Planning commission recommends rezoning 413 Hammond Drive for wedding chapel despite neighbor concerns

The Hot Springs Planning Commission on June 12 voted to recommend that the Board of Directors adopt an ordinance rezoning 413 Hammond Drive from RN5 (Residential Neighborhood 5) to CG (General Commercial) to allow use of the existing church building as a wedding chapel.

The recommendation, which passed on a roll-call vote with all commissioners present voting in favor, moves the application to the Board of Directors for final action at its July 15 meeting in the same room.

Planning staff said the 0.82-acre property at 413 Hammond Drive is developed with a roughly 4,200-square-foot church building constructed about 1960 and has frontage of about 130 feet on Hammond Drive. The applicant, Lindsey Landrum, representing property owner Gardner Methodist Church, told the commission she purchased the chapel for use as an event venue and described neighborhood conversations as largely supportive.

"We won't be able to hold any more than 80 people," applicant Lindsey Landrum said when commissioners asked about capacity, and she said the site has 36 parking spaces on site. Landrum said ceremonies would be by appointment and "we only plan on doing weddings after 10:00 in the morning" and that events would end by 10 p.m. to comply with the city's noise ordinance.

A written letter from Charminy Square Property Owners Association, read into the record by staff, said the HOA represents 24 condominium units directly behind and adjoining 413 Hammond Drive and expressed concern that commercial zoning would "pose a threat" to the quiet character of the community and bring "unwanted traffic" near a nearby school. The letter was signed by Jeannie Black.

Staff recommended approval conditioned on amending the future land use map from Residential Medium High to Community Commercial Center to support the requested CG zoning and concluded the request demonstrates compatibility with neighboring development and the zoning code's objectives. The application narrative argued that the existing building and its parking and scale are no longer suitable for residential use and that a commercial designation is consistent with surrounding commercial uses and the nearby airport.

Commission discussion focused on operational details: capacity, on-site parking, and hours. Commissioners asked whether overflow parking could affect adjacent private entrances; Landrum said overflow weekend parking could use nearby college/community parking and that access to Charminy Square would require driving down the road and entering at the community's private entrances.

The Planning Commission's favorable recommendation does not itself change zoning. The Board of Directors will consider the recommendation and make the final decision on July 15 in this room at 6:00 p.m.

Vote record: Scott — yes; Walker — yes; Lamont — yes; Davis — yes; Ramey — yes; Gerke — yes; Stafford — yes.