Planning Commission

April 28, 2014 The Russellville Planning Commission will hold its Regular Meeting on Monday, April 28, 2014 at 5:30 p.m., in the City Hall Council Chambers. PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA Welcome Visitors 1. A presentation “Complete Streets” to be presented by City Engineer Michael Oakes. 2. A request to review and approve the minutes of the March 24, 2014 Regular Meeting. 3. A request for reappointment of Blake Tarpley to another 2-year term to the Board of Adjustment, which will need confirmation by the City Council. 4. Tabled from March 24, 2014 Meeting. A Public Hearing requesting to review and a recommendation of approval to the City Council for a Special Use Permit to allow sales and display of pools, spas, and decks for property located at 1807 South Arkansas Avenue submitted by Rodney Scoggins d/b/a Arkansas Valley Pool & Spa. (SP.14.03.121) 5. A Public Hearing requesting to review and a recommendation of approval to the City Council to rezone property presently C-2 (Highway Commercial) to M-1 (Light Industrial), for property located at 3014 East 17th Street, submitted by Scott Sander on behalf of Airways Commercial, LLC. (ZO.14.04.176) 6. A Public Hearing requesting to review and a recommendation of approval to the City Council to rezone property presently C-2 (Highway Commercial) to R-3 (Medium/High Density Residential), for property located at 1305, 1307, 1309, 1311, 1313, and 1315 South Oswego Avenue, submitted by Scott Sander. (ZO.14.04.177) 1  Russellville Planning Commission Minutes April 28, 2014, @ 5:30 p.m. The Russellville Planning Commission held its regular meeting on Monday, April 28, 2014, at 5:30 p.m. in the Russellville City Hall Council Chambers. Members Present Chairman Dennis Boyd Herschell Hargus Vice-Chair Eric Westcott Doug Skelton Jimmy Sims Mike Wilkins Todd Meimerstorf Members Absent Council Liaison Richard Harris Secretary Aldona Standridge Jimmy Davenport Also present: Mayor Bill Eaton, City Planner David Harris, City Attorney Trey Smith, City Engineer Michael Oakes, Planning Assistant Lequitta Jones, Building Official Brian Holstein, and Scott Sanders. Welcome The First Order of Business is a presentation on “Complete Streets” by Public Works Director Michael Oakes. Chairman Boyd introduced Michael Oakes, Public Works Director/City Engineer. Each commissioner was provided with a draft copy of the Complete Streets ordinance and policy (See attached). Mr. Boyd said the commission will not be taking action on the Complete Streets documents this evening. Mayor Eaton will be asking for a recommendation next month from this commission in regard to the ordinance and policy. Public Works Director Oakes then proceeded with his presentation. The Second Order of Business was a request to review and approve the minutes of the March 24, 2014 regular Meeting. Commissioner Wilkins made the motion to accept the minutes as written. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Sims and passed unanimously. The Third Order of Business was a request for reappointment of Blake Tarpley to another 2- year term to the Board of Adjustment, which will need confirmation by the City Council. Commissioner Wilkins made the motion to accept the reappointment. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Skelton and passed unanimously. The Fourth Order of Business (Tabled March 24, 2014). A Public Hearing requesting to review and a recommendation of approval to the City Council for a Special Use Permit to allow sales and display of pools, spas, and decks for property located at 1807 South Arkansas Avenue submitted by Rodney Scoggins d/b/a Arkansas Valley Pool & Spa. (SP.14.03.121) City Planner Harris reiterated points he made last month. Some commissioners had indicated that they thought Mr. Scoggins needed to provide more information on his plan. What Mr. Scoggins submitted is a very simple plan for a one-third acre parcel. He proposes a 1500sf building with a few paved parking spaces and a drop lot to the rear screened by an opaque fence. It is a simple plan for a simple use and adequately describes the aspects of the use that commissioners need to know about to make their decision. It seems excessive to require a professional site plan for such a simple proposal. Mr. Harris said in regard to the building's exterior, the Zoning Code stipulates that exterior facades facing public right-of-ways be finished with materials from a list in Section 3.20. That is the only visual control that the Zoning Code explicitly gives the commission. Mr. Scoggins provided an elevation, which he passed around last month. What commissioners are requested to review here is 1) whether this use - pool supplies and installation - is appropriate at this location, and 2) the physical site plan. Mr. Harris said Mr. Scoggins did not apply for a sign. The only sign requests the commission typically reviews are for Special Permit off-premise signs. No application was made for that. I strongly urge you to not act on any sign request when you review this. We do have businesses planning on coming to Russellville that put up signs stating, “Coming to this Location.” Requests for such signs do not come before the commission. I urge you to stick to the Special Use Permit. Mr. Scoggins said I’m not here to get permission to build a building. I’m here for a Special Use Permit to have equipment or anything I want there on that land. If I’m coming off a job, I want to be able to park my backhoe there. It is zoned C-2 and I should be able to park big trucks in the front parking lot. Mr. Wilkins asked Mr. Scoggins if he intended to build the privacy fence to block the view of these vehicles parked on the lot. Mr. Scoggins said yes, we are going to put up the fence, but we want to park more than just customer vehicles. Planner Harris said the problem was not so much parking trucks in the lot, but more the backhoe, concrete mixer, and other equipment and supplies. It's a commercial zone, but you are leaning more toward a contractor's drop lot with all the supplies and machinery. That is different from just parking a company pickup truck on the lot. I don’t think many people would care about a pickup sitting in the lot, but when you have a trailer with a tractor or concrete mixer or materials piled up or something like that, they do care. City Planner Harris said he was not comfortable with the idea that you start using the site and at some point sooner or later, if things go well, you build a facility. If you just have a lot with equipment and trucks then you basically have a contractor’s drop lot. The Zoning Code includes such a use as a Special Permit use in C-2, but that is not what Mr. Scoggins requested in his application, which showed a more conventional site with a building and