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PC Minutes 06-03-2014City of Van Buren, Arkansas Annex 111 North 12th Street • Van Buren, Arkansas 72956 PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES June 3, 2014 Municipal Complex 5:30 P.M. The Van Buren Planning Commission held its monthly meeting June 3, 2014, at 5:30 P.M. in the City Council Room of the Municipal Complex, located at 1003 Broadway, Van Buren, Arkansas. The following items were on the agenda: 1. Call to order 2. Approval of minutes from the last meeting 3. Permit extension request for a commercial trailer and mobile vending permit for Pink Pilkey Sno to Go, represented by, Mr. and Mrs. Herring 4. Public hearing for a variance request for a driveway access at Tim’s Auto Body, located at 17 Fayetteville Rd., represented by, Mr. Wiley Smith of Sivell Engineering 5. Public hearing on the Flood Damage Code 6. Any other business before the Commission 7. Adjourn Members Present: Andy Dibble, Chairman; Philip Bagby, Vice Chairman; Mark Evans, John Symonds, Scott Morgan, Sue Moore, and Jay White. Members Absent: Jason Myers and Tiffany Webster. Staff Present: Joseph Hurst, Planning Director; David Martin, Building Inspector; and Lisa Franklin, Planning Assistant. Others Present: Wiley and Mary Smith, Sivell Engineering, Inc.; Tim Hazelwood, Tim’s Auto Body; Alderman Max Blake, representing Redi Rock and Mr. Herring of Pink Pilkey Sno to Go. 1. Call to Order Chairman Andrew Dibble called the Van Buren Planning Commission meeting to order at 5:30 P.M. 2. Approval of Minutes Jay White makes the motion to approve the minutes and Philip Bagby seconds the motion. The Commission approves the minutes unanimously. 3. Vending Permit Extension Request This request is for a commercial trailer and mobile vending permit for Pink Pilkey Sno to Go. The request is represented by, Mr. Herring. Chairman Dibble asks Mr. Herring to approach and explain his request. Mr. Herring states the he already has a permit for the mobile vending operation and that it expires in July. He states they would like to stay until August. Chairman Dibble confirms by saying, it expires in July and you are asking for the additional 30 days? Mr. Herring says that it is correct. Chairman Dibble asks for staff comments. Planning Director, Joseph Hurst, states that the idea was to set a time limit on the permits for mobile vending units to make sure they do not have any complaint or problems with the vendors. He says there is a 30-day extension allowable and states there have been no problems or complaints. John Symonds clarified that the permit is the 120-day permit and the request is just for the additional 30-day extension. Mr. Herring says that is correct. John Symonds motions to approve the request and Phil Bagby seconds the motion. The Commission approved the extension of the permit unanimously. 4. Public Hearing for Variance Request Chairman Dibble announces the variance request and asks Mr. Smith to come forward with the request. Mr. Smith comes forward and explains the variance request. He says the proposal is to construct the driveway with a 10’ approach radius that does meets the corner radius in the driveway ordinance and a straight section of 25’ as to allow a 90-degree angle exceeding the currently allowed 70-degree angle for driveways in the ordinance. He describes how they are proposing to build a roadway up the hill into the driveway allowing an 11% grade and that is steep as it is, but that it is the best way for it to be done. Mr. Smith describes the grade and radius of the proposed drive. Mr. Smith states that Max Blake is here and he is the representative of the proposed material for the wall. Mr. Blake handed out brochures regarding the Redi Rock material. Mr. Smith and the Commission briefly discuss the stability and the construction of the proposed wall. Mr. Smith says the wall will really enhance downtown Van Buren compared to what is there now. Mr. Smith presents a picture of the proposed driveway and wall. Mr. Smith says that Tim plans to construct the project in stages. Philip Bagby asks about the plan to construct in phases and how long or what period of time they are anticipating the project to take. Mr. Hazelwood stated that he wants the wall to be very nice and something that the city will really be proud of. Tim states he is not just going to throw it up. He says they have to consider retaining the soil on that hillside. He says there will actually be three walls in the plan including a wall on Hwy 59. He explains that he does not want the public visiting the downtown areas to be able to see the wrecked cars on the back lot. Sue Moore states she wishes more business owners were this interested in doing something nice with their business property. Mr. Smith explains that Tim does not do anything “shoddy” and that he is not going to do anything “shoddy” there. He says Tim is trying to make something very nice there that the city would be proud of. Andy Dibble inquires about the drain and any drain issues. Mr. Smith states he has spoken with the city officials regarding the project and there are no anticipated problems. Chairman Dibble states he realizes they are asking for the variance for that radius but expresses concern regarding the radius of the South drive and the width of the drive and it being a tight turn. He asks if the wreckers and fire trucks will be able to make the tight turn into the drive there and what the width is going to be. Mr. Smith says that it is twenty-plus feet and that it will be better than what is there now. Mr. Smith states the access is not as restricted as it appears on the drawing and it will be better than it is now. There is a discussion of the color and stain of the proposed wall. Tim says it will be grey until they are finished and when the project is complete, the wall will be stained the color on the brochure and look just like the picture. There is discussion about the current wall there with the mural on it and if it will remain intact. Joe Hurst states, that it is on city property and would remain the way intact. John Symonds inquires as to whether Fire Marshall, Stanley Clark would need to look at this and if there is any issue related to a fire truck being able to get in there if there was a fire? Fire Marshall, Stanley Clark has not looked at this project area but Mr. Smith states again that there will be 20-plus feet and the access will be better than it is now. Sue Moore asked about the front entrance remaining where it is now. Mr. Smith and Tim Hazelwood say the front entrance will remain as it is. Chairman Dibble asked for a staff report from David Martin and Joe Hurst, or if they have anything to add. In response, Joe Hurst states they have been looking at this for some time now and that Brad Baldwin, City Engineer, has reviewed this as well. Joe says that Brad has signed off on it and it all looks good. Philip Bagby says he knows Tim will uphold his word to do what he says he is going to do. Mr. Bagby says he is in favor of the pleasing aesthetics of the wall. He states that as the owner of a downtown property, he would love to see the wall constructed and views it as welcome improvement to downtown. Chairman Dibble asks for public comments. There are no public comments. Phil Bagby motions to approve the variance request and Jay White seconds. The Commission approves the variance request unanimously. The Commission wishes Tim well on the project. 5. Public Hearing on Flood Damage Code Joe Hurst explains to the Commission that the Flood Damage Code has received updating and states that in the past architects have been able to complete the elevation certificates and they have changed that to exclude them from being able to do this now. Joe says that basically, the State has made the change to the Code and we have reviewed it and just need to adopt it in order to be consistent with the state. Chairman Dibble asks the Commission if there are any questions. There are no questions from the Commission. Chairman Dibble asks for public comments. There are no public comments. Mark Evans makes the motion to approve the Flood Damage Code and Sue Moore seconds the motion. The Commission approves the Flood Damage Code unanimously. 6. Other Business Chairman Dibble announces one other item before the Commission. This is regarding the reappointment of three (3) of the Planning Commissioners. He says that Scott Morgan, Sue Moore and Philip Bagby have terms that are set to expire. He informs the Commission that he does not think we need to vote on this, however, we will be submitting a letter recommending them for reappointment. 7. Adjourn Scott Morgan makes the motion to adjourn and Sue Moore seconds the motion. The meeting adjourned. Andy Dibble, Chairman Joseph Hurst, Planning Director PROGRESS IS OUR PROJECT