HomeMy WebLinkAboutComments PWT 10/30/2008
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Memorandum
City of Springfield
Date: October 30, 2008
To: Lissa Davis, Planner II
From: . Judith Johnduff, Senior Transportation Planner
Subject: DRC2008-00070 Children's Choice Montessori
The Transportation Division has reviewed the materials provided with the subject application,
The recommended findings, conditions, and comments outlined below are provided for your use
in preparing the land-use decision,
General
Findin!l: The project consists of a L05 acre parcel located on the west side of 5th Street north of
'Q' Street (Map 17-03-26-24, Tax lot #3000), The parcel currently holds a 1,474 square-foot
residential structure, Approval of this proposal would allow operation of a school within the
1,474 square-foot structure on the site,
Transportation Svstem Impacts
Findin!l: Site access is provided by 5th Street which is a 2 lane roadway with bicycle lanes that
provides one travel lane in each direction and a two-way center turn lane within a variable-
width right-of-way, This portion of 5th Street is designated as a Minor Arterial, The street is
improved with curb, gutter, sidewalks,and street lighting, The traffic volume on 5th Street is
estimated to be approximately 5,700 vehicle trips per day,
Findin!l: The proposed use is comparable to ITE land Use Code 565 (Day Care Center), Based
on that assumption the total trip generation from this development upon completion of the
proposed expansion would be as follows:
','. Average Weekday = 79,26 trips/lOOOsf of floor area = 116,S trips
. PM Peak Hour = 1,474 SFof gross floor area x 13.1S trips per 1,000 SF = 19.4 trips
In addition, the assumed development may generate pedestrian and bicycle trips, According to
the "Household" survey done by lCOG in 1994, 12,6 percent of household trips are made by
bicycle or walking and LS percent are by transit bus, These trips may have their origins or
destinations at a variety of land uses, including this use, Pedestrian and bicycle trips create the
need for sidewalks, pedestrian crossing signals, crosswalks, bicycle parking and bicycle lanes,
Finding: Existing transportation facilities would be adequate to accommodate the additional
volume of traffic generated by the proposed development.
Recommended Condition: None,
Date ReceiVed:~) Cf?
Planner: LD j.(th..iJ ~
,.
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DRC2008-00070 Children's Choice Montessori Site Plan
October 29, 2008
Page 2 of 3
Site Access and Circulation
Findinlr: Installation of driveways on a street increases the number of traffic conflict points, The
greater number of conflict points increases the probability of traffic crashes, SDC 4,2-120(A)(1)
stipulates that each parcel is entitled to "~n approved access to!! public street."
.finding: The Springfield Development Code states that where a proposed development abuts
an existing or proposed Arterial or Collector Street, the development design and off-street
, improvements shall minimize the traffic conflicts, SDC4,2-120(B)(1),
Finding: This portion of 5th Street is classified as a Minor Arterial and the speed limit is 35 MPH.
Findinlr: The site is served by one driveway which is proposed to remain, The existing 18 foot
wide driveway approach is inadequate to serve 2-way traffic. The proposed driveway approach
does not meet the minimum width for a 2-way driveway per the Sptingfield Development Code.
The minimum required width is 24 feet (Table 4.2-2).
Findinlr: The proposed site plan does not provide a turn-around which is necessaty to provide
for adequate on-site circulation, Lack of an adequate on-sit~ turnaround increases the potential
that vehicles will back out on-to 5th Street attempting to exit the site or back up on 5th Street
waiting for on-site congestion to clear before entering the site, This situation creates an
unacceptable potential conflict point on the public sr;reet network
In: addition, in response to complaints received regarding vehicles backing out onto and
blocking the southbound travel lane of 5th Street DSD staff conducted a field visit and confirmed
that vehicles were indeed backing out onto 5th street, So an unacc~ptable situation appears to
already exist at this location, '
Finding: Approximately 90 feet of the driveway leading to the parking lot is only 12' wide
which is not wide enough for two-way traffic, This will result in conflicts on-site which may
spill over onto 5th Street, creating an unacceptable conflict on the public street network
Findinlr: Parking space #A and the proposed loading zone space located adjacent to the 12'
driveway do not have adequate room for vehicle access without conflicting with driveway
traffic.
Findin!l: The proposed site plan does not meet the parkinglloading requirements of the
Springfield Development Code (Table 4,6-2), The proposed site plan only provides for 4
parking spaces and 2 loading spaces. The Springfield Development Code requires the 5 parking
spaces and 3 loading spaces to be provided on site, Lack of adequate on-site parking and loading
spaces increases the potential that vehicles will back up on 5th Street waiting for on-site
congestion to clear before entering the site, This situation creates an unacceptable potential
conflict point on the public street network
Date Received: /01 <,01 oC{
PIariner. L[) xWi0 etJn~
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DRC2008-00070 Children's Choice Montessori Site Plan
October 29, 2008
Page 3 of 3
Recommendation: The Transportation division cannot recommend approval of the proposed
project as submitted. The proposed site circulation must be redesigned and the required
parking/loading spaces provided.
Additional Comments:
It appears that the site is large cnough to accommodate on-site circulation for the proposed land
use and that the site plan can be revised to accommodate on-si~e parking and circulation, The
following design guidelines should be considered in the site design:
. Plans must call for the driveway approach to be widened to a minimum of24',
. The site must provide for an onosite turnaround, The turnaround must not be located
within 100' of the5th Street public right of way,
. The number and dimensions of the parking spaces and loading spaces must meet City Code,
Parking and loading spaces must not conflict with the driveway or turnaround.
. Due to the nature of the usc, the site plan should provide for separate pedestrian access
ways from all parking and loading spaces to facility entrances, The pedestrian access must
meet ADA requirements,
. The driveway must be widened to accommodate two-way traffic. The driveway may be
narrowed to one lane to accommodate existing site constraints( such as the fir tree) for
short distances, however a two lane driveway must be provided within the first 100 feet of
the driveway cntrance,
. PleaSe provide all dimensions on the plans.
Date Received: /DI.;o log-'
Planner: LD .jy Cl./v..<) ~