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Minutes for the MAPC meeting on January 9, 2007.
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Metropolitan Area Planning Commission Minutes, January 9, 2007
Commissioners absent: Mr. Day, Mr. Krennerich
Staff present: Spriggs, White, Rook, Crego
Approval of minutes from the December 12, 2006, meeting. Motion was made by Mr. Harpole, seconded by Mr. Halsey. Minutes were approved by unanimous vote.
1. C.U. 06-18 Larry Friar request a Conditional Use for auto detailing at 528 Krewson, the zoning is C-2 and requires a conditional use approval.
Joe Clay Young came forward as the proponent for this item.
City planner stated that a staff report was forwarded and there are no objections to this use for this structure. There stipulations that have been placed in the staff report which are as follows:
a. That upon issuance of a zoning permit approval, all other building permit and other permits be applied for and obtained by the applicant;
b. That all work on vehicles be performed within the building structure and any customer vehicles waiting service comply with current parking lot standards in terms of location, A.D.A standards, setback and surfacing; and,
c. That all wash bays and areas be equipped with the proper waste water disposal system with environmental permits secured.
Mr. Harpole made a motion to approve with stipulations listed. Mr. Roberts seconded the motion. Norris voted aye. Roberts voted aye. Halsey voted aye. Harpole voted aye. Collins voted aye. Sexton voted aye.
This item was approved with stipulations listed above.
2. C.U. 06-20 Joe Clay Young request a Conditional Use to place loft residential units on the lower floors at 209, 219, 223, 226 and 314/316 S. Main. The zoning is C-1 Downtown Core Commercial, requiring a conditional use approval.
Joe Clay Young came forward as proponent for this item. Mr. Young stated that there has been a large number of retailers that have gone out of business in the past 12 months. The bottom floors are commercial and are now empty and we would like to make them into flats or apartments during this time when no one is requesting commercial space.
Paul Holscher came forward as an opponent for this item. Mr. Holscher would like to have this issue studied instead of issuing a conditional use to one person. He believes that the C-1 Zoning needs to be readdressed for the bigger picture. Mr. Holscher read a portion of a report from a past study regarding retail as the first floor and the second floors to be utilized as residential.
M. G. Myering came forward as an opponent for this item. Mr. Myering also read from the Hyatt Palma study. This is essentially an open air mall and you would not want to put residential on the bottom floor of a mall if you were to compare that.
City planner came forward and stated that staff reports had been forwarded to the commission. Housing is typically not permitted in C-1 and we looked at the lower floor residential on Church Street and also looked at the definitions of loft. Overall we feel that there are only a few concerns. Parking and commercial appearance on the outside with no residential furniture outside the building.
Commissioners asked a few questions regarding the kitchen areas of the apartments, what length of leases. The ground floor lease would be corporate month-to-month lease so that it would be easier to convert this to the commercial area.
Sarah Trimarchi came forward and stated that their main concern is for foot traffic. The worry is that residential will decrease foot traffic on Main Street and that walking past a residential area will cause a further decrease in foot traffic.
Mr. Harpole stated that he also has an office downtown and if someone is walking downtown and they have to walk in front of a building that is empty, it is the same as walking past residential. He feels that an empty building would not be as bad as a residential area.
Mr. Sexton asked Mr. Young how long he had owned these properties and he stated between 2 ½ to 3 years. Mr. Sexton was concerned with additional buyers who may want to keep the area residential.
Mr. Harpole made a motion to approve this item with stipulations and that the leases remain month-to-month on the lower units and that parking spaces be provided and designated for each unit. Mr. Collins seconded this motion. Ms. Norris voted no. Mr. Roberts voted aye. Mr. Halsey voted aye. Mr. Harpole voted aye. Mr. Collins voted aye. Mr. Sexton voted no.
This item was denied due to not receiving the 5 aye votes needed to pass.
3. C.U. 06-21 Dan Freeman requests a Conditional Use to place a multi-family (triplex) at 824 Aggie Rd. in an I-1 Industrial district requiring a conditional use approval.
Dan Freeman came forward as the proponent for this item. Mr. Freeman stated that the property was once Minton garage and it has now been leveled.
City planner stated that there are no objections to this conditional use as a triplex. This will be a good in-fill project for the area. The applicant only needs to satisfy the building and zoning permit process.
Mr. Harpole made a motion to approve this item. Mr. Halsey seconded the motion. Norris voted aye. Roberts voted aye. Halsey voted aye. Harpole voted aye. Collins voted aye. Sexton voted aye.
This item was approved.
4. R.Z. 06-26 Bruce Taylor request rezoning from R-1 residential to C-5 Neighborhood Office for 1.58 acres located east of Fielder Road and south of Johnson Ave.
