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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCBC-671-DOUBLE BEE'S Staff MinutesL[TTLC ROCK CITY B> AL!T FUL COMMISSION The City Beautiful Commission held its regular meeting at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 09, 2020, at Curran Hall, 615 E. Capitol Avenue. Chairman, Sanders -Woods called the meeting to order. MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT: ALSO, PRESENT: BJ Sanders -Woods Steve Homeyer Phyllis Anderson Bobby Cushman Troy Laha Two Open Positions Shelby Linck Louise Miller Robert Walker Bob Winchester Beth Carpenter, City Attorney's Office D. Tracy Spillman, Plans Development Administrator, Department of Planning and Development, City of Little Rock. APPROVAL OF THE MAY MEETING MINUTES: Chairman Sanders -Woods entertained a motion to approve the December 2019 Minutes. Motion: Commissioner Miller made a motion that the December 05, 2019 Minutes be approved. Second: Commissioner Walker seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. VARIANCE REQUEST: CBC CASE #671-10724 W Markham — Doublebee's Convenience Store Chapter 15, Sec. 15-96. Perimeter planting strips. (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 the elimination of most of the west perimeter landscape strip and a reduction of the remainder of this same perimeter to less than the nine (9) feet as typically required by the Department of Planning and Development and approved by the Planning Commission and the City Beautiful Commission. FINDINGS: The property at the northeast corner of W Markham St and Shackelford Rd is located within an area of mixed commercial uses. Buildings on the surrounding properties include retail, restaurant, and office related facilities. This corner site houses a Doublebee's convenience store, fueling station with an overhead canopy, and an automatic carwash. The convenience store building is located in the approximate center of the lot with the fuel pumps at the front of structure to the south and the carwash positioned at the back of site adjacent to the north property line. The applicant proposes to remove the existing structures and construct a new 3,100 square foot convenience store building at the northeast corner of the property. The gas pumps will be repositioned in front of the building and a new canopy will be installed. The parking area will provide eleven (11) spaces adjacent to the building with an additional eight (8) spaces located at the fuel pumps, which conforms with ordinance standards. There are two access drives servicing each adjacent roadway. The westernmost drive on West Markham Street and the southernmost driveway on Shackleford Road do not conform to the code. The applicant recently requested that the property be rezoned from C-3 to PCD to allow the development of a convenience store with gas pumps. A variance was also requested to approve the existing driveway locations. A site plan was submitted showing the two access drives located on Markham to remain unaltered while southernmost driveway on Shackleford Road to be closed. On November 24, 2019 the Little Rock Planning Commission voted and approved the rezoning and associated variance requests. Existing perimeter landscape strips are located on the north, south, and east sides of the property that meet the code requirements. The proposed development indicates that these planting strips and associated plant material will remain intact. A perimeter planting strip also exists adjacent to the west side of the property but is located within the public right-of-way. This area cannot be applied to meet the minimum code requirements due to its location not being within the boundaries of the subject property. However, the developer proposes to retain this landscape area and close the existing south entry drive on this perimeter. Additional infill landscape is also proposed for this area to meet the required screening requirements. As shown on the attached landscape plan the applicant intends to meet or exceed the minimum landscape requirements for this development. Any additional trees or shrubs that are required to bring the existing landscape or screening into compliance will be provided. The west perimeter planting strip is not located within the property as required but is provided in the public right-of- way adjacent to the property line. Before a building permit can be issued the applicant shall provide a final landscape plan and obtain a franchise permit from Little Rock Public Works for any landscape or irrigation planned for installation in the public right-of-way. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff is supportive of the request to allow the elimination of the west perimeter landscape strip providing that the placement of all required landscape and irrigation be installed in the existing landscape area adjacent to the west property line. Staff also requires that a franchise permit be obtained from Little Rock Public Works for any landscape or irrigation placed in the public right-of-way. Staff recommends approval of the requested variance. Presentation: The applicant Mr. Vernon Williams of GarNat Engineering was present to address any specific questions from the commissioners. Mr. Williams briefly described the property and described the right-of-way dedication and why the western perimeter landscape is located outside of the property line. Commissioner Homeyer inquired about the existing and proposed landscape and the elimination of the south drive along the west property line. Mr. Williams responded that the landscape would remain and be infilled