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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1984-08-06 MinutesMINUTES OF A BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT MEETING The Fayetteville Board of Adjustment met at 3:45 P.M. on Monday, August 6, 1984 in Room 111 of the City Administration Building, 113 West Mountain Street, Fayetteville, Arkansas. MEMBERS PRESENT: Chester House, "Butch" Robertson, Larry Tompkins, Dennis Becker, David Crittenden and Robert Waldren Don Mills Gary Ryel, Don Giles, Bobbie Jones and Paula Brandeis MEMBERS ABSENT: OTHERS PRESENT: Chairman House called the meeting to order at 4:00 P.M. MINUTES Larry Tompkins reported that it is Bob Waldren who has the served longest on the Board and not himself as stated in the minutes of the July 16 '84 meeting. With this correction, the minutes stood approved. APPEAL 84-16 FIRSTSOUTH FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN OFFICE BUILDING REQUEST FOR VARIANCE IN SETBACK AND PARKING REQUIREMENTS The second item on the agenda was a Public Hearing on Appeal 84-16 for FirstSouth Federal Savings and Loan Office Building located at 280 N. College at the corner of Dickson. Requested is a variance in setback requirements: 8' from proposed r -o -w of Dickson Street; required setback is 50' from r -o -w with parking or 25' with 10%, land- scaping and no parking. Also requested is a variance in required parking spaces: 169 spaces; required number of spaces is 1 per 300 sq. ft. of floor space or 263 spaces. Gary Ryel, architect with Crafton, Tull, Spann & Yoe of Rogers, AR. was present to represent this development. He said that, because of the way in which the proposed motor bank operates, it has been planned for the northern edge of the property which will require a variance in the setback specifications. Ryel said the area around this building will be open and landscaped with the utility easement going around it. He added that the developer is giving an additional right-of-way measuring 10 feet for improvements to Dickson Street. Ryel said that, technically, this developer is only required to grant an additional two and one half feet for the right-of-way but FirstSouth wishes to compromise both on Dickson Street and College Avenue so that appropriate improvements can be made here. 113 • • • Board of Adjustment August 6, 1984 Page 2 Tompkins inquired as to why the motor bank could not be placed within the development rather than at the street and Ryel replied that it would take too much footage away from the parking area if placed within. He also explained that if it were within the complex, people would be traveling through the parking area to reach the motor bank, instead of keeping this traffic to the street area as planned. Ryel said he wants visibility as well as ease of access for the motor bank. Ryel explained that the motor bank will be run by remote control electronic equipment, not tellers, and Tompkins asked why the building was necessary at all. It was determined that the building will house the equipment. Jones said the plat map shows a line down Dickson Street with 27 and one half ft. on one side and 20 ft. on the other. She said Ryel has based his measurements on this line to arrive at his half of the 60 ft. requirement. She said that it must be measured from the center of the existing right—of-way which is 27 and one half plus 20 (from the other side of the map line) and then come south 30 feet. Crittenden asked why the motor bank needs to be 14 feet high as shown on the drawing and Ryel explained that this measurement is only an estimate (maximum height), as the building has not yet been designed. He added that the building will have a canopy. Ryel responded to Crittenden's next question by explaining that the motor bank will be 18 feet south of the old maple tree on Dickson. Tompkins asked the developer to consider other plans that would bring the motor bank placement into conformance with the code requirements and Ryel replied that he felt the traffic flow at this intersection was of the utmost importance and, with that in mind, he felt the design presented is the best possible solution. Crittenden commented that it might be better to make one drive an entrance and one drive an exit to avoid congestion. Ryel replied that one of the developers goals was to keep as much traffic as possible away from the exposed parking area. House said he was concerned about the exit onto College Ave. He pointed out that traffic is already very congested here and Ryel said the Arkansas State Highway Department has given their approval for a drive at this location. Ryel said he shared House's concern and a "right—turn only" sign was discussed as a possibility. Chairman House suggested consideration of the request for a parking variance at this time. House asked if the handicapped parking would be marked on the concrete or with a sign and Ryel said probably both. A discussion of Ordinances in several towns governing handicapped parking followed. Ily • • Board of Adjustment August 6, 1984 Page 3 At Crittenden's request, Ryel