Planning Commission

Russellville Planning Commission Minutes March 25, 2019 @ 5:30 p.m. The Russellville Planning Commission held its regular meeting on Monday, March 25, 2019 at 5:30 p.m. in the Russellville City Hall Council Chambers. Members Present Chairman Wendell Miller Secretary Nathan Barber Karen Yarbrough Shirley Hatley Don Jacimore Jim Lanier Council Liaison Eric Westcott Members Absent Vice-Chairman Frank Russenberger Steve Hubbard Luke Duffield 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, Planning Assistant Lequitta Jones, Dave Garza of Barrett & Associates, Clay King of Entergy, and Katina Givens of Entergy. Welcome Visitors The First Order of Business was a request to review and approve the minutes of the February 25, 2019 regular meeting. Commissioner Hatley made the motion to approve the minutes as submitted. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Lanier and passed unanimously. The Second Order of Business was 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) Tabled at January 28, 2019 and February 25, 2019 meetings. Planner Gambrill said this request is for a special use permit to allow a commercial ice vending machine on the northeast corner of the parcel as it fronts along East Main Street. This property is in a C-2 zone. The applicant is creating new parking consisting of 12 spaces. According to the City Zoning Code. Section 3.24 – Free Standing Automating Ice Vending Machines, such machines shall be installed as the principal structure on a lot and shall provide off-street access and parking not to block or impede traffic on a public street. The site plan we have now doesn’t lot off this proposed ice vending machine. The staff has yet to see a lot-split. The concept site plan indicates new parking lot with 12 parking spaces allocated, and 4 more shown, but not noted as being part of or associated with the new use. The lot has six separate uses/businesses on the subject property, with the potential for another if the project is approved. There is not a whole lot of parking demand out there. This may be more administrative just to legitimize the parcel in respect to parking regulations. The staff recommends the applicant for a lot-split and updated parking analysis should be examined before the staff can make a recommendation on the subject special use permit. As of the date of this report, staff recommends tabling the request until a future Commission meeting. Dave Garza of Barrett & Associates on behalf of Odis Grimes agreed to do the lot split. If it is approved as a special use permit, we will move forward with the minor plat. It would be a condition on getting a building permit. Commissioner Yarbrough made the motion to approve the special use permit. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Lanier and passed unanimously. The Third Order of Business was a request for a Large-scale Development 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 Katina Given on behalf of Entergy Arkansas. (DV.19.03.159) Note: Property vested in Arkansas Valley Alliance for Economic Development. Planner Gambrill said this is a request for a Large Scale Development at 3500 Block of East 6th Street. The property is currently vacant with an M-1 zone. The proposed use is an electric substation and distribution facility. The adjacent use is single-family detached residential to the north, vacant to the south, vacant to the east, and to the west industrial use of Tyson Foods plant. The adjacent zoning is R-2, M-1. The Land Use Plan shows Airport Industrial District. The parcel is 9.22 acres. It has frontage along Tyler Road and 6th Street to its north. The staff recommendation is conditional approval for an opaque screen to the north side of the site in a way that provides sufficient visual screening which is up to the Planning Commission. Paul Mlakar with Blackstone said he independently reviewed storm water plans for the City. Mr. Mlakar said there are a few things we need to finalize and revise. Paul said he reviewed the storm water plan and should meet the City’s ordinance. Clay King, Project Manager for the project: Lighting - Entergy contracted an engineering firm to perform a lighting study. Lighting study determined .1 foot candles would reach the residential housing to the north of the property. The engineering firm designed new lighting design to redirect light towards equipment and not shine on the residential housing to the north of the substation. With this design, 0 foot candles will reach the residential housing to the north. Sound: Entergy contracted an industrial hygienist to perform sound sampling at the Bono substation and property at the proposed Russellville Industrial substation to set baseline readings. The Bonosubstation is the same type substation as Russellville Industrial and was put in service December 2017. Sound sampling around the Bono substation was taken directly 2 outside of the fence and around the property line with all transformer fans on, and again with all fans off. The highest readings were directly outside of the fence with the fans on. The Bonoreading taken at a location comparable to the distance from E. 6th Street to the Russellville Industrial transformer was 46 dBA. The readings taken at E. 6th Street ranged from 56 dBA to 63 dBA. Based on these readings, the existing noise on E. 6th Street at the proposed Russellville Industrial site is already louder than the comparable distance reading recorded at the Bono substation with all of the transformer fans on. The readings at the Bonosubstation with all of the fans off resulted in the readings at the substation fence and property line being nearly equal. Readings of cars passing by on E. 6th Street were 70 dBA; readings of cars passing by on Tyler Street were 80 dBA. Fence Slats: Entergy proposed using fence slats to screen the substation fence. This is a non- conductive material we have used in the past; the sample pictures provided are from a newer substation built in the Hot Springs area. Our personnel prefer this material when required due to low maintenance and aesthetics. The height of the fence will be 8 feet. Commissioner Jacimore made the motion to approve with the conditions the lighting, noise, drainage, and the slats on the fence are carried out as assured by Entergy. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Hatley and passed unanimously. The Fourth Order of Business was a request to table: A public hearing requesting review and approval for a 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 Uhaul/Amerco Real Estate Company. (SP.18.11.160) Commissioner Lanier made the motion to table. The motion was seconded by Commission Jacimore and passed unanimously. Meeting adjourned. _____________________ Chairman Wendell Miller 3