Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

December 14th, Hot Springs Planning Commission meeting. You want to correct that date?

Are um as a matter of fact, I will correct that date. I'm too I'm too busy reading. It is March the 12th. I call to order the March the 12th planning commission meeting. Uh we will start the meeting with an invocation and pledge of allegiance. The invocation will be led by Commissioner Scott. Shall we pray? Eternal God, we thank you for this opportunity not only to be citizens but to be servants of this city. We pray now that you will allow us to uh have discussion and dialogue concerning uh things about this city that will help our citizens be better. And God, we pray that you will give all of us open minds and hearts that we will do it in a way that pleases you and that honors everything concerning you. It's in your name we pray. Amen.

Amen. I pledge aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Okay. Thank you. Um, I'm just going to read a couple of uh meeting procedure uh rules uh before we carry on with the meeting. I would just ask that when your name is called, please come to the podium. Address your comments to the planning commission and not to the audience. Any questions you ask will be answered once everyone who has signed up uh has spoken. So, it's a a factf finding hearing. No need to repeat your point. Um other t than to emphasize it maybe if somebody else has already ma already made that point the applicant will have five minutes and anyone else speaking will have three minutes and please respect those time limits so Mr. Stouter, would you please call the role?

Ray Campbell here. Gerky here. Stone here. Scott here. Walker here. Bell here. Lemon here. Davis Stafford here. Okay. Can I get uh a motion and a second for approval of last month's meeting minutes? Move approval of last month's minutes. Second. All in favor? I. Any opposed?

Okay. So now I need a a motion and a second for approval of tonight's amended agenda. And I say amended agenda because item number six that was originally posted on the agenda will now be moved to a uh a different meeting or do we have a date for that or it's been withdrawn. It's been it's been withdrawn. Oh, it's been withdrawn. Okay. So item number six has been withdrawn. Um so we will not cover that but uh let's do the approval of the rest of the agenda. Need a motion and a second for that. I move approval of the agenda uh as amended. Second. All in favor? I.

Any opposed? All right. Very good. So, our our first section of the agenda is the consent items. And we do have a a couple of items on consent. Um, may I have a motion and a second to approve the consent agenda? So, moved. Second. Okay, very good. Director Selman, would you please present uh the items on the consent agenda?

Yes. Uh these are the items that have been approved on the uh or to be approved on the consent agenda. Number one is miscellaneous 26032 located at 451 454501 Central Avenue. This is a variance request from Hot Springs Code section 16520B limiting the size of a single wall sign to 200 square ft. Um the applicant is Miss Katherine Alfred with Kim Lee Horn representing the property owner Rockstep Capital Opportunity Fund. Um this is land that is zoned general commercial and is in board of directors district number five. The finding and recommendation are that the requirements of the code for relief from the 200 square foot maximum size for a single wall sign. um can be considered to be reasonable considering the size of the front building facade, the distance from Central Avenue right ofway, the posted 45 mph vehicular speed limit, and the proportionality of the overall signed package proposal. The recommendation of course is to approve. The second item is uh amendments to the planning commission bylaws. Um these are made necessary by changes from the uh n uh the 25 legislative session uh changing the planning area. This also aligns rules of procedure with our

current meeting practices, eliminates repetitious text and clarifies unclear and awkward test text. Um, and the recommendation again is to approve. All right. Anything else on that one or I'm not looking at the agenda. So, yes, that is it. Okay. Very good. Um, Robin, is there anybody signed up? Okay. So, Mr. Stouter, would you please take Yes. Okay. um have a recusal.

Yes, we have a recusal for potential conflict. Okay, that be uh Commissioner Gerie. Very good. So, Mr. Stouter, would you please take role on the motion to approve the consent agenda? Campbell, approve. Stone, approve. Walker, approve. Val, approve. Lemon approve. Stafford approve. Okay. Uh the consent agenda is approved.

All right. The next section is uh new business. Um Director Selman, would you introduce the next item on the new business? Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh the next item is a reszone request RZ26022 at the corner of Fairmont Street and Delaware Street. This is a zone change request from residential neighborhood 5 to residential neighborhood 3 for lot one block 22 in Forest Hill subdivision.

Okay. Um, a motion to approve merely gets the matter on the floor for discussion. A motion and second do not necessarily mean that you're in favor of an application. May I have a motion and a second to approve the item with staff report findings and recommendations? So moved. Second. All right. Very good. Director Selman, would you please present the staff report on this item?

