LOCATION:
Located on the North side of West Markham Street between Jackson and Monroe
Streets
DEVELOPER:
HR
Company c/o Tom Cole
900
South Shackleford Road, Suite 210
Little
Rock, AR 72211
ENGINEER:
Development
Consultants, Inc.
2200
North Rodney Parham Road, Suite 220
Little
Rock, AR 72212
AREA:0.57 Acres NUMBER OF LOTS: 2 (1 Zoning
Lot) FT.
NEW STREET: 0
CURRENT
ZONING:O-3,
General Office District
ALLOWED
USES: Office General and Professional
PROPOSED
ZONING: POD
PROPOSED
USE: Branch Bank Facility
VARIANCES/WAIVERS
REQUESTED:A variance from ordinances to allow a reduction in the
minimum driveway spacing criteria.
A.PROPOSAL/REQUEST:
The
applicant is proposing the development of this 0.57 acre parcel as a branch bank
facility with two drive through lanes and one ATM location.The applicant is requesting a waiver of the required driveway spacing
criteria to allow two one-way drive openings for the property.The applicant has indicated this will allow one-way traffic
flow to circulate around the building for drive-through teller and ATM services.The applicant has indicated this scenario is similar to many other small
sites with drive-through services that have been allowed with separate one-way
drives.The applicant states in his cover letter many such sites have
more intense traffic generation, such as the case of restaurants.The applicant’s cover letter states the site is unusable without the
driveway waiver consideration.
The
applicant has indicated fifteen on-site parking spaces on the proposed site
plan.The site plan also includes
the placement of stacking sufficient to allow stacking for five to six
automobiles.The applicant has
indicated they do not anticipate the ATM use to be a substantial contributor to
peak hour traffic flows.
The
applicant has indicated screening will be added to the northern perimeter of the
site where abutting residentially zoned properties.The site plan includes the placement of a six foot wood fence.The applicant has also indicated a portion of the northern buffer will
remain as undisturbed.
The
applicant has indicated the trash dumpster on the proposed site plan.The dumpster is located adjacent to the northern proposed parking area
and screened per code.
The
applicant has indicated the drive through hours of operation will be from 7:30
am to 6:00 pm Monday through Friday and 9:00 am to 12:00 pm on Saturday.The applicant has indicated the lobby hours will be from 9:00 am to 5:30
pm Monday through Friday only.The
applicant is also requesting O-3 uses as alternative uses for the site.
The
applicant has provided a copy of the Bill of Assurance dated April 15, 1941.The proposed request does not appear to be in conflict with the provided
Bill of Assurance.
B.EXISTING CONDITIONS:
There
are a variety of uses located in the area both residential and
non-residential in character.The
residential uses include both single-family and multi-family and the
non-residential include both office and commercial uses.There are State and City owned facilities located to the south of the
site including UAMS, the Arkansas Department of Health, War Memorial Park and
the Zoo.
West
Markham Street is a four lane roadway with a center turn lane in this area.There are curb and gutters located adjacent to the site but due to
previous paving in the area the curb has been greatly reduced.
C.NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS:
As
of this writing, staff has not received any comment from an area resident
concerning the proposed use of the property.All residents who could be identified located within 300-feet of the
site, the Hillcrest Residents
Neighborhood
Association and all owners of property located within 200-feet of the site
were notified of the public hearing.
D.ENGINEERING COMMENTS:
PUBLIC
WORKS CONDITIONS:
During
peak hours, there will not be sufficient driveway area to allow three
vehicles to queue up at each of the four drive through windows (12
vehicles total), and still allow walk-in customers to park and exit.Vehicles will block the through lanes of Markham waiting to
enter.Contact Bill Henry
Traffic Engineering at (501) 379-1816.
Driveway
locations and widths do not meet the traffic access and circulation
requirements of Sections 30-43 and 31-210.Only a single driveway would be allowed for 36-feet of frontage.The width of driveway must not exceed
36-feet.
Repair
or replace any curb and gutter or sidewalk that is damaged in the public
right-of-way prior to occupancy.Sidewalks
and ramps must meet current ADA standards.
Storm
water detention will not apply to the proposed development.
A
grading permit in accordance with Section 29-186 (c) and (d) will be
required prior to any land clearing or grading activities at the site.Site grading and drainage plans will need to be submitted and
approved prior to the start of construction.
E.UTILITIES AND FIRE DEPARTMENT/COUNTY PLANNING:
Wastewater:Sewer available, not adversely affected.
Entergy:Approved as submitted.
Center-Point
Energy:No comment received.
SBC:No comment received.
Central
Arkansas Water:All
Central Arkansas Water requirements in effect at the time of request for water
service must be met. 3/4-inch is the largest meter size available off the
existing water main. Additional fire hydrant(s) will be required. Contact the
Little Rock Fire Department to obtain information regarding the required
placement of the hydrant(s) and contact Central Arkansas Water regarding
procedures for installation of the hydrant(s).
Fire
Department:Place fire hydrants per code.Contact
the Little Rock Fire Department at 918-3752 for additional information.
County
Planning:No comment.
CATA:No comment received.
F.ISSUES/TECHNICAL/DESIGN:
Planning
Division:This request is located
in the Heights Hillcrest Planning District.The Land Use Plan shows Office for this property.The applicant has applied for a Planned Office Development -POD for
construction of a bank.
The
request does not require a change to the Land Use Plan.
Master
Street Plan:Markham Street, Fair Park Boulevard, and Van Buren Street are shown as
Minor Arterials on the Master Street.The
purpose of a Minor Arterial is to provide connections to and through an urban
area.Markham Street may require dedication of right-of-way and may
require street improvements.Entrances
and exits should be limited to minimize negative effects of traffic and
pedestrians on Markham Street.
