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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-9223 Staff AnalysisJUNE 26, 2017 ITEM NO.: 5 File No.: Owner: Applicant: Address: Description: Zoned: Z-9223 Gateway Properties of Little Rock, AR, LLC Bear Davidson, Marlar Engineering Co., Inc. 6201 Patterson Road East side of Patterson Street, North of W. 65th Street N Variance Requested: A variance is requested from the buffer provisions of Section 36-522 to allow a building addition with a reduced street buffer. Justification: The applicant's justification is presented in an attached letter. Present Use of Property: Tire Distribution Proposed Use of Property: Tire Distribution STAFF REPORT A. Public Works Issues: 1. The proposed south driveway is not a part of this variance application and is not being reviewed by staff for comments to Board of Adjustments. A separate variance is required to be obtained from the Board of Directors for the driveway location. 2. No. Comment on Street buffer. B. Landscape and Buffer Issues: Site plan must comply with the City's minimal landscape/buffer ordinance requirements. Screening requirements will need to be met for the vehicular use areas adjacent to street right-of-ways. Provide screening shrubs with an average linear spacing of not less than three (3) feet within the required landscape area. Provide trees with an average linear spacing of not less than thirty (30) feet. A perimeter planting strip is required along any side of a vehicular use area that abuts adjoining property or the right-of-way of any street. 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. JUNE 26, 2017 ITEM NO.: 5 ICON'T.l rFA For parking areas with twelve or more spaces eight percent (8%) of the vehicular use area must be designated for green space; this green space needs to be evenly distributed throughout the parking area(s). The minimum size of an interior landscape area shall be one hundred fifty (150) square feet for developments with one hundred fifty (150) or fewer parking spaces. Trees shall be included in the interior landscape areas at the rate of one (1) tree for every twelve (12) parking spaces. Building landscape areas shall be provided between the vehicular use area used for public parking and the general vicinity of the building. These shall be provided at the rate equivalent to planter strip three (3) feet wide along the vehicular use area. One (1) tree and four (4) shrubs shall be planted in the building landscape areas for each forty (40) linear feet of vehicular use area abutting the building. An automatic irrigation system to water landscaped areas shall be required for developments for one (1) acre or larger. The development of two (2) acres or more requires the landscape plan to be stamped with the seal of a Registered Landscape Architect. 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 1-2 zoned property located at 6201 Patterson Road is occupied by a one-story office/warehouse commercial structure. The property is located on the east side of Patterson Road, north of W. 65t" Street. A paved parking lot is located between the building and Patterson Road. Two (2) driveways from Patterson Road serve the property. A new building addition is in the process of being constructed within the south half of the property. The new addition will be a one-story addition to the existing office/warehouse structure, as noted on the attached site plan. Paved parking and drive areas will be located along the west and south sides of the new building addition. A new driveway from Patterson Road will be located at the southwest corner of the property. The applicant is proposing a 25 foot street buffer along the Patterson Road frontage. Section 36-522(b)(4)b. of the City's Zoning Ordinance requires a minimum street buffer width of 50 feet for this 1-2 zoned lot. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to allow the reduced street buffer. P JUNE 26, 2017 ITEM NO.: 5 (CON'T.) Z-9223 Staff is supportive of the requested buffer variance. Staff views the request as reasonable. The applicant is requesting the reduced street buffer width to allow extra space for large truck maneuvering and parking between the building and the front (west) property line. The new building will have truck access doors along the building's west fagade. The proposed 25 foot wide street buffer will be equal to or greater than many other street buffers along Patterson Road to the north and south, within this industrial district. The 25 foot wide street buffer will be required to be landscaped as per City code. Staff believes the proposed reduced buffer will have no adverse impact on the adjacent properties or the general area. D. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the requested variance for reduced street buffer, subject to compliance with 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. 3. The street buffer area must be landscaped as per City code. BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT (June 26, 2017) 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 4 ayes, 0 noes and 1 absent. 3