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Home My WebLink AboutS-1538-D-1 Staff AnalysisITEM NO.: 3, S-1538-❑ NAME: Otter Creek Travel Center Subdivision Site Plan Review LOCATION: located on the Northeast corner of 1-30 and Otter Creek Road Planning Staff Comments: 1. Provide notification of property owners located within 200-feet of the site, complete with the certified abstract list, notice form with affidavit executed and proof of mailing. The notice must be mailed no later than September 21, 2011. The Office of Planning and Development must receive the proof of notice no later than September 30, 2011. 2. Provide the dimensions of the convenience store as well as the tire center. Provide the total height and the total length of the building to determine the percentage of signage being requested on the various facades. 3. Staff has concerns with the amount of signage being requested for the development. Variance/Waivers: A variance from Section 36-555 to allow building signage greater than signage allowed per the code. A variance from Section 36-557 to allow signage without public street frontage. The site plan was not routed for comment from the various City departments and utility companies since the request is strictly for signage. Revised plat/plan: Submit four (4) copies of a revised preliminary plat/plan (to include the additional information as noted above) to staff on Wednesday, September 21, 2011. Item # 3. October 6, 2011 ITEM NO.: 3 NAME: Otter Creek Travel Center Subdivision Site Plan Review LOCATION: Located on the Northeast corner of 1-30 and Otter Creek Road DEVELOPER: Hills Outdoor Specialists 211 10th Street SW Watertown, SD 57201 ENGINEER: McGetrick and McGetrick Engineers 10 Otter Creek Court, Suite A Little Rock, AR 72210 AREA: 9.05 acres CURRENT ZONING PLANNING DISTRICT: CENSUS TRACT NUMBER OF LOTS C-4, Open Display Zoning District 16—Otter Creek 41.03 VARIANCES/WAIVERS REQUESTED: A variance building signage greater than signage allowed per the 36-557 to allow signage without public street frontage. BACKGROUND: S-1538-D FT. NEW STREET: 0 LF from Section 36-555 to allow code. A variance from Section On April 8, 2010, the Little Rock Planning Commission approved a Subdivision Site Plan Review for this site. The approval allowed the development of 9± acres as a travel center. The property was zoned C-4, Open Display District. The travel center was proposed as a truck stop serving large trucks as well as automobiles. The travel center would operate 24-hours per day 7-days per week. The store was proposed with 9,500 square feet. There were two (2) fueling canopies; one for automobiles (gas) and the other for trucks (diesel). The signage approved was consistent with signage allowed in commercial zones or a maximum of 36-feet in height and 160-square feet in area. Building signage was also to comply with signage allowed in commercial zones or a maximum of ten percent of the facade on the facades abutting a public street. October 6, 2011 SUBDIVISION TEM NO.: 3 (Cont.) FILE NO.: S-1538-D A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST/APPLICANTS STATEMENT: The request is now to allow the placement of additional signage on the western facades of the building and on the canopies over the fueling stations. The height of the directional signage is also proposed in excess of the height and total square footage typically allowed per the zoning ordinance. The fuel canopies will contain the Love's logo, which is 23.39 square feet on each of the four (4) elevations of the gas canopy, and the Loves logo containing 23.39 square feet on the west and south elevations of the diesel canopy. The four (4) directional signs are proposed 71" high, 18.5 square feet in area. The two (2) Hardee's directional signs are 66' high and 4.63 square feet in area. The applicant has indicated the increased size and height will increase recognition to safely direct automobiles and semi trucks to the proper location within the travel center. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The travel center is currently under construction. Otter Creek Road is located along the southern boundary and the 1-30 Frontage Road is located along the eastern boundary. There is a traffic signal located at the 1-30 Frontage Road and Otter Creek Road. To the north and northwest there is a floodway, currently zoned OS. Other uses in the area include a large trucking firm, CAL -ARK, located to the south of the site across Otter Creek Road. Across 1-30 there is a large regional hospital facility, a hotel, and a number of office uses, accessed from Mabelvale West. C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: As of this writing, staff has received an informational phone call from an area property owner's representative. All property owners located within 200-feet of the site and Southwest Little Rock United for Progress were notified of the public hearing. D. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENTS (September 15, 2011) Mr. Pat McGetrick of McGetrick and McGetrick Engineers was present representing the developers. Staff stated the request was to allow additional signage on the Love's Travel Center, which was currently under construction. Staff stated they were working with the sign company to obtain all necessary information to complete the review process. The Committee determined there were no other issues and forwarded the item to the full Commission. 