Ken Stacks came forward as proponent for this item. They would like to put a dental office on this property which is behind the central fire station on Johnson.
City planner stated that there are no objections to this use.
Mr. Halsey made a motion to recommend this item to City Council. Mr. Harpole seconded this motion. Mr. Sexton voted aye. Mr. Collins voted aye. Harpole voted aye. Mr. Halsey voted aye. Mr. Roberts voted aye. Mr. Norris voted aye.
This item was approved.
5. R.Z 06-28 Donald L. Parker request rezoning from R-1 residential to C-3 LUO (uses permitted in C-5 with flexibility in building design) for 1.18 acres located at 3000 Brown’s Lane.
Mr. George Hamman came forward as proponent for this item. They would like for the building to have more of a commercial appearance than the normal C-5 residential appearance.
City planner stated that this area is currently C-3 in nature and we have no objections to this item. The only thing we have is that no residential be attached to this area.
Mr. Halsey made a motion to recommend this item to City Council. Mr. Collins seconded. Ms. Norris voted aye. Mr. Roberts voted aye. Mr. Halsey voted aye. Mr. Harpole voted aye. Mr. Collins voted aye. Mr. Sexton voted aye.
This item was approved.
6. R.Z. 06-29 Troy Coleman request rezoning from AG-1 Agricultural to R-6 LUO (10 units per acre) on 37.77 acres located on Kathleen Street between Morton Dr. and Pacific Rd.
Brent Crews came forward as proponent for this item. This is the northern most area of the property that we proposed last month that we withdrew. Mr. Crews stated that the City is in need of more multi-family housing and that this is an ideal place for this type of housing to be placed.
City Planner stated that the staff report was forwarded to you previously. Staff is glad that some of the acreage was taken away from the prior request.
Mr. Crews stated that the developer is interested in putting a variety of single family, duplex and four-plex on this property. The zoning could be R-2 or R-4 for this area.
Mr. Collins stated that he reviewed the airport information and that this area would not be affected because it is far enough away from the airport. Mr. Sexton asked if they would be making precedence for this area if rezoned to residential instead of industrial. City planner stated that there are Zoning Districts with R-2 in this area. This area would ideally be industrial, but we will have to look at this area and how it is developing. The most appropriate zoning could be done with R-3 Limited use or if you stick with R-2 you would be limited to the duplex, triplex and four-plex.
The client that we have now only needs a smaller amount of land and that is why we reduced the acreage for this rezoning case. City planner stated that R-2 LU would work if you used the R-6 stipulations. That would lock it into certain types of structures.
Mr. Harpole made a motion to recommend to the City Council changing the zoning to R-2 LUO at 8 units per acre with the R-6 stipulations. Mr. Collins seconded this motion. Ms. Norris voted aye. Mr. Roberts voted aye. Mr. Halsey voted aye. Harpole voted aye. Mr. Collins voted aye. Mr. Sexton voted aye.
This item was approved.
7. R.Z. 06-30 Dillon Watkins/Relativity, Inc. request rezoning from R-2 multi-family low density to C-5 LUO (neighborhood office only) located at 1020 W. Matthews. NOTE: THIS ITEM WITHDRAWN BY APPLICANT.
This item was withdrawn.
8. P.P. 06-20 John Sloan request preliminary approval for SLOAN LAKE ESTATES a residential 49-lot subdivision located in R-1 Single-Family medium density for 51.16 acres south of Casey Springs Rd. and east of Strawfloor Dr. (this item was tabled pending an MAPC work session).
A motion was made by Mr. Harpole to un-table this item. Ms. Norris seconded. All voted aye to un-table.
This item was withdrawn.
9. P.P. 06-21 Dixie Development, Inc. request Preliminary approval for CREEK PLACE COMMERCIAL SUBDIVISION located on 22.97 acres on Stadium Blvd. with Nettleton Ave. to the north, Forrest Home Rd. on the south and Bittle to the west.
George Hamman came forward as proponent for this item. Five comments were received from the engineering department and we have satisfied those. During the meeting to discuss those changes they presented three more comments. One of those is a traffic light. They intend to hire the appropriate professionals to handle that submittal. The second matter was storm water detention that we have addressed on our drainage plans. Mr. Ben Israel with Dixie Development is here and stated that they would ask that the MAPC consider the fact that this project has been in the works for months. Mr. Israel stated that the storm water retention runoff on each lot would have its own water retention. The second item is a stop light. The third item was access into lots #1 and #13. The current prospects would like the access to be off of Stadium Drive. Lot #13 is currently being looked at by a restaurant.
