt Cosse, addressed the Commission and stated he would reserve his time to respond to issues raised by the opposition. Alvin Henderson, owner of the adjacent property at 11200 W. Markham, stated he would like to see the center turn lane on Markham extended to Shackleford Rd. He asked if there would be gates to prohibit access to the carwash site after hours. He also voiced concern about noise. Philip Huffmaster, owner of a carwash located a few blocks way on Markham, voiced concern about allowing another carwash in the area. He said there were too many bankrupt carwashes in the City. He said carwashes are a specialty building that cannot easily be converted to accommodate another use if the carwash fails. Mark Middleton stated he and his brother Larry were the new owners of the bankrupt carwash at the corner of Markham and Shackleford. He stated he wanted to make sure this applicant constructs the required improvements to Markham. He acknowledged that this was not the proper venue to make economic arguments. Mr. Cosse stated he would help to maintain the driveway within the shared access easement on Mr. Henderson's property. He said he was not opposed to putting a gate on his driveway to restrict access to the site after hours. He said 5 August 11, 2011 ITEM NO.: B (Cont. FILE NO.: Z-8671 he would widen Markham in front of his lot to the shared driveway and another two -hundred (200) feet to the east. Mr. Cosse stated the carwash equipment was enclosed within an equipment room which would reduce noise. He stated he realized there were other carwashes in the area. He stated healthy competition would give the consumer a better product. He described his carwash process as being different than the others. Mr. Cosse stated he felt his business would succeed due to the location and type of carwash. In response to a question from Commissioner Nunnley, Mr. Middleton described the traffic problems at the intersection of Markham and Shackleford, in front of his carwash. Responding to Commissioner Nunnley, Mr. Cosse acknowledged that he would widen Markham in front of his lot and east to Shackleford Drive. At Commissioner Nunnleys request, Mr. Cosse briefly described his carwash mechanism. A motion was made to approve the application, as amended to include the gate and street widening, including all staff comments and conditions. The motion was approved by a vote of 9 ayes, 0 noes and 2 absent. 9 August 11, 2011 ITEM NO.: B FILE NO.: Z-8671 NAME: Cosse Car Wash — Conditional Use Permit LOCATION: 11400 West Markham Street OWNER/APPLICANT: David and Pauline Charten/Kurt Cosse PROPOSAL: A conditional use permit is requested to allow for construction of a car wash on this C-3 zoned lot. SITE LOCATION: The site is located on the north side of West Markham Street, one lot west of Shackleford Drive. 2. COMPATIBILITY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD: The property is located in an area of mixed zoning and uses. A liquor store, auto repair garage and auto sales business are located on the C-4 zoned property adjacent to the east. A utility substation and auto service mall are located across Markham to the south. A large shopping center with multiple tenants and outlots is located to the west. The C-3 zoned property to the east contains office and restaurant uses. Several multifamily developments are located to the north. The proposed use is compatible with uses in the area. Notice 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 Beverly Hills and Birchwood Neighborhood Associations. 3. ON SITE DRIVES AND PARKING; Access off of Markham will be via an access easement shared between this lot and the lot adjacent to the east. A single driveway will access the car wash lot off of the shared easement. There will be no direct driveway access to Markham Street. A circular driveway will serve the car wash tunnel. Three (3) vacuum islands will provide space for six (6) vehicles. Two (2) employees will be on the site during hours of operation. There is sufficient paved area to accommodate the customers and employees. 4. SCREENING AND BUFFERS: Site plan must comply with the City's landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. August 11, 2011 ITEM NO.: B (Cont. FILE NO.: Z-8671 The zoning buffer ordinance requires an average nine foot 9') wide street buffer along Markham Street. The Landscape Ordinance requires a nine -foot (9) wide perimeter landscape strip around the sites entirety. A variance from this minimal amount will require approval from the City Beautiful Commission prior to the issuance of a building permit. The Landscape Ordinance requires a three-foot (T) wide minimum landscape strip between the parking lot(s) and the building, or in the general area. In conjunction with this new project all asphalt and/or concrete that is not necessary for the onsite flow of traffic should be removed as a part of this application. 5. PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS: 1. The driveway access directions should be reversed due to the distance of the south driveway to the curb line of Markham Street. 