HomeMy WebLinkAboutMiscellaneous PLANNER 8/16/2013 . • •
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Discretionary Use- Type III �
McKenzie Christian School—Thurston Christian LEL ail
Church
TYP3 I 1-00002
Staff Report and Recommendation
Applicant: Owner:
Russ Conklin Northwood Christian Church
McKenzie River Christian School 2425 Harvest Ln., Springfield,OR 97477
45061 McKenzie Highway (541) 746-2790
Leaburg, Oregon 97489
Project Location: Plan/Zone Designation:
2425 Harvest Ln., Springfield Low Density Residential (LDR)
Assessor's Map 17-03-24-33-00200
Proposed Activity: Related Applications:
The applicant proposes to partner with Northwood
Christian Church to open a private school with
approximately 30 students at the church located at
near the corner of Harvest Lane and Hayden Bridge
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I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND DECISION
The applicant, McKenzie River Christian School, has operated in Leaburg and Vida since 1997. The
school is seeking to move their program to Springfield. They seek to partner with Northwood Christian
Church to open a school of about 30 students this September. Northwood Christian is located at 2425
Harvest Lane.
Date Received. a/�
TYP313-00004 Discretionary Use Planner: MM " .1.:_.J_
McKenzie Christian School/Northwood Christian Church
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The school is proposed to be a grade K-12 program. The preponderance of students will be K-8, but
there are a small number of continuing students who will be high school age.
Section 3.2-210 of the Springfield Development Code shows that elementary/middle schools and
churches are "discretionary uses in the LDR zoning district." The proposed school use is a new activity
that will operate within Northwood Christian Church.
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Due to the nature of their impact on nearby uses and public facilities, discretionary uses require a case-
by-case review and analysis at the Planning Commission level.These impacts, include but are not limited
to, the size of the area required for the full development of a proposed use, the nature of the traffic
problems incidental to operation of a use, and the effect the use may have on any nearby existing uses.
To mitigate these and other possible impacts, the Planning Commission may apply conditions to address
potential adverse effects associated with the proposed use.
The role of the Planning Commission is to evaluate the potential impacts of the proposed use and not
the site design per se. No change to the site plan for the site is proposed by the applicant.
Based the findings set forth in this report, staff recommends approval of the proposed school use of the
Northwood Christian Church located at 2425 Harvest Lane with the following conditions:
TYP313-00004 Discretionary Use
McKenzie Christian School/Northwood Christian Church 2
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II. PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS FOR DISCRETIONARY USE
Discretionary Review applications are reviewed under Type Ill (quasi-judicial) procedure which includes
a public hearing before the Planning Commission or a Hearings Official. The procedural requirements
for a Type Ill land use decision are listed in Springfield Development Code (SDC) Section 5.1-135. This
section requires mailed notice of the public hearing to be sent to residents and landowners within 300
feet of the subject property and to any applicable neighborhood association (SDC Section 5,1-135 (B).
SDC Section 5.2-115 (A) describes the required content of the mailed notices. Section 5.2-115 (B) states
that Type Ill quasi-judicial procedures also require published notice of the proposed action in a
newspaper of general circulation.
Any person seeking to respond to the issue may provide written comments to the Director through the
day of the public hearing or may testify in person.
Evaluation of the proposal by the Development Review Committee is also required under SDC Section
5.1-135 (C). The Development Review Committee is composed of staff from various city departments
and staff from various other agencies which provide urban services with Springfield's planning
jurisdiction.
Finding#1. Mailed notice of the proposed site plan modification was sent to residents and property
owners within 300 feet of the subject site on July XX, 2013 as verified by affidavit.
Finding#2. Notice of the public hearing was published in the Register Guard, a newspaper of
general circulation. The publication date was July XX, 2013, more than 20 days in advance of the
hearing.
Finding#3. Notice of the proposed school use was sent to the Development Review Committee and
a meeting was held on August 6,2013 to review issues of compliance of the proposal with applicable
development policies and standards.
Finding#4. No comments, written or verbal, were received from the public during the 14-day
comment period.
Conclusion: Procedural requirements for processing a Type III Discretionary Use Hearing have been
followed.
