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Tree Removal and Mitigation The arborist has valued the 11 trees to be removed at $11,000. Staff does not have a concern with the removal of these 11 trees as they are either in poor health (the English walnut tree) or are small trees that were previously planted by the applicants with the last phase of development. Staff feels that the 44 new trees to be planted by the applicants, as proposed and conditioned, would adequately mitigate the removal of the 11 trees. VI. VARIANCE FINDINGS Any variance must be reviewed in light of the three specific findings required by state law. The variance is granted not by degree, but based only upon specific facts and site conditions which support the findings. The applicants must demonstrate: 1. That because of special circumstances applicable to the property, including size, shape, topography, location or surroundings, the strict application of the provisions of this chapter deprives such property of privileges enjoyed by other properties in the vicinity and under identical zoning classification; Part of the reason the building needs to exceed the 30-foot height limit is to accommodate the minimum interior height of the basketball court and the necessary structural, ventilation, and drainage requirements of the building. The other reasons are to improve the building design and to help screen any future roof-top equipment. The top of the proposed gymnasium roof measures approximately 31 feet in height. The applicants have extended the side walls of the gymnasium three feet above the top of the gymnasium roof in order to improve the aesthetics of the building and avoid the unattractive, "box-like" design commonly found on gymnasium buildings. The extension of the side walls would also help to screen any future roof-top equipment, such as photovoltaic panels. Staff believes that these are special circumstances applicable to the property and staff believes that the first finding can be made for the height variance. 2. That the granting of the variance will not constitute a grant ofspecial privilege inconsistent with the limitation on other properties classified in the same zoning district; In order for this finding to be made, there must exist a relationship between the special circumstances applicable to the property and the variance in question. As stated above, staff feels that there are special circumstances applicable with respect to the gymnasium use of the building and the desire to make the gymnasium design attractive and to provide screening of roof-top equipment. Only the gymnasium portion of the building would exceed the 30-foot height limit. For height comparison purposes, the newer public school PDR.561/PV-158 Planning Commission Page 20