Planning Commission

PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES January 8, 2024 @ 5:30 p.m. The Board of Adjustment held a meeting on Thursday January 8, 2024 at 5:30 p.m. Members Present Wendell Miller, Chairperson Don Jacimore, Vice-Chairperson Cody Black John Choate Luke Duffield Larry Smith Members Absent Justin Cothren Shirley Hatley Cheryl Monfee Eric Westcott, City Council Liaison Visitors Present: City Planner Sara Jondahl, Planner I Victoria Marchant, and David Garza. Welcome Visitors The First Order of Business is a request to review and approve the minutes of the Planning Commission November 28, 2023. Commissioner Choate made a motion to approve the minutes as written. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Smith and passed unanimously. The Second Order of Business is an Election of Officers for 2024. a. Chairman b. Vice Chairman c. Secretary Commissioner Smith made a motion to reinstate the current Planning Commission officers. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Black and passed unanimously. The Third Order of Business is an Outside Service Agreement for Transformation Life Church RV Park. Submitted by Barrett & Associates on behalf of Transformation Life Church. (MPA-1223-000461) City Planner Jondahl stated that this is an outside service agreement for Transformation Life Church. She stated that typically outside service agreements are for single family houses and new subdivisions, so there are some things that she will go over in her report that normally would not be addressed. City Planner Jondahl stated that this is an existing property including Transformation Life Church, a church house and parking lot. She stated that adjacent uses include residential single family and multi-family properties, some other churches in the area, and a couple industrial uses to the west of this location. City Planner Jondahl stated that the property is not currently zoned as it is outside of City Limits, however it is noted as being Suburban Single Family on the Future Land Use Plan. City Planner Jondahl stated that there are certain items that should be considered when allowing services to be extended beyond the current boundary for the City. City Planner Jondahl stated that the first is to evaluate the impact on the local community, considering factors such as public health, safety, and the general welfare of residents. She stated that this is not just extending the sewer to connect to the church, but the applicant is proposing to put in an 11 space RV campground which is why there is more of a review than there would typically be when extending a sewer line to an existing facility. She stated that she does not believe that a small 11 space RV campground on church property being managed by the church would be a huge impact to the public health safety or general welfare of surrounding residents as it is not a typical single family residential neighborhood as there are mobile homes in the vicinity, multi-family residences, and industrial uses. City Planner Jondahl stated that another item to consider is to assess the capacity of the existing sewer infrastructure to accommodate additional connections. She stated that the City Corporation approved the sewer extension at their board meeting on November 14th. She stated that the City Sewer system has sufficient capacity to provide service to this project. She stated that the Commission may consider including a condition that they extend to the upstream side of the property. She stated that this would allow upstream properties to connect to the sewer in the future without acquiring an easement or completing construction through an existing RV Campground park. She stated that properties on the east side of Sparksford Drive are lightly developed and could be developed once sewer is available. She stated that being that this is within the Planning Boundary we need to consider future growth in this area and extending the sewer to the upstream side of the property allows for potential future development. City Planner Jondahl stated that another item is is the proposal in line with the Future Land Use Plan? She stated that as she had previously mentioned, the Future Land Use Plan says that this would be suburban single family, so no, it is not necessarily in line as residential RV campgrounds are not permitted in residential districts. She stated that RV campgrounds are permitted within C2 Highway Commercial zones, but zoning has not been applied to this location as it is only within the planning boundary and not under strict compliance with the City Zoning Code. She stated that this area will most likely develop within a mixed use fashion as there are trailers, mobile homes, industrial facilities, and multi-family residences, so it is feasible to consider that an RV campground at the church facility managed by the church would be okay. City Planner Jondahl stated that even though strict compliance with the Russellville Zoning Code is not required, the applicant does meet many requirements. She stated that there were two requirements that have not been met. She stated that as for campsite separation, the minimum of 15 feet between RVs is not met; however in coordination with the applicant, they have revised their site plan to show that they do meet the State of Arkansas’s minimum requirements of 10 feet of separation between RVs. She stated that awnings and utilities are not mentioned on the site plan so they should consider adding a requirement that they do not remove wheels or hitches and no installation of skirting, pinning or the erection of awnings so that this is kept as a functioning RV campground and not a RV park. Staff recommends forwarding this application to City Council with a recommendation of approval to allow the extension of a gravity sewer line outside City Limits with the following