Planning Commission

Russellville Planning Commission Minutes September 24, 2018 @ 5:30 p.m. The Russellville Planning Commission held its regular meeting on Monday, September 24, 2018 at 5:30 p.m. in the Russellville City Hall Council Chambers. Members Present Chairman Wendell Miller Vice-Chair Frank Russenberger Secretary Nathan Barber Luke Duffield Steve Hubbard Shirley Hatley Don Jacimore Council Liaison Larry Brown Members Absent John Whiteside Karen Yarbrough Also present: Mayor Randy Horton, Planner James Walden, City Attorney Trey Smith, Public Works Director Kenneth Duvall, Jim Lynch/City Corp, Zane Bryson/City Corp, Fire Marshal, Richard Setian, Planning Assistant Lequitta Jones, Leslie Teaff, Brent Preddy, Cynthia R. Walker, Ray Baker, Aldona Standridge, Garland & Christy Gee, Eddie and Traci Rood, Jeff & Sharon Wright, Chris & Marcia Chronister, James Carter, Teresa Harris, and Mary Cohoon. Welcome Visitors The First Order of Business was a request to review and approve the minutes of the August 27, 2018 Regular meeting. Commissioner Hatley made the motion to approve the minutes as written. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Hubbard and passed unanimously. The Second Order of Business was a request to vacate a portion of South Utah Avenue from West 3rd Court to West 4th Street being between Blocks 18 and 19, Madison-White Addition to the City of Russellville, Pope County, Arkansas. (ST.18.08.89) (Note:12- foot wide alley lying between Lots 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, Block 19 is in the process of being vacated). Planner Walden said this request is to vacate the 50 foot right-of-way of South Utah Avenue between West 3rd Court and West 4th Street. The right-of-way is not used as a means of transportation and is not improved. It is a grassy area. This section of Utah Avenue could connect to a paved portion of Utah Avenue to the north on 3rd Court side. However, Utah Avenue could not be extended further south. If kept, the block would be of a length not recommended by the Subdivision Code. The Subdivision Code generally recommends that its block length be between 400 feet and 1200 feet in. So this will be somewhere around less than 250 feet in length. There are private utilities that exist within the alley. The applicant is not proposing to relocate any utilities in the alley. The City has heard back from some utilities, and most notably City Corp has utilities in the right-of-way. They would have to provide either an easement or something of that type. The recommendation of action is approval with conditions; 1) All utilities will be relocated at the cost of the applicant, 2) The applicant will provide all necessary easements to preclude the need to relocate utilities prior to city council approval. Cindy Walker said it is a grassy area and they want to put a driveway in to get the parking off the street. The staff recommends the application be allowed to be forwarded to the city council with the understanding that a resolution of City Corp’s concerns are met. Commissioner Hubbard made the motion to approve the request subject that all utilities will be relocated at the cost of the applicant and the applicant will provide all necessary easements to preclude the need to relocate utilities prior to city council approval. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Duffield and passed unanimously. The Third Order of Business was a request to approve Brookview Estates Phase V Preliminary Plat located on South Seattle. Submitted by Kurt Jones of Kurt Jones Engineering on behalf of William Thornsberry. (SD.18.08.341) City Planner Walden said this request is to approve a preliminary plat for 13 lots in an unconstructed portion of the Madison White Addition between Vancouver Avenue and Seattle Avenue. Prior to your meeting, the Board of Adjustment approved a special exception for Lots 11, 12, and 13 from the lot size requirements. An 8 percent reduction to allow lots to be 8800 square feet instead of the required 9600 square feet. It will still maintain the same lot width, but they will have about 10 feet less in lot depth. Some of the comments requested: 1) Indicate plans for sidewalks along West 4th Street and Seattle. It was addressed. 2) We asked the applicant to make a waiver request pertaining to improvement of the small portion of Tulsa Avenue that is adjacent to Lot 11. That waiver has been requested in writing. 3) Provide “note” that indicates allowed uses of all easements (utilities and drainage). That was addressed. 4) We asked for a typical section of the street improvements. That was addressed. 5) Needed certificate of surveying accuracy. That was addressed. 6) Change engineering accuracy certificate to preliminary engineering certificate. That was addressed. 7) We had asked for a Bill of Assurance because there are no improvements that will be maintained by a neighborhood or something along those lines. The applicant is not proposing for a Bill of Assurance. 2  8) If you look at Lots 1 and 2 that are in the floodplain that will have to be addressed in the construction process for houses. We ask that the minimum Finished Floor Elevation for the lots in the floodplain be provided so when the developer buys those lots that they know what the house is going to have to be built up to to qualify for a letter of map revision in those locations. We do have one contingency as it pertains to plans with City Corp, which is in line normally with the way that these preliminary plat are usually handled. The recommendation is approval with contingency, which is finalize approval of construction plans with City Corp and the City Engineer. If approved would need to be approved with request for the waiver. Kurt Jones said the waterline issue is simply whether or not there is existing waterlines on Seattle both north and south of the proposed tie-in at 4th Street, and we are actually right now showing it being looped to the north to tie into that system. I think City Corporation is just trying to make an internal decision whether they wanted it looped to the north or back to the south. And we have agreed to show whichever way they want it looped at this point. Until we get an answer from them we can’t finalize those plans. But it doesn’t in anyway affect the configuration of the lots or number of lots or anything else in the design. Commissioner Russenberger asked who is going to pay for the waterline loop? Mr. Jones said that has not been resolved either, but we will work that out with City Corporation. We know the line is going to be looped, we are requesting through City Corporation that we not have to pay for that looping, but again that is between us and them at this point. Mr. Lynch said we are in the process of working out the details. Commissioner Hubbard made the motion to approve with the contingency to finalize approval of construction plans with City Corp and the City Engineer. The motion was seconded by Commission Hatley and passed unanimously. The Fourth Order of Business on-going zoning code changes discussion. (MS.17.10.89) City Planner Walden said we have been working on some zoning code updates over time. There are two that are currently up at the city council for consideration. I don’t have a lot of new information to bring to you tonight. At 6:15 following this meeting a meeting on short-term rentals to have some on-going discussion. Motion to adjourn. 3 __________________________ Chairman Wendell Miller 4