HomeMy WebLinkAbout5 Z-10168 Staff Report - DFile No.: Z-10168
Owner: WG Arkansas LLC
Applicant: Nick Lord (Agent)
Address: 4322 Country Club Blvd
Legal Description: Lots 23 and 24, Block 11, Country Club Heights Addition of the City of Little Rock, AR
Zoned: R-2
Present Use: Single-family Residence
Proposed Use: Single-family Residence
Variance(s) Requested: Variances are requested from area regulations of Sec. 36-254 to allow a residence with reduced side and front yard setbacks.
Justification: The applicant’s justification is presented as per the attached letter.
STAFF REPORT:
Planning and Development Civil Engineering Comments:
New retaining wall(s) might require Retaining Wall Permit (RTW) if wall is 4ft or taller measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall and provide engineered plans,
profiles, and calculations from an Arkansas Licensed Engineer (Structural).
Driveway not to exceed 32ft in width.
Landscape and Buffer Comments:
In October 2020 the City adopted the “Heights Landscape Design Overlay District,” requiring installation of one tree per 40 linear feet of street frontage within the Heights District
Boundary, applicable to [among other types] residential construction in excess of 600 square feet.
Building Codes Comments:
No Comment
Analysis:
The R-2 zoned property located at 4322 Country Club Blvd is occupied by a two-story single-family residence within the Heights Overlay District. The survey indicates that the lot width
of 140 feet along Country Club Blvd, and an average depth of 100 feet, which runs along Beechwood Street. The residence is currently scheduled for demolition and a proposed new residence
is to be constructed on the site.
The site plan indicates that the applicant proposes to center the new dwelling on the site and relocate the vehicle access from the west side of the property to the east side. The applicant
states that an existing electric power pole are located at the southwest corner of the site and prohibits driveway access to the site from the southwest corner of the property.
Section 30-432(2)(c) of the City’s Zoning Ordinance The minimum distance between a driveway and an exterior lot corner shall be twenty-five (25) feet measured from the nearest point
of the driveway to the exterior lot line. They are requesting a reduction in the driveway setback from 25’ to 23’.
As part of the overall redevelopment of the property the applicant proposes to reduce the front and rear yard setbacks. The site plan indicates a proposed front yard setback of 15 feet
and a rear yard setback of 15 feet. A west side yard setback of 20 feet and an east side yard setback of 15 feet, leaving a buildable area of 6,525 square feet within the lot.
Section 36-254(d)(1) states “There shall be a front yard setback having a depth of not less than twenty-five (25) feet”. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to allow the
front yard setback to be reduced to no less than fifteen (15) feet.
Section 36-254(d)(3) states “There shall be a rear yard setback having a depth of not less than twenty-five (25) feet”. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to allow the
rear yard setback to be reduced to no less than eighteen (18) feet.
The site plan indicates the new residence will occupy approximately 5,500 square feet of area which will cover approximately 39-percent of the lot.
Section 36-253 (e) states “The main building and all accessory buildings on a lot shall not occupy more than thirty (30) percent of the total area of the lot”. Therefore, the applicant
is requesting a variance to allow a building to occupy thirty-nine (39) percent of the lot area within an R-2 zoning.
Based on the above assessment and analysis, Staff finds the requested variances to be partially reasonable.
Staff is supportive of the requested variances to allow reduced front and side yard setbacks. Staff believes the centering of the proposed structure upon the lot is generally in conformance
with the development pattern in the neighborhood and would not have an adverse impact on surrounding properties.
However, staff is not supportive of the requested lot coverage variance. The combination of the residence encompassing a larger portion of the lot and the decreased setback to the front
property line will increase the density to the site beyond the intent of the code. Staff feels that the extension of the dwelling and its subsequent encroachment upon the front property
line is a greater increase in density than the code allows for the area.
E. Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommends denial of the lot coverage variance request.
However, Staff recommends approval of the requested front yard setback reduction to no less than 15 feet and the rear yard setback reduction to no less than 20-feet with the following
conditions:
Obtain a building permit prior to construction.
Install trees, if deemed applicable at the time of building permit in accordance with the Heights Design Overlay District requirements