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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCBC-634-POPEYE'S LOUISIANA KITCHEN Staff MinutesJanuary 08, 2015 ITEM NO. 1. C.B.C. 634 — NEW MATTERS Applicant: Address: Description: ORDINANCE REQUIRMENTS: Chapter 15, Sec. 15-96. Perimeter planting strips. Hotmail Inc. Owner Hotmail (1516) Nelson (14) Agent Stuart Mackey, Coldwell Banker Commercial 5514 / 5520 West Markham Northeast Corner of West Markham and North Taylor Road (a) A perimeter planting strip is required along any side of a vehicular use area that abuts adjoining property or the right-of-way of any street, highway or freeway. This strip shall be at least nine (9) feet wide. The perimeter planting strip adjacent to freeways or expressways shall be at least thirty (30) feet wide except within mature areas. VARIANCE REQUESTED To allow a reduction and removal of a portion of the perimeter planting strip along Markham to less than the six (6) feet nine (9) inches that is typically required for developments in areas designated "mature" by the department of planning and development and approved by the planning commission and the city beautiful commission. FINDINGS: The applicant has requested rezoning of the site from 0-3, General Office District to PD-C to allow the redevelopment of the site with a restaurant. The applicant is proposing to raze the existing empty dated medical office buildings and redevelop the site with a Popeye's restaurant. The site is located within the Mid -town Design Overlay District, which requires new development to be reviewed through the planned zoning development process. The applicant is proposing construction of a 2,695 square foot space. The entryways for the building will be facing the primary parking area for the development (east) and the street (West Markham Street). The site plan indicates pedestrian access to the building from the two (2) abutting streets and through the primary parking area. The service entrance will be on the north end of the building adjacent to the alley. The development is indicated with 17-parking spaces. In this case the ordinance would typically require 26-parking spaces to serve a restaurant use. All parking will be on the east and west sides of the building. There will be no parking in the front or rear of the building. There is a drive lane located in front of the building along West Markham Street. With the drive lane and a landscape strip, the building will be sitting 19-feet from the front property line. The site plan as submitted indicates the minimum landscape strip along North Taylor Street and the eastern perimeter of the site. The landscape strip along West Markham Street is indicated at 5-feet which is insufficient to meet the buffer and landscape ordinance requirement of 6-feet 9-inches adjacent to paved areas. There is no access to North Taylor Street. Access to the alley located along the northern perimeter is eliminated with the use of a wooden privacy fence which will serve to provide the required sound deflection for the menu board speakers. The applicant has indicated with the new construction all existing trees will be removed from the site. The site plan review filed with the Planning Commission was placed on the December 18, 2014 Subdivision Hearing Agenda. Overall staff was not supportive of the request. The development is proposed within an area which has been identified on the City's Future Land Use Plan as Office. The commercial uses have primarily been located nearer the intersections of West Markham and University Avenue and West Markham and Fair Park Boulevard / North Van Buren Street. This area is an office corridor. Staff does not feel this is an appropriate location for commercial use and more specifically a fast food restaurant. On December 18, 2014, the Little Rock Planning Commission voted unanimously to deny approval of the P D-C. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends denial of this request.