conditions: 1. Extend sewer to the upstream side of the property; and 2. Obtain gravity sewer extension and associated easements in an alignment acceptable to City Corp and property owners where sewer extension is proposed; and 3. Require that tenants in the park do not remove wheels or hitches, and do not install skirting underpinning or erect awnings; and 4. Sign an annexation agreement to annex property at a future date when surrounding area is annexed. As a result of the findings below: 1. There are no adverse impacts to the sewer system; and 2. There is adequate capacity for sewer service treatment; and 3. City Corp approved the application to extend the sewer line on November 14, 2023; and 4. This is in line with the Land Subdivision and Development Code Article 12.5. Commissioner Duffield asked City Planner Jondahl why one document listed 11 RV spaces and another listed 14. City Planner Jondahl stated that it was because it had originally been 14 but was revised to 11 to meet the State of Arkansas requirements. Dave Garza, Barrett & Associates, stated that to further answer Commissioner Duffield’s question, current regulations state the minimum width for a space is 20 feet, and looking at long range, they changed it to 26 because that is what is needed if the RV is using an awning. Mr. Garza stated that he does not believe the applicant nor himself had been made aware of the proposed requirement to extend the sewer to the upstream side of the property. He stated that it is shallow in that area, and they are already moving the line quite a distance. He stated that at today's cost, it can be very expensive, costing nearly $65 a foot compared to $28 a foot three years ago. He stated that at one time the cost was $92 a linear foot. Commissioner Smith asked Mr. Garza if there would have to be an 8-inch line back there. Mr. Garza confirmed that it would have to be an 8-inch line. Commissioner Smith asked Mr. Garza if there was a manhole. Mr. Garza stated that there is a manhole on Field Street which is where the line is coming from. He stated that it would have to go through some of the duplexes and triplexes there, come about the back, and then go north through the backyard where he thinks there is the transmission shop, just north of the transmission shop to get to this property. He stated that they would have to cross a creek. Commissioner Smith stated that crossing the creek could be an issue. Mr. Garza confirmed that it could be. Mr. Garza stated that their focus at the moment is getting the approval before they expend any more funds to go from that to engineering and surveying so that they do not waste their funds if not given approval. Commissioner Smith reiterated that crossing the creek could prove to be an issue. Mr. Garza stated that the only thing he would add would be to not have the requirement of the extension to the upstream side. He stated that there is not a whole lot of property on the upstream side. Commissioner Smith asked Mr. Garza if this facility was for profit or just for people coming in and staying. Mr. Garza stated that it is for both. He stated that many times missionaries and evangelists will have their own RVs that they will take with them when visiting churches. He stated that his church does the same thing, but has their evangelists and missionaries that travel in RVs stay over by the Flying J. Commissioner Black asked City Planner Jondahl if putting the requirement to extend the sewer to the upstream side was specifically just thinking about the future from an easement perspective or if there is another way to kind of mitigate or lessen potential impact from that perspective that they should think about given the costs associated with it. City Planner Jondahl stated that she understands the costs, but is not something from a City Planning perspective that she is supposed to consider when looking at the future. She stated that there are at least 10 acres at the bottom of the hill on the other side of Sparksford Drive that is are undeveloped, and so when they look at that and the low disney residential that could be developed if the sewer were extended, it just opens up those areas within the planning boundary at the bottom of Sparksford but not going up the hill. She stated that looking towards the future after the RV campground is built, you do not want to go back and tear it up to extend the sewer. Commissioner Choate stated that on the drawing it looks like the sewer is coming in on the south side and from there they want to run it all the way to the north side, all the way to Church Street. Mr. Garza confirmed that he was correct. Commissioner Choate asked Mr. Garza if that way they would have to build it down to that side of the property anyways. Mr. Garza stated that they would do a 4 inch coming through there as they connect them through, and it is just a schedule 40. He stated that they do not have to be very deep for that as you make all your connections but then if it were the other way to where they extend it to the north it would be an 8 inch. He stated that it would have to be embedded in gravel and it would be SDR 26 with a manhole at top. He stated that the plumber can do the 4 inch, but he cannot do the 8 inch. He stated that you have to have a contractor that has a license by the state to do utility construction work. Commissioner Choate asked City Planner Jondahl if they have to have, since it is a church and a business, two different business permits. City Planner Jondahl stated that this would require two different business permits if they were inside City Limits but this being in the Planning Boundary, not inside City Limits, so a business license is not being issued as this is just a sewer service agreement. Commissioner Smith motioned to approve the application with all of staff’s requested requirements. