HomeMy WebLinkAboutS-1278-B Staff AnalysisITEM NO.: 1. S-1278-B
NAME: Ranch Highlands Preliminary Plat Vacation
LOCATION: located North of Valley Ranch Drive and West of Patrick Country Road
Planning Staff Comments:
1. Provide notification of abutting property owners 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 April 23, 2008. The Office of Planning and
Development must receive the proof of notice no later than May 2, 2008.
Neiahborhood Associations Notified —
Coalition of West Little Rock Neighborhoods
No comment.
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, April 23, 2008.
Item # 1.
May 8, 2008
ITEM NO.: 1 _ FILE NO.: S-1278-B
NAME: Ranch Highlands Preliminary Plat Vacation
LOCATION: Located North of Valley Ranch Drive and West of Patrick Country Road
DEVELOPER:
Financial Centre Corporation
Mr. Ed K. Willis
P.O. Box 56350
Little Rock, AR 72211
ENGINEER:
White Daters and Associates
24 Rahling Circle
Little Rock, AR 72223
AREA: 47 + acres
CURRENT ZONING
NUMBER OF LOTS: 80 FT. NEW STREET: 5300 LF
R-2, Single-family
PLANNING DISTRICT: 20 - Pinnacle
CENSUS TRACT: 42.05
VARIANCES/WAIVERS REQUESTED: None requested.
A. BACKGROUNDIPROPOSALIREQUEST:
Ranch Highlands Addition Preliminary Plat was approved by the Little Rock Planning
Commission on May 11, 2000. The approval included the subdivision of 47 acres into
80 single-family residential lots. The approved plat established the lot layout and
street configuration to serve the subdivision. The applicant proposed the development
of the subdivision in three phases with Phase I being the construction of Valley Ranch
Drive. The residential lots were to be developed in Phases II and III. The lots were to
develop utilizing hillside development standards and were allowed to have a 15-foot
front building line. The only portion of the subdivision which as been developed is
Valley Ranch Drive.
May 8, 2008
SUBDIVISION
ITEM NO.: 1 (Cont.) FILE NO.: S-1278-B
The applicant is seeking a vacation of the previously approved preliminary plat for
Phases II and III, which have not been final platted. These phases were previously
indicated as Lots 1 — 80 of the Ranch Highlands Preliminary Plat. The applicant was
recently approved a rezoning for property located to the south of this site and a
condition was placed on the rezoning request to 1) file an amendment to the City's
Future Land Use Plan and 2) request a vacation of this single-family plat. The first
condition has been met with an amendment to the City's Future Land Use Plan being
approved by the Board of Directors on April 1, 2008. The request allows for
compliance with the second condition of the zoning.
B. EXISTING CONDITIONS:
The property is undeveloped and heavily wooded, with varying degrees of slope.
There is a large amount of undeveloped property in the general area located to the
north of Valley Ranch Drive. New office uses are being constructed to the south of the
site accessed from Valley Ranch Drive. Valley Ranch Drive has been constructed
extending from Cantrell Road but has not been connected to Patrick Country Road.
C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS:
As of this writing, staff has not received any comment from area property owners. All
abutting property owners and the Coalition of West Little Rock Neighborhoods were
notified of the Public Hearing.
D. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (April 17, 2008)
Staff stated the applicant was seeking a vacation of a previously approved preliminary
plat for the site. Staff stated the vacation was a condition of the recently approved
zoning for an area to the south of this site.. There was no further discussion of the
item. The Committee then forwarded the item to the full Commission for final action.
E. ANALYSIS:
Per Section 31-11 Vacation of Plats, any plat or any part of any plat lying within the
City may be vacated by the owner at any time before the sale of any lot therein.
Vacation of a plat shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. The Board
of Directors may reject any proposed plat vacation which abridges or destroys any
public rights in any public use areas, improvements, streets or alleys. Any plat lying
outside the City limits and within the extraterritorial jurisdiction may be vacated by
action of the appropriate County authority. The owner of lands for which a request for
vacation is filed and granted shall provide the appropriate documents to the County
Recorder to carry out the vacation order. Upon recordation, such vacation shall have
the effect of divesting the public of all rights in the streets, alleys, public areas and
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May 8, 2008
SUBDIVISION
ITEM NO.: 1 _(Cont.) FILE NO.: S-1278-B
dedications laid out for describing in such plat. When lots have been sold, the plat
may be vacated in the manner established therein, provided the owners of all lots join
the plat vacation application. A preliminary plat is legal and binding on the
Commission for a period of two years as long as work is actively progressing, at the
end of which time the final plat application for the subdivision must have been
submitted to planning staff. The applicant has final platted Valley Ranch Drive which
established the preliminary plat eliminating the time limitation.
The developer is seeking vacation of Phases II and III of the proposed subdivision.
According to the developer the future use of the property as single-family is not a valid
option at this time and desires to vacate the plat. The developer is seeking a vacation
of the previously approved preliminary plat for the proposed single-family lots
maintaining the previously approved alignment for Valley Ranch Drive. On April 1,
2008, to Board of Directors approved an amendment to the Citys Future Land Use
Plan changing this area to Office and Low Density Residential and a separate action
rezoned proposed Lots 1 — 11 to 0-3, General Office District. As a condition of
approval of the rezoning request the applicant was to file a vacation request for this
single-family plat. To staffs knowledge there are no outstanding technical issues
associated with the request.
F. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff recommends approval of the vacation request of the Ranch Highlands
Preliminary Plat for the areas which have not previously been final platted and
maintaining the previously approved alignment for the extension of Valley Ranch
Drive.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (MAY 8, 2008)
The applicant was present. There were no registered objectors present. Staff presented the
item with a recommendation of approval of the vacation request of the Ranch Highlands
Preliminary Plat for the areas, which had not previously been final platted and maintaining the
previously approved alignment for the extension of Valley Ranch Drive.
