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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-9100 Staff AnalysisJAN UARY 25, 2016 ITEM NO.: 6 File No.: Owner: Applicant: Address: Description: Zoned: Z-9100 Vibrant Hospitality, LLC Robert M. Brown, DCI 219 E. 6th Street Southwest corner of E. 6th Street and Cumberland Street UU Variance Requested: Variances are requested from the development provisions of Section 36-342.1, the sign provisions of Section 36-553 and the buffer provisions of Section 36-522 in conjunction with the development of a new hotel building and parking lot. Justification: The applicant's justification is presented in an attached letter. Present Use of Property: Parking Lots Proposed Use of Property: Hotel with Surface Parking Lot STAFF REPORT A. Public Works Issues: No Comments. B. Landscape and Buffer Issues: Site plan must comply with the Little Rock Zoning Ordinance, Sec. 36-342.1.UU urban use district and the City's minimal landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. 2. A perimeter planting strip is required along any side of a vehicular use area that abuts adjoining property. This strip shall be at least nine (9) feet wide. One (1) tree and three (3) shrubs or vines shall be planted for every thirty (30) linear feet of perimeter planting strip. The property is located in the City's designated mature area. A 25% reduction of the perimeter requirements is acceptable. A minimum 6.75 foot planting strip is required along the entirety of the north property line. Perimeter requirements are not met on east and west sides of the 7th Street driveway. JANUARY 25, 2016 ITEM NO.: 6 (CON'T.) 3. 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 preserving trees of six (6) inch caliper or larger. C. Staff Analysis: The UU zoned property at 219 E. 6th Street is currently occupied by paved parking lots. The property is located at the southwest corner of E. 6th Street and Cumberland Street. The overall property extends to Scott Street to the west and E. 7th Street to the south. The property is comprised of slightly over half of the overall block. The applicant proposes to construct a 100 room hotel building within the northeast corner portion of the overall property, as noted on the attached site plan. The proposed building will have an "L" shape, with an overall height of 66 feet. A swimming pool area will be located on the west side of the hotel building. Redesigned paved parking area (64 spaces) with interior and perimeter landscaping, will be located west and south of the hotel building. Access drives will be located along E. 6th Street, Scott Street and E. 7th Street, with the E. 7th Street drive being an exit only driveway. The proposed hotel building will have "v" shaped canopies/architectural features along its north and east sides. Areas of outdoor seating will be located under the canopy areas. Two (2) monument -style ground signs are proposed, with a maximum height of six (6) feet and a maximum area of 64 square feet. One (1) ground sign will be located at the E. 6th Street entry drive, with the second sign being located at the Scott Street entry drive. The signs will be located approximately three (3) feet inside the property lines. The applicant is requesting several variances for the proposed hotel development. The first variance is from Section 36-342.1(c)(10)b. of the City's Zoning Ordinance which states that surface parking is not to be located between a building and abutting street. The applicant is requesting the variance for the parking areas between the proposed hotel building and Scott and E. 7th Streets. The second variance requested is from Section 36-342.1(c )(11) which states that ground -mounted signs may only be allowed by the Board of Adjustment. Two (2) monument -style ground signs are proposed; at the E. 6th Street and Scott Street entry drives. The signs will have a maximum height of six (6) feet and a maximum area of 64 square feet. The third variance requested is from Section 36-553(b) which states that ground - mounted signs have a minimum setback of five (5) feet from any property line. The proposed ground signs will have a setback of approximately three (3) feet from the north and west property lines. The fourth variance is from Section 36-342.1(c )(5)b. which requires street trees in the UU zoning district, 30 feet on center between the trees, with no tree being 2 JANUARY 25, 2016 ITEM NO.: 6 (CON'T.) closer than 30 feet to an intersection. The applicant is requesting deletion of one (1) street tree along the Cumberland Street frontage due to the proposed building canopy. The applicant is also requesting deletion of street trees along the Scott Street frontage because of existing overhead power lines. The last variance is from Section 36-522(b)(3)b.3. which states that the minimum street buffer width shall be nine (9) feet. There are several places along the E. 6th Street, Scott Street and E. 7th Street frontages where the buffer area is seven (7) feet in width, widening to over nine (9) feet in width in other areas. Staff is supportive of the requested variances associated with the proposed hotel development. Staff views the request as reasonable. All of the requested variances are typical for new development within the UU zoning district. All of the variances requested are very minor nature. It is fairly typical to delete street trees where there are existing utilities or building features (awnings, etc.) proposed. With respect to the reduced street buffer widths, the reduction in width is only minimal, with the perimeter strips complying with the minimum landscape strip requirement. Additionally, the proposed ground -mounted signs will not be out of character with the area. Staff believes that the proposed hotel development with requested variances will have no adverse impact on the adjacent properties or the general area. D. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the requested variances associated with the proposed hotel development, subject to the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the Landscape requirements as noted in paragraph B. of the staff report. 2. The two (2) ground signs must be monument -style with a maximum height of six (6) feet and a maximum area of 64 square feet. BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT (January 25, 2016) The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of approval as outlined in the "staff recommendation" above. There was no further discussion. The item was placed on the consent agenda and approved as recommended by the vote of 5 ayes, 0 noes and 0 absent.