SITE PLAN REVIEW
April 13, 2004
A. SUMMARY
SP-03-19-04: Lawrence Alternative High School, a site plan for the addition of a shelter building to be used as an outdoor classroom and break area located at 2600 W. 25th Street. Submitted by Shane Munch, Leadership Lawrence Class of 2004 for USD 497, property owner of record.
B. GENERAL INFORMATION
Current Zoning and Land Use: RS-1 (Single-Family Residence) District existing education facility.
Surrounding Zoning and Land Use: RS-1 (Single-Family Residence) District to the east and south, Holcom Park and Recreation facility.
RS-2 (Single-Family Residence) District to the west, existing residential uses.
RM-1 (Multiple-Family Residence) District to the north, existing multi-family residential
Site Summary:
Gross Area: 8.5 acres
Existing Building: 7,800 GSF (Main building)
2,450 GSF (accessory building)
Proposed New Building: 40x16 shelter building open on all sides
Open Space: Not documented
Parking group and ratio: Group 16 at 1 space per 500 or 1 space per 1.5 employees which ever is larger. (20 spaces required)
Off-Street Parking Provided: 23 spaces provided
Note: The proposed change is a minor alteration. There is no approved site plan on record for the existing improvements.
Review Comments from Other Departments/Agencies
Public Works/Engineering: School District should note that if substantial improvements are made in the future parking, drives, curb and gutter will need to be brought up to current city standards.
Stormwater Engineering: No comments
Traffic Engineering: No comments provided.
Municipal Utilities: No comments provided
Neighborhood Resources: No comments provided
Parks Department: Please note that smoking should be addressed by school district and not occur at the Holcom Baseball Entrance.
Sanitation Department: No comments provided
Police Department: No comments provided
Fire Department: No comment
Westar Energy: No comment provided
Aquila, Inc: No comments provided
Southern Star
Central Pipe, Inc: No comments provided
Southwestern Bell: Any utilities needing moved will be at owner expense.
C. STAFF REVIEW
The subject property is located on the east side of Lawrence Avenue, but is accessed through Holcom Park. The proposed site plan is for the addition of a 40’ by 16’ shelter building located at the entrance of the main building. The proposed shelter building will be used as an outdoor classroom and break area. It will not be enclosed, but open on all sides. There is no record of an approved site plan for the existing improvements. The applicant has provided a site plan with minimum information to comply with the procedural aspects of the approval process.
The City’s Zoning Ordinance requires approval of a revised site plan prior to issuance of a building permit. Section 20-1428 of the Zoning Ordinance defines a Significant Alteration to Existing Development, as:
“a development on improved real estate that is altered or changed in such a manner that one or more of the following is applicable:
(a) The development results in the construction of a building, structure, or addition that increases the gross square footage of the existing development by more than ten percent (10%); provided, that separate incremental developments below the 10% amount shall not be used to avoid the requirements of Sections 20-1428:1435 if in the aggregate the developments over a period of 18 months would meet those requirements; or,
(b) The estimated construction costs of the development exceeds ten percent (10%) of the most recent appraised fair market value of the existing property as determined by the County Appraiser, provided, that separate incremental developments below the 10% amount shall not be used to avoid the requirements of Sections 20-1428:1435 if in the aggregate the development over a period of 18 months would meet those requirements; or,
(c) The construction or paving of any parking lot or facility which covers ground previously not used as a parking lot or facility, or the construction or paving of any parking lot or facility which does not conform to City pavement standards pursuant to 20-1217; or,
(d) The alteration or intensification of any use which increases off-street parking requirements pursuant to Article 12 of this Chapter.”
The proposed building addition does not alter the existing use and does not meet the definition of a significant alteration. Off-street parking is provided within the existing site. The site plan does not include the number of employees (teachers) on site. Parking was calculated based on the 1 per 500 ratio. The required off-street parking would be 20 spaces, a total of 23 spaces are provided. The proposed shelter addition does not increase the parking requirement, for the entire center and therefore, does not represent an intensification of use as described as defined above.
Zoning and Existing Development
The subject property is zoned RS-1 (Single-Family Residence) District which permits a variety of community facilities including public and private schools. The site is located in a developed residential neighborhood area.
Access and Parking Lot Design
The applicant does not propose any changes to the existing building exterior or parking lot other than the addition of the shelter building.
Summary and Conclusion
Section 20-1429 of the Zoning Code requires the submission of a site plan for minor alterations. Section 1434 allows for administrative approval of revisions to approved site plans by the Director of Planning. Because a site plan has not been previously approved this proposed site plan revision has been forwarded to the City Commission for their consideration. The proposed site plan reflects only the proposed improvements as it relates to the existing structures. The proposed site plan was prepared as part of a volunteer project to benefit the school district and users of the Lawrence Alternative High School. The site plan provides adequate information to reasonably review the proposed improvements with respect to land use, zoning, setback, and parking. The proposed improvement does not intensify the site with regard to land use, students, or traffic.