Planning Commission

Russellville Planning Commission Minutes March 28, 2016 @ 5:30 p.m. The Russellville Planning Commission held its regular meeting on Monday, March 28, 2016 at 5:30 p.m. in the Russellville City Hall Council Chambers. Members Present Chairman Dennis Boyd Todd Meimerstorf Vice-Chair Doug Skelton Peggy Stratton Secretary Wendell Miller Shirley Hatley John Whiteside Nathan Barber Council Liaison Freddie Harris Members Absent Mike Wilkins Also present: Mayor Randy Horton, City Attorney Trey Smith, City Engineer Kurt Jones, Planner James Walden, Building Official Brian Holstein, Planning Assistant Lequitta Jones, Fire Marshal Richard Setian, David Garza/Barrett & Associates and James Lee. Welcome The First Order of Business was a request to review and approve the minutes from the February 22, 2016 meeting. Commissioner Miller made the motion to accept the minutes as written. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Skelton which passed unanimously. The Second Order of Business was a request to approve a large-scale development for the proposed Russellville Aquatic Center located on North Phoenix Avenue. Submitted by Mayor Randy Horton. (DV.16.02.140) Planner Walden said this large-scale development application was a request to construct a recreational aquatic center to serve the residents of Russellville and surrounding areas. In terms of the planning comment and questions, these are really minor: 1) Indicate plans for sidewalks along Phoenix Avenue. 2) Consider adding a sidewalk from the aquatic center to the street. 3) Indicate Phoenix Avenue as a collector street on the site plan. This proposal is wholly consistent with the comprehensive plan. Although the comprehensive plan indicates single-family residential planned development in that area, this development would directly achieve one of the primary goals of the existing comprehensive plan in terms of capitalizing on its great location near a variety of natural areas by developing a first class parks and recreation system and tourism market. The recommendation for action on this was for approval addressing those three comments, the primary one being the issue indicating plans for sidewalks on Phoenix Avenue. City Engineer Jones said one of the provisions in the zoning code for sidewalks is to allow payment in lieu of, and I think what we would like to look at from the Public Works’ standpoint. We have a sidewalk up to “L” Street right now. If we put a sidewalk in front of the aquatic center, it’s not going to connect to anything. What I would like to look at doing is when we have to run some utilities up Phoenix -- and I have actually worked up some water and sewer extension plans along Phoenix -- we could consider extending the sidewalk on up Phoenix as well and tie into the aquatic center as part of a Public Works Project. Chairman Boyd said he noticed there wasn’t any landscaping included in this six-million dollar plus project. He noted that the City was in the process of updating its comprehensive plan, part of which will include improving the appearance of the main thoroughfares. He said he believed the City should try to set the standard in regard to landscaping by setting a good example for other business owners even though there is no requirement in our zoning code for landscaping. He pointed out that there are a lot of new businesses that go in around town without any landscaping at all. He acknowledged the hard work that the City Council had put in to get the aquatic center costs within budget. He suggested that perhaps the City could have Public Works do the landscaping work. Mayor Horton said the budget originally included $19,000 for landscaping but it was removed in an effort to reduce costs. He said he plans to try to partner with the ATU Horticulture Department for the landscaping. Commissioner Stratton made the motion to approve the request. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Skelton and passed unanimously. The Third Order of Business was a request to review and approve the Preliminary Plat for the Briar’s Subdivision located on South Knoxville Avenue. Submitted by Dave Garza of Barrett & Associates on behalf of Whig Creek Properties, LLC. (SD.16.03.303) Planner Walden said this request is a 21-lot duplex subdivision with lot sizes ranging from 7,500 to 24,000 square feet. All the proposed lots meet lot area requirements. On the comprehensive plan this property is indicated for single-family residential; however, the zoning rights have already been granted for duplex residential in this area. So that action supersedes the guidance in the comprehensive plan. This does comply with the zoning. In the staff report you see a lot of comments, but we’ve had additional submittals by the applicant addressing all the comments. So the recommendation for this has changed from tabling or approve the application with the 10 comments provided as contingencies, to approval with contingencies that construction not commence until approval of improvements and the stormwater plan by the city engineer. Dave Garza of Barrett & Associates said we have fulfilled most of the comments. But the development itself hasn’t changed at all from when it was approved before when it was Ashbrook Phase III. The drainage stayed the same. We will just rework that to 2 make sure there haven’t been any differences or changes in the zoning ordinance or drainage ordinance prior to that first approval. We will put all that together in a plan and the only thing that has happened here is that there were twenty lots before and we gained one lot. Chairman Boyd asked City Engineer Jones if he was satisfied with the preliminary plat. Mr. Jones said “yes.” Commissioner Skelton made the motion to approve the request. