SITE PLAN REVIEW

November 9, 2004

 

 

 

A.                 SUMMARY

 

SP-08-52-04:  Site Plan for building addition and parking lot expansion at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church; 5700 W. 6th Street.  Submitted by Landplan Engineering for St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, property owner of record.

 

 

B.        GENERAL INFORMATION

 

Current Zoning and Land Use:

RS-1 (Single-Family Residence) District; RS-1 (Single-Family Residence) District; church and parking lot.

Surrounding Zoning and Land Use:

A (Agricultural) District in all four geographic directions; farm and pasture lands to the north and west. Farm residence to the south; to the east, vacant future City water tower site.

 

Proposed RM-1 (Multi-Family Residential) and RM-D (Duplex Residential) to north as part of Oregon Trail Addition.

 

Reason for Request:

Church expansion project facilitated by the acquisition of church lands by KDOT for Hwy 40/W. 6th Street improvement project.

 

 

 

Site Summary:

 

Property Area:

403,826 sq. ft. (9.271 acres)

 

 

Existing Buildings:

10,133 sq. ft.

Proposed Buildings (current phase):

14,900 sq. ft.

Proposed Buildings (future phases):

21,243 sq. ft.

Proposed Buildings (includes future phases):

46,276 sq. ft.

 

 

Off-Street Parking Required (1 stall per 4 seats):

183 stalls (includes 6 accessible)

Off-Street Parking Proposed:

187 stalls (includes 5 accessible)

 

 

Existing Parking:

112 stalls (includes 5 accessible)

Proposed Parking:

75 stalls (0 accessible)

 

 

Existing Pavement

49,126 sq. ft.

Proposed Pavement

114,238 sq. ft.

Existing Impervious

59,259 sq. ft.

Proposed Impervious

160,512 sq. ft.

Existing Pervious

344,567 sq. ft.

Proposed Pervious

243,314 sq. ft.

 

STAFF RECOMMENDATION

 

Planning Staff recommends approval of the site