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HomeMy WebLinkAboutS-1231 Staff AnalysisJanuary 21, 1999 ITEM NO.: 12 FILE NO.: S-1231 NAME: Office Max - Subdivision Site Plan Review LOCATION: South side of Chenal Parkway, between Gamble and Atkins Roads DEVELOPER: Realm Realty 900 Town & Country Ln., Suite 210 Houston, TX 77024 ENGINEER• White-Daters and Associates 401 S. Victory Street Little Rock, AR 72201 AREA: 5.5 acres NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 FT. NEW STREET: 0 ZONING: C-3 ALLOWED USES: General Commercial PROPOSED USE: General Commercial VARIANCES WAIVERS REQUESTED: Variance from the ordinance requirement for minimum number of parking spaces. BACKGROUND: A building permit was recently issued (September 1998) for this site which included construction of a single commercial building and associated parking area. The building permit was issued for the 23,492 square foot Office Max portion of the commercial building shown on the attached site plan and 118 parking spaces within this eastern section of the property. It was noted on the site plan that there would be a future building addition(s) to the Office Max building and additional parking. The building permit included an approved landscape plan for this eastern section of the property. The applicant has applied for a site plan review based on the fact that in addition to the building additions to the Office Max building, the applicant is proposing a second building (a 3,682 square foot restaurant building) near the northwest corner of the property. The second building triggers the requirement for site plan review. January 21, 1999 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 12 (Cont.) FILE NO.: 5-12.31 A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST: The applicant proposes to construct a 39,000 square foot retail addition to the Office Max building and a separate 3,682 square foot restaurant building at the northwest corner of the property. The restaurant will have a drive- thru located on the north and west sides of the building. The applicant is also proposing to construct a retaining wall along a portion of the south and west property lines. The retaining wall will run approximately 250 feet east and approximately 130 feet north from near the southwest corner of the property. The tallest point of the wall will be approximately 14.5 feet at the southwest corner of the property. The wall will decrease in height running north and east to the natural grade of the land. The site will have a single access point from Gamble Road, one access point from West Markham Street and a shared access drive from Chenal Parkway. The applicant has submitted a written reciprocal access easement agreement between the two property owners (Office Max property and Bank of the Ozarks) which was recorded in 1997 for the shared Chenal Parkway access. The applicant is proposing a total of 266 parking spaces for the site. This is 29 spaces short of the minimum ordinance requirement of 295 spaces. The applicant is requesting a variance for the reduced number of parking spaces. The applicant submitted a parking study which was done in 1998 by Urban Systems, Inc., New Orleans, LA. The parking study determined the parking demand for the typical Office Max development. The study found that the typical Office Max required one (1) parking space per 285 square feet of floor area. That translates to 22 fewer spaces than what the city of Little Rock Ordinance requires for the Office Max portion (23,492 square feet) of this development. Based on the parking study submitted, staff will support the parking variance as requested. However, none of the additional 39,000 square feet of the large commercial building should be used for a restaurant/food'service type use. The applicant is also proposing to abandon the section of undeveloped Atkins Road right-of-way which abuts this property on the east side. Public Works has indicated support of the proposed abandonment. 2 January 21, 1999 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 12(Cont.)FILE NO.: 5-1231 B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: As noted previously, a building permit has been issued for this site. The Office Max portion of the proposed building is almost complete. The remainder of the site has been prepared for parking areas and additional building construction. The site sits below the grade of West Markham Street and a portion of Gamble Road. The general area contains a mixture of uses and zoning. There is an auto dealership to the west across Gamble Road and a new bank office building to the east. Commercial property is located across Chenal Parkway to the north. There is a church and undeveloped 0-3 zoned property (Item #13 on this agenda) to the south across West Markham Street. C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: The Parkway Place and Gibralter Heights/Point West/Timber Ridge Neighborhood Associations were notified of the public hearing. As of this writing, staff has spoken with one (1) person who expressed concerns regarding the development. D. ENGINEERING COMMENTS: PUBLIC WORKS CONDITIONS: 1. Property frontage needs to have the sidewalks and ramps brought up to the current ADA standards. (4 foot minimum from back to curb, and on property line along Chenal). Ramps as shown do not conform to City Standards. 2. Repair or replace any curb and gutter or sidewalk that is damaged in the public right-of-way prior to occupancy. 3. Plans of all work in right-of-way shall be submitted for approval prior to start of work. 4. West Markham and Gamble are listed on the Master Street Plan as collector streets. Dedicate right-of-way to 30 feet from centerline. 5. Chenal Parkway is listed on the Master Street Plan as principal arterial. Dedicate right-of-way to 60, from centerline. 