PC Minutes 8/27/08  DRAFT

ITEM NO. 11      SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR FREE STATE HIGH SCHOOL; 4700 OVERLAND DR (PGP)

 

SUP-07-05-08: Consider a Special Use Permit and Institutional Development Plan for Free State High School for the construction of additional parking and installation of bleachers/restrooms/concessions/lighting/sound systems to accommodate football/softball/basketball/soccer/tennis competition on-site at 4700 Overland Dr. Submitted by Landplan Engineering, for City of Lawrence Public Schools USD 497, property owner of record.

 

STAFF PRESENTATION

Mr. Paul Patterson presented the item.

 

PUBLIC HEARING

Mr. Shelley Bock, said it would be nice for the soccer field to have facilities on the home team side.

 

Mr. Terry Jacobson, expressed his gratitude to staff and Planning Commissioners and felt this would be a positive project for the community. He supported the projects for the Lawrence School District.

 

Mr. Steve Grant, felt this was a good plan and thanked the school district, staff, and Planning Commission.

 

COMMISSION DISCUSSION

Commissioner Rasmussen asked about the parking lot on Overland Drive and why it was needed for the school.

 

Mr. Bracciano said the parking lot was on the list of wants and it is a possibility. He sais it was low priority at this time but eventually they would like to use it for baseball parking and overflow football parking.

 

Mr. McCullough said the parking for all the sites staff needed more information to determine what the proper level of parking would be. Staff asked the district to put in the plan what all they would like to do so that they would not have to come back again at a future date.

 

Commissioner Rasmussen said that the Industrial Development Committee met earlier in the day and discussed the Industrial Development Guidelines and they considered putting restrictions on parking on a main street. He said the plan has a big parking lot on the main street with no landscaping. He asked why is it acceptable here but not in the standards.

 

Mr. McCullough said the Development Code does require parking lot buffering with landscaping. He said that large parking lots should have good screening and buffering. He also said that this use is a completely different use than industrial so the parking lot would be in front of a ball field as opposed to an industrial use where the parking lot would be in front of an industrial plant.

 

ACTION TAKEN

Motioned by Commissioner Carter, seconded by Commissioner Hird, to approve SUP-07-05-08, a Special Use Permit for the expansion of athletic fields and associated parking lot improvements, based upon the findings presented in the body of the staff report and subject to the following conditions:

 

  1. Execution of a Site Plan Performance Agreement.
  2. Publication of an ordinance per Section 20-1306 (j).
  3. Per Section 20-1307(e), recording of the Institutional Development Plan (Site Plan) at the Register of Deeds Office.
  4. Prior to building permits being issued for any of the athletic field light poles, the applicant shall either revise the site plan to show conformance with the 60’ height limit of such poles, gain approval of a variance to exceed the 60’ height limit, or gain approval of a text amendment that provides for heights greater than 60’.
  5. Platting of the unplatted western portion of the property prior to any building permits being issued on the unplatted area.
  6. Revision of the site plan to provide the following:
    1. Revise the acres listed in the Legal Description.
    2. Update the site impervious summary to include the entire 72.6 acre property.
    3. Provide missing sidewalk connections from the parking lots and Overland Drive to the athletic fields and from the new parking lot to the High School Building.
    4. Label the number of parking spaces in front of the south side of the high school entrance and along the east driveway.
    5. Provision of additional details related to bleacher height, light pole heights, and hours of operation for field lights.
    6. Provision of corrected parking summary regarding required and provided parking based on multiple uses on site per Development Code requirements.
    7. Expansion of parking summary to identify number of existing spaces, net proposed spaces and total spaces ultimately to be developed.
    8. Correction of Building Use summary to indicate number of students based on 08/2008 District Preliminary Enrollment Report.
    9. Provision of additional dimensions and corrections to cross sections to accurately reflect proposed improvements and existing structures.
    10. Notation that litter will be monitored and picked up on a regular basis.
    11. Notation regarding the height of screen fencing that will be provided at softball backstop and soccer fields to minimize ‘fly balls’ potential.
    12. Specific location of concession/restrooms at football field prior to release of plan for permits (under bleachers or stand-alone buildings, not both).
    13. Show the interior and perimeter parking lot landscape calculations per Sections 20-1003 and 20-1004.
  1. Approval of a photometric plan (submitted on 08/21/08).
  2. Provision of manufacturer specs for bleachers (with specific size and height info).
  3. Approval of a revised traffic impact study and inclusion of any recommended improvements (if determined necessary following staff review).
  4. Approval of a revised downstream sanitary sewer study and inclusion of any recommended improvements (if determined necessary following staff review).

 

          Motion carried 7-0-1, with Commissioner Finkeldei abstaining.