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HomeMy WebLinkAboutS-1382 Staff AnalysisDecember 19, 2002 ITEM NO.: C.1 NAME: Yelenich Long -form PCD FILE NO.: Z-4644-B LOCATION: 2000 Block of South University Avenue; on the West side DEVELOPER: Marc Yelenich 110 South Shore Drive Maumelle, AR 72113 AREA: 10+ Acre NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 CURRENT ZONING: R-2, Single-family ALLOWED USES: Single-family Residential PROPOSED ZONING: PCD ENGINEER - ETC Engineers 1510 S. Broadway Little Rock, AR 72202 FT. NEW STREET: 0 PROPOSED USE: Mini -warehouse and General Commercial (C-3 uses) VARIANCESM/AIVERS REQUESTED: None requested. BACKGROUND: An application was filed in April of 1986 for a rezoning from R-2 to C-3, with conditions, for this site. The applicant proposed the placement of an auto specialty shopping center at this location. The applicant later Withdrew the request and the property remained zoned R-2, Single-family. The Planning Commission later reviewed an application for the placement of non- traditional multi -family housing on this site on February 14, 2002. The proposed development included dormitory style housing, four bedrooms sharing a common kitchen and living area. The proposal included seven rows of structures, each separate buildings, all three stories in height, all having a six car garage on the first level and two levels of living area above. There were to be 43 buildings total. A building included December 19, 2002 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: C.1 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-4644-B eight bedroom facilities, four on the second level and four on the third level. The levels each had four bedrooms and a separate bath, which could be secured, and were to share a common open area and kitchen facility. The applicant proposed, in addition to the garage parking spaces, an additional 153 surface parking spaces along the perimeter of the property. The applicant withdrew the proposal after receiving an abundance of neighborhood opposition to the development. A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST: The applicant proposes a two lot subdivision as a part of the application. On Lot 1, the applicant proposes the placement of 90,000 square feet of self -storage, mini -warehouse. The facility will be buffered by an undisturbed and terraced area, with ground cover between retaining walls. The applicant is proposing a 2-story 2,400 square foot resident manager's office as a part of the development. The units will be ground level single story units. Approximately 25% of the units will be climate controlled units. The applicant is proposing a sign located at the entrance adjacent to South University Avenue. The sign is proposed to be a monument style sign and be approximately 5-foot by 10-foot or 50-square feet in area and have a time and temperature LED reader board. The applicant proposes to operate a truck rental leasing service from the mini -warehouse office building. Lot 2 will consist of a 22,500 square foot retail strip center with C-3 uses being requested. There will be approximately 10 individual business bays within the development, however, the interior walls will be moveable to accommodate various sizes of lease space which would affect the total number of tenants. The applicant is requested a ground mounted sign to be located on this lot as well. The sign will be located near the driveway at be approximately 10-feet by 15-feet or 150 square feet in area. The applicant is proposing a LED reader board as part of the signage. The applicant has indicated the building fagade will have sign area above each retail bay for individual tenant identification. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The site is a vacant tree covered site, which has been previously graded and somewhat leveled. The area to the east of the site is also vacant and tree covered with the area to the southeast being the UALR Cooperative Extension Service Center. Uses to the north of the site are commercial type uses such as check cashing, liquor store and restaurants. Uses to the south and west of the site are single-family residences of the Boardmoore and Point O' Woods neighborhoods. K December 19, 2002 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: C.1 (Cont. FILE NO.: Z-4644-B South University Avenue is a four lane roadway without a median break at this location. Median breaks are located to the south at Berkshire Drive and to the north at Boyle Park Road. Currently there are plans to widen South University Avenue. C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: As of this writing Staff has received several phone calls both in support and opposition of the proposal. The applicant has met with the Neighborhood Associations and the area residents prior to submission of his application. All property owners within 200 feet of the site, all residents, who could be identified, within 300 feet of the site and the Broadmoore, the University Park, the Oak Forest, the Point O' Woods, the Curran Conway and the 25 residents who signed in at an information meeting held September 23, 2002 were notified of the public hearing. D. ENGINEERING COMMENTS: PUBLIC WORKS CONDITIONS: 1. University Avenue is classified on the Master Street Plan as a principal arterial. Dedication of right-of-way to 55 feet from centerline will be required as indicated on the plans. 2. Provide design of street conforming to Master Street Plan. Construct one-half street improvement to the street including 5-foot sidewalk with planned development. This requirement will be waived if the bids have been opened for the planned University widening project prior to approval of the building permit. No new median cuts are allowed on University. 3. Obtain permits prior to doing any street cuts or curb cuts. Obtain barricade permit prior to doing any work in the right-of-way. Contact Traffic Engineering at (501) 379-1817 (Derrick Bergfield) for more information. 