6. A 20 feet radial dedication of right-of-way is required at the corner of Markham and Gamble. 7. Close unused right-of-way on East side of Office Max prior to building permit. 8. Stormwater detention ordinance applies to this property. 9. Easements for proposed storm drainage are required. 10. A Sketch Grading and Drainage Plan -per Sec. 29-186(e) is required. Show cut and terracing plan for west and south property line. 3 January 21, 1999 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO. 12 (Cont.) FILE NO.: 9-1231 11. A Grading Permit per Sec. 29-186(c) and (d) is required. 12. 40, is maximum width of driveways; 25' from property line. E. UTILITIES AND FIRE DEPARTMENTICOONTY PLANNING: Wastewater: Sewer available on site, not adversely affected. AP&L: No Comment received. ARKLA: No Comment received. Southwestern Bell: No Comment. Water: No Comment. Fire Department: Place fire hydrants per code. Contact Dennis Free at 918-3752 for details. County Plannincr: No Comment received. CATA: No Comment received. F. ISSUE_SLTECHNICAL/DESIGN: Planning Division: No Comment. Landscape Issues: Areas set aside for buffers and landscaping meet with ordinance requirements. G. ANALYSIS• The applicant submitted a revised site plan to staff on January 6, 1999. The applicant also submitted a copy of the written reciprocal access easement agreement between this property owner and the Bank of the Ozarks (property owner to the east). This was addressed in paragraph A of this request. The applicant also submitted the parking study by Urban Systems, Inc., also discussed in paragraph A. The proposed site is located within the Chenal/Financial Center Design Overlay District. Signage, site lighting and utilities must conform to the following DOD requirements: 1. Ground -mounted sign must be "monument" type with a maximum height of 8 feet and a maximum area of 100 square feet. 2. Parking lot lighting must be directed to the parking areas and not reflected to adjacent property. 3. No overhead utilities shall be constructed within 100 feet of the Chenal Parkway right-of-way. 4 January 21, 1999 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 12 (Cont.) FILE NO.: 5-1231 As discussed at the Subdivision Committee meeting, the applicant will be required to plant one (1) evergreen tree every 20 feet along the south and west property lines to help screen the building in the areas where the building is below the grade of the streets (W. Markham Street and Gamble Road). The applicant will also be required to plant evergreen trees at the southeast corner of Chenal Parkway and Gamble Road where several small evergreen trees were removed during site preparation. The applicant will work with Bob Brown, Site Plan Review Specialist, regarding the placement. Staff feels that the development issues associated with this site plan have been adequately addressed. The proposed site plan should have no adverse effect on the general area. H. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends approval of the site plan subject to the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the requirements as noted in paragraphs D and E of this report. 2. Signage, site lighting and utilities must conform to the Chenal/Financial Center DOD as noted in paragraph G. 3. Staff recommends approval of the parking variance as noted in paragraph A. 4. Staff also recommends approval of the requested Atkins Road right-of-way abandonment. 5. The evergreen trees must be replanted at the southeast corner of Chenal Parkway and Gamble Road as noted in paragraph G. 6. Evergreen trees (1 every 20 feet) must be planted along the south and west property lines where the proposed commercial building is below the grade of west Markham Street and Gamble Road. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (DECEMBER 30, 1998) Joe White was present, representing the application. Staff gave a brief description of the site plan. Staff noted that any proposed dumpster locations should be shown on a revised site plan. Staff also noted that the number of proposed parking spaces falls 29 spaces short of the minimum ordinance requirement. Mr. White stated that he felt the number of proposed parking spaces will be sufficient for the development based on the fact that a large percentage of the Office Max building will be warehouse space. Staff also noted that the property owner and the property owner to the east should reach a written access agreement for the �I January 21, 1999 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: 12 (Cont.) FILE NO.: 5-1231 shared Chenal Parkway access. Mr. White indicated that an access agreement had already been reached and that he would provide a copy to staff. The Public Works requirements were briefly reviewed with the Committee. It was noted that the Atkins Road right-of-way adjacent to this property would need to be abandoned. Bob Brown, Site Plan Review Specialist, stated that one (1) evergreen tree every 20 feet would be required along the south and west property lines to help screen the building, due to the fact that the building will be below the grade of the street. Mr. Brown also noted that there were several small evergreen trees at the southeast corner of Gamble Road and Chenal Parkway which were removed and needed to be replaced. There being no further issues for discussion, the Committee forwarded the site plan to the full Commission for final action. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JANUARY 21, 1999) Staff presented a positive recommendation on this application, as there were no further issues for resolution. There were no objectors to this matter. The Chairman placed the item before the Commission for inclusion within the Consent Agenda for approval as recommended by staff. A motion to that effect was made. The motion passed by a vote of 11 ayes and 0 nays. 6