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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC minutes 091625September 11, 2025 1 ITEM NO.: 7 FILE NO.: Z-10180 NAME: Rezoning from R-2 to C-4 LOCATION: 2 Elrod Drive OWNER/AUTHORIZED AGENT: Luis Torres (Owner) 5900 Baseline Road Little Rock, AR 72209 ENGINEER/SURVEYOR: Brooks Surveying 20820 Arch Street Pike Hensley, AR 72065 AREA: .20 acres NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 FT. NEW STREET: 0 LF WARD: 2 PLANNING DISTRICT: 14 CENSUS TRACT: 41.07 CURRENT ZONING: VARIANCE/WAIVERS: R-2 None requested. A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST/APPLICANT’S STATEMENT: The applicant requests to rezone a 0.20-acre lot from R-2 to C-4, Commercial Open Display District. The rezoning is proposed to allow future commercial development of the property. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The property is located in R-2 zoning. Currently, there is a vacant home and a large mature tree on the premises. The lot to the South is a Mechanics shop that sits on the corner of Baseline and Elrod. There is a parking lot across the street to the East that is adjacent to a Liquor Store that faces Baseline. North of the lot are two homes zoned R-2, where it then meets C-3 zoning. A shopping center (C-3) is located to the West. The Future Land Use Plan shows Commercial (C) for the requested area. September 11, 2025 2 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -10180 C. NEIGHBORHOOD NOTIFICATIONS: 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): 1. ADA Access shall be shown to the Right-of-Way. 2. Handicap Parking shall include one van stall 11ft wide with a 5ft minimum aisle. 3. Dumpster enclosures must be permitted as a fence and anything 7ft in height or taller measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall/fence shall be designed by an Arkansas Licensed Engineer (Structural). 4. Contact Planning and Development Dept., Engineering Division at 501-371-4817 or at 501-918-5348 for inspections of any work in the public right-of-way prior to placement of concrete or asphalt or for on-site clarification of requirements prior to commencing work. Failure to do so can result in removal of any improperly placed concrete or asphalt at the expense of the owner or contractor. 5. Hauling of cut and/or fill material on or off project sites over municipal streets require approval prior to a grading permit being issued. Contact Public Works Traffic Engineering at 621 S. Broadway 501-379-1800 with any questions or for more information. 6. Damage to public and private property due to hauling operations or operations of construction related equipment from a construction site shall be repaired by the responsible party prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy. ENGINEERING (PUBLIC WORKS): 1. No Comments 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. September 11, 2025 3 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -10180 Central Arkansas Water: - NO OBJECTIONS; All Central Arkansas Water requirements in effect at the time of request for water service must be met Fire Department: All projects submitted for zoning approval must comply with the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code, 2021 Edition, including any comments or requirements provided by the Little Rock Fire Marshal's Office, prior to acceptance. Maintain Access: Fire Hydrants. Maintain fire apparatus access roads at fire hydrant locations as per Appendix D of the 2012 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code Vol. 1 Section D103.1 Access road width with a hydrant. Where a fire hydrant is located on a fire apparatus access road, the minimum road width shall be 26 feet, exclusive of shoulders. Grade Maintain fire apparatus access roads as per Appendix D of the 2012 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code Vol. 1 Section D103.2 Grade. Fire apparatus access roads shall not exceed 10 percent in grade except as approved by the fire chief. If the grade exceeds 10 percent, approval will be denied and the applicant must submit request to be reviewed by Fire Chief for Approval. Loading Maintain fire apparatus access road design as per Appendix D of the 2012 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code Vol. 1 Section D102.1 Access and loading. Facilities, buildings or portions of buildings hereafter constructed shall be accessible to fire department apparatus by way of an approved fire apparatus access road with an asphalt, concrete or other approved driving surface capable of supporting the imposed load of fire apparatus weighing at least 75,000 pounds. Commercial and Industrial Developments – 2 means of access. - Maintain fire apparatus access roads as per Appendix D of the 2012 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code Vol. 1 Section D104.1 Buildings exceeding three stories or 30 feet in height. Building or facilities exceeding 30 feet or three stories in height shall have at least two means of fire apparatus access for each structure. Section D104.2 Building exceeding 62,000 square feet in area. Buildings or facilities having a gross building area of more than 62,000 square feet shall be provide with two separate and approved fire apparatus access roads. Exception: Projects having a gross building area of up to 124,000 square feet that have a single approved fire apparatus access road when all building are equipped throughout with approved automatic sprinkler systems. D104.3 Remoteness. Where two fire apparatus access roads are required, they shall be placed a distance apart equal to not less than one half of the length of the maximum overall diagonal dimension of the lot or area to be served, measured in a straight line between accesses. September 11, 2025 4 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -10180 30’ Tall Buildings - Maintain aerial fire apparatus access roads as per Appendix D of the 2012 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code Vol. 1 Section D105.1 – D105.4 D105.1 Where Required. Where the vertical distance between the grade plane and the highest roof surface exceed 30’, approved aerial fire apparatus access roads shall be provided. For the purposes of this section the highest roof surfaces shall be determined by measurement to the eave of a pitched roof, the intersection of a roof to the exterior wall, or the top of the parapet walls, whichever is greater. D105.2 Width. Aerial fire apparatus access roads shall have a minimum unobstructed with of 26’, exclusive of shoulders, in the immediate vicinity of the building or portion thereof. D105.3 Proximity to building. At least one of the required access routes meeting this condition shall be located within a minimum of 15 feet and a maximum of 30 feet from the building, and shall be positioned parallel to one entire side of the building. The side of the building on which the aerial fire apparatus access road is positioned shall be approved by the fire code official. D105.4 