There was no further discussion of the item. The commission voted to approve the item for
approval on the consent agenda by a vote of 9 ayes, 0 noes and 2 absent.
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FILE NO.: S-1278-B
NAME: Ranch Highlands Preliminary Plat Vacation
LOCATION: Located North of Valley Ranch Drive and West of Patrick Country Road
DEVELOPER:
Financial Centre Corporation
Mr. Ed K. Willis
P.O. Box 56350
Little Rock, AR 72211
ENGINEER:
White Daters and Associates
24 Rahling Circle
Little Rock, AR 72223
AREA: 47 + acres
CURRENT ZONING:
PLANNING DISTRICT:
CENSUS TRACT:
NUMBER OF LOTS: 80
R-2, Single-family
20 - Pinnacle
42.05
FT. NEW STREET: 5300 LF
VARIANCESNVAIVERS REQUESTED: None requested.
A. BACKGROUNDIPROPOSAUREQUEST:
Ranch Highlands Addition Preliminary Plat was approved by the Little Rock
Planning Commission on May 11, 2000. The approval included the subdivision
of 47 acres into 80 single-family residential lots. The approved plat established
the lot layout and street configuration to serve the subdivision. The applicant
proposed the development of the subdivision in three phases with Phase I being
the construction of Valley Ranch Drive. The residential lots were to be
developed in Phases II and III. The lots were to develop utilizing hillside
development standards and were allowed to have a 15-foot front building line.
The only portion of the subdivision which as been developed is Valley Ranch
Drive.
FILE NO.: S-1278-B (Cont.
The applicant is seeking a vacation of the previously approved preliminary plat
for Phases II and III, which have not been final platted. These phases were
previously indicated as Lots 1 — 80 of the Ranch Highlands Preliminary Plat. The
applicant was recently approved a rezoning for property located to the south of
this site and a condition was placed on the rezoning request to 1) file an
amendment to the City's Future Land Use Plan and 2) request a vacation of this
single-family plat. The first condition has been met with an amendment to the
City's Future Land Use Plan being approved by the Board of Directors on April 1,
2008. The request allows for compliance with the second condition of the
zoning.
B. EXISTING CONDITIONS:
The property is undeveloped and heavily wooded, with varying degrees of slope.
There is a large amount of undeveloped property in the general area located to
the north of Valley Ranch Drive. New office uses are being constructed to the
south of the site accessed from Valley Ranch Drive. Valley Ranch Drive has
been constructed extending from Cantrell Road but has not been connected to
Patrick Country Road.
C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS:
As of this writing, staff has not received any comment from area property owners.
All abutting property owners and the Coalition of West Little Rock Neighborhoods
were notified of the Public Hearing.
D. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (April 17, 2008)
Staff stated the applicant was seeking a vacation of a previously approved
preliminary plat for the site. Staff stated the vacation was a condition of the
recently approved zoning for an area to the south of this site. There was no
further discussion of the item. The Committee then forwarded the item to the full
Commission for final action.
E. ANALYSIS:
Per Section 31-11 Vacation of Plats, any plat or any part of any plat lying within
the City may be vacated by the owner at any time before the sale of any lot
therein. Vacation of a plat shall be subject to the approval of the Board of
Directors. The Board of Directors may reject any proposed plat vacation which
abridges or destroys any public rights in any public use areas, improvements,
streets or alleys. Any plat lying Outside the City limits and within the
extraterritorial jurisdiction may be vacated by action of the appropriate County
authority. The owner of lands for which a request for vacation is filed and
granted shall provide the appropriate documents to the County Recorder to carry
out the vacation order. Upon recordation, such vacation shall have the effect of
divesting the public of all rights in the streets, alleys, public areas and dedications
laid out for describing in such plat. When lots have been sold, the plat may be
FILE NO.: S-1278-B (Cont.
vacated in the manner established therein, provided the owners of all lots join the
plat vacation application. A preliminary plat is legal and binding on the
Commission for a period of two years as long as work is actively progressing, at
the end of which time the final plat application for the subdivision must have been
submitted to planning staff. The applicant has final platted Valley Ranch Drive
which established the preliminary plat eliminating the time limitation.
The developer is seeking vacation of Phases II and III of the proposed
subdivision. According to the developer the future use of the property as single-
family is not a valid option at this time and desires to vacate the plat. The
developer is seeking a vacation of the previously approved preliminary plat for
the proposed single-family lots maintaining the previously approved alignment for
Valley Ranch Drive. On April 1, 2008, to Board of Directors approved an
amendment to the City's Future Land Use Plan changing this area to Office and
Low Density Residential and a separate action rezoned proposed Lots 1 — 11 to
0-3, General Office District. As a condition of approval of the rezoning request
the applicant was to file a vacation request for this single-family plat. To staffs
knowledge there are no outstanding technical issues associated with the request.
F. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff recommends approval of the vacation request of the Ranch Highlands
Preliminary Plat for the areas which have not previously been final platted and
maintaining the previously approved alignment for the extension of Valley Ranch
Drive.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION:
(MAY 8, 2008)
The applicant was present. There were no registered objectors present. Staff
presented the item with a recommendation of approval of the vacation request of the
Ranch Highlands Preliminary Plat for the areas, which had not previously been final
platted and maintaining the previously approved alignment for the extension of Valley
Ranch Drive.
There was no further discussion of the item. The commission voted to approve the item
for approval on the consent agenda by a vote of 9 ayes, 0 noes and 2 absent.
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