III. CRITERIA OF APPROVAL—DISCRETIONARY USE
The following section reviews the criteria for approving Discretionary Use applications and makes
findings for each individual criterion as they are listed.
SDC Section 5.9-120 states, "Discretionary Use may be approved only if the Planning Commission or
Hearings Official finds that the proposal conforms with the Site Plan Review approval criteria specified in
Section 5.17-125, where applicable, and the following approval criteria:
TYP313-00001 Discretionary Use
McKenzie Christian School/Northwood Christian Church 3
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A. The proposed use conforms with applicable:
1. Provisions of the Metro Plan;
Finding#5. The Metro Plan designation for the site is Low Density Residential (LDR). The Metro
Plan allows for elementary and middle school uses to be located within residential plan designations
(Metro Plan pg. II-G-3).
Finding#6. The applicant proposes to open an elementary-middle school use with a small number
of high school age students (Grades K-12). The applicant's anticipated high school enrollment is less
than 10 students. This is consistent with the types of school use allowed in the LDR plan area. The
Metro Plan's "Residential" designation and the City's Low Density Residential (LDR) zoning district, do
not allow high schools. The context of the policy concerning high schools assumes a large school facility
and enrollment.
Finding#7. High Schools are allowed by the Metro Plan in the "Public-Semi-Public—Education" plan
designation. The Development Code allows high schools in the Public Land and Open Space zoning
district The other education uses allowed by the Metro Plan and the Development Code include
colleges. The nature of the proposed use is more consistent with that of a small elementary-middle
school operation than a high school.
2. Refinement Plans;
Finding#8. The subject site is not within a refinement plan area. This criterion is not applicable.
3. Plan District standards;
Finding#9. The subject site is not within a refinement plan area.
4. Conceptual Development Plans or
Finding#10. The subject site is not part of any conceptual development plan. This criterion is not
applicable.
5. Specific Development Standards in this Code;
Finding#11. SDC Section 3.2-210 references specific development standards found in Section 4.7-195
for schools with 6 students or more. SDC 4.7-195 lists the special use standards shown below.These
standards are mostly oriented to the development of schools larger than envisioned by this proposal. Page
Elementary School,which is located across the street from the subject site has an enrollment of 395 students.
Section 4.7-195 Special Use Standards for Schools(italicized font)
1. All new facilities and additions over 10,000 square feet or those additions exceeding 50
percent of the size of the existing building shall be approved in accordance with a Type Ill review
TYP313-00004 Discretionary Use
McKenzie Christian School/Northwood Christian Church 4
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procedure(a Type II Site Plan application raised to a Type ill review as specified in Section 5.1-130).
The Site Plan application shall also address the standards specified in Subsections 1. through 11.,
below.
EXCEPTION: Public/Private Elementary/Middle Schools in the PLO District are reviewed under Type!!
Review.
Finding#12. The proposed school will utilize an existing church building. No new construction is
proposed. The school use
2. A maximum of 65 percent of the site may be covered in impervious surface. The remainder of
the site shall comply with the planting standards in Section 4.4-100.
Finding#13. Northwood Christian Church has an existing parking lot and paving. The church and
parking covers an estimated 68%of the site. About 32%of the site is landscaped. The 65% impervious
coverage shown in the criterion above applies to schools. The coverage limit for churches is 75%
(Section 4.7-130).
3. Schools shall have a landscaped front yard of 20 feet and landscaped side and rear yards of 30
feet.Athletic spectator seating structures adjoining residential uses shall be set back at least 75 feet,
unless the Director determines that adequate buffering can be provided with a reduced setback.
However, in no instance shall this setback(from spectator facilities)be less than 30 feet. Parking areas
shall maintain a landscaped buffer of 15 feet when adjoining a residential use.
Finding#14. Norwood Christian Church has planted setbacks from Hayden Bridge Rd. and Harvest
Lane. The school proposes no spectator seating or structures. The school shows two recess areas on
their site diagram. One area is located in the church parking lot and the other in an enclosed playground
area. Figure X also shows the proposed play areas. The proposed recess areas are located away from
nearby residences.
