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HomeMy WebLinkAboutS-1650 Staff AnalysisApril 8, 2010 ITEM NO.: 6 NAME: AEDD Subdivision Site Plan Review LOCATION: Located at 105 East Roosevelt Road DEVELOPER: Arkansas Enterprise for the Development Disabled (AEDD) 105 East Roosevelt Road Little Rock, AR 72206 ENGINEER: Thomas Engineering 3810 Lookout Road North Little Rock, AR 72116 ARCHITECT: Taggart Foster Currence Gray 4500 Burrow Drive North Little Rock, AR 72116 AREA: 1.165 acres CURRENT ZONING PLANNING DISTRICT CENSUS TRACT NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 C-3, General Commercial District 8 — Central City 61 VARIANCESIWAIVERS REQUESTED: FILE NO.: S-1650 FT. NEW STREET: 0 LF 1. A variance from Section 36-502 to allow parking at a lesser rate than typically required per the office zoning district. 2. A variance from the Land Alteration Ordinance to allow a wall height exceeding the typical ordinance standard. April 8, 2010 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 6 (Cont.) FILE NO.: S-1650 A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST/APPLICANT'S STATEMENT: The scope of the project consists the addition of a new 9,000 square foot office/multi-purpose building located on the same property site of AEDD's existing office building which contains approximately 5,000 square feet. The new building will connect to the existing building via a covered walkway. The new building will consist of two stories of office space and a single story of multi purpose space. The main function of the multi purpose room is to support evening and weekend functions for the adult mentally disabled clients who will be transported to the site by van or bus. There are currently 13 employees housed in the existing office building and six employees will be housed in the new office building. There are twenty-four (24) parking spaces on the site. The applicant is requesting a variance to allow a reduced number of parking spaces (34 required 22 available after right of way dedication and landscaping). The ordinance typically requires the placement of one parking space per four hundred square feet of office space. Based on the existing building square footage and the new building square footage a total of 34 parking spaces is required per City code. The applicant has a verbal agreement to use the parking lot across Roosevelt Road (30 spaces) that is owned by the church next to AED❑ and the parking lot east (15 spaces) of AEDD that is owned by the free health clinic during the evening hours. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The property to the west is owned by St. John Missionary Baptist Church and the property to the south is owned by the Little Rock Housing Authority. The Housing Authority property is currently under construction for a new multi -family development which is nearing completion. Uses in the area include the health clinic, churches and residential both single-family and multi -family. Roosevelt Road is a four lane road with turn lanes at intersections. There is a sidewalk adjacent to the site. The adjacent paved area is not an alley and is serving St. John's Church by providing access to parking areas located to the south of Roosevelt Road. C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: As of this writing, staff has received a number of informational phone calls from area. residents. All property owners located within 200 feet of the site and the Community Outreach Neighborhood Association were notified of the public hearing. K April 8, 2010 SUBDIVISION ILE NO.: S-16 ITEM NO.—. D. ENGINEERING COMMENTS: PUBLIC WORKS CONDITIONS: 1, Roosevelt Road is classified on the Street enghtlan as a of -way to 35pal feetdfrom rial with special design standards. Dedication of centerline will be required. 2. Sidewalks with appropriate handicap ramps re required in MasQer Street Plan. with Section 31-175 of the Little Rock Code and the 3. Repair or replace any curb and gutter or sidewalk that is damaged in the public right-of-way prior to occupancy. 4. Plans of all work in right-of-way shall be submitted for approval prior to start of work. Obtain barricade permit prior to doing any work in the right-of-way from Traffic Engineering at (501) 379-1805 (Travis Herbner). 5. Obtain permits for improvements within State Highway right-of-way from AHTD, District VI. 6. Stormwater detention ordinance applies to this property. Show the proposed location for stormwater detention facilities on the plan. 7. Measures to control the increase in rto notrrunoff damagefrom the adjacent property.increased impervious surface should be implemented 8. Provide a Sketch Grading and Drainage ithe retaining on aheper southSection end of the (e) to show the propose height property. 9. It is suggested, the driveway along the western property line should be platted as an access easement. E. UTILITIES AND FIRE DEPARTMENTICOUNTY PLANNING: Wastewater: Sewer is available to this project. Enter : No comment received. Center -Point Ener : No comment received. AT & T: No comment received. Central Arkansas Water: All Central Arkansas Water requirements in effect at the time of request for water service must be met. The Little Rock Fire Department needs to evaluate this site to determine whether additional public and/or private fire hydrant(s) will be required. If additional fire hydrant(s) are 3 April 8, 2010 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 6 Cont. FILE NO.: S-1650 required, they will be installed at the Developer's expense. Please submit plans for water facilities and/or fire protection system to Central Arkansas Water for review. Plan revisions may be required after additional review. Contact Central Arkansas Water regarding procedures for installation of water facilities and/or fire service. Approval of plans by the Arkansas Department of Health Engineering Division and Little Rock Fire Department is required. Contact Central Arkansas Water regarding the size and location of the water meter. 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 awned Line Agreement is required. Fire Department: Place fire hydrants per code. Contact the Little Rock Fire Department for additional information. County Planning: No comment. CATA: The site is located on CATA Bus Route #6 — the Granite Mountain Route. Parks and Recreation: No comment. F. ISSUES/TECHNICAL/DESIGN: Planning Division: No comment. Landscape: 1. Site plan must comply with the City's landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. 2. The addition of the building will require full compliance with the City of Little Rock's landscape ordinance. 3. The proposed site plan reflects a parking lot encroachment from an adjoining property. A minimum landscape strip of nine feet (9) is required along the perimeters. With the construction removal of asphalt will be required to meet this requirement. A variance from this requirement must be obtained from the City Beautiful Commission prior to the issuance of a building permit. 