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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report for Z-10155May 8, 2025 ITEM NO.: 10 FILE NO.: Z-10155 NAME: Lawcraft Duplex/STR-2 (2) – PD-C LOCATION: 1724 Rice Street DEVELOPER/OWNER: Lawcraft, LLC (Owner) 2119 W. 17th Street Little Rock, AR 72202 AUTHORIZED AGENT: Lawcraft, LLC 2119 W. 17th Street Little Rock, AR 72202 SURVEYOR/ENGINEER: Laha Engineers, Inc. P.O. Box 190251 Little Rock, AR 72219 AREA: 0.09 acres NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 FT. NEW STREET: 0 LF WARD: 1 PLANNING DISTRICT: 8 CENSUS TRACT: 45 CURRENT ZONING: R-3 VARIANCE/WAIVERS: A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST/APPLICANT’S STATEMENT: The applicant is proposing to rezone the property from R-3 to PD-C for the following uses: 1. To allow conversion of the existing residential structure into a duplex structure. 2. To allow both duplex units to be used as long-term rentals. The applicant is also proposing to use both duplex units as Short-Term Rentals (STR-2) May 8, 2025 ITEM NO.: 10 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-10155 2 with a maximum stay of twenty-nine (29) days or less as an alternate use. The owner will not reside in the residence. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: Properties in the general area surrounding the site contain a mixture of zoning and uses. C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: All owners of property located within 300 feet of the site and all neighborhood associations registered with the City of Little Rock were notified of the public hearing. D. ENGINEERING COMMENTS (PLANNING): No comments. ENGINEERING COMMENTS (PUBLIC WORKS): 1. A 20 feet radial dedication of right-of-way is required at the intersection of Rice St. and W. 17th St. 2. Parking is shown to be provided for only 2 vehicles. 3. Per City code, vehicles are not allowed to park on the street within 20 ft of the Rice St./W. 17th St. intersection limiting the amount of space available for on-street parking. 4. Repair or replace any curb, gutter, sidewalk and access ramps that are damaged and not in compliance with ADA recommendations in the public right- of-way prior to occupancy. E. UTILITIES/FIRE DEPARTMENT/PARKS/COUNTY PLANNING: Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority: No comments. Entergy: No comments received. Summit Utilities: No comments. AT & T: No comments received. Central Arkansas Water: 1. All Central Arkansas Water requirements in effect at the time of request for water service must be met. May 8, 2025 ITEM NO.: 10 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-10155 3 Fire Department: 1. Full life safety inspection Parks and Recreation: No comments received. County Planning: No comments. F. BUILDING CODES/LANDSCAPE: Building Code: 1. Full rehab required. 2. Structure must meet 2021 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code Vol. III. 3. Duplex must comply with 1 hour fire wall between units. No door penetration between duplex units. 4. Permits required for MEP work required for code compliance. Landscape: No comments. G. TRANSPORTATION/PLANNING: Rock Region Metro: No comments received. Planning Division: The request is in the Central City Planning District. The Land Use Plan shows RL for the requested area. The Residential Low Density (RL) category provides for single family homes at densities not to exceed 6 dwelling units per acre. Such residential development is typically characterized by conventional single family homes but may also include patio or garden homes and cluster homes, provided that the density remains less than 6 units per acre. The application is for a PD-C to allow for use of the property as a long term rental duplex with flexibility for use a short-term rental unit. May 8, 2025 ITEM NO.: 10 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-10155 4 The area surrounding the application is designated for Residential Low (RL) uses and is characterized by triplexes, duplexes, and single-family residences. This site is not located in an Overlay District. Master Street Plan: Rice Street is a Local Street on the Master Street Plan. Local Streets are roads designed to provide access to adjacent property with the movement of traffic being a secondary purpose. The standard Right-of-way is 50’. Sidewalks are required on one side. This street may require dedication of right-of-way and may require street improvements. May 8, 2025 ITEM NO.: 10 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-10155 5 Bicycle Plan: Rice Street is not shown on the Master Bike Plan with existing or proposed facilities in this area. Historic Preservation Plan: The subject property is adjacent to the Central High School Neighborhood National Register Historic District and is two blocks south of the Central High School National Historic Landmark. May 8, 2025 ITEM NO.: 10 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-10155 6 The Historic Preservation Plan advocates for increased effectiveness and coordination with the review of development plans. Staff advocates that the proposed rehabilitation of the site consider its potential adverse impacts to adjacent historic sites within the Central High School Neighborhood Historic District and the surrounding context of the Central High School National Historic Landmark. Staff finds the restoration and rehabilitation of the derelict property will not adversely affect and will positively affect the existing historic fabric and context of the area. H. ANALYSIS: The applicant is proposing to rezone the property from R-3 to PD-C for the following uses: 1. To allow conversion of the existing residential structure into a duplex structure. 2. To allow both duplex units to be used as long-term rentals. The applicant is also proposing to use both duplex units as Short-Term Rentals (STR-2) with a maximum stay of twenty-nine (29) days or less as an alternate use. The owner will not reside in the residence. Properties in the general area surrounding the site contain a mixture of zoning and uses. The existing one-story, single-family dwelling was built around 1940 and expanded around 1950. The structure contains approximately 1,700 square feet in area. More recently, according to the applicant, the residence was converted into a duplex and currently contains the remnants of two (2) kitchens. The duplex conversion was not recognized by the City of Little Rock. The residence was listed unsafe and vacant in May 2022 and without power since 2007. The applicant proposes to restore the existing single-family residence and convert it into a two-family residence. This will create two (2) units approximately 850 square feet in area. Each unit will contain two (2) bedrooms to be rented either to long-term tenants or occupied as a Short-Term Rental 2 (STR-2) as an alternate use for both units. The roofline will remain unchanged. Upon completion the duplex will contain a wood frame appearance that matches the original building materials identified underneath the existing layers of asphalt. The existing three (3) doors will also be retained. The applicant will remove the interior building materials to the studs, raise the ceilings back to their original height, install new plumbing and wiring, and install a new HVAC system. May 8, 2025 ITEM NO.: 10 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-10155 7 The applicant proposes to use the existing driveway behind the house facing W. 18th Street to be expanded to eighteen (18) feet wide to serve as two (2) nine-foot wide by 16.5 feet parking spaces for two (2) cars. The fronts of the cars will partially go underneath the cantilevered deck. The applicant notes that the parking spaces will be slightly shorter than typical full sized parking spaces, and larger vehicles can park on Rice Street and W. 18 th Street. Staff feels the parking spaces provided in the rear of the duplex, and the ample on-street parking will be sufficient to serve the proposed use. The applicant did not propose any signage with this application. Any signs on the property must comply with Section 36-551 of the City’s Zoning Ordinance (signs permitted in residential one- family and two-family zones). All site lighting must be low-level and directed away from adjacent properties. All trash collection must comply with the City’s trash collection requirements. Staff is supportive of the requested conversion of the single-family residence into a duplex structure, with short-term rental as an alternate use. The property has been in poor condition for an extended period. Staff feels the remodel will be of benefit to the area. The two (2) units will continue to create a diversity of housing options for this neighborhood and the remodel will not be out of character with the development pattern in the area. There are several properties in the general area that contain R-4 zoning and uses. I. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval PD-C rezoning, subject to compliance with the comments and conditions noted in paragraphs D, E, and F, and the staff analysis, of the agenda staff report.