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Home My WebLink AboutZ-9533-A Staff Report 022426March 12, 2026 ITEM NO.: 8 FILE NO.: Z-9533-A NAME: Hayes – STR-1 – Special Use Permit LOCATION: 1801 E. 3rd Street APPLICANT/OWNER: Kenneth Hayes 1722 E. Capitol Avenue Little Rock, AR 72202 AREA: .06 acre NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 FT. NEW STREET: 0 LF WARD: 1 CURRENT ZONING: R-4 VARIANCE/WAIVERS: None Requested. A.PROPOSAL/REQUEST/APPLICANT’S STATEMENT: The applicant is requesting a special use permit for the 0.06-acre property located at 1801 E 3rd Street to allow the property to operate as a short-term rental 1 (STR-1) with a maximum stay of twenty-nine (29) days. The owner lives within 1,500 feet of the property. The residence is not being used as a short-term rental. The entire unit will be rented out as a whole. B.EXISTING CONDITIONS: The property is occupied by a 2,213 square foot, two-story, single-family residence. The home resides in a two-family residential neighborhood. There is a multiple-car driveway that will provide five (5) off-street parking spaces. The current zoning is R-4. The Future Land Use Plan is Residential Medium Density “RM”. 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. D.ENGINEERING COMMENTS (PLANNING): No comments. March 12, 2026 ITEM NO.: 8 (CONT.) FILE NO.: Z-9533-A 2 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 6, the East Little Rock Planning District. The development principles of this district include developing facilities for all modes of transportation and the preservation of greenways, open spaces, and significant environmental features and systems. The Land Use Plan shows Residential Medium Density (RM) uses for the application area. The Residential Medium Density (RM) accommodates a broad range of housing types including single family attached, single family detached, duplex, town homes, multi-family and patio or garden homes. Any combination of these and possibly other housing types may fall in this category provided that the density is between six (6) and twelve (12) dwelling units per acre. The application is for a STR-1. Surrounding the application area is designated for Residential Medium Density (RM) use and is characterized by single-family homes and two faith-based institutions. This site is not located in an Overlay District.   March 12, 2026 ITEM NO.: 8 (CONT.) FILE NO.: Z-9533-A 3 Master Street Plan: E.3rd Street is a Local Street on the Master Street Plan. Local Streets are roads designed to provide access to adjacent property with the movement of traffic being a secondary purpose. The standard Right-of-way is 50’. Sidewalks are required on one side. This street may require dedication of right-of-way and may require street improvements. Bicycle Plan: E.3rd 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 a special use permit for the 0.06-acre property located at 1801 E 3rd Street to allow the property to operate as a short-term rental 1 (STR-1) with a maximum stay of twenty-nine (29) days. The owner lives within 1,500 feet of the property. The residence is not being used as a short-term rental. The entire unit will be rented out as a whole. The property is occupied by a 2,213 square foot, two-story, single-family residence. The home resides in a two-family residential neighborhood. There is a multiple-car driveway that will provide five (5) off-street parking spaces. The current zoning is R-4. The Future Land Use Plan is Residential Medium Density “RM”. 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. 4.Allowable signage is that as permitted by the Single-Family Residential Standard. March 12, 2026 ITEM NO.: 8 (CONT.) FILE NO.: Z-9533-A 4 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. 14.Principal renter shall be at least eighteen (18) years of age. 15.Maximum occupancy. Maximum occupancy of any room or March 12, 2026 ITEM NO.: 8 (CONT.) FILE NO.: Z-9533-A 5 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 (5) 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 forty-one (141) 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 special use permit to allow a short-term rental 1 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 special use permit, subject to compliance with the comments and conditions outlined in paragraph E, and the staff analysis of the agenda staff report. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (FEBRUARY 12, 2026) This item was deferred to the March 12, 2026 agenda due to insufficient notification.