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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Minutes 020926January 8, 2026 ITEM NO.: 17 FILE NO.: Z-10244 NAME: Lotus 678 Trust – STR-2 – PD-C LOCATION: 7324 W. Markham Street APPLICANT/OWNER: Becca Swarna (agent) 13907 Hinson Road Little Rock, AR 72212 Tara Helgestad (owner) AREA: .42 acre NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 FT. NEW STREET: 0 LF WARD: 3 CURRENT ZONING: R-2 VARIANCE/WAIVERS: None Requested. A. PROPOSAL/REQUEST/APPLICANT’S STATEMENT: The applicant is requesting to rezone a 0.42-acre property located at 7324 W. Markham Street from R-2 to PD-C to allow the property to operate as a short-term rental 2 (STR-2) with a maximum stay of twenty-nine (29) days. The owner will not reside in the residence. The residence is currently not being used as a short-term rental. The home will be rented out as one unit. B. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The property is occupied by a 1,380 square foot, one-story, single-family residence. The home sits back off of Markham Street. A multiple car driveway leads to a parking pad in the rear of the home. This area of Markham Street comprises predominantly single-family residences, with the exception of a church west of the property. The Future Land Use Plan is Residential Low Density “RL”. The current zoning is R-2. C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: 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. January 8, 2026 ITEM NO.: 17 (CONT.) FILE NO.: Z-10244 2 D. ENGINEERING COMMENTS (PLANNING): No comments. ENGINEERING COMMENTS (PUBLIC WORKS): 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. 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: Full life Safety Inspection Landscape: No comments. F. Transportation/Planning: Rock Region Metro: No comments received. Planning Division: Land Use Plan: The request is in Planning District 3, the West Little Rock Planning District. The development principles of the district include street infrastructure improvements, sidewalk connectivity, preservation and maintenance of greenway and open space, and the protection of existing residential areas from commercial encroachment. The Land Use Plan shows Residential Low Density (RL) use for the application area. The Residential Low Density (RL) category provides for single-family homes at densities not to exceed 6 dwelling units per acre. Such residential development is typically characterized by conventional single-family homes but may also include patio or garden homes and cluster homes, provided that the density remains less than 6 units per acre. The Land Use Plan shows for the application area. The application is for an STR-2. Surrounding the application area are areas designated Residential Low Density (RL) uses and are characterized by single-family homes. This site is not located in an Overlay District.  January 8, 2026 ITEM NO.: 17 (CONT.) FILE NO.: Z-10244 3 Master Street Plan: W. Markham Street is a Minor Arterial on the Master Street Plan. Minor Arterials are high volume roads designed to provide connections to and through an urban area. Curb cuts should be minimized to allow for continuous traffic flow while still allowing some access to adjoining property. Deceleration Lanes are required. Standard Right- of-way (ROW) is 90 feet. Sidewalks are required on both sides. This street may require dedication of right-of-way and may require street improvements. Bicycle Plan: This segment of W. Markham Street is not shown on the Master Bike Plan with existing or proposed facilities in this area.  Historic Preservation Plan: The application, as shown, should have no effect on identified historic resources.  G. ANALYSIS: The applicant is requesting to rezone a 0.42-acre property located at 7324 W. Markham Street from R-2 to PD-C to allow the property to operate as a short-term rental 2 (STR-2) with a maximum stay of twenty-nine (29) days. The owner will not reside in the residence. The residence is currently not being used as a short-term rental. The home will be rented out as one unit. The property is occupied by a 1,380 square foot, one-story, single-family residence. The home sits back off of Markham Street. A multiple car driveway leads to a parking pad in the rear of the home. This area of Markham Street comprises predominantly single-family residences, with the exception of a church west of the property. The Future Land Use Plan is Residential Low Density “RL”. The current zoning is R-2. On June 20, 2023, the City Board of Directors passed an ordinance regulating short- term rentals within the City of Little Rock. The new ordinance establishes “development standards” for short-term rentals. If approved, the applicant must comply with the newly established development standards as follows, in addition to all other requirements of the new ordinance: Development Standards. 1. Hosting of private parties and special events such as weddings, receptions, and other similar gatherings is not allowed in Short- Term Rentals. 