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HomeMy WebLinkAboutS-1585 Staff AnalysisAugust 30, 2007 ITEM NO.: 7 FILE NO.: S-1585 NAME: L. M. Glasfiber Subdivision — Site Plan Review LOCATION: South side of Lindsey Road, east of Fourche Dam Pike DEVELOPER- L. M. Glasfiber c/o CPQP International 105 Shore Vista Lane Greer, SC 29651 ENGINEER: Garver Engineers 1010 Battery Street Little Rock, AR 72202 AREA: 135 acres NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 FT. NEW STREET: 0 LF ZONING: 1-3 ALLOWED USES: Heavy Industrial PROPOSED USE: Manufacture of wind turbine blades VARIANCES/WAIVERS REQUESTED: Height variance to allow height of 65 feet A. PROPOSAUREQUEST: L. M. Glasfiber is proposing the multi -phased development of a facility for the manufacture and distribution of wind turbine blades on this 1-3 zoned, 135± acre tract. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The site is located within the Little Rock Port Authority Industrial District. Surrounding properties are zoned 1-3 and contain a variety of manufacturing and heavy industrial uses. This site is currently undeveloped. The property has frontage on Lindsey Road and Frazier Pike with access to rail, interstate and the slackwater harbor. August 30, 2007 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.) _ FILE NO.: S-1585 C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: All property owners located within 200 feet of the site and the Hermitage Neighborhood Association were notified of the proposal. As of this writing, staff has received no comments. D. ENGINEERING COMMENTS: PUBLIC WORKS CONDITIONS: A grading permit in accordance with Section 29-186(c) and (d) will be required prior to any land clearing or grading activities at the site. Site grading, and drainage plans will need to be submitted and approved prior to the start of construction. 2. Since the property is in the Little Rock Port Authority, storm water detention will not apply to the proposed development. 3. If disturbed area is one or more acres, obtain a NPDES storm water permit from the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality prior to the start of construction. E. UTILITIES AND FIRE DEPARTMENT/COUNTY PLANNING: Wastewater: Sewer available to this property. Entergy: No comments received. Center -Point Energy: No comments received. AT & T: No comments received. Central Arkansas Water: All Central Arkansas Water requirements in effect at the time of request for water service must be met. The facilities on -site will be private. When meters are planned off private lines, private facilities shall be installed to Central Arkansas Water's material and construction specifications and installation will be inspected by an engineer, licensed to practice in the State of Arkansas. Execution of Customer Owned Line Agreement with Central Arkansas Water is required. Central Arkansas Water will assess a Capital Investment Charge based on the size of connection(s) will apply to this project in addition to normal charges. This fee will apply to all connections including metered connections off the private fire system. 16 August 30, 2007 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont. F. W FILE NO.: S-1585 When available the developer should supply Central Arkansas Water with information regarding the required process and domestic water requirements (per day and maximum per minute) and the maximum fire flow requirements (maximum per minute and duration). It is not known whether this development will have significant impact on the existing Central Arkansas Water distribution system. Proposed water facilities will be sized to provide adequate pressure and fire protection. Fire Department: Approved as submitted. County Planning: No Comments. CATA: The site is not directly located on a CATA bus route. A bus route is located just west of the site, along Fourche Dam Pike. ISSUES/TECHNICAL/DESIGN: Planning Division Landscape: No Comments. 1. Compliance with the City's Landscape and Buffer Ordinances is required. 2. A fifty. (50) foot deep landscaped buffer is required along the perimeters of both street frontages. 3. A nine (9) foot wide perimeter landscape strip is required within the front yard setback of both streets. 4. Interior landscape islands and building landscape areas are required in conjunction with the parking lots. 5. All landscape areas are to be irrigated and landscape plans must be stamped with the seal of a registered landscape architect. 6. Landscape planting details are available in Chapter 15 of the Code of Ordinances. 7. Dumpsters and trash containment areas must be screened. Screening is to exceed the height of the dumpsters and trash containment areas by at least two (2) feet. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (AUGUST 9, 2007) Mr. Troel Thomson was present representing L. M. Glasfiber. Staff presented the item and noted little additional information was needed. Public Works, Landscape and Utility Comments were noted. Staff informed the Committee that K August 30, 2007 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont. FILE NO.: S-1585 detailed site development plans would be submitted at the time of building permit. Staff asked the applicant to provide building heights. Staff also commented that vehicular use areas would need to be paved and signage would have to comply with Industrial District standards. The Committee determined there were no other issues and forwarded the item to the full Commission. H. ANALYSIS: L. M. Glasfiber, a Denmark -based windmill blade manufacturer, proposes the multiphased development of facilities for the manufacture and distribution of wind turbine blades on this 1-3 zoned, 135 acre tract. The property is located in the Little Rock Port Industrial Park. The proposed development is anticipated to be constructed in four phases consisting of multiple manufacturing buildings, administrative facilities, warehousing, a repair workshop and a training facility. The company seeks to employ close to 500 employees by the end of the first phase of the project and will expand to 1,000 employees as the subsequent phases develop. The site will contain vehicular parking for 1,000 vehicles, with primary vehicular access being off of Frazier Pike. Truck access will be off of Frazier Pike and Lindsey Road. A portion of the site will be used for exterior storage of the finished product awaiting shipment. Transport options include interstate, rail and barge. It is anticipated that the buildings and stacks will have a height of 65 feet, slightly taller than the 60 feet allowed in 1-3. This minor height variance is negligible due to the size of the site. Due to the scale of the project, the minutia of site plan details are not readily evident. Detailed site development plans will be submitted at the time of building permit. The site plan is sufficient to determine that the project does comply with ordinance standards for development of the site. Building setbacks and parking numbers exceed ordinance minimums. There is sufficient area on the site to provide the ordinance required landscaping. No screening or buffering is required, other than street buffer, since the surrounding properties are also zoned 1-3. To staff's knowledge, there are no outstanding issues. 12 August 30, 2007 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.) FILE NO.: S-1585 I. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends approval of the proposed site plan subject to compliance with the comments and conditions outlined in Sections D, E and F of the agenda staff report. Staff recommends approved of the height variance request subject to approval by the Airport Commission. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (AUGUST 30, 2007) 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 staff. The vote was 9 ayes, 0 noes, 1 absent and 1 open position. 5