HomeMy WebLinkAboutHDC1998-019 LRHDC Staff Report And Recommendations 08/1998Jul-27-98 02:38P
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LRHDC Staff Report and Recommendations
August 1998 Meeting, Page 6
APPLICANT:
Second Baptist church
ADDRESS:
619 Cumberlanr' and 618 Rock streets
COA REQUEST:
Construction of parking lot
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS: i"lie subject property is located in the northwest
area of the MacArthur Park Historic G istrict. It is two blocks south of the historic
district's northern boundary and Curr)erland is the district's western boundary until 9th.
The subject property is located betw_Qn the two streets; Cumberland is one-way south
and Rock is one-way north. On the ;-;ock, there are: two businesses (single -story) front
6th; one apartment on Cumberland; ;i apartment on 7th; a single-family structure on
the northwest corner of 7th and Rock; and due north, an apartmentloffice on Rock. The
apartments and single-family structu are two -storied.
Project Description: The subject pr:-)perty bisects the block in a east -west fashion and
has been a vacant lot at least twenty years. Sited on property that is 300' east -west,
50' wide on Cumberland and 75' wid on Rock, the proposed parking lot consists of 38
spaces, arranged in a 90 ° parking. Each space is approximately 9' X 17'; this
measurement does (not) meet the re .uired parking space requirements. The lot is
paved with asphalt with striped spaces. The project has a wooden cedar, stained
privacy fence (10" from ground elevE on) on the north and south perimeter, its height
varies from 4' to 6' on both sides, de- indent upon the presence of an existing structure
or fence. On Rock, a proposed 6' hi;-) brick wall runs north/south. setback from the
property line 5' f.
Landscaping is in the form of crepe r-;yrtle, pink abelia, rip rap and ivy; refer to the
landscape schedule for details. The )roposed landscaping does not meet the zoning
and buffer setbacks on Cumberland 10 feet). Also, it does not meet the interior
landscaping requirements (establishc..1 in 1990), which is 719 square feet; the plans
call for 441 square feet. A new curb :ut (22' wide) on Cumberland handles the entry
and exit for the parking lot. There ar. new sidewalks, curbs and gutters proposed for
both the Cumberland and Rock shree s right-of-way.
In the historic district, with the excep,_ :)n of offstreet residential parking, there are
several locations of parking lots for b, sinesses and institutions: Arts Center, Law
School, Cook Jeep, St. Edwards, Trc:)nall, 5th Street businesses, school board. The
majority of parking lots are located in he north section of the historic district.
The request to construct a parking Ic on this location was before the LRHDC, and the
proposed parking plan is identical to plan submitted previously. The church
submitted a COA application to cons: uct a parking lot on the subject property; the
hearing was 3 August 1983 and was -'enied by three votes. There was an appeal of
Jul-27-98 02:39P
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LRHDC Staff Report and Recommendations
August 199B Meeting, Page 7
the decision to the Pulaski County C'-, ancery Court, which upheld the LRHDC's
decision. In 1985, the church filed a BOA for the same request, using revised plans
from the previous; at the 5 Septembe:: meeting, the application was denied. An appeal
to the Chancery Court affirmed the L* :HDC's decision. On 20 July 1987, the case
appeared before the Supreme Court if Arkansas, which affirmed the LRHDC's
decision. A copy of the Supreme Cc- -rt's opinion is enclosed.
The design guidelines (page 45) stat : that parking lots: (D should not be located in front
yards of houses; 0 should be gravel ar smooth concrete instead of asphalt, etc.;
C) should be screened through planti;-:gs of .... shrubs .... fences at edges, etc.; T for ....
churches .... should be located in re,.- yards if possible, but when necessary in a side
yard, should be located no closer thz:i the front wall of the structure; Z on vacant lots
between buildings should align edge ::screening with front facades of adjacent buildings;
c� on corner lots should have edge screening on both primary and secondary streets.
The proposed project meets four out of six criteria.
NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACT AND RC: ACTION: A staff survey of area parking revealed
that there is on- and off-street parkin; located within a two -block area. The matrix,
provided in the packet, details the locations and number of parking spaces within the
radius. Also, a map designates the Larking areas.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: It is ti-ie recommendation of staff that the application be
denied, as the circumstances from tho previous request have not altered dramatically,
as supported by the analysis of existing area parking and by the state Supreme Court
opinion that a parking lot is not in kee.)ing with a historic district.