associated parking, etc. If he wants a drop lot, then an application for a drop lot should be filed with a site plan showing what he proposes. My main concern is that we’re moving toward approving something that was not applied for, and that we don’t have plans for. 2 Commissioner Skelton said the petition before us today says the intended use of the site is “Sales and display of pools, spas, and decks.” Mr. Skelton asked Mr. Scoggins if he wanted to just park his equipment on the lot. Mr. Scoggins said that was right, so customers can see where I am, or intend to be. Mr. Scoggins said it is a holding yard. Last month I said I wanted to put a sign out there that says, “Coming Soon Spring of 2014”. Mr. Wilkins said you did say last month that you were going to just park trucks, mixers, and other items out there. Ms. Hindsman’s concern was the impact of creating what amounts to a construction yard there and the effect it would have on her home next door. One of the things we’re charged with on this commission when we deal with commercial development right next to residences, is to be sure we look after the interest of adjacent property owners. If you are going to build the building and the fence, then you are asking for this permit, but you can't ask for one thing if you intend to do something else. Planner Harris said a contractor’s drop lot is also a Special Permit use in C-2. The commission has the power to make a recommendation to the City Council to approve that. However, we have an application that includes a drawing that shows a building and a screening fence, so that is what should be reviewed and acted upon. If Mr. Scoggins wants to use the property as a drop lot he can ask for that and the commissioners have the power to recommend that to the City Council. I would say a drop lot is moving away from typical C-2 commercial uses, but it is permissible as a Special Permit use. However, that is not what was applied for and advertised. Commissioner Hargus asked about guidelines for parking a company truck in the lot. Does that mean the drop lot has to be paved? City Planner Harris said all required parking has to have a paved surface. City Planner Harris said on drop lots we’ve tried to be fairly consistent and say you have to have a driveway that is paved, customer parking that is paved, but it you have a drop lot that is going to have big trucks with high axle loads it doesn’t make sense to require paving that will be destroyed in short order. Planner Harris said in regard to the screened areas where the equipment is stored, I would be as flexible as possible in my decision as to whether it had to be paved or not. The customer parking must be paved, and driveways into public streets must be paved for some length so gravel, mud, etc. doesn’t migrate into the city street. Commissioner Wilkins said if it is going to be used as a drop lot an application needs to be made to the Planning Commission as such. If it is going to be used as a drop lot then a privacy fence to protect the views from the adjacent residential neighbors must be a requirement. Commissioner Meimerstorf said he agreed with Commissioner Wilkins. It seems to be a drop lot and probably needs to have gravel parking and a screening fence to hide equipment and supplies. I’m not opposed to trucks, but if you are dropping sacks of concrete, pallets of supplies, etc., then that area needs to have a fence around it. I think your application is incorrect. Mr. Scoggins asked if he could put a portable building on the lot. City Planner Harris said if it is made of wood it would likely comply with the commercial building design. This is exactly the thing the special permit process was designed to do, which is give commissioners discretionary power over things like Mr. Scoggins request for a portable building. Commissioners are empowered to decide if a portable building is suitable for the proposed business at this location. Commissioner Wilkins asked Mr. Scoggins if he was proposing to park this equipment at night inside the fence where it is shielded from view. Mr. Scoggins said yes, if it can’t be parked out 3 front and the company truck if it needs to be parked on the gravel. Mr. Wilkins said whatever we approve, we want it to have a positive impact on the area and adjoining neighbors. Commissioner Skelton said he couldn’t understand why we don’t have a petition for a drop lot. Mr. Scoggins said a lot of things have happened, including some personal difficulties, like recently breaking his leg. Chairman Boyd pointed out that if we grant this Special Use Permit we could be granting a use for a drop lot for the next 20 years. City Planner Harris agreed. Mr. Harris said that he was not telling the commissioners how to vote; however, he said that I’m saying we need an application and site plan that show that the request is for a drop lot with no building. We need to have something that clearly defines what is being discussed and voted on. In light of the discussion, Chairman Boyd asked how the commission could help Mr. Scoggins. City Planner Harris said we need a site plan that shows what Mr. Scoggins proposes to do on the site. Commissioner Meimerstorf made a motion to table until next month and let Mr. Scoggins come back with a new site plan. Commissioner Wilkins seconded the motion and passed unanimously. The Fifth Order of Business was a Public Hearing requesting to review and a recommendation of approval to the City Council to rezone property presently C-2 (Highway Commercial) to M-1 (Light Industrial), for property located at 3014 East 17th Street, submitted by Scott Sanders on behalf of Airways Commercial, LLC. (ZO.14.04.176) City Planner Harris said considering the existing uses in this area, M-1 is more appropriate than C-2. I’m recommending approval of the C-2. Commissioner Wilkins made the motion to approve the proposal. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Skelton and passed unanimously. The Sixth Order of Business was a Public Hearing requesting to review and a recommendation of approval to the City Council to rezone property presently C-2 (Highway Commercial) to R-3 (Medium/High Density Residential), for property located at 1305, 1307, 1309, 1311, 1313, and 1315 South Oswego Avenue, submitted by Scott Sanders. (ZO.14.04.177) City Planner Harris said that area contains multiple uses and zoning districts. The requested zoning would serve well as a transitional area between single-family houses and the commercial and light industrial uses as you get closer to Knoxville. I am in favor of this rezoning. Commissioner Wilkins made the motion we accept the proposal. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Sims and passed unanimously. Meeting Adjourned. ___________________________________________________ Chairman Dennis Boyd 4