Planning Commission

January 28, 2013 The Russellville Planning Commission will hold its Regular Meeting on Monday, January 28, 2013, at 5:30 p.m., in the Council Chambers of City Hall. PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA Welcome Visitors 1. Review and approve the minutes of the December 17, 2012 Regular Meeting. 2. A Public Hearing assigning zoning classification R-2 for a proposed annexation of property for an extension to Shiloh Manor, an existing subdivision, submitted by Dave Garza of Barrett & Associates on behalf of Bucky Croom. (MS.13.01.74) 3. A Public Hearing to consider the City of Russellville amending the Zoning Code in regard to landscaping of multi-family, commercial and industrial developments. (MS.12.10.72) 4. Election of 2013 officers. (2012 officers Dennis Boyd, Chairman; Eric Westcott, Vice-Chair; and Aldona Standridge, Secretary).  Russellville Planning Commission Minutes January 28, 2013 @ 5:30 p.m. The Russellville Planning Commission met in its regular meeting on Monday, January 28, 2013 at 5:30 p.m. in the Russellville City Hall Council Chambers. Members Present Chairman Dennis Boyd Jimmy Davenport Vice-Chair Eric Westcott Richard Perkins Secretary Aldona Standridge Gaylon Smith Richard Harris, Council Liaison Members Absent Herschell Hargus Jimmy Sims Nick Patel Also present: City Planner David Harris, City Attorney Trey Smith, Jim Lynch/City Corp, Planning Assistant Lequitta A. Jones, Building Official Brian Holstein, David Keener, Tony Moore, Cliff Goodin, and William Thornsberry. WELCOME The First Order of Business was to approve the minutes of the December 17, 2012 Regular Meeting. Commissioner Westcott made the motion to approve the minutes as written. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Perkins and passed unanimously. The Second Order of Business was a Public Hearing assigning zoning classification R-2 for a proposed annexation of property for an extension to Shiloh Manor, an existing subdivision, submitted by Dave Garza of Barrett & Associates on behalf of Bucky Croom. (MS.13.01.74) Mr. Harris said this was as straight-ahead a request as we were likely to see. The preliminary plat has been approved for the new addition at Shiloh. Planning Department has received a couple of calls from folks concerned about the possibility of duplexes being built in the new addition. R-2 zoning does allow up to eight units in a single building, and a density of 16 units per acre. Mr. Harris said he spoke with the petitioners and suggested that they either make a note in the Covenants/Bill of Assurance stating that only single-family detached homes would be allowed in the new addition, or change their request from R-2 to R-2S. Petitioners agreed to amend their request to R-2S, which does not allow multi-family of any sort. Mr. Garza on behalf of Bucky Croom said he had nothing to add. In response to a question, Mr. Harris explained that the proposed addition has four proposed access points; two connecting with the older phase of Shiloh Manor, one at the southeast corner of Phase IV, and one that offers a potential future connection to AR7 at the northwest corner of the subdivision. Staff thinks this will be adequate. Commissioner Perkins made the motion to approve as submitted. Commissioner Westcott seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. The Third Order of Business was a Public Hearing to consider the City of Russellville amending the Zoning Code in regard to landscaping of multi-family, commercial and industrial developments. (MS.12.10.72) Chairman Boyd said this item has been tabled for several months, in hopes of getting greater participation from stakeholders. We have posted public hearings at several meetings. Chairman Boyd asked City Planner Harris for a staff report. City Planner Harris said this is basically the same draft presented a couple of years ago. Mr. Harris said he included a city-by-city ranked comparison intended to show that the standards included in the Russellville draft were in most cases less stringent than those in effect in several other Arkansas cities. Mr. Harris offered his opinion that the draft was about as watered-down as it could be without becoming meaningless. Mr. Wescott addressed the attending developers asking if there was anything specific about the draft that they would like to see amended. He suggested they sit down with Mr. Harris and discuss the portions they were concerned about. Mr. Cliff Goodin said, looking back, he felt that all the projects he had done had turned out well. He said he planned on doing no more development. He asked what would happen if required trees died. City Planner Harris explained that failure to maintain in a healthy state all required landscaped areas and planted materials would constitute a violation of the Zoning Code and would be subject to the actions and penalties of the Zoning Code. Chairman Boyd added that the penalty per infraction per day is $100.00. Mr. David Keener asked who would take care of the 11½ foot of property between the right-of-way line and the edge of the roadway. 2 Mr. Harris said any required landscaped areas or landscaping materials would have to be on private property. Any landscaping that was within the ROW would be susceptible to loss in the case the road was widened or otherwise improved. Mr. David Keener said he wasn’t against the Landscape Ordinance, but in the current economic circumstances, it is not the time to impose additional costs on the developers. Mr. Keener said these requirements will keep small lots from being able to be built on. At one time, I could build a metal building costing $20 a square foot. Then the City passed the commercial design ordinance requiring that façade not be metal. Now it cost me $40 a square foot to do the same building. Mr. Tony Moore said this is not the time to impose any costs on developers or anyone else- maybe later. Mr. Dave Garza said he was not against the Ordinance but was concerned about planting trees in power line easements, especially considering what would happen over several years as the trees matured. He said it was his recommendation that if the Ordinance passed that the City Staff have the power to approve variances instead of requiring an appearance before the BOA or Planning Commission. Commissioner Perkins said he didn’t belief the staff would want to be put in that situation. We should follow the usual variance process. Mr. William Thornsberry said it is the wrong timing to increase development costs in a fragile economy. Commissioner Perkins made the motion to approve. Commissioner Westcott seconded the motion which failed on a roll call vote of 3 - 2. Westcott, Smith, and Perkins voted for and Standridge and Davenport voted against. The Fourth Order of Business was election of 2013 officers. (2012 officers Dennis Boyd, Chairman; Eric Westcott, Vice-Chair; and Aldona Standridge, Secretary). Commissioner Davenport made the motion the 2013 officers remain the same as 2012. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Standridge and passed unanimously. Adjourned ________________________________________ Chairman Dennis Boyd 3