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Black and passed unanimously. The Fourth Order of Business is a Minor Plat for the Miller Croom Addition located at 463 Water Works Road. Submitted by Barrett and Associates on behalf of Miller Croom. (ISUB-1223-000458) Planner I Marchant stated that existing conditions are that this is the location of a single family home wanting to do an addition. She stated that it is an R-1 Zoned property surrounded by R-1 and R-E zoned properties. She stated that this property is located to the south of the Russellville Country Club Golf Course and surrounded by other single family homes. Planner I Marchant stated that typically this type of incidental subdivision to plat a metes and bounds property would be approved at the staff level, however in this case the proposal is to dedicate the Right-of-Way for Water Works Road. She stated that no Right-of-Way had ever been granted or transferred for Water Works Road. She stated that they are dedicating adequate right-of-way along the northern property line in an acceptable alignment for Water Works Road. She stated that they have complied with all the requirements for information to be included on the Final Plat as outlined by Section 5.3.1 (1). Staff Recommends the approval of the Final Plat and acceptance of the Public Right of Way as a result of the findings below: 1. The Final Plat will conform to the Final Plat requirements outlined in Section 5.3 of the LSDC prior to being recorded; and 2. The dedication of adequate ROW in an acceptable location from the centerline of the road; and 3. Construction of Residential Single Family homes is the highest and best use of the property. Commissioner Smith asked if the applicant was adding a carport. Planner I Marchant stated that that is the case. Commissioner Choate motioned to approve the application as presented. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Black and passed unanimously. The Fifth Order of Business is a Rezoning a property from C-2 and R-2 to M-1 Light Industrial located along S Macon Ave and Highway 331. Submitted by the City of Russellville. (ZONE-1223-000462) City Planner Jondahl stated that last month the Commission had heard a rezone request on S Macon Ave which highlighted some spot zoning that may need correction. She stated that staff had reached out to the property owner and had the following three areas that will be proposed to be M1. She stated that as you can see, one of them is the parking lot for ConAgra, the other is south of ConAgra and behindAmericold which also includes Mars Pet Food, and then you have this weird shaped property on South Macon. She stated that two of these properties are completely surrounded by M1. City Planner Jondahl stated that this is a City application. She stated that she had reached out to each of the property owners. She stated that it is located in a commercial industrial area, and in this area you find businesses such as ConAgra, Mars Petcare, Wayne's wrecker service, River Valley Tinting, Tyson Foods Tyler Road Plant, and Hixon Lumber Yard. She stated that further south on Macon Avenue is the new Live Burn Facility, RPD Firing Range along with the Russellville Municipal Airport. City Planner Jondahl stated that along with the phone call, the property owners were mailed a notice showing which properties were being rezoned. City Planner Jondahl stated that there are three things to consider for a rezone. She stated that the first is Future and Current Land Uses of the Area. She stated that the current uses in this area are primarily industrial in nature, with commercial uses located along West Main Street. She stated that future land uses in this area will be industrial in nature and not residential. She stated that another item to consider is the ReImagin Russellville 2040 Comprehensive Plan, as a guide for decision making. She stated that it defines the area as an Industrial Campus, with the areas along Main Street being the Suburban Corridor. She stated that Industrial Campuses are defined as Industrial complexes made up of large-scale industrial operations. She stated that although the area along Main Street is defined by the Comprehensive Plan as Suburban Corridor, staff concurs that it would more accurately be described as Industrial JCampus with the largest ConAgra facility in the country located at this location. City Planner Jondahl stated that the third item to consider is value or income potential of the property. She stated that transitioning from R2 Medium Density Residential to M1 Light Industrial Zoning tends to enhance the income or value prospects of these properties. She stated that in this case, these properties are encompassed by M1 Light Industrial zones, and their development aligns with an industrial approach. She stated that Industrial development is deemed more suitable given the existing industrial surroundings. She stated that this decision aligns with the comprehensive plan and is aimed at rectifying spot zoning rather than being driven by the property owner’s desire for increased value or income. Forward this application to City Council with a recommendation of Approval as a result of the finding that: 1. The application is in line with existing and Future Land Uses within the area; and 2. The proposal aligns with the ReImagine Russellville 2040 Comprehensive Plan; and 3. The value or income potential of the property should remain the same for a majority of the properties. 4. There is a potential for two properties to increase in value as a result of this change, however, constructing new residential buildings in an industrial zone may not represent the optical and best use for these properties. Commissioner Black motioned to approve the application. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Duffield and Passed unanimously. Meeting Adjourned _______________________ Chairperson