4. Light shall be directed away from adjoining less intensive uses.
Finding#15. No new lighting is proposed for the school use. Lighting on the site utilizes"cutoff
optics" which directed light downward and away from neighboring properties (Figure 5.).
5. Other uses permitted within school facilities include day care facilities, social service offices or
other after school program activities approved by the School District and which otherwise do not
require discretionary approval.
Finding#16. SDC 3.2-210 shows that schools are a discretionary use. No other uses have been
proposed. Section 4.7-195(5) mentions a number of auxiliary uses that are typically associated with
larger public schools. This section illustrates the orientation of the discretionary use standards to larger
schools.
6. All plants used for "landscaped buffering"shall be a minimum of 5-gallon in size and shall
reach a height of at least 36 inches within 1 year of planting.
TYP313-00004 Discretionary Use
McKenzie Christian School/Northwood Christian Church 5
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Finding#17. The church has established landscaping (see Figures 3 and 4). No new planting is
proposed.
Figure 2. Landscaping on Hayden Bridge Rd. Figure 3. Landscaping on Harvest Lane.
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Figure 5. Lighting and screening from adjacent property to the north.
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7. Paved playground areas may be used as overflow parking for special events.
Finding#18. The existing parking area is planned to serve as playground area for the school. No new
separate playground structures are shown on the applicant's site diagram. Additional recreational
facilities are located across Hayden Bridge Rd. at Page Park, a small Willamalane facility adjacent to Page
Elementary School. The crossing at Hayden Bridge and Harvest lane is signal controlled and well
marked. The crossing serves students attending Page Elementary.
TYP313-0000.1 Discretionary Use
McKenzie Christian School/Northwood Christian Church 6
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Fi:ure 6. Proposed Recess Area Figure 7. Signal Controlled Crossing
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8. Parking is limited to 2 spaces for each teaching station in the school plus 1 parking space for
each 100 square feet of public indoor assembly area. All parking lots and driveways shall be
designated to separate bus and passenger vehicle traffic.All parking lots shall have sidewalks raised a
minimum of 6 inches above grade where pedestrians have to cross parking lots to enter or leave the
school grounds.
Finding#19. The proposed school will use existing parking spaces to accommodate teaching staff,
and visitors. The church has more than adequate parking for the school use. The church has raised
curbs and sidewalks serving most of the facility.
9. Any jointly shared recreational facilities, playgrounds or athletic field shall require a joint use
agreement that will provide for public use and continued maintenance.
Finding #20. This standard is directed to public schools and the share use of their facilities as public
parks. This standard does not apply to the applicant. The school has two designated play areas on site.
The school may make occasional use of Page Park, across the street, adjacent to Page Elementary. Page
Park is a Willamalane park facility that is open to public use.
10. Elementary schools shall have a maximum building height of 35 feet, middle schools shall have
a maximum building height of 45 feet.
Finding#21. No new construction is proposed for the school use.
11. A Traffic Impact Study and Parking Study,prepared by a Transportation Engineer, shall be
approved by the City Engineer.
Finding#22. Typically, a Traffic Impact Study and Parking Study are required for large school uses or
other uses generating more than 1000 trips per day. Based on the closing enrollment of 19 students and
the enrollment goal of 30 students, the number of trips likely to be generated falls below the minimum
threshold for requiring the aforementioned studies.
TYP313-00004 Discretionary Use
McKenzie Christian School/Northwood Christian Church 7
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Finding#23. The applicant has includes a circulation plan for the site which allows adequate off
street queuing of cars for pick-up and drop-off.
Conclusion: Most of the criteria listed in SDC Section 5.9-120 (A) do not apply to this application. The
project complies with those criteria which do apply.
B. The site under consideration is suitable for the proposed use, considering:
1. The location, size, design and operating characteristics of the use (operating characteristics
include but are not limited to parking, traffic, noise, vibration, emissions, light, glare, odor,
dust, visibility, safety, and aesthetic considerations, where applicable);
Traffic/Parking
Finding#24. The church site has frontage on both Harvest Lane and Hayden Bridge Rd. Hayden
Bridge Rd. is classified as a major collector. Harvest Lane is a local street.