4. The landscape ordinance requires interior landscaping equivalent to eight percent (8%) of the paved surface area. 5. An automatic irrigation system to water landscaped areas will be required. 0 April 8, 2010 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 5 Gont. FILE NO.- S-1550 G. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (March 18, 2010) The applicant was present. Staff presented an overview of the development stating the primary issues were related to landscaping and right of way dedication. Staff stated public works was requesting a right of way dedication of 35 feet from centerline. The applicant stated with the right of way dedication and the placement of the street buffer along Roosevelt Road the entire first row of parking would be eliminated. The applicant stated with the placement of the required landscape strip along the eastern and western perimeters additional parking would also be lost. The applicant stated the new construction was concentrated to the rear of the site. He requested staff allow the upgrades be completed within the area of the new construction. Public Works comments were addressed. Staff stated a sketch drainage plan was required and requested the plan include the height of the retaining wall along the southern perimeter. Staff stated the driveway along the western property line should be platted as an access easement. Planning staff questioned if a dumpster facility would be located on the site. Staff stated if a dumpster was proposed the location should be included on the plan. Staff requested the hours of dumpster service be limited to daylight hours and requested the applicant include a note on the site plan limiting the hours. Staff noted comments from the other reporting departments and agencies Suggesting the applicant contact them individually for additional clarification. There was no further discussion of the item. The Committee then forwarded the item to the full Commission for final action. H. ANALYSIS: The applicant submitted a revised site plan to staff addressing the issues raised at the March 18, 2010, Subdivision Committee meeting. The revised plan indicates landscaping, right of way dedication and the redesigned parking area. The applicant has indicated the dumpster service hours will be limited to daylight hours. The applicant has not indicated the adjacent paved drive as an access easement. The development is not proposing to take access to the drive. The applicant has indicated the placement of a retaining wall along the southeastern portion of the site. The wall ranges in height of 1'6" to 1 i'S". The ordinance typically does not allow a wall height in excess from 15 feet. The request will require a variance from the Land Alteration Ordinance to allow the increased wall height. Staff is supportive of the variance request. 5 April 8, 2010 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 6 Cont. FILE NO.: S-1650 There is an existing building on the site containing approximately 5,000 square feet. The new building contains 9,000 square feet and will be used as office space and a multi -purpose center. The new building will be located behind the existing building and will connect to the existing building via a covered walkway. The new building is proposed as two stories with a maximum height of 35-feet. The main function of the multi purpose center is to support evening and weekend functions for the adult mentally disabled clients. The applicant is requesting a variance to allow a reduced number of parking spaces. Based on the square footage for an office use there would typically be 34 parking spaces required. After right of way dedication and upgrades in the existing landscaping 22 parking spaces will be available. The applicant has a verbal agreement to use the parking lot across Roosevelt Road that is owned by the church next to AEDD, which contains 30 spaces and the parking lot east of AEDD that is owned by the free health clinic which contains 15 parking spaces during the evening hours. There are 13 employees housed in the existing office building and six (6) employees will be housed in the new office building. The clients will be transported to the site by van or bus, which will in turn lessen the demand for parking. The site plan indicates the placement of signage consistent with signage allowed in office zones. The maximum height of the sign allowed is six (6) feet and the maximum sign area is 64 square feet. All site lighting shall be low level and directed downward and into the site not over -spilling onto adjacent residentially zoned and used properties. The revised site plan indicates the placement of landscaping along the perimeters and along Roosevelt Road per the typical ordinance standard. This site is located within the designated mature area of the City, which allows for a reduction in the width of the required landscape strip to six feet nine inches (69"). The site plan indicates the placement of Leyland Cypress trees along the southern perimeter to provide screening along the southern perimeter where adjacent to residentially used property. Otherwise to staff's knowledge there are no outstanding issues associated with the request. Staff is supportive of the request. Staff feels the addition of the second building on the site and the associated parking variance should have minimal impact on the area. STAFF - RECOMMENDATI O N : Staff recommends approval of the request subject to compliance with the comments and conditions as outlined in paragraphs D, E and F of the agenda staff report. 9 April 8, 2010 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 6 (Cont.) FILE NO.: S-165 Staff recommends approval of the parking variance request to allow 22 parking spaces to serve the site. Staff recommends approval from the Land Alteration Ordinance to allow a wall height in excess of the typical ordinance standard. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (APRIL 8, 2010) The applicant was present representing the request. There were no registered objectors present. Staff presented the item with a recommendation of approval of the request subject to compliance with the comments and conditions as outlined in paragraphs D, E and F of the agenda staff report. Staff presented a recommendation of approval of the parking variance request to allow 22 parking spaces to serve the site. Staff stated the request no longer included a variance request from the Land Alteration Ordinance to allow an increased wall height for the retaining wall located on the site. Staff stated the walls would be constructed per the typical ordinance standard. There was no further discussion of the item. The Chair entertained a motion for approval of the item as presented by staff. The motion carried by a vote of 10 ayes, 0 noes and 1 absent. 7