City
Recognized Neighborhood Action Plan:The
applicant’s property lies in the area covered by the Hillcrest Neighborhood
Action Plan.The Zoning and Land
Use Goal category has multiple goals.One
is to ”Create a different set of guidelines with which to govern the
development of Hillcrest,” with one particular action statement relevant to
the case: “More mixed-use opportunities should be provided within the
commercial areas, including parts of Kavanaugh, Markham Street, and Stifft
Station.”The second is “Develop concepts for commercial
corridors for parts of Markham Street,” consisting of one action statement:
“Discontinue the current commercial structures that are not appropriate for
Markham.Markham has become
degraded by the development of a current pattern of suburban development leading
to disagreements about appropriate design of structures, use, scale, image, and
hours of operation.”Both of
these development goals are relevant to this case because the neighborhood
action plan discourages suburban strip development.The neighborhood action plan encourages development to be appropriate in
scale and design to surrounding uses.In
this case special attention should be spent on the building’s design,
relationship to Markham Street and buildings, and accessibility.
Landscape:Areas set aside for buffer and landscaping meet
with ordinance requirements.A
six-foot high opaque screen, either a wooden fence with its face side directed
outward, a wall, or dense evergreen plantings, is required where adjacent to
residential properties to the north.
Mr.
Robert Brown was present representing the request.Staff stated the site was currently zoned O-3, General Office District
which would allow for a bank facility to be constructed.Staff stated the site plan included two driveway locations, which would
require a variance from the minimum driveway spacing criteria.Staff stated the developer had elected to file a rezoning to
POD to allow the development to be constructed as proposed including the
driveway locations.Staff stated
O-3, General Office District uses were being requested as alternative uses for
the site.
Public
Works comments were addressed.Staff
stated the grade of the drive was a critical issue.Staff also stated even though the site did not require detention, water
could not be released on West Markham Street.Staff stated underground detention would be required.Staff stated in this area of West Markham Street there was a
problem with icing in cold weather.
Staff
also noted the proposed drives did not meet the minimum spacing requirement.Mr. Brown stated the site was not developable with the
proposed use and the placement of drives that met the current ordinance
requirement.
Landscaping
comments were addressed.Staff
stated the areas set aside for buffer and landscaping appeared to meet with
ordinance requirements.Staff
stated screening would be required where adjacent to residential properties.
There
was no further discussion of the item. The Committee then forwarded the item to
the full Commission for final action.
H.ANALYSIS:
The
applicant submitted a revised site plan to staff addressing most of the issues
raised at the October 28, 2004 Subdivision Committee meeting.The applicant has indicated screening along the northern perimeter of the
site adjacent to the residentially zoned properties.The applicant has indicated a six foot wood fence will be
placed in this area and a large area of existing vegetation will be maintained
to add additional screening.
The
applicant has indicated the drive through hours of operation will be from 7:30
am to 6:00 pm Monday through Friday and 9:00 am to 12:00 pm on Saturday.The applicant has indicated the lobby hours will be from 9:00 am to 5:30
pm Monday through Friday only.The
applicant is also requesting O-3 uses as alternative uses for the site.
The
applicant has indicated the trash dumpster on the proposed site plan.The dumpster is located adjacent to the northern proposed parking area
adjacent to residentially zoned properties.The site plan also includes a note concerning the required screening
stating screening will be placed per code or a minimum of two feet above the
finished container height.Staff is
not supportive of the dumpster placement.Staff
feels the placement of the dumpster adjacent to the residential properties will
have a negative impact with regard to servicing the dumpster.
The
applicant has indicated they will work with staff concerning the grade of the
drive and the detention.Although
detention is typically not required on sites less than one acre there is a
clause in the ordinance, which allows for detention where there is concern with
downstream flooding or safety concerns.Staff
will work with the applicant to resolve this issue prior to a building permit
being issued if the development is approved.
The
applicant is requesting a waiver of the required driveway spacing criteria to
allow two one-way drive openings on the property.The applicant has indicated this will allow one-way traffic flow to
circulate around the building for drive-through teller and ATM services.The applicant has also indicated fifteen on-site parking
spaces on the proposed site plan.The
site plan includes the placement of stacking for five to six automobiles
resulting in 21 parking spaces.The
ordinance typically requires drive through facilities to provide not less than
three holding or stacking spaces for each window.The site plan includes the placement of three drive-through facilities
which would typically require nine holding spaces.Although the applicant has indicated they do not anticipate
the ATM use to be a substantial contributor to peak hour traffic flows, the
ordinance typically does not distinguish between peak and non-peak usage.Based on the applicant’s design, when cars are stacked for the
drive-through lanes, the lobby parking will be rendered unusable due to
customers being unable to enter the spaces or exit the spaces upon completion of
their transaction.This creates a
safety concern and the possibility of cars trying to exit the site against the
flow of traffic.Staff feels the
site is being overbuilt and the proposed development should be redesigned to
allow for sufficient stacking and/or adequate parking to serve the site.
Staff
is not supportive of the proposed development.Staff recommends denial of the proposed request as filed.
I.STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends
denial of the request.
PLANNING
COMMISSION ACTION:(DECEMBER 2, 2004)
Mr.
Robert Brown was present representing the request.There were no registered objectors present.The Chair stated there were currently eight Commissioners present.The Chair stated in the past when there were only eight Commissioners
present the applicant was offered a deferral.Mr. Brown stated his client would like to defer his request to the
December 16, 2004 public hearing.
A
motion was made to approve the deferral request.The motion carried by a vote of
8 ayes, 0 noes and 3 absent.