explained the manner in which the parking deck will work on both levels. He said that from Dickson Street, the parking will appear to be at grade level. Ryel said there are 117 spaces on the lower level and 52 on the upper. He said that, although the parking spaces proposed by this developer are fewer than that required by code, he felt the parking needs of the development were well covered because of a reciprocal agreement with the neighboring churches. Ryel said he has the necessary signatures on the Large Scale Development plan binding this agreement. He said the churches were agreeable to this arrangement because of their own need for additional parking on Sunday when the bank would not be open. Ryel said if the proposed office building needed the extra parking spaces, they would probably ask the employees of the building to park in the church lots. Jones asked how the building space had been measured and Ryel said he used the outermost perimeter of the building. He said if the space occupied by mechanical rooms, elevators and restrooms were not considered as office space, the parking requirement would be reduced by 51 spaces. Waldren asked if the south side parking spaces were on the same level as the next door church. Ryel explained that there is a retaining wall for part of that border but that the land does slope off to level at one point which could be used as a walkway between the properties. Crittenden asked what type businesses were expected as tenants and Giles said many inquiries had been received from professionals. Becker asked how many parking spaces are exposed and Ryel replied that there are 70 spaces below the upper parking deck structure. Becker asked if the curb dividing the mechanical islands and the parking could be moved over to allow additional space but Ryel said it would not be enough to allow for additional parking and still meet setbacks. Waldren asked if the neighboring medical clinic had been consulted as to the parking situation and Ryel replied that even if they were agreeable to a reciprocal parking arrangement that there is a grade between the properties that would be difficult to transverse. Jones and Ryel discussed the fact that the parking spaces proposed are larger than what is required by code because of the developers concern for ease of parking. Ryel said if the parking spaces were constructed to minimum requirements, additional spaces could be provided. Chairman House closed the Public Hearing to Board discussion. members. Becker said he had no problem with the request for setback variance but he did have trouble with the proposed parking plan. He said this is a major project with a major expenditure and unless there was a very concrete agreement with neighboring properties for use of adjacent parking, he thought this project should carry its own "parking weight". Il5 • • • Board of Adjustment August 6, 1984 Page 4 Tompkins said he had problems with both requests. He said he did not see any hardship and that other properties along Dickson had adhered to the open green space. Tompkins said he was uncomfortable that the setback variance would run with the land. He also said that he didn't like the idea of shared parking because there was no way of assuring that this plan would continue over a period of time. Waldren said he did not have a problem with the motor bank variance. He also said he would approve the parking variance partly because of the additional right—of-way that the developer is granting. He said that this project would be an asset to the City. Robertson agreed and said he didn't always agree with the Ordinance and that this development would be a big improvement over what exists. He added that he didn't find any problem with shared parking. Crittenden clarified that the setback variance could be restricted to the length of the motor bank and not the entire length of the north property line. He said he had no problem with the parking request. House said he had no problems with these requests but he repeated his concern with the exit onto College Avenue. MOTION Crittenden moved to approve the requests for the variances with the proviso that the motor bank be built to the size in the proposed plan and take up no more than that amount of space which is approximately 10 X 25 feet and the variance will not apply to any other part of the site. Robertson seconded this motion. AMENDMENT Crittenden then amended his motion as follows: The motor bank setback variance be granted with the aforementioned restrictions. The motion, as amended, passed 5-1-0; Tompkins voted "nay". MOTION Waldren moved to grant the request for variance on parking requirements. Motion was seconded by Robertson and followed by comments. Becker reminded Board members that this parking would be strictly office space which will be occupied 100%, not retail, for which variances have been granted in the past. Becker reiterated that he was concerned about this factor. The motion, as stated, passed 4-2-0; Tompkins and Becker voted "nay". There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5:15 P.M. 116