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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-8732 Staff AnalysisDECEMBER 19, 2011 ITEM NO.: 2 File No.: Z-8732 Owner: Centennial Bank/2610 Acres, LLC Applicant: Jason Eby, Ace Signs of Arkansas Address: 11935 Interstate 30 Description: East side of 1-30, north of Otter Creek South Road Zoned: 1-2 Variance Requested: A variance is requested from the paving provisions of Section 36- 508 to allow a gravel vehicular use area. Justification: The applicant's justification is presented in an attached letter. Present Use of Property: Undeveloped Proposed Use of Property: Sign Company STAFF REPORT A. Public Works Issues: No Comment B. Landscape and Buffer Issues: Site plan must comply with the City's Landscape and Buffer Ordinance requirements, and a 30 foot wide interstate buffer must be maintained along the 1-30 frontage road (front) property line. C. Staff Analysis: The 1-2 zoned property at 11935 Interstate 30 is currently undeveloped and mostly tree -covered. The property is located along the eastern side of 1-30, approximately 350 feet north of Otter Creek South Road. The property is comprised of 3.0935 acres. There is a small 60 foot wide pipe stem at the southeast corner of the property which abuts Otter Creek South Road. The applicant is proposing to develop the property for a sign company, "Ace Signs of Arkansas". The proposed development will include a 25, 200 square foot building located within the west half of the property, as noted on the attached site plan. DECEMBER 19, 2011 ITEM NO.: 2 (CON'T. Paved parking will be located on the west side of the building with an access drive from the 1-30 frontage road at the northwest corner of the property. The applicant is also proposing a gravel equipment yard within the east half of the property, with a gravel access driveway within the pipe stem from Otter Creek South Road. The gravel equipment yard will be fenced with eight (8) foot high black vinyl -coated chain link fencing. A gate will be located at the north end of the proposed gravel access driveway. The applicant is requesting the use of gravel within the east portion of the property due to the fact that large, heavy equipment will be parking/maneuvering within this area. Section 36-508 of the City's Zoning Ordinance requires that all vehicular use areas be paved where subject to wheeled traffic. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance from this ordinance requirement to allow the gravel vehicular use area. Staff is not supportive of the requested variance, as filed. Staff has no issues with the proposed gravel equipment yard area. This area will be located behind the building and have very little, if any, visibility from the adjacent streets. Gravel use within this area will be similar in nature to other uses which involve heavy equipment along 1-30. However, Staff does not support the gravel access driveway from Otter Creek South Road. All of the other access drives to properties along Otter Creek South Road are concreted or paved. This includes businesses which utilize large, heavy trucks, such as the "Watkins" warehouse along the south side of the roadway. The driveway from Otter Creek South Road will be used for heavy equipment to access the property and not for maneuvering of the equipment, backing/turning, back -and -forth movements which would damage a paved surface. Staff could support the application if the access driveway from Otter Creek South Road were paved for a distance of 170 feet from the Otter Creek South Road right-of-way. D. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends denial of the pavement variance, as filed. BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT: (December 19, 2011) The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. Staff informed the Board that the applicant had revised the application and agreed to pave the access driveway from Otter Creek South Road for a distance of approximately 170 feet to the gravel equipment yard. Staff recommended approval of the revised application, subject to the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the City's Landscape and Buffer Ordinances. 2. Any outside storage must be screened as per code requirements. 3. The gravel equipment yard area must be hard -packed in a manner that does not result in the creation of dust, mud, silt or standing water. DECEMBER 19, 2011 ITEM NO.: 2R(CON'T) T _ Staff noted that the Landscape and Buffer comments under Paragraph B. of the staff report would read as follows: 19 Site plan must comply with the City's Landscape and Buffer Ordinance requirements, and a 30 foot wide interstate buffer must be maintained along the 1-30 frontage road (front) property line. The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and approved, as revised and recommended by staff, with a vote of 4 ayes, 0 nays and 1 absent.