4. Stormwater detention ordinance applies. to this property as indicated on the plans. 5. Easements for proposed stormwater detention facilities are required. 6. A Grading Permit will be required per Section 29-186 (c) & (d). Hillside cuts must comply with the land alteration ordinance including but not limited to a 15-foot maximum cut between benches (the plan shows 17'). Cuts over 10- feet vertical must be faced with architectural stone. 3 December 19, 2002 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: CA (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-4644-B E. UTILITIES AND FIRE DEPARTMENT/COUNTY PLANNING: Wastewater: Sewer main extension required, with easements, if service is required for the project. Contact Little Rock Wastewater at 688-1414 for additional details. Enteray: No comment received. ARKLA: No comment received. Southwestern Bell: A 10-foot utility easement along the north, west and south property lines of Lot 1 and Lot 2 will be required. Water: No objection. Fire Department: Place fire hydrants per code. Contact the Little Rock Fire Department at 918-3752 for additional details. County Planning: No comment, received. CATA: Site is located on Bus Route #17, #17A and #21 and has no effect on bus radius, turnout and route. F. ISSUES/TECHNICAL/DESIGN: Planning Division: This request is located in the Boyle Park Planning District. The Land Use Plan shows Office for this property. The applicant has applied for a Planned Commercial Development to allow a mini -storage development and retail shopping. A land use plan amendment for a change to Commercial is a separate item on this agenda. (Item # 10 File No. LU02-10-06) City Recognized Neighborhood Action Plan: The applicant's property lies in an area not covered by a city recognized neighborhood action plan. Landscape Issues: The proposed land use buffer along the northern and southern perimeters are required to have an undisturbed average width of twenty-one (21) feet. This takes into consideration the transfer allowed for the wide buffer proposed along the western perimeter. The full undisturbed width required without this transfer credit is twenty-eight (28) feet. The proposed undisturbed buffer width along the southern perimeter is ten (10) feet. 4 December 19, 2002 SUBDIVISIO ITEM NO.: C.1 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-4644-B A six (6) foot high opaque screen, either a wooden fence with its face side directed outward, a wall or dense evergreen plantings, is required along the northern, southern and western perimeters of the site. An irrigation system to water landscaped areas will be required. Prior to a building permit being issued, it will be necessary to provide copies of an approved Landscape Plan stamped with the seal of a Registered Landscape Architect. Building Codes: No comment. G. SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENT: (October 10, 2002) Mr. Mark Yelenich was present representing the application. Staff presented the proposed development indicating additional information needed on the site plan. Staff questioned if there was to be any outdoor storage, boats, campers, etc. Staff also requested details of the proposed signage. Staff requested the days and hours of operation and the estimated number of bays for the retail center. Staff stated the applicant would be required to pay improvement .cost for the widening of South University Avenue if a building permit were obtained prior to the letting of the bid on the publicly financed widening project. Staff stated there would not be any additional median cuts allowed on South University Avenue. Landscaping comments were addressed. Staff stated at least 70% of the buffer was to remain undisturbed. Staff stated the southern land use buffer should maintain an average width of 21 feet. After the discussion, the Committee then forwarded the item to the full Commission for final action. H. ANALYSIS: The applicant submitted a revised plan to Staff addressing most of the issues raised by Staff and the Subdivision Committee. The applicant has indicated there will be no outdoor storage on the site (no boats, campers, etc.) and has indicated the dumpster location with the proper screening. The applicant has also indicated the project will be built in three phases. Phase I will consist of construction of the resident managers/office building and the construction of the two mini -storage buildings, which run east and west. Phases II and III will consist of the construction of the two additional mini -warehouse buildings and the construction of the retail building. The applicant has indicated he will not construct the retail center until he is 50% pre -leased. He has indicated he will 5 December 19, 2002 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: CA (Cont. FILE NO.: Z-4644-B not construct the additional mini -warehouse buildings until Phase I of the mini - warehouse is 70% leased. The applicant has requested a 2-foot by 10-foot sign located adjacent to the mini - warehouse development. He is requesting the sign be allowed LED time and temperature display within the sign area. The signage for the commercial center is proposed as a monument sign 3-feet by 10-feet sign area with a LED reader board. The applicant also proposes to park a 16-foot moving van with an advertising logo on the side adjacent to the street. The van will be made available to persons renting the"mini-warehouse units. Staff is not supportive of the placement of the moving van on the site near the street. Staff feels (although not an actual sign) it will have the appearance of a billboard. The applicant proposes the self -storage hours of operation to be from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Friday and 8:00 am to 12:00 noon on Saturday and closed on Sunday. The gate hours are proposed to be from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm 7 days per week. For an additional fee the applicant has indicated tenants would have 24-hour access to the site. The intent is not to collect an additional