MARCH 3, 2005

ITEM NO.:      9                                                                                                 

FILE NO.:       Z-3173-D 

NAME:           Sage Meadows Revised Long-form PD-R Revocation

LOCATION:   On the West side of John Barrow Road, South of Tanya Drive

DEVELOPER: 

WTH Development

8503 Asher Avenue

Little Rock, AR 72204

ENGINEER:

White-Daters and Associates

24 Rahling Circle

Little Rock, AR 72223

AREA:  21 Acres                  NUMBER OF LOTS: 56      FT. NEW STREET: 2910 L.F. 

CURRENT ZONING:             PD-R

ALLOWED USES:               Single-family residential at 2.66 units per acre – 56 units

VARIANCES/WAIVERS REQUESTED:   None requested. 

BACKGROUND:

The applicant previously proposed to construct 34 buildings of multi-family housing on a 25.57 acre property located on the west side of John Barrow Road, just south of Tanya Drive.  The site was zoned MF-12 (Multi-family Residential – 12 units per gross acre).  The west 110 feet of the property ownership was left as R-2 zoning, when the remainder of the property was zoned, to serve as a buffer between this site and the single-family property to the west.  The density proposed was under the twelve units per gross acre as allowed by the City’s Zoning Ordinance.  The request was to be heard by the Planning Commission at their January 21, 1999, Public Hearing but was withdrawn by the applicant prior to the Public Hearing. 

On May 3, 1994, the Little Rock Planning Commission approved a Conditional Use Permit to allow Four Oaks Living Center to locate on the northeast portion of the site.  The facility was to be constructed with a 140 bed facility and is held under a separate ownership.  This facility has been constructed.

Ordinance No. 19,088 adopted by the Little Rock Board of Directors on May 6, 2004, rezoned the site from MF-12 to PD-R to allow the development of a single-family subdivision.   The applicant proposed to develop a 34-acre site as a two-part development.  The site was zoned MF-12 which allowed for the development of multi-family housing at a density of 12-units per acre.  The applicant indicated a desire to develop 20.64 acres as a Planned Residential Development for single-family homes and the remaining 13.16 acres as a multiple building multi-family residential development (S-1229-A).  The applicant indicated the development of the PRD portion of the site with 56 units of single-family homes.   

The overall development plan included a clubhouse, two lakes and two playground recreational spaces.  The development also contained a series of pedestrian trails connecting the multi-family and the single-family development.  The clubhouse and pool would be developed as a part of a property owners association through the Planned Residential Development allowing both the single-family homes and the multi-family residents access to the facilities.   

A.        PROPOSAL/REQUEST:

The applicant submitted a request dated February 8, 2005, requesting the current PD-R zoning be revoked and the previous MF-12 district zoning classification be restored.  The applicant has indicated the proposed single-family development will not be constructed on the site as proposed.   According to the applicant the cost estimates for the single-family portion of the PD-R indicate that the project is not financially feasible.  The applicant’s cover letter states the developer would “break even” at best with a tremendous amount of financial exposure. 

Per Section 36-454(d) the Owner may for cause request repeal of the ordinance establishing the development.      

B.        EXISTING CONDITIONS:

The site is vacant and tree covered sloping from the north and south to the center of the site.  There is a developed nursing home located at the northeast corner of the site.  Park View High School is located to the northeast of the site and single-family homes are located to the southeast.  To the south of the site is an area zoned MF-24 with a welding shop and a separate building containing a contractor’s office.  Single-family homes are located along West 29th Street to the south of the site.  To the west of the site are also single-family homes in the Twin Lakes/Campus Place Neighborhood.

C.        NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS:

As of this writing, staff has received several phone calls in opposition of the proposed use from area residents.  All residents who could be identified located within 300-feet of the site, the John Barrow Neighborhood Association, the Campus Place Property Owners Association, the Twin Lakes “B” Property Owners Association, Twin Lakes B Special Improvement District and all owners of property located within 200-feet of the site were notified of the public hearing. 

D.        STAFF RECOMMENDATION: 

Staff recommends approval of the request for the revocation of the current PRD zoning classification and the restoration of the zoning classification to MF-12.