20 - Laserfiche WebLink

ANALYSIS The following sections outline the key issues and analysis with respect to the project. Land Use and Zoning The Land Use Element of the General Plan designates the subject property as "Community Facilities — Public and Institutional." It allows a broad range of public or institutional uses, including religious facilities, cemeteries, corporation yards, sewage treatment facilities, utility substations, hospitals, post offices, community centers, senior centers, libraries, and City Halls. The community assembly facility and proposed childcare/preschool are consistent with the type of uses permitted within the Community Facilities — Public and Institutional land use designation. The project site is located in a multi-family residential zoning district. Section 18.36.040(C) of the PMC conditionally allows religious institutions, and childcare facilities/preschools (categorized as nursery schools) to be operated in the zoning district. One of the primary concerns in reviewing a CUP application is the effect of a proposed use on surrounding uses. Community assembly uses, including religious facilities, have become a common use in and around residential neighborhoods, and many childcare centers, pre- schools or private schools are associated with such facilities. The uses surrounding the project site consist of religious uses (St. Clare's and Harvest Valley Christian Church) and residential uses. Both St. Clare's and Harvest Valley Christian Church have preschool programs that have operated, to the City's knowledge, without issue for a number of years. However, there was a history of complaints and issues associated with the previous use and activities allowed to occur at the project site, which resulted in enforcement actions by the City, and ultimately with a requirement for modifications to the original approval with a set of additional, more specific and restrictive, Conditions of Approval required to be implemented. These past issues have led to heightened concerns, particularly from some proximate neighbors, about the operation of the Chabad and the future childcare facility/preschool. As a result, staff has carefully considered potential impacts of the proposed project and drafted Conditions of Approval to address them and ensure the project will be compatible with surrounding uses and to minimize potential impacts. This analysis and the resultant draft Conditions of Approval are outlined in more detail below. Issues most frequently associated with community assembly, including religious facilities and preschools, are topics like parking and traffic (especially during weekly services/events and, for schools and preschools, at pick-up and drop-off times), and exterior noise associated with outdoor play spaces, and outdoor activities. Staff has found that this limited range of impacts can generally be addressed through project conditions that address operational aspects of the project (such as limitations on the number of students and class scheduling), parking management strategies, and limitations on location, size and/or use of outdoor play areas. Staff has included a condition of approval that should the Chabad's operation and activities generate noise, traffic, or parking shortages such that surrounding uses would be adversely affected, the City would have the ability to revisit the application with the Planning Commission for mitigation, or possible permit revocation, if necessary. Therefore, from a land use P16-0288 and P16-1833; 3370 Hopyard Road Planning Commission Page 10 of 18