Planning Commission

Russellville Planning Commission Minutes February 25, 2019 @ 5:30 p.m. The Russellville Planning Commission held its regular meeting on Monday, February 25, 2019 at 5:30 p.m. in the Russellville City Hall Council Chambers. Members Present Chairman Wendell Miller Secretary Nathan Barber Steve Hubbard Karen Yarbrough Shirley Hatley Luke Duffield Don Jacimore Jim Lanier Council Liaison Eric Westcott Members Absent Vice-Chairman Frank Russenberger Also present: Mayor Richard Harris, Planner Kevin M. Gambrill/Garver, City Attorney Trey Smith, Public Works Director Kenneth Duvall, Building Official Brian Holstein, Floodplain Manager Ben Gray, Zane Bryson/City Corp, Jim Lynch/City Corp, Planning Assistant Lequitta Jones, Alexis Larreynagoi, Andrew Hicks/Uhaul, Brett Hogan/Uhaul, Tony Moore and Dave Garza of Barrett & Associates. Welcome Visitors The First Order of Business: Welcome Jim Lanier to serve on the Planning Commission. The Second Order of Business was a request to review and approve the minutes of the January 28, 2019 regular meeting. Commissioner Hatley made the motion to approve the minutes as written. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Hubbard and passed unanimously. TheThird Order of Business: Request to Table until March 25, 2019 by Mr. Grimes. Tabled from the January 28, 2019 meeting. A public hearing requesting review and a recommendation of approval for a special use permit to operate a commercial ice vending machine for property located at 2410 East Main Street. Submitted by Odis Grimes, Jr. (SP.19.01.161) Commissioner Hubbard made the motion to table the request. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Hatley and passed unanimously. The Fourth Order of Business: Tabled from the January 28, 2019 meeting. A public hearing requesting review and recommendation of approval to rezone property located at 4029 South Arkansas from R-2 (Medium Density Residential) to C-2 (Highway Commercial) to allow an office warehouse. Submitted by Danny Russell (ZO.19.01.216) Planner Gambrill of Garver Engineering said this request is to rezone a 1.8 acre tract of land fronting on South Arkansas Avenue from R-2 to C-2 to construct an office warehouse. The request zoning and related uses is consistent with the character of the area. The recommendation is approval. Commissioner Yarbrough made the motion to approve the C-2. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Duffield and passed unanimously. The Fifth Order of Business was a public hearing requesting approval for a special use permit to allow construction of a distribution substation in an M-1 (Light Industrial) for property located south of the 3500 block of East 6th Street and east of Tyler Road across from the Tyson-Tyler Road and North of Alumax Plant. Submitted by Katria Given on behalf of Entergy Arkansas. (SP.19.02.162) Note: Property vested in Arkansas Valley Alliance for Economic Development. Planner Gambrill said this request is for a special use permit to allow construction of a proposed electric substation and distribution facility. The property contains 9.22 acres. There will be a chain-link fence surrounding the substation for security reason. The staff recommends conditional approval with some level of screening or buffer between the substation and residences on the north side of East 6th Street. The applicant had submitted to staff some examples of how Entergy had provided security in levels of screening. I’m not sure if that necessarily qualifies for landscaping, but that is up for discussion by the board. It doesn’t provide full screening the way some other substation would. We do recommend approval. Tony Moore representing John Carothers and Linda Greer, 3509 East 6th Street, homeowners in this area, which I have listed their home for them. We are here to see what impact this will have on them selling their home. Our concerns are about the noise issue, lights, drainage, and etc. This is an area that is extremely wet and has a history of a lot of drainage issues. It would be better if we could move the substation further south and get it away from the impact of these homes on 6th Street. The noise issue with that constant hum, lights, and everything that goes with the transfer station. The barrier should be greatly enhanced to the neighborhood side at least. The lighting that is going on 24 hours is a problem. And then drainage is a problem. The elevation of this pad is going to exasperate that drainage. I think you should look at making sure that they have a strong drainage plan. We need storm drains in the area. Clay King, Entergy Project Manager for the project, said the documents we provided shows the proposed drainage on the site and it shows that it drains away from 6th Street south off the substation site. We will have steady fall from 6th Street and that extents further south on the site. In reference to the lights, they will be directional toward our 2 equipment so the rear of the substation is actually what will be facing 6th Street. I would have to get with our engineers to find out which direction the light will travel. It will not be facing out of the substation. Everything will be facing in, the front of the substation will be facing back toward 6th Street, but the lights will be facing up. We build substations along transmission lines is the reason for selecting this site. The transmission line is already in place at East 6th Street and extents