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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975-08-26 Minutes• MINUTES OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING A meeting of the Fayetteville Planning Commission was held at 4:30 P. M. Tuesday, August 26, 1975, in the Board of Directors Room, City AdministrationBuilding, Fayetteville, Arkansas. MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT: OTHERS PRESENT: Ernest Jacks, Rita Davis, Jack Ray, Helen Edmiston, John Maguire. Chairman Morton Gitelman, John Power, Donald Nickell, Bill Kisor. Fred Baker, Jr., Mrs. Morris (Ann) Henry, Rev. Ed Salmon, Larry Wood, Bobbie Jones, David McWethy, Janet Bowen. In the absence of Chairman Morton Gitelman and Vice -Chairman John Power, Ernest Jacks, Commissioner with the longest tenure, called the meeting to order. MINUTES The minutes of the August 12, 1975 Planning Commission meeting were approved as mailed. KKEG The next item was a Conditional Use Request for 3073 North College Avenue Radio Station KKEG, 3073 North College Avenue (part of Conditional Use Request Circle C Motel Building) zoned C-2, Thoroughfare Commercial District. Mr. Fred Baker, Jr. (manager of KKEG) was present to represent. He told the Planning Commission that the tower was required when they were unable to obtain the correct facilities from the telephone company at the proper time. He said this was not originally planned and that they kept the tower as short as possible (under 100 ft) so it would not have to be painted. He said that it was not actually their transmitting tower, but was their receiving tower to pick up EBS (Emergency Broadcast System)relays. The tower also has a low power microwave antenna on it to get their sound from the studio to their transmitter site. Mr. Jacks stated he felt that the studio should be considered under Use Unit 12. He felt that Use Unit 3 was referring to items like the transmitting tower, etc. whereas studios and offices arereally under Unit 12. Therefore, the use of the studio would be permitted in the C-2 Zone but there would need to be a conditional use granted by the Planning Commission for the tower. Planning Administrator Bobbie Jones felt that the tower definitely came under Use Unit 3. She said if they felt that the studio should come under Use Unit 12, it might save something from having to come back to the Planning Commission in the future if they wanted to make that interpretation. She said she could make a note in the code book and refer back to the minutes of this date However, she said if the Planning Commission felt that it should not be in Use Unit 12, they would need to grant a conditional use for both the tower and the studio under Use Unit 3. John Maguire felt that if the tower and the studio were at the same location he could see where it would be Use Unit 3; if they were separate it might be in the different use units. After further discussion John Maguire moved that the studio should be considered in Use Unit 12 and to approve KKEG's occupancy of the tower as a conditional use. Helen Edmiston seconded the motion which was approved unanimously. Next was the request for approval of off-site parking for a DR. MORRISS M. HENRY building located at 20 East Rock Street, submitted by 20 East Rock Street Dr. Morriss M. Henry. Request for Approval Mrs. Ann Henry was present to represent. Off -Site Parking She said there is a parking lot fronting on Rock Street across the alley from 20 E. Rock. She said there had been a residence on the property but it was removed for ease of access to her husband's office building and the parking on the lot is not needed for his office building. She said they owned the house at 20 E. Rock and had it rented. She told the Planning Commission that there was room in back 56) Planning Commission August 26, 1975. of 20 E. Rock to construct a parking lot but since there was one already constructed across the alley they would like permission to use it. In answer to John Maguire's question, Mrs. Henry stated they were satisfied with the parking as proposed. Helen Edmistion moved to approve the request for off-site parking. Rita Davis seconded the motion which was approved unanimously. The next item was a request for approval of ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH off-site parking for St.Paul's.E.piscopal Church, 224 North East Avenue 224 North East Avenue. The Church proposes an addition Request for Approval that will eliminate 4 existing parking spaces. Off -Site Parking The Church has an agreement with the Northwest Arkansas Times whereby the newspaper uses the Church's parking lot during weekdays and the Church uses the newspaper's parking lot on Sunday. Rev. Ed Salmon was present to represent. He told the Planning Commission that they had entered'into the parking agreement with the newspaper in order for them to construct their building. He said they had a committment frau"Billy Dick" McNair to use McNair -Cravens' parking lot across the street which is aside from this. He said Planning Administra- tor Bobbie Jones had needed proof of the agreement. Planning Administrator Bobbie Jones explained that in 1965 before the newspaper 'building was built the power of approving off-site parking was given to the Board of Adjustment. Rather than approving off-site parking, they had waived some of the parking requirements for the newspaper building. She said the 7.1m Planning Commission needed to approve the off-site parking for the church on the newspaper property as well as the newspaper's off-site parking on the church property because they have different hours of use. She said that was why it was necessary to have proof of the agreement. Rita Davis moved to approve the off-site parking for the Northwest Arkansas Times and St. Paul's Episcopal Church at 224 North East Avenue. The motion, which was seconded by Helen Edmiston, was approved unanimously. DISCUSSION ON SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS The last item on the agenda was a report from Larry Wood and the Subdivision Committee on possible changes in the Subdivision regulations to prescribe traffic safety standards, and for other purposes. Planning Consultant Larry Wood said he had talked to City Attorney Jim McCord since the last Planning Commission meeting and had given him the Commisioners' views on the ordinance that had been drafted. He said Mr. McCord stated that the ordinance they had discussed at that time would not necessarily be the ordinance he recommended to them. Mr. Wood said at least one of the members of the Board of Directors, because of a recent subdivision, got upset about not having these kind of standards in the Subdivision Regulations and asked that an ordinance be prepared that would give some control over this. He said Mr. McCord, in order to have firm control of these kind of safety situations, recommended using the word "shall" all through the ordinance. He said if they did not want that much of a firm control, (even though there is a waiver clause for this), Mr. McCord recommended a Planning Commission policy and then distribute it by design suggestions when an application is picked up and that it not get into an ordinance form. Therefore, another ordinance was not drafted because they did not know which way the Planning Commission wanted it. Ernest Jacks said the Planning Commission had been concerned for a long time about cars backing out onto streets. Helen Edmiston felt in some instances there might be a parcel of land that someone would want to subdivide that there would be no way out except for driveways to open into an arterial street. She felt it was desirable, but wondered if it could be made an ordinance. -41 A • Planning Commission -3- August 26, 1975 • John Maguire said he would be in favor of this (perhaps not in ordinance form) along places like Highway 265 and all of the open areas where it could be planned ahead of time and then if there was a hardship case it could be worked out. He felt the Planning Commission created a bad situation on a recent subdivision on Old Wire Road. Ernest Jacks was in favor of having the requirements be clear enough that the Planning Office would know where their grounds were and work up a "handout" on suggestions to the developers. After some discussion it was decided to appoint a committee consisting partly of Planning Commission members and some of the Board of Director.members to discuss this. Director Russell Purdy was present and Mr. Jacks asked him if he would serve on the committee. Director Purdy said there were members of the Board of Directors who were pushing hard for a revision. He said there was one Board member that felt a recent subdivision on Old Wire Road was.just too.wicked and shouldn't be, but there were no requirements to enable them to disapprove it. Ernest Jacks suggested that Helen Edmiston serve as chairwoman of the committee and Ernest, Jacks, Helen Edmiston, and Jack Ray of the Planning Commission was appointed to serve on the Committee. Director Purdy, suggested that Mr. Jacks contact Mayor Orton and let her suggest the Board of Director members to serve on this committee. However, he said he would be glad to serve on the committee if asked to do so. There was no further discussion. The meeting was adjourned at 5:05 P. M.