income but to limit the number of tenants entering after normal gate hours. The applicant has stated the retail building will have approximately 10 different businesses and their hours of operation may vary. Staff is not supportive of not limiting the hours of operation on this site and leaving the possibility of 24-hour operations open to a potential user. The applicant proposes to operate a truck rental/leasing office (Penske Truck Rental) from the site as well. The applicant has requested two spaces be designated as truck parking. He has stated the site would not have more than two truck on the site at a time but there were times when there would not be any trucks on the site. Staff is not supportive of this request. The applicant proposes a resident manager on -site for the mini -warehouse development. The development will consist of a two (2) story 30x40-foot structure to act as both the office/retail sales area/break-room with the living quarters upstairs. The applicant proposes the office/residence to have either standing seam metal or asphalt shingle roofing material with a 20-foot eave height; the roof will be constructed on a 6 on 12 pitch. The self storage buildings are proposed with standing seam galvanized metal roof with an eve height of 10.5 feet; the roof will have a '/4 on 12 pitch and will not be colored. Staff recommends the roofs be constructed of non -reflective materials to lessen the heat vapors and to avoid any potential impacts to surrounding neighbors. The applicant proposes the retail center to be either a standing seam or screw down metal roof with a front eave height of 21-feet. There will be a parapet on the front of the building, which R December 19, 2002 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: C.1 (Cont. FILE NO.: Z-4644-B would add an additional 9-feet to the finished building height. The maximum building height in C-3 zoning district is 35-feet, consistent with the applicant's proposal. The applicant has indicated undisturbed areas to the north, south and west property lines consistent with the land use buffer requirements. The applicant has also indicated a cut and two (2) benches in 10-foot intervals along the western boundary to eliminate concerns of the Land Alteration Ordinance. The applicant is proposing riprap along these benches, which from an engineering standpoint is a workable alternative. From a design standpoint it is not a workable alternative. Staff is not supportive of the request to place riprap along the entire area. Staff feels the applicant should install a split faced block wall along the top terrace, which will be visible from the street and the riprap treatment along the lower terrace. Although Staff has some concerns with the proposed development, the workability of retail on South University Avenue without a median break, Staff is inclined to support the proposed development. The addition of mini -warehouse to this site, Staff feels is a viable development approach. Typically mini - warehouse development is a low traffic generator, destination bound development and the hours of operation are not typically intrusive to the neighbors. Staff feels the applicant maybe trying to do too much on the site. Staff cannot support the unlimited hours of operation for the retail or the mini - warehouse center. Staff feels the development should be limited to hours of operation consistent with development in the area. Staff is not supportive of the request to allow the applicant's truck to be parked adjacent to South University Avenue and act as additional signage. Staff also does not support allowing the applicant to operate a truck rental business from the site. Once again Staff feels the applicant maybe trying to conduct to many activities on this site. Staff cannot support the proposed treatment of the slope on the rear (western boundary) of the site. Staff would recommend the applicant install an architectural wall on the top portion of the sloped area and then the riprap along the lower tier. Even though motorists are traveling at a somewhat higher rate of speed through the area, the rock will be visible from the street and the parking lot. Staff feels the addition of the block wall will enhance the development adding to the design theme the applicant has indicated he wishes to pursue. VA December 19, 2002 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: CA (Cont.) _ FILE NO.: Z-4644-B Staff is in support of the concept to the proposed development. Staff feels should the applicant revise his application to include the recommendations included above and limit the number of uses proposed on the site after which Staff could possible support the proposed development. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends denial of the proposed development as filed. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (OCTOBER 31, 2002) Mr. Marc Yelenich was present representing the application. There were objectors present. Chairman Faust stated the Planning Commission's policy was to allow the applicant a deferral option when fewer than nine (9) Planning Commissioners were present. She stated there were only six (6) Commissioners present. Mr. Yelenich requested the item be deferred to the November 14, 2002 Public Hearing. There was no further discussion. A motion was made to defer the item and approved by a vote 'of 6 ayes, 0 noes and 5 absent. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (NOVEMBER 14, 2002) Mr. Marc Yelenich was present representing the application. There were objectors present. Chairman Lowry stated the Planning Commission's policy was to allow the applicant a deferral option when fewer than nine (9) Planning Commissioners were present. He stated there were only eight (8) Commissioners present. Mr. Yelenich requested the item be deferred to the December 19, 2002 Public Hearing. There was no further discussion. A motion was made to defer the item and approved by a vote of 8 ayes, 0 noes and 3 absent. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (DECEMBER 19, 2002) Mr. Marc Yelenich was present representing the application. There were objectors present. Staff presented the item with a recommendation of denial of the development plan as filed. Staff stated they were supportive of the concept to allow a mini - warehouse and commercial building to develop on the site but there were concerns with the hours of operation of the mini -warehouse, the placement of a truck rental business on the site, the placement of the applicant's moving van adjacent to South University Avenue and the treatment of the cut located on the western portion of the property. December 19, 2002 SUBDIVISION ITEM NO.: CA (Cont. FILE NO.: Z-4644-B Staff stated the applicant had indicated he would comply with the Land Alteration Ordinance. Staff stated they felt the placement of a split face block wall was more appropriate in this location for aesthetic reasons. Staff stated since the request was a rezoning to a planned development the request was not out of line. Staff stated the applicant had indicated he would construct a quality development. Staff stated in their opinion meeting the minimum requirements of the ordinance did not constitute a quality development. Mr. Yelenich presented his proposed development plan to the Commission indicating he was agreeable to not have the ancillary service of a truck rental business on the site. He also stated he was willing to locate his companies moving van to the rear of the site behind the commercial building. Mr. Yelenich requested the hours of operation for the mini -warehouse to remain at 24- hour access. He stated currently at his other two (2) locations only ten (10) percent of the customers opted for the 24-hour access and of that only five (5) percent accessed the site after the gates were closed at 10:00 pm. He stated based on a survey of the yellow pages over fifty (50) percent of the current facilities offer this service. He stated some customers who used this service, such as pharmaceutical representatives or doctors, needed to access their storage unit after hours when they were leaving town early to call on customers. Mr. Yelenich stated he had also agreed to place non -reflective roofs on the units as requested by Staff because he also felt this was a good idea. He stated he was willing to assist the city with reducing heat effect caused by reflective roofs. Mr. Yelenich stated with regard to the treatment of the slope he was willing to place the split faced block wall on the top terrace if and where required. He stated he was no longer requesting rip -rap on the lower terrace. He stated a geo-technical engineer had stated the slope appeared that it would maintain without terracing the cut. Mr. Yelenich stated he was willing to install an erosion control mat and hydro seed creeping love grass on both terrace areas, which in his opinion, would be more aesthetically pleasing. Mr. Maury Mitchell spoke in support of the proposed development. He stated the approval of the development would only add to the revitalization efforts of South University Avenue. He stated the proposed use would not generate a large amount of additional traffic since mini -warehouse was typically a low generator of traffic. Mr. Arthur Connerly spoke in support of the proposed development. He stated with the proposed development the site would be fenced thus adding additional security to the adjacent residences. Ms. Andrea Hooten spoke in opposition of the proposed development. She stated she was the President of the Broadmoore Neighborhood Association and the Association was not in support of the proposed development. She stated the concern was related to 9 December 19, 2002 SUBDIVISIO EM NO.: C.1 (C FILE NO.: Z-4644-B the unregulated storage of materials on the site and the possible contamination of the air and/or ground and stormwater. She stated the neighborhood also had concerns with allowing 24-hour access to the site. She stated this would only invite an element of crime to the neighborhood. She stated the site did not have a median break. She stated this would cause motorist to make u-turns south of the site at the traffic light at the U of A Cooperative Extension Service building intersection or to "cut -through" the neighborhood. She stated the applicant had stated there would be an estimated 50 cars per day visiting the site. She stated this was a significant number of cars which would be exiting the site and looking for avenues to travel north. She stated without the median break there were concerns that the site would not draw stable businesses. She stated this would not enhance the redevelopment of South University Avenue but hinder the redevelopment with increased business vacancies. Ms. Anne Wasson chose not to address the Commission. There was limited discussion concerning the applicant's revision to his application and the treatment of the western slope. The applicant indicated he would revise his application to limit the hours of operation of the retail business to 12:00 midnight, to limit the number of occupants who had 24-hour access to the mini -warehouse to 10 percent of the customers, to not allow the truck rental business as an ancillary service and to place his moving van behind the commercial building away from South University Avenue. Mr. Yelenich stated he was willing to comply with the Land Alteration Ordinance. He stated he was not willing to install a split faced block wall on the upper terrace for the entire length of the western cut only for aesthetic reasons. He stated the placement of the block would cost an estimated $150,000, which would place the development cost to high to receive a return on his investment and put the project out of reach. He stated he was willing to place split faced block if and where needed and in other locations to place a erosion control matting and hydro seed creeping love grass on both terraces. There was a motion to accept Mr. Yelenich's proposal as amended. The motion carried by a vote of 6 ayes, 3 noes and 2 absent. 10