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Miller and passed unanimously. The Fourth Order of Business was a public hearing requesting review and a recommendation of approval to rezone property currently R-1 (Single-family Residential) to R-3 (Medium/High Density Residential) located in the 200 Block of East Holly Street. Submitted by Dave Garza of Barrett & Associates on behalf of James Lee. (Z0.16.03.196) City Planner Walden said the stated intent of the applicant is for construction of a duplex unit. The lot would meet minimum area requirements to build a duplex or triplex unit in R-3. This is an R-1 lot that has R-3 to the south, R-3 to the east, and C-2 to the west. There is a cell tower to the north of it. It has really low potential for this to develop as single-family residential. It is already adjacent to several duplex units. The lot doesn’t necessary conform to the current lot size requirement of R-1. The rezoning would likely provide for the highest potential of the property being developed. The proposed rezoning is not consistent with the comprehensive plan because the comprehensive plan indicates the area for single-family residential in this area. However, there have been numerous re-zonings in this area which are not consistent with this plan. The planner’s recommendation is approval. The rezoning would help make the property useful for development. The current lot does not conform to the lot size requirements of R-1 and has limited potential for single-family use. The rezoning would not present significant harm on adjacent properties and would provide for compatible use of the property. Dave Garza, on behalf of James Lee, said the property has been owned by Mr. Lee for three years. It was annexed into the City as an R-1 and Mr. Lee is requesting it be rezoned to R-3. Commissioner Whiteside made the motion to approve the request. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Stratton and passed unanimously. The Fifth Order of Business was a public hearing requesting review and a recommendation of approval for a Special Use Permit to operate a machine shop and garage for property located at 1505 East 2nd Street zoned C-2. Submitted by Larry & Delores Motley. (SP.16.03.144) City Planner Walden said the current use of this property is currently vacant. It is surrounded by a mix of uses: government to the south, vacant to the west, commercial to the north, and quasi-industrial to the east. It rests on the borderline between C-2 and M- 3 2 zoning. The comprehensive plan indicates commercial for future use in the area. As a Special Use Permit use in C-2, the proposed use can be considered compatible. The site has been used for a similar use in the past. This is actually what the structure was designed for. There are similar uses of greater intensity near the site. The site is located within a solidly commercial/quasi-industrial area where the proposed use would be compatible. The side does not back up to the commercial lot on Main Street. There is a lot that goes behind it that does back up to it. It is buffered from Main Street as well. There were two contingencies that I saw as being the ones that would be likely to add as contingencies to approval: 1) Parking area in front of the building to be repaved to meet the surface requirements of the zoning code prior to issuance of the certificate of occupancy. 2) Clear the site of any excess vegetation prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy. The planner’s recommendation is approval. Mr. Larry Harris said he was selling his machine shop (NAPA) and I am trying to help one of my employees that has worked for me 25-plus years buy a shop. He said the application said a machine shop and garage, but the property would be used for a machine shop only, not a garage. The area will be kept clean. There will be no cars stored around there. There will not be junk around the building. Mr. Larry Motley, owner of the building, said he plans to be finished with the concrete paving by this Thursday. Commissioner Miller made the motion to approve the request subject to paving the parking area and clearing the excess vegetation. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Hatley and passed unanimously. The Sixth Order of Business was a public hearing requesting review and a recommendation of approval for a Special Use Permit to allow auto sales for property located at 106 West 17th Street zoned C-2. Submitted by Dave Garza of Barrett & Associates on behalf of Shane Butler. (SP.16.03.145) City Planner Walden said what they want to do with the site is auto sales with a small sales office. The site was previously a bank. The property was split and the bank was demolished and the western portion was converted to a housing development. The site is oddly configured. This use would actually make good use of this configuration. There are similar uses of similar intensity near the site. The site is located within a solidly commercial/quasi-industrial area where the proposed use would be compatible. It is totally consistent with the comprehensive plan. You should also have some revised plans addressing the one comment we had in terms of parking in that particular driveway. The recommendation for this application is approval. Dave Garza said it makes perfect use of the existing parking lot. We are not removing everything and putting all new materials in there. We are utilizing exactly what’s there. 4 In regard to the layout we turned the building to face 17th Street because we had some setback issues. Commissioner Miller made the motion to approve the request. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Stratton and passed unanimously. Meeting Adjourned ___________________________________________________ Chairman Dennis Boyd 5