Obstructions. Overhead utility and power lines shall not be located over the aerial fire apparatus access road or between the aerial fire apparatus road and the building. Other obstructions shall be permitted to be places with the approval of the fire code official. Dead Ends. Maintain fire apparatus access roads at dead end locations as per Appendix D of the 2012 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code Vol. 1 Section D103.4 Dead Ends. Dead-end fire apparatus access roads in excess of 150 feet shall be provided with width and turnaround provisions in accordance with Table D103.4. Requirements for Dead-end fire apparatus access roads. Gates Maintain fire apparatus access road gates as per Appendix D of the 2012 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code Vol. 1 Section D103.5 Fire apparatus access road gates. Gates securing the fire apparatus access roads shall comply with all of the following criteria: 1. Minimum gate width shall be 20 feet. 2. Gates shall be of swinging or sliding type. 3. Construction of gates shall be of material that allow manual operation by one person. 4. Gate components shall be maintained in an operable condition at all times and replaces or repaired when defective. 5. Electric gates shall be equipped with a means of opening the gate by fire department personnel for emergency access. Emergency opening devices shall be approved by the fire code official. 6. Manual opening gates shall not be locked with a padlock or chain and padlock unless they are capable of being opened by means of forcible entry tools or when a key box containing the keys to the lock is installed at the gate location. 7. Locking device specifications shall be submitted for approval \by the fire code September 11, 2025 5 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -10180 official 8. Electric gate operators, where provided, shall be listed in accordance with UL 325. 9. Gates, intended for automatic operation shall be designed, constructed and installed to comply with requirements of ASTM F 2200. Fire Hydrants Locate Fire Hydrants as per Appendix C of the 2012 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code. Section C101 – C105, in conjunction with Central Arkansas Water (Daniel Tull 501- 377-1245) and the Little Rock Fire Marshals Office (Capt. Tony Rhodes 501-918- 3757, or Fire Marshal Derek N Ingram 501-918-3756 Number and Distribution of Fire Hydrants as per Table C105.1. If you have any additional questions please contact our office. Contact Capt. Tony Rhodes at (501) 918-3757, or Fire Marshal Derek N Ingram (501) 918-3756. Parks and Recreation: No comments received. County Planning: No Comments received. F. BUILDING CODES/LANDSCAPE: Building Code: No Comments Received. Landscape: 1. Any new site development must comply with the City’s minimal landscape and buffer ordinance requirements. Refer to the Code of Ordinances, Chapter 15 Landscaping and Tree Protection, and Chapter 36, Article IX – Buffers and Screening. 2. Site development plans, with landscape and screening, must be submitted for review, and approval, prior to site clearing and tree removal. G. TRANSPORTATION/PLANNING: Rock Region Metro: No comments received. Planning Division: Land Use Plan: The request is in the Geyer Springs East Planning District, District 14. The development principles of the district include protecting and stabilizing existing neighborhoods and limit commercial strip development along major roads. The Land Use Plan shows Commercial (C) for the requested area. The Commercial (C) category includes a broad September 11, 2025 6 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -10180 range of retail and wholesale sales of products, personal and professional services, and general business activities. Commercial activities vary in type and scale, depending on the trade area that they serve. The application is to rezone R-2 to C-4 . September 11, 2025 7 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -10180 Future Land Use Plan: Surrounding the application area is designated for Commercial (C) use characterized by commercial uses with the exception of two residential lots directly north of the application site. This site is not located in an Overlay District. September 11, 2025 8 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -10180 September 11, 2025 9 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-10180 Master Street Plan: Elrod Drive is a Minor Residential Street on the Master Street Plan. Minor Residential Streets are: (a) A cul-de-sac street not exceeding 40 lots, or (b) a loop street not exceeding 80 lots, and in no case generating more than 400 vehicle trips per day. The standard Right-of-way is 45’. This street may require dedication of right-of-way and may require street improvements. Bicycle Plan: Elrod Drive is not shown on the Master Bike Plan with existing or proposed facilities in this area. Baseline Road is designated as a Proposed Class II Bike Lane. Class II Bike Lanes provides a portion of the pavement for the sole use of bicycles. Historic Preservation Plan: The application, as shown, should have no effect on identified historic resources. H. ANALYSIS: The applicant requests to rezone a 0.20-acre lot from R-2 to C-4, Commercial Open Display District. The rezoning is proposed to allow future commercial development of the property. The property is located in R-2 zoning. Currently, there is a vacant home and a large mature tree on the premises. The lot to the South is a Mechanics shop that sits on the corner of Baseline and Elrod. There is a parking lot across the street to the East that is adjacent to a Liquor Store that faces Baseline. North of the lot are two homes zoned R-2, where it then meets C-3 zoning. A shopping center (C-3) is located to the West. The Future Land Use Plan shows Commercial (C) for the requested area. The City’s Future Land Use Plan designates this property as Commercial (C). The proposed rezoning will not require a Land Use Plan Amendment. All development to the lot will conform to Section 36-302 of the City’s Zoning Ordinance. Staff is supportive of the requested rezoning. Staff feels the request is reasonable. Staff feels that the applicant’s proposed rezoning to C-4, Commercial Open Display District, is consistent with the Future Land Use Plan. Staff feels that the rezoning of this property will have no adverse impact on the surrounding properties in the general area. September 11, 2025 10 ITEM NO.: 7 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z-10180 I. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the requested C-4 rezoning. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (SEPTEMBER 11, 2025) The applicant was present. There were no persons registered in opposition. Staff presented the item, and a recommendation of approval as outlined in the “staff analysis” above. The item remained on the Consent Agenda for Approval. The vote was (9) ayes, (0) nays and (2) absent. The motion passed. The application was approved.