to the east and then south along the far border of the neighboring property. The existing substation on East Main is at its capacity. Mike Duncan said Russellville needs this substation because we are running at capacity. At this time, we do not have the ability from switching between different circuits. It will be quite the update. We have a couple of industries that will be expanding that we know of that is going to add about five maga-watts of lead, which the east substation cannot. All the industries on the east side of town will be better served. Commissioner Duffield said the transmission lines have been there a long time and is fronting on 6th Street. Is moving the substation to the south even a 100 yards going to make that much difference in the sound. As far as Entergy, I understand you can do a lot with the lighting to offset that issue. If you are asking for more of a barrier than just a fence, I think that can be handled pretty easily. Is it more about the aesthetics or more about the noise or light pollution that the homeowners have issue with. Tony Moore said I understand we need the power, but I think you don’t need to make a decision tonight until some of these issues are addressed. We need to know what the impacts are going to be on these homes. Commissioner Duffield said from the homeowner’s standpoint if Entergy can do all they can to try to minimize sound, light, aesthetics, etc. is that satisfactory? They said “yes”. Planner Gambrill of Garver said if they were permitted a special use permit tonight they still have to go through a large scale development process. A lot of the engineering details that we are talking about tonight are also dealt with regardless of what the zone is. It has to go through a very detailed level of large scale review. Commissioner Duffield made the motion the project be approved with contingencies that Entergy will present to minimize the impact of all the homeowners on 6th Street, in regard to sound, light, aesthetics, and drainage. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Jacimore and passed unanimously. The Sixth Order of Business A request for a waiver from the Six-month Waiting Period requirement enabling resubmittal of the special use permit for an adaptive reuse of the existing K-Mart building. A proposal of uses consist of self-storage, U-Haul truck and trailer share, and related retail sales. Submitted by Amerco Real Estate Company. (SP.18.11.160) Andrew Hicks said if the waiver is approved tonight we will bring the special use permit request back next month. It will be the revised plan. 3 Commissioner Duffield made the motion to approve the waiver. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Hatley and passed unanimously. The Seventh Order of Business was a request for approval of a large-scale development for a proposed expansion of roughly 56,000sf to the existing Taber Metals plant. Submitted by Taber Metals, Kirby Specialties, and Barrett & Associates. (DV.19.02.158) Planner Gambrill of Garver said this project is located at 915 South Elmira Avenue. The existing use is M-1. The request is for an expansion of an existing manufacturing use. It is not in the floodplain. From the large scale development standpoint the only thing that the staff would ask for is that we have the two outstanding items; drainage and fire suppression. Dave Garza of Barrett & Associates said we are working with Taber and Bob Hiegel Architect is working with the development. This expansion is a new building in the back of the existing plant. The two outstanding issues that we are working on is the drainage and fire suppression on the new project. There is an existing detention pond to the east that has not been utilized to it capacity. There will be no impact to the neighboring property to the south as no changes to the flow pattern are anticipated. We have a triangle tract just east of that, if necessary we can enlarge that area for the drainage for this. The architects met today with Fire Marshal Setian and Building Official Holstein and discussed the fire suppression. Building Official Holstein said they had a preconstruction meeting with Architect Bob Hiegel and at this point there is some issues that have to be worked out, but that is all in the building process and will be per code. The recommendation is approval with conditions the fire marshal to confirm fire suppression compliance prior to issuance of the building permit. Dave Garza said the approval is with conditions that the Public Works director confirms storm water drainage compliance prior to issuance of the building permit. And Fire Marshal to confirm fire suppression compliance prior to issuance of Building Permit. City Attorney Smith said the large scale development requires a 20 day requirement for turning it in. Lequitta Jones asked City Attorney Smith if we could go ahead and ask for the waiver now and Trey said no not on a code requirement. We requested a special called meeting. Commissioner Duffield made the motion to table. Commissioner Hatley seconded the motion and passed unanimously. A special called meeting was set for March 5, 2019 at 5:30 p.m. The Eighth Order of Business was a request to elect 2019 Chairman, Vice Chairman, and Secretary. 4 Commissioner Hatley made the motion the officers for 2019 remain the same. Commissioner Hubbard seconded the motion and passed unanimously. Meeting adjourned. _____________________ Chairman Wendell Miller 5