Finding #25. The 2008 Springfield Traffic Count Map shows an average daily traffic count of 7406 on
Hayden Bridge Rd. near the church.
Finding#26. The intersection of harvest lane and Hayden Bridge Rd. is signal controlled. It has clearly
marked with crosswalks and is signed as a school zone.
Finding#27. The applicant states that school's hours of operation will be 8:00 AM until 2:30 PM.,
with students in attendance starting at 8:15 AM. The school hours shown on the Page Elementary
School website are from 8:40 am to 2:42 pm. The staggered start times for the two schools will negate
any potential increase in traffic congestion near the two schools.
Finding#28. Assuming an opening enrollment of 30 students as projected by the applicant, and
assuming 10 staff, the number of additional trips generated by the school use would have a minimal
impact on traffic in the area. Students will be transported to the school by personal vehicles, with many
carpooling.
Finding#29. The aerial photo (Figure 9)of the site shows that there are more than 130 parking
spaces available for weekday use.
TYP313-00004 Discretionary Use
McKenzie Christian School/Northwood Christian Church 8
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Figure 8.Applicant's Plot Plan with Notations
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TYP313-00004 Discretionary Use
McKenzie Christian School/Northwood Christian Church 9
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Figure 9. Aerial Photo with Notations
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Noise
Finding#30. Figure 9 shows the proposed play areas. The normal laughing, shrieking and yelling that
accompanies healthy play in Area #1 will be separated from residences to the north and west by about
100 feet. Play Area#2 is isolated from noise impacts on nearby homes by the Church building.
Finding#31. Students will arrive at the school at about 8:00 am for an 8:15 class start. The drive
aisles are separated from residences to the north by a fence and vegetation at the drop off area. The
small number of students and the short period of time that they would be in the drop off zone will limit
the noise impact in morning hours.
2. Adequate and safe circulation exists for vehicular access to and from the proposed site,
and on-site circulation and emergency response as well as pedestrian, bicycle and transit
circulation;
Finding#32. Hayden Bridge Rd. at Harvest Lane is a wide two-lane road with striped bike lanes in
both directions. The intersection is signal controlled with clearly marked crosswalks. The area is signed
as a school zone. LTD's 5th Street/Hayden Bridge Route #17 serves the site.
Finding#33. The church has two driveways accessing Harvest Lane and a third driveway accessing
Hayden Bridge Rd. The applicant proposes to use the two driveways on Harvest Lane as the access point
7YP313-00004 Discretionary Use
McKenzie Christian School/Northwood Christian Church 10
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for parents dropping off students. Figure 9 shows the access points and drop off area. The circulation of
vehicles on site allows for adequate off-street queuing. Parents waiting to drop off or pick up students
will not be parking on Harvest Lane.
3. The natural and physical features of the site, including but not limited to, riparian areas,
regulated wetlands, natural storm water management/drainage areas and wooded areas
shall be adequately considered in the project design; and
Finding#34. The subject site does not impact any inventoried natural resource area or any natural
features.
4. Adequate public facilities and services are available, including but not limited to, utilities,
streets, storm drainage facilities, sanitary sewer and other public infrastructure.
Finding#35. The proposed use was reviewed by the Public Works Engineering Division and by the
Springfield Utility Board. No comments were received that indicated any lack of capacity to serve the
proposed use.
Finding#36. Storm water in main parking areas drains to five interconnected catch basins which in
turn drain to the stormwater main in Hayden Bridge Rd. These basins appear to have the filtering
mechanisms that are now required for such lots.
Conclusion:The proposed activity is consistent with the criterion in SDC Section 5.9-120 (B).
IV. CONCLUSION AND STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Based on the findings made with regard to the decision criteria for discretionary uses found in SDC
Section 5.9-120, staff concludes that there is adequate basis for the Planning Commission to approve
the proposed school use (TYP313-00004). Staff recommends the following conditions for approval to
address potential impacts of the school use:
TYP313-00004 Discretionary Use
McKenzie Christian School/Northwood Christian Church i i
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TYP313-00004 Discretionary Use
McKenzie Christian School!Northwood Christian Church 14