where the drive is being removed. He also explained that the closing of the drive will bring the site closer to code compliance and provide better circulation route for the fuel trucks. Commissioner Walker inquired if the utilities would be located above or below ground. Mr. Williams responded that the utilities are primarily located adjacent to the Markham corridor and will be mostly underground but will also include some above ground. The commissioners generally discussed the proposed development and had no additional questions concerning the variance request. Motion: Commissioner Homeyer made a motion that the variance be approved as recommended by Staff. Second: Commissioner Winchester seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. TREASURER'S REPORT: Expense Report: Commissioner Cushman stated that the account activity between Oct 01, and Jan 01 began with a balance of $323.00. The commissioner also noted that there had been three interest payments of $0.51, \$0.49, and $0.51 since the last report netting the account an ending balance of $324.51. Commissioner Sanders -Woods stated that she had not yet been reimbursed for the expenditure incurred obtaining supplies for the CBC Eye of the Beholder certificates. Staff requested that the receipts or proof purchase to be provided so that the total can be reimbursed from the CBC account. COMMITTEE REPORTS, UPDATES: Cornniunity Projects January 09, 2020 ITEM NO., 1 C.S.C. 671 — NEW MATTERS Applicant: GarNat Engineering, LLC Owner BLAKELY-BREWER INC Agent Vernon Williams GarNat Engineering Address: 10724 W Markham Description: Lot 1, Gulf Subdivision ORDINANCE RE UIRMENTS: Chapter 15, Sec. 15-96. Perimeter planting strips. (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 the elimination of most of the west perimeter landscape strip and a reduction of the remainder of this same perimeter to less than the nine (9) feet as typically required by the Department of Planning and Development and approved by the Planning Commission and the City Beautiful Commission. FINDINGS: The property at the northeast corner of W Markham St and Shackelford Rd is located within an area of mixed commercial uses. Buildings on the surrounding properties include retail, restaurant, and office related facilities. This corner site houses a Doublebee's convenience store, fueling station with an overhead canopy, and an automatic carwash. The convenience store building is located in the approximate center of the lot with the fuel pumps at the front of structure to the south and the carwash positioned at the back of site adjacent to the north property line. The applicant proposes to remove the existing structures and construct a new 3,100 square foot convenience store building at the northeast corner of the property. The gas pumps will be repositioned in front of the building and a new canopy will be installed. The parking area will provide eleven (11) spaces adjacent to the building with an additional eight (8) spaces located at the fuel pumps, which conforms with ordinance standards. There are two access drives servicing each adjacent roadway. The westernmost drive on West Markham Street and the southernmost driveway on Shackleford Road do not conform to the code. The applicant recently requested that the property be rezoned from C-3 to PCD to allow the development of a convenience store with gas pumps. A variance was also requested to approve the existing driveway locations. A site plan was submitted showing the two access drives located on Markham to remain unaltered while southernmost driveway on Shackleford Road to be closed. On November 24, 2019 the Little Rock Planning Commission voted and approved the rezoning and associated variance requests. Existing perimeter landscape strips are located on the north, south, and east sides of the property that meet the code requirements. The proposed development indicates that these planting strips and associated plant material will remain intact. A perimeter planting strip also exists adjacent to the west side of the property but is located within the public right-of-way. This area cannot be applied to meet the minimum code requirements due to its location not being within the boundaries of the subject property. However, the developer proposes to retain this landscape area and close the existing south entry drive on this perimeter. Additional infill landscape is also proposed for this area to meet the required screening requirements. As shown on the attached landscape plan the applicant intends to meet or exceed the minimum landscape requirements for this development. Any additional trees or shrubs that are required to bring the existing landscape or screening into compliance will be provided. The west perimeter planting strip is not located within the property as required but is provided in the public right-of-way adjacent to the property line. Before a building permit can be issued the applicant shall provide a final landscape plan and obtain a franchise permit from Little Rock Public Works for any landscape or irrigation planned for installation in the public right-of-way. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff is supportive of the request to allow the elimination of the west perimeter landscape strip providing that the placement of all required landscape and irrigation be installed in the existing landscape area adjacent to the west property line. Staff also requires that a franchise permit be obtained from Little Rock Public Works for any landscape or irrigation placed in the public right-of-way. Staff recommends approval of the requested variance.