2. At the time of building permit, Markham Street will be required to be widened to provide a left turn lane as required by the Master Street Plan for minor arterial streets. 6. UTILITY FIRE DEPT. AND CATA COMMENTS: Wastewater: Sewer available to this project. Entergy: Entergy will obtain easements to install necessary facilities for service. Contact Entergy with any questions. Centerpoint Energy: Approved as submitted. AT&T (SBC): No comments received. Water: No objections. All Central Arkansas Water requirements in effect at the time of request for water service must be met. Contact Central Arkansas Water if additional fire protection or metered water service is required or regarding the size and location of the water meter. 2 August 11, 2011 ITEM NO.: B (Cont.) FILE NO Z-8671 Due to the nature of this facility, installation of an approved reduced pressure zone backflow preventer assembly (RPZ) is required on the domestic water service. This assembly must be installed prior to the first point of use. Central Arkansas Water (CAW) requires that upon installation of the PRZA, successful tests of the assembly must be completed by a Certified Assembly Tester licensed by the State of Arkansas and approved by CAW. The test results must be sent to CAW's -Cross connection Section within ten (10) days of installation and annually thereafter. Contact the Cross connection Section at 377-1226 if you would like to discuss backflow prevention requirements for this project. Fire Department: Fire hydrants per code, maintain at least twenty (20) foot wide access. County Planning: No Comments. CATA: Approved as submitted. This site is located on a CATA bus route. Planning Division: No Comments. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT (JUNE 9, 2011) Patrick McGetrick was present, representing the application. Staff presented the item and noted additional information was needed regarding signage, days and hours of operation and site lighting. Mr. McGetrick was asked to locate the order board, fencing and dumpster on the plan. Staff requested details on the proposed vacuum islands. Staff asked that the plan more clearly indicate the proposed curbing, paved areas and landscaped areas. Staff asked if the site would be staffed. Staff asked who owned the property; that there were conflicting names in the application. Public Works and Landscape Comments were discussed. Mr. McGetrick stated he would look at reversing the driveway directions and would meet with the applicant and staff to discuss the street widening requirement. He stated this would address the landscape issues. Mr. McGetrick was advised to submit responses to staff issues no later than Wednesday, June 15, 2011. The Committee forwarded the item to the full Commission. K, August 11, 2011 ITEM NO.: B {Cont_ STAFF ANALYSIS: FILE NO.: Z-8671 A conditional use permit is requested to allow for construction of an automatic car wash facility on the vacant, C-3 zoned lot located at 11400 West Markham. The lot is asphalt -paved from property line to property line and apparently; the lot was at one time used in conjunction with an automobile sales business that was located on the adjacent C-4 zoned property. Access to this lot is via a shared driveway within an access easement. There is no separate, direct access to Markham Street. A billboard is located on the southeast corner of the lot. The billboard will remain. The proposed development will consist of a 1,700 square foot, one-story, "tunnel -type", automatic car wash building and three (3), two-sided vacuum islands. Existing asphalt will be removed in several areas to accommodate landscape improvements. Signage will comply with that allowed in commercial zones; a single ground -mounted sign on the Markham frontage and possible wall signage on the south fagade of the building, facing Markham Street. The site will be open 7 days a week, from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The site will be staffed by one hourly attendant and one manager during all hours of operation. No new fencing is indicated. The applicant did submit a revised site plan and responses to issues raised at Subdivision Committee. Lighting locations have been indicated. Areas of asphalt to be removed and driveway curbing are now shown. The single access point is near the north perimeter of the site, away from Markham Street. An affidavit has been provided from the current property owners. The landscape strip indicated along the north perimeter of the site is five (5) feet in width. It needs to be widened to nine (9) feet to comply with Landscape Ordinance requirements. There is sufficient space on the site to make this change. The applicant has indicated he will make the required improvements to West Markham Street. To staff's knowledge, there are no outstanding issues. The use appears appropriate for this site. The bill of assurance for the subdivision does not address use 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. [H