2. Tours for a fee are not allowed to anyone other than an Occupant. 3. The Occupancy Fee may include any meal to be served to paying guests; no other meal service is permitted. January 8, 2026 ITEM NO.: 17 (CONT.) FILE NO.: Z-10244 4 4. Allowable signage is that as permitted by the Single-Family Residential Standard. 5. Parking plan must be provided with permit application. Off- Street Standard for STRs shall be provided in accordance with Little Rock Arkansas Code, Chapter 36 36-54 (e) (1). If on- street parking is proposed as an alternative to meet the above requirements, parking must be available for guest use within 330 feet of the STR and parking plan must address neighborhood impact. If the STR is proposed within a Design Overlay District, any alternate parking requirements, as provided in Little Rock, Arkansas Rev. Code, Chapter 36. Zoning, Article V. District Regulations shall be applicable. 6. Applicants shall provide a scaled floor plan that includes all of the rooms available for rent with location of windows, doors, and smoke detectors identified. Smoke detectors (certified) are required in all sleeping areas, in every room in the path of the means of egress from the sleeping area to the exit, and in each story with sleeping unit, including basements. 7. All sleeping areas must have two (2) ways of egress, one of which can be an operable window. 8. Proof of homeowner's fire, hazard, and liability insurance. Liability coverage shall have limits of not less than One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) per occurrence. 9. All persons operating a Bed and Breakfast House/Short-Term Rental (Type I & 2) shall meet all applicable requirements of the City of Little Rock's Municipal Code, Chapter 12, Fire Prevention and Protection, Article II. Arkansas Fire Prevention Code. Prior to use as a Bed and Breakfast House/Short-Term Rental (Type 1 & 2), the annual City of Little Rock, Building Code and Fire Marshal inspection fee must be paid, and payment of annual Business License received. 10. Smoke alarms shall be installed, all smoke alarms shall meet local and state standards (current Fire Code). Smoke alarms shall be installed in all sleeping areas and every room in the path of the means of egress from the sleeping area to the door leading from the sleeping unit. 11. Carbon monoxide detectors shall be installed as directed by City Staff if there are fuel-fired appliances in the unit or the unit has an attached garage. 12. Five (5)-pound ABC-type extinguisher shall be mounted where readily accessible. 13. No recreational vehicles, buses, or trailers shall be visible on the street or property in conjunction with the Bed and Breakfast House/Short-Term Rental use. January 8, 2026 ITEM NO.: 17 (CONT.) FILE NO.: Z-10244 5 14. Principal renter shall be at least eighteen (18) years of age. 15. Maximum occupancy. Maximum occupancy of any room or structure as a whole shall be determined by the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code. 16. Simultaneous rental to more than one party under separate contracts shall not be allowed. 17. The owner shall not receive any compensation or remuneration to permit occupancy of an STR for a period of less than a one (1)-day rental. All trash pick-up shall comply with requirements for residential one – and two-family residential zones. There is existing off-street parking for at least four (4) vehicles. There have been no Department of Planning & Development enforcement cases nor any police reports for this property. Currently the City of Little Rock Department of Planning and Development has one hundred and thirty-two (132) short-term rentals (STR-1 and STR-2) listed within the database for approved short-term rentals in the City of Little Rock. The City’s new short-term rental ordinance allows a maximum of 500 short-term rentals within the corporate boundary of the City of Little Rock. Staff is supportive of the requested rezoning to allow a short-term rental 2 as the desired use. Staff feels the rental will continue to create a diversity of housing options for this neighborhood. Staff feels that the rezoning of this property will have no adverse impact on the surrounding properties in the general area. I. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the PD-C, subject to compliance with the comments and conditions outlined in paragraph E, and the staff analysis of the agenda staff report. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (JANUARY 8, 2026) The applicant was present. There was one (1) person registered in opposition. The item was taken off the Consent Agenda and opened up for discussion. Lesa Thomas expressed concerns of not knowing who would maintain the property, if there were any other uses the house would be used for, and unsure of what a short-term rental entails. After some discussion, there was a motion to approve the application. There was a second. The vote was ten (10) ayes, zero (0) nays, and one (1) open position. The motion passed. The application was approved.