Yes. Thank you. Uh the applicant and property owner is Lance Levy. He's requesting a zone change from RN5 residential neighborhood 5 to RN3 residential neighborhood 3 uh for this property. Uh the future land use map designation is residential medium high. And the property is currently undeveloped, is about 0.16 acres, has 140 ft of street frontage along Fairmont Street and approximately 50 ft of frontage along Delaware Street. Adjacent and nearby land uses include Oaklan Jockey Club and single family residential homes. Uh Hot Springs code does list uh approval standards for zone changes and these are standards that are intended to be balanced with no one uh outweighing another. The regulations for RN3 are in Hot Springs Code section 1624.1 and it reads as follows. RN3 residential neighborhood 3 district is intended to accommodate both existing and future single family development on relatively small lots of at least 3,000 square ft in area. Hot Springs Code. Well, it does talk about something else, but that has nothing to do with this. So, we're going to bypass that. Uh, the property's future land use

classification of residential medium high is consistent with the requested RN3 zoning. The finding with regard to the zoning map is that the applicant successfully demonstrates that the standards for favorable consideration have been met. Planning commission is able to establish a basis for recommending to the board of directors that the proposed change demonstrates compatibility with surrounding development and zoning and is consistent with the objectives of the zoning code. Additionally, the request implements the city's adopted housing strategy by enabling private infill housing development on now vacant land that is served by water and wastewater infrastructure. The recommendation to planning commission is that you recommend that the board of directors adopt an ordinance to amend the zoning map by designating the subject property RN3 residential neighborhood 3 district because the change demonstrates compatibility with surrounding development and zoning, is consistent with the objectives of the zoning code, implements the adopted housing strategy, and is consistent with the future land use plan map designation. And that completes the staff report. All right. Thank you, Director Selman. Uh, could the applicant please come forward? Please give your name and address for the record and let us know if there's anything you'd like to add. You've got up to five minutes.

Okay. Uh, Lance Levy, 212 Sunset Bay. And does anybody have any questions? I think he's just trying to meet the affordable housing goals of the city and this these two houses will help. I I don't have any questions. Any other commissioners? No, I have a quick question. I'm not sure how significant it is. When you talk about affordable housing, knowing the location of this relative to Oakland, is your intent for short-term or long-term leasing? Long-term. Okay. Thank you.

I do uh I only do one-year leases or longer. Okay. All right. Robin, is there anyone signed up for this? No. Okay. Um, in that case, the public portion on uh this item is now closed. Commissioners, any questions among us? No. All right. Mr. Stouter, would you please call the role on the motion to approve? Gerky, approve. Stone, approve. Walker, approve. Bell, approve. Lemon, approve. Gamble, approve. Stafford,

approve. Okay, Director Selman, could you please introduce the next item?

Thank you. Uh, the next item is also a reszone uh RZ26036 at Stove, Blair, and Kent Streets. This is a request to change zoning from RN5 to RN3 for approximately 2.29 acres. Okay. A motion to approve merely gets the matter on the floor for discussion. A motion and second do not mean that you're necessarily in favor of an application. May I have a motion and a second to approve the item with staff report findings and recommendations. So, so move.

Second. All right. Very good. Director Selman, would you please present the staff report?

Thank you. Uh the applicant and property owner is Lance Levy. He's seeking a zone change from RN5 residential neighborhood 5 zoning to RN3 residential neighborhood 3 for property located at Stove and Blair Streets. The properly property has a future land use map designation of residential medium high. It is in board of directors district number three. The subject property is currently undeveloped. Uh the it is approximately 410 ft of frontage along Stover Street, 414 ft of frontage along Blair Street, and 164 feet of frontage on Kent Street. The existing RN5 zoning would support up to 33 multifamily dwelling units. Um, the applicant desires to construct single family homes on the site and an adjacent RN5 zone lot is currently under development by another person as a duplex. The applicant's narrative states in part, I am proposing to change the zoning of my property on Stover Street from RN5 to RN3. This will allow me to build 11 single family houses on the lots. The houses will be all brick with garages. This project should help meet some of the city's goals of affordable housing. This application demonstrates compatibility with surrounding development and zoning and implements approved city plans including the comprehensive plan. The finding with regard to the future

land use map is that residential medium high is consistent with the requested RN3 neighbor residential neighborhood 3 zoning. The applicant successfully demonstrates with regard to the zoning map that the standards for favorable consideration have been met. planning commission is able to establish a basis for recommending to the board of directors that the proposed change demonstrates compatibility with surrounding development and zoning and is consistent with the objectives of the zoning code. Additionally, the request implements the city's adopted housing strategy by enabling private infill housing development on now vacant land that is served by water and wastewater infrastructure. The recommendation is that planning commission recommend to the board that they adopt an ordinance amending the zoning map by designating the subject property RN3 residential neighborhood 3 district because the change demonstrates compatibility with surrounding development and zoning. Creates no nonconformities because it is undeveloped. Is consistent with the objectives of the zoning code. implements the adopted housing strategy and is consistent with the future land use plan map designation of residential medium high. And that completes the staff report.