Mr. Hamman stated that they are well aware that a traffic signal will require more study and will require the appropriate expertise in that area. The storm water detention was asked that we could do an overall detention but that it has been done that way in the past and it has ended up not working properly and had to be redone. A statement was made by the taskforce stating that the box culvert under Stadium was not adequate but this is under the State Highway Department and not the City of Jonesboro.
City planner stated that the comments by the engineering department have been discussed with staff and have been gone over along with comments from Teddy Hooton. There is some major concern over detention and the drainage access being undersized. We are not sure what impact that will have on single detention. An area detention pond approach was looked upon because the fear is that the site by site limitations, the storm water might not be given enough attention and we want the most adequate approach to be done. City planner asked that if this item was approved to have stipulations placed that they meet with the Engineering department regarding the water detention. City planner also stated that if a signal is placed at this place that the curb cuts be decreased on Stadium.
Commissioners asked questions about the detention ponds but these exact detention areas will be addressed on each individual site plan that comes through when the lots are sold. Also commissioner questioned about the traffic signal on Stadium and believes there are too many traffic signals on that street. Perhaps a turn lane could be added instead of a signal. Since Stadium is a highway the Highway Department it is their decision.
Dr. Beadles believes that in the final there needs to have some points that need to be considered for MAPC to look at.
City planner asked if they would be willing to give up easement on that drainage ditch area to the City or State since it is all on private property and there is no developed easement there. Mr. Hamman stated that was a revision that they had been through with Engineering in the meeting earlier in the day.
City Planner stated that the hot spots were still undertaken by some engineers and are still being worked on.
Mr. Collins made a motion to address all detention issues and for this item to be approved upon the resolution of the detention, contingent on research being done on the signalized intersection, the possibility of a turn lane and underground detention and also have the 5 items from the planning department and the 3 issues from the taskforce and no curb cuts on Stadium. Mr. Halsey seconded the motion. Norris voted aye. Roberts voted aye. Halsey voted aye. Harpole voted aye. Collins voted aye. Sexton voted aye.
10. F.P. 06-21 Dale Wood request final approval for THE MEADOWS SUBDIVISION Phases III and IV a 31-lot subdivision in R-1 Single-Family medium density on 10.97 acres located on Kellers Chapel Road west of Southwest Dr. (Hwy-49)
Carlos Wood came forward as proponent for this item. This is the final review of the property that we brought before you last month. The engineering comment was taken care of and we sent them a revised drawing correcting that request today.
City planner stated that all stipulations were corrected and that the revised drawing needed to be brought to planner’s office.
Mr. Halsey made a motion to approve this item. Mr. Sexton seconded this item. Ms. Norris voted aye. Mr. Roberts voted aye. Mr. Halsey voted aye. Mr. Harpole voted aye. Mr. Collins voted aye. Mr. Sexton voted aye.
11. Administrative:
a. Text Amendments -update/discussion
City planner stated that the work sessions have not been working but these text amendments still need to be discussed. Commissioners decided the work session would be on January 25, 2007, at 5:30 p.m. City planner stated that he would forward any documents that the commissioners needed for this special meeting.
b. 2007 meeting schedule
This has been provided in your packets. Dr. Beadles stated that the 17th of the month is the deadline for conditional uses and rezonings. Some of the dates are the 16th, etc. due to the 17th falling on a weekend day. Dr. Beadles just wanted commissioners to be aware of those deadlines.
All were in favor of this being published.
c. Jerry Halsey, Jr. request a 1 year extension for a conditional use for mini storages at 4000 S. Caraway.
Jerry Halsey stated that he has 12 acres of property in front of the Links apartments. When he purchased the property there was a conditional use for mini storage buildings for the very north end of the property which was based on the architectural control of this committee. Mr. Halsey would like to extend that conditional use for a 1 year period of time so that some drawings can be brought back to MAPC for review. Mr. Halsey would like to be on the next month’s meeting to discuss this property.
City planner stated that this committee would be the one to grant an extension for this conditional use.
Ken Collins addressed the commissioners stating that MAPC doesn’t have a really good opportunity to have a work session or speak to the City Council regarding the street plan. There is a major concern due to the development within the City. City planner stated that the Land Use Committee should be the entity to consult regarding this item. Also, there should be guidelines regarding the streets for us to go by. Commissioners stated that there is no plan at this point and they are going from month to month instead of going by a plan.
City planner stated that Marvin Day is the chairman of the Land Use Committee. A work session would be a good idea between this committee, the Land Use Committee and possibly City Council. Committee members agree that this would be a good idea.
City planner asked if commissioners would be willing to do this on a Saturday for a couple of hours.
Meeting adjourned at 6:50 PM.