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Commission approves rezoning at 9911 West Markham for small cafe and office despite staff objections
Summary
The Planning Commission rezoned a 0.22-acre property at 9911 West Markham Street from O-3 (office) to PCD to allow a split-suite cafe/bakery/restaurant and an office suite, overriding staff’s recommendation of denial based on transition and parking concerns.
The Little Rock Planning Commission voted Aug. 14 to rezone a 0.22-acre property at 9911 West Markham Street from O‑3 (office) to Planned Commercial District (PCD) to permit a small cafe, bakery, ice cream and pizza restaurant in one suite and an office in the other.
Staff opposed the rezoning, saying the site is a small property adjacent to single‑family homes and that the requested commercial use does not represent an appropriate transition into the residential area; staff also flagged operational hours and on‑site maneuvering space for vehicles as concerns. The applicant said the property is an underused former office building and that local demand supports a neighborhood food and coffee destination.
Pavitram, the applicant, told the commission the 1,520‑square‑foot, one‑story building would be split into Suite A (895 square feet) for the cafe with about 15 seats and Suite B (625 square feet) for office use. Access is from Oak Lane, a dead‑end, and the applicant said no drive‑through is planned. The application proposes 12 parking spaces — eight in front and four in the rear — and a screened dumpster pad on the northwest corner of the lot.
Staff cited Section 36‑502 of the city zoning ordinance on parking requirements and the O‑3 rules that allow small accessory commercial uses only in limited circumstances; the applicant argued the cafe would be a neighborhood-serving use and that traffic on the principal arterial (West Markham) would limit spillover into the residential area.
Commission discussion noted nearby commercial activity within walking distance and that the proposed hours (as stated by the applicant) generally match comparable nearby businesses. The commission approved the rezoning by roll call after a motion to approve the application despite staff’s recommendation for denial.
Next steps for the applicant include preparing building and site plans that meet any technical permitting requirements and satisfying conditions in the staff report if applicable.
Context: The approval converts a vacant or underused office building to a small commercial use the commission judged appropriate for a mixed‑use commercial corridor, although staff had cited concerns about transition to adjacent single‑family zoning.