All right. Thank you, Director Shelman. Would the applicant please come forward and again state your name and address for the record, please? Lance Levy. Uh 212 Sunset Bay, Hot Springs, Arkansas. Okay. If you have uh anything further that you'd like to add, you've got a five minutes.

Just looking to build uh 11 homes on this land and price range around 200 to 225 is my goal or 250 maybe. Uh but try to be closer to 200. And again, that's below the average uh house being sold in the city of Hot Springs right now, according to Zillow, Realtor.com, and the different outlets you online. Okay. Any questions? Anybody? Um, have someone signed up?

Commissioners, commissioners, any questions? No. Any Nobody signed up? Yeah, we got Oh, we do. Okay. Okay. Thank you, sir. Um,

so if there's anyone signed up to speak, and I guess there is, um, when I call your name, please come forward, state your name and address, and present your comments to the commission. You have up to three minutes. Uh, Pam Noble. Pam Noble 316 Stover. This is adjacent to the site. Um the street Stover Kent Stover and Blair are narrow streets. Are there going to be any widening to the street for the advanced traffic that's going to occur with these houses? And will there be curbs, sidewalks, anything like that? with the multi-ousing.

Uh, Director Shelman, I it's not my understanding that that the streets are going to be widened or anything. I mean, unless that is that is not something that would occur at the time of zoning. Um, when the applicant would come forward with a plan for creating lots on which to build, that is the time that that uh would be determined. that would be reviewed by the engineering department um looking at the capacity of the infrastructure in the area.

I thought the uh schematics on it had or you divided the land into 11 lots. It has not that has not been done. This land is not platted at this time. Uh, what I pulled up on your site, city site, it has it. Um, if I could ask Mr. Stouter.

Um, it's not in the packet. Uh, the document that's in the packet shows it as one one tract of land, 1.54 acres. Um, so I mean there is there was no such drawing in the packet to my knowledge. Yeah. And you got that off of where now? The city site the GIS map on the city site on GI. It's not it's not it's not divided at this time. Okay. So that's just a proposal. Yeah. So it

it is his intention to seek approval to create create I believe 11 lots but that has not been done at this time. That would be a a future request that would come to planning commission. Um but we have no such application at this time. Well we this would be the smallest lot with houses on it in that area for years. Most of the lots are quite a bit larger than these for houses. Okay.

Yeah. The the the process is is a multi-steps and right now it's just changing the zoning and it's likely that you will uh hear about additional uh discussions about the uh platting. Yes. Um, if you're interested in knowing when a future application for this lot is submitted, um, you can subscribe to the planning commission agenda. Okay. And that will notify you of all planning commission agendas, but you'll be able to know that way. All right. Appreciate it. Thank you. You bet.

Okay. Thank you. Anyone else? No, I don't. I guess not. Okay. So public portion of the meeting is is now closed. Commissioners, any questions? No question. I'd just like to make a note for the record and for Miss Nobles that the zoning code addresses that in table 4.1 and it talks about sizes and relative to what types of developments are made which would come into consideration at a future discussion. So, and I'm sure the staff can help you with any qu questions you have on that. Okay. Very good. Um, Mr. Stouter, would you please call the role on the motion to approve?

Stone, approve. Walker, approve. Val, approve. Lemon, approve. Campbell, approve. Gerky, approve. Stafford, approve. Okay. Okay. That item will go to the board of directors uh the first meeting in April. So that'll be the first Tuesday 6 o'clock in this room. Thank you. Director Sman, would you please introduce the next item?

Thank you. Uh the next item is a reszone request. This is RZ2646. It's at 415 Quaw Avenue. It's a request to change zoning from neighborhood commercial to residential neighborhood 5 for approximately 0.17 acres of land. Okay. Um, a motion to approve merely gets the matter on the floor for discussion. A motion and second do not necessarily mean that you're in favor of an application. May I have a motion and a second to approve the item with staff report findings and recommendations?

I move approval of item number five with staff report and recommendations. Second. Second. All right. Very good. Director Salman, would you please present the staff report on the item?

