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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010 07 07 RS Discretionary Use Hope ChurchMEMORANDUM CITY OF SPRINGFIELD DATE OF HEARING: July 7, 2010 TO: Springfield Planning Commission TRANSMITTAL MEMORANDUM FROM: Steve Hopkins, Planner 2 SUBJECT: Discretionary Use hearing to consider a proposed church at 1250 18th Street. ISSUE: There are certain uses which, due to the nature of their impact on nearby uses and public facilities, require a case-by-case review and analysis at the Planning Commission or Hearings Official level. To mitigate these and other possible impacts, conditions may be applied to address potential adverse effects associated with the proposed use. DISCUSSION: The applicant is proposing a church at 1250 18th Street. The site is zoned MUC (Mixed Use Commercial). In this zone, a church requires a Discretionary Use application. The Planning Commission will review the DU application to determine if a church is an appropriate use at this site. Based on evidence provided at the hearing, the Planning Commission may add conditions to mitigate anticipated impacts to the community. This is a small neighborhood church with negligible off-site impacts. No service providers have identified any infrastructure deficiencies, and no comments have been submitted by the neighbors. If the DU is approved, the Director will review the Site Plan for conformance with the Site Plan approval criteria contained in SDC 5.17-125, as well as any conditions placed by the Planning Commission. Based the findings set forth in this report, staff recommends approval of the proposal. ACTION REQUESTED: The Planning Commission is requested to review the proposed activity against the approval criteria for discretionary uses found in Section 5.9-120 of the Springfield Development Code and make a determination as to whether the proposed activity meets those criteria. The Commission may approve the proposed use, approve the use with conditions, or deny the use. ATTACHMENTS: Attachment 1: Staff Report. Attachment 2: Planning Commission Order. Attachment 3: Applicant’s statement, dated June 1, 2010. Attachment 4: Plot plan Attachment 5: Site photos Attachment 6: Comments from PW Transportation, dated June 8, 2010. Attachment 7: Comments from PW Engineering, dated June 21, 2010. Attachment 8: Comments from Fire Dept., dated June 21, 2010. Attachment 9: Letter from Springfield Utility Board, dated June 18, 2010 DSD- URBAN PLANNING DIVISION STAFF REPORT Hearing Date: July 7, 2010 Project Proposal: Discretionary Use for a Church Case Number: DRC2010-00018 Project Location: 1250 18th St Map/Tax lot: 17-03-25-34-03900 Property size: 11 acres Base Zone: MUC (Mixed Use Commercial) Overlay District(s): Drinking Water Protection Overlay, 1-5 year TOTZ of the 16th & Q Street well. Metro Plan Designation: Mixed Use Commercial Application Submitted: June 1, 2010 Other Application(s): none Staff: Steve Hopkins, AICP, Planner 2 Applicant Representative Land Owner Hope Community Church 1250 18th Street Springfield, OR 97477 Rev. Bill White Hope Community Church 1250 18th Street Springfield, OR 97477 Steven Yett/Mercury Dime, LLC 777 High Street Eugene OR 97401 Summary The purpose of this Discretionary Use application is to allow the Hope Community Church to move from its current location at 14th and Main, to a new location in the former DMV office at the Mohawk shopping center. In accordance with SDC 3.2-610, a church in the MUC zone requires a Discretionary Use permit and compliance with the Specific Development Standards in SDC 4.7-130. This is a small neighborhood church with negligible off-site impacts. There are two services on Sunday mornings. At most, each service has 50 people. Typically, there are fewer than ten cars on Sunday morning, since most attendees arrive by walking or bicycling. No outside improvements related to the church are proposed since there is adequate parking, there is no outdoor trash area, and the existing landscaping complies with the Springfield Development Code. This move will also allow the church to operate a daycare center within the same building. The Discretionary Use application is only for the church, because the daycare center has been reviewed and approved in a separate application. A daycare center is an allowed use in the MUC zone and requires compliance with SDC 3.2-600, and the Specific Development standards contained in SDC 4.7-125. Compliance with those standards was verified by a site visit on May 24, 2010. The applicant is also complying with the requirements of the State Child Care Attachment 1-1 Division and the City of Springfield Building Safety Division. No further Planning review is required for the daycare center. The site is within the Drinking Water Protection Overlay. It is within the 1-5 year Time of Travel Zone of the 16th & Q