2 October 6, 2011 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 3 (Cont. E. ANALYSIS: FILE NO.: S-1 There were no outstanding technical issues associated with the request in need of addressing related to the site plan. The applicant has provided staff with the dimensions of the building to aid in calculation of the proposed building signage. The following table indicates the square footage for the various facades of the building. In addition to the request for additional building signage the applicant is requesting an increase in the total height and sign area of the directional signs and the placement of signage on the fuel canopies, some of which are located without public street frontage. Sign sq ft. Building Percentage BUILDING SIGNS: East Elevation 64" x 8' LOVE'S HEART & 5' 8" LOVE'S LETTERS 176.28 Natural Resources Dr 4' x 5' ECHO HEART 20.00 24" SUBWAY CHANNEL LETTERS 21.56 37 3/4" X 12' 2" HARDEES 44.36 262.20 West Elevation Panaflex Love's & Heart — Without Street frontage 10.06 South Elevation 37 3/4" X 12' 2" HARDEES 44.36 Otter Creek Road BUILDING SIGNS: 578.82 TRUCK TIRE CARE SIGNS: East Elevation 64" X 5' 4 1/2" LOVE'S TRUCK TIRE CARE 34.05 Tx 5' 1/2" OPEN 24 HOUR 15.13 2' X 61/2" MICHELIN SIGN 12.08 TX 61/2" BF GOODRICH 12.08 TX 61/2" YOKOHAMA 12.08 85.42 South Elevation 64" X T 4 1/2" LOVE'S TRUCK TIRE CARE 34.05 34.05 TRUCK TIRE CARE SIGNS: 119.47 2,738 9.58% 1,451 0.69% 1,422 3.12% 1,195 7.15% 376 9.06% The east elevation fronts Gateway Parkway and the south elevation fronts Otter Creek Road. The west elevation does not have public street frontage. The applicant is requesting to place a sign containing 10.06 square feet or 0.69 percent of the facade area on the western facade. This requires a variance from the sign ordinance to allow signage without public street frontage. 3 October 6, 2011 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 3 FILE NO.: S-1538-D The fuel canopies are proposed containing the Love's logo and are 23.39 square feet on each of the four (4) elevations of the gas canopy and the Love's logo containing 23.39 square feet on the west and south elevations of the diesel canopy. On the fuel canopy the north and west sides do not have public street frontage. Staff is supportive of allowing the signage on the fuel canopy on the south elevation, which is without public street frontage. Staff is not supportive of allowing the signage on the western fagade of the fuel canopy or on the eastern fagade of the diesel canopy. These canopies are located facing the building and staff feels they are not necessary to identify the business. The four (4) directional signs are proposed 7'1" high, 18.5 square feet in area. The two (2) Hardee's directional signs are 56" high and 4.63 square feet in area. The ordinance typically allows the placement of two directional/informational signs per lot, not to exceed four square feet in sign area or six feet in height. Although the signage is larger than typically allowed and the applicant is requesting more signs than typically allowed staff does not feel this will negatively impact the development. The Travel Center directional signs are proposed at the entrances along the streets. The Hardee's signs are located within the parking lot to direct customers to the drive -through window. Staff is supportive of the directional signage as proposed. Due to the nature of the business and the high probability of out of town/state traffic staff feels the increased height and the additional signage will aid in directing traffic through the site and assist in directing the semi truck and automobile traffic. To staffs knowledge there are no remaining outstanding technical issues associated with the request. Staff is generally supportive of the applicant's signage plan but does not support the placement of the signage on the two fueling areas, which are internal to the building. F. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends denial of the request as filed. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (OCTOBER 6, 2011) The applicant was present. There were no registered objectors present. Staff presented the item stating based on staff's concerns identified in the staff write-up related to the proposed signage plan the applicant had agreed to forgo the Love's logos on the western fagade of the gas canopy and the eastern fagade of the diesel canopy. Staff stated based on the elimination of these two signs staff was now supportive of the applicant's request. Staff presented a recommendation of approval of the proposed M October 6, 2011 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 3 (Cont. FILE NO.: S-1538-D plan to allow signage on the western fagade of the building containing 10.06 square feet and was located without public street frontage. Staff stated they were supportive of the directional signage which had an increase in sign area and staff was supportive of the sign on the gas canopy located on the southern elevation which did not have public street frontage. There was no further discussion of the item. The chair entertained a motion for approval of the item on the consent agenda as presented by staff. The motion carried by a vote of 9 ayes, 0 noes and 2 absent. 5