Thank you. Uh property owner is Mr. Robert Kempus and he is requesting RN5 residential neighborhood 5 zone district for approximately 0.17 acres of land located at 415QA Avenue. The subject property is currently zoned CN neighborhood commercial and has a future land use plan map classification of office center. It's located in board of directors district number one. Uh this property is part of the hot springs reservation subdivision. It has a residential structure at this time and that was constructed in approximately 1900 according to the Garland County Tax Assessor. Uh surrounding property zoning to the west is CN neighborhood commercial south is central business district north is CN east is CN adjacent and nearby land uses include but are not limited to multifamily residential single family residential bed and breakfast multi-tenant commercial buildings office retail restaurant and financial institution. ution. Um, the application narrative states in part the following. 415 Quapa Avenue is a contributing structure to the Quapa Prospect Historic District. Built in 1904 in the Victorian style of architecture, the building retains its integrity of style. It has four exterior entrances and was originally used for apartments similar to neighboring

buildings. The proposed renovation will be two twostory town houses maintaining the residential character of the neighborhood. He further states the building will be renovated utilizing historic t rehabilitation tax credits ensuring that its historic integrity will be retained and will be another renovated structure in the historic district. The new units will add needed housing in the expanded downtown area. The applicant's tax credit use and proposed duplex fulfill forward hot springs 20 240 comprehensive plan goals for in town neighborhoods which envision in part how neighborhoods surrounding downtown can support population growth by including duplexes and also by emphasizing sensitive approaches to individual historic and cultural context. The applicant's use of tax credits underscores respect for the historic context. The proposed reszone request responds to the required findings of Hot Springs code in the following way. Compatibility with surrounding development or zoning. consistency of the proposed amendment with objectives of this code and fulfills a demonstrated public need. Reszoning this property to RN5 would correct the nonconforming use of the property as residential uses are not allowed in the CN neighborhood commercial district. This property is consistent with the concept and description for the RN5 residential neighborhood 5 district zone and therefore is consistent with the

objective of the zoning code. If reszone to RN5, this property would be afforded the complete list of permitted and conditional uses as detailed in the hot springs code section 162 8.2 to use matrix table 8-1 for RN5 zoning. The future land use plan map amendment finding is this property's future land use classification of office center is not consistent with the requested RN5 zone. Therefore, a future land use plan map amendment to residential medium high is recommended which would support the requested RN5 zoning. A future land use plan map designation of residential medium high would be consistent with other nearby RN5 zoned properties to the west. The zoning map amendment finding the applicant successfully demonstrates that the standards for favorable consideration have been met. Planning Commission is able to establish a basis for recommending to the board of directors that the proposed change demonstrates compatibility with surrounding development and zoning would fulfill a demonstrated public need for housing and is consistent with the objectives of the zoning code. The recommendation is that planning commission recommend that the board of directors adopt an ordinance amending the zone map by designating the subject property RN5 residential neighborhood 5 because the proposed change demonstrates compatibility with surrounding development and zoning would fulfill a demonstrated public need for

housing is consistent with the objectives of the zoning code and is consistent with the in town neighborhood goals of the comprehensive plan. And further um by amending the future land use plan map to designate the property residential high uh makes it uh consistent with the future land use plan and that con completes the staff report. Okay. Could the applicant please come forward? and uh name and address for the record and up to five minutes, please.

Hi. Yeah, it's Bob Kempus, 274 Long Beach Point, Hot Springs.

Okay. Anything you'd like to add to what's been said? Well, this property hadn't had utilities turned on for about four years now. So, it's it's got a few issues, but uh my nephews are general contractors in the area and they've done probably five or six buildings in this neighborhood and they found this and they said, "Would you be interested in looking at this with us?" And my wife fell in love with it and said, "Yeah, it sounds sounds good." So, we're pretty familiar with tax credit processes and those things. So, we decided to take it on and it's just a it's really a great example of a Queen Anne style Victorian building. So, just thought might be might be a fun little project to take on.

Very good. Um, let's see. Is there anyone else signed up to speak? No, no one signed up to speak on this. Um, commissioners, any questions? No. I I just want to say as treasurer of Preserve Arkansas, I am delighted. Familiar. Yeah. I am delighted to see uh that the uh tax credits are are being used. I'm a fan of your work. So Well, thank you so much. Appreciate that. Yeah.

Yeah. It's probably the more I go through it now, the more I kind of go, hm. Okay. May have bit off a little bit more, as you know, way these things go. Um, but yeah, I think it's going to be I think it's gonna be a fun project. And you know, just two town homes. It it looks like it was originally laid out to be that way. And uh gosh, I've been working on a building right behind it next to Colorado Grill and buildings kind of all around it. So, just kind of kind of fell in our laps and we'll hope it goes well. Us too. All right. Thank you.

Okay. So, public portion uh closed. Any questions from commissioners? Very good. Mr. Stouter, would you please call the role on the motion to approve? Walker, approve. Val, approve. Lemon, approve. Campbell, approve. Gerky, approve. Stone, approve. And Stafford, approve.

Okay. The item uh has a recommendation for approval by the board. The board will make the final decision at their uh first meeting in April. And can somebody remind me what that date is? Should be the 7th. 7th. Yes. April 7th. Right here. And somebody will need to be present to represent the project. Thank you. Very good. Our next item on the agenda is the director's report.

Thank you. Um, first of all, very important, some of you have already taken care of this, and applications for boards and commissions will be accepted until March 20th as noon. Interviews with the board of directors will be on March 31st at 4 o'clock right here. So, Bill Vowel, have you any intention of No, I just uh address I've messed up a bunch of emails and Oh, okay. She's sending me a new application. Okay, good. Good. That's good. And Bill Aond, yours is in.

Yeah. Okay. And uh Janice obviously is not here. Yes, ma'am. Working on it. Yes, ma'am. Okay. All right. We don't want to have to say goodbye to you guys. It's been a big year. We're gonna have that new sign code. Right. Right. Okay. Also, B A B ZA Bill Aman, you have yours in in Rick Ramik, his term is expiring. Um, is he he is not term limited? He is not seeking reappointment. He's not seeking reappoint.

So, it is a planning commission position. So, any other planning commissioners that would be interested in serving on that board would be more than welcome to to apply

and that could be a uh a regular planning commissioner, an alternate planning commissioner. Um, we would love to have you and we need you a lot on PCA. Okay. um sign code work session. We had such a good time last week and so we're thinking one more just to go over the changes that now are all in the code. We hope to have the illustrations back uh at that time. We need to get them in the mail for the um session that we're having with the signed contractors or signed professionals um which will be on the 25th at 11. So, um, we will only have a week, um, between when we get get that together and our sit down with the, um, sign professionals. So, we want to make sure that we've got everything straight. Um, I know we wore you out at the last meeting, but the outcome was good. We had a lot of good work. So, do you think Wednesday, March 18th at 11 would work for a work session?

I I can do that. Okay. I don't I mean, I can do it. Okay. It may not take the full hour. Oh, sorry. I know. Well, it might not. What time do you want to meet? 11. And seems like these things always take longer than we intended. Yeah. Yeah. This has been some hard work. We'll have to determine whether it'll be in here or the annex that we could let them know that. Yeah. We'll let you know as soon as we can tomorrow, I would hope.

All right. Well, thank you very much. Thanks for being here. So the 18th is our last meeting with the signed code. The meeting on March 25th, is that just staff meeting with the signed contractors? It is planning commission and staff meeting with the signed people. We should be at that one, too. You should be at that one. Please be at that one. Yes. Okay. I'm starring that one. Yep. That one's on the 25th. That's on the 25th. Will that be in here to be determined? Uh that that in here will be determined. Yeah. Yeah. No. Do we We said that one is here. Well, yeah, but we need to confirm that the room is available.

Okay. All right. So, we'll confirm the locations. And that is all I have. Just a quick question on that. Have you advised the assigned people that that that meeting is scheduled? Okay. Good. And you've gotten the response? Yes, they have known for a couple of weeks. Okay. Just wanted to be sure. Mhm. and they're expecting to have a draft midweek next week. So, as soon as we finish up on Wednesday morning, we'll get that finished and we'll get it out to them so they have a week to take a look at it.

Uh, just a quick question. Uh, we're looking at the bylaws, got a new version of the bylaws now, and I I had a thought. I don't think this should go in the bylaws. Maybe it shouldn't go anywhere, but uh I I really think that the um class that is available uh for planning professionals is something that is really good. I don't I I'm not suggesting that we should require that, but if there's some if there's some summary or something that would be good for people to take coming on to the planning commission, I I remember when I first came in, I didn't know enough, I think, about what I was doing. Yeah, we we are uh getting ready to go through all of our training materials and when we have new planning commissioners, what we usually try to do is do a refresher for everyone on planning commission. Um

Okay. Yeah, I remember that. Yeah, that's that's what we'll be planning on doing. All right. Anything else? All right, I guess we need a motion to adjurnn. Move we adjourn. Second. All right, we are ajourned. That was darn good.