Street well. The church and daycare have been granted an exemption, as evidenced by the letter from SUB dated June 18, 2010. Since all other standards for the dual use (church and daycare center) have been met, the Commission is asked take public testimony and determine if the church is an appropriate use at this site. The Commission has three options: 1. approve as recommended, or 2. approve but add/modify conditions based on testimony at the hearing, or 3. deny the application. Procedural Findings: • Notice of the public hearing was sent to adjacent property owners/occupants within 300 feet of the subject site on June 8, 2010. The applicant and parties submitting testimony at the public hearing have appeal rights and are mailed a copy of this decision for consideration. • Notification was published in the Register Guard on June 16, 2010. • On June 22, 2010, the City’s Development Review Committee reviewed the application. City staff’s review comments have been reduced to findings and conditions as necessary to demonstrate compliance with the Criteria of Approval contained in SDC 5.9-120. 5.9-120 Criteria A 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: A. The proposed use conforms with applicable: 1. Provisions of the Metro Plan; 2. Refinement plans; 3. Plan District standards; 4. Conceptual Development Plans or 5. Specific Development Standards in this Code; SDC 4.7-130 Churches A. Churches shall have a landscaped front yard setback of 15 feet and landscaped side and rear yard setbacks of 20 feet. EXCEPTION: The landscaped setbacks for parking lots and driveways may be reduced to 5 feet when the Director determines that adequate buffering has been provided. Attachment 1-2 B. A minimum of 25 percent of the lot/parcel shall be landscaped. C. Churches shall abut an arterial or collector street. Finding: The site is zoned MUC (Mixed Use Commercial) and is designated Mixed Use Commercial by the Metro Plan. There is no applicable refinement plan or conceptual development plan. Finding: In accordance with SDC 3.2-610, Churches are a Discretionary Use in the MUC zone, and are subject to specific development standards contained in SDC 4.7-130. Finding: SDC 4.7-130 contains the specific development standards for churches. This is an existing building on a site developed as a shopping center. The site complies with these standards. Finding: The church abuts 18th Street, which is classified as a collector. 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); 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: The main access to the church will be from 18th Street. Finding: The existing parking lot provides adequate on-site circulation and parking spaces. SDC 4.6-125 requires 1 parking space for each 100 sf of floor area in the primary assembly area. There are more than 20 spaces in the immediate vicinity of the building. Finding: SDC 4.6-155 requires 3 short term bicycle spaces and four are provided. 3. The natural and physical features of the site, including but not limited to, riparian areas, regulated wetlands, natural stormwater management/drainage areas and wooded areas shall be adequately considered in the project design; and Finding: The site is within the 1–5 year Time of Travel Zone of the 16th & Q Street well. Finding: A Drinking Water Protection Overlay application is not required. An exemption was granted on June 18, 2010, as evidenced by the letter from the Springfield Utility Board. Finding: The Natural Resources Study, the National Wetlands Inventory, the Springfield Wetland Inventory Map, and the list of Historic Landmark Sites were consulted. No historic or cultural resources have been identified on this site. Attachment 1-3 DRC2010-00018 Hope Community Church Page 4 of 4 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: Based on comments from service providers, the public services to the site are adequate to serve the proposed church and daycare center. C. Any adverse effects of the proposed use on adjacent properties and on the public can be mitigated through the: 1. Application of other Code standards (including, but not limited to: buffering from less intensive uses and increased setbacks); 2. Site Plan Review approval conditions, where applicable; 3. Other approval conditions that may be required by the Approval Authority; and/or 4. A proposal by the applicant that meets or exceeds the cited Code standards and/or approval conditions. Finding: Tax lot 3900 contains approximately 11 acres and is developed with a shopping mall and several detached buildings. The church will occupy a detached building that contains approximately 2,000sf and will not generate any impacts in excess of other existing or permitted Mixed Use Commercial uses. Finding: There are no identified conflicts that require additional mitigation. D. Applicable Discretionary Use criteria in other Sections of this Code: 1. Wireless telecommunications systems facilities requiring Discretionary Use approval are exempt from Subsections A.—C., above but shall comply with the approval criteria specified in Section 4.3-145. 2. Alternative design standards for multifamily development are exempt from Subsections A.—C., above but shall comply with the approval criteria specified in Section 3.2-245. 3. Fences requiring Discretionary Use approval are exempt from Subsections A.— C., above but shall comply with the approval criteria specified in Section 4.4-115C. 4. The siting of public elementary, middle and high schools requiring Discretionary Use approval is exempt from Subsections A.—C., above but shall comply with the approval criteria specified in Section 4.7-195. Finding: SDC 5.19-120(1)-(4) are not applicable. Conclusion: Based on the findings of fact and conclusion of law, and the evidence in the record, the Director concludes the proposal complies with SDC 5.9-120, and recommends approval to the Planning Commission. Attachment 1-4 BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD A DISCRETIONARY USE HEARING FOR ( A CHURCH LOCATED AT 1250 18TH ST ( ( Case Number: DRC2010-00018 ( FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND ORDER ( NATURE OF THE APPLICATION Hope Community Church submitted an application to occupy an existing building located at 1250 18th Street. The Springfield Development Code (SDC) Section 3.2-610 lists “Churches” as a discretionary use in the MUC (Mixed Use Commercial) zoning district, requiring action by the Planning Council to approve. 1. The application conforms to the provisions of Section 5.9-115 of the Springfield Development Code. Timely and sufficient notice of the public hearing, pursuant to Section 5.1-135 of the Springfield Development Code was provided. 2. On July 7, 2010, a public hearing on the proposed use was held. The Development Services staff report, including criteria of approval, findings, and recommendations, together with the testimony and submittals of those persons testifying at the hearing or in writing, have been considered and are part of the record of this proceeding. CONCLUSION On the basis of this record, the requested discretionary use is consistent with the criteria of approval of Section 5.9-120 of the Development Code. This general finding is supported by the specific findings of fact and conclusion in the Staff Report that is attached hereto. The proposed church is approved as a discretionary use under SDC Section 3.2-610 “Churches” in the MUC (Mixed Use Commercial) zoning district. Attachment 2-1 Planning Commission Order DRC2010-00018 July 7, 2010 Page 2 of 2 DECISION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION It is the DECISION of the Planning Commission of Springfield that Journal Number DRC2010-00018, Discretionary Use, be approved. This DECISION was presented to and approved by the Planning Commission on July 7, 2010. __________________________________ Planning Commission Chairperson ATTEST: AYES: _____ NOES: _____ ABSENT: _____ ABSTAIN: _____ Attachment 2-2 Narrative for Hope Community Church Date: June 1, 2010 To: Springfield Planning Commission From: Rev. Bill White, Hope Community Church Re: Discretionary Use for church, MUC (Mixed Use Commercial) zone. Site address: 1250 18th Street. Map and Tax lot: 17-03-25-34-00-3900 The purpose of this Discretionary Use application is to allow the Hope Community Church to move from its current location at 14th and Main, to a new location in the former DMV office at the Mohawk shopping center. The church primarily ministers to socially and economically disadvantaged people within the Springfield community. There are two services on Sunday mornings. At most, each service has 50 people. Typically, there are fewer than ten cars on Sunday morning, since most attendees arrive by walking or bicycling. This new location will allow the church to operate a daycare center in the same building. The previous site was too constrained for safe operation of a daycare. The State Child Care Division has visited the site and has approved the daycare center for up to 40 children. The interior of the building will be remodeled to accommodate the church as well as the daycare center. Except for the outdoor play area for the daycare center, there will be minimal exterior changes. The existing parking lot provides ample parking for the Sunday services, and there are four bicycle parking spaces adjacent to the front entrance. Only 3 bicycle spaces are required. Attachment 3-1 L18THCENTENNIALChurch and DaycareJune 2010NEWS25 0 25 FeetOutdoor play areaChurch buildingAttachment 4-1 W Elevation, building entrance N Elevation Attachment 5-1 18 St Frontage S Elevation Attachment 5-2 Main Entrance from 18th Street 18th Street frontage looking S Attachment 5-3 Attachment 6-1 Attachment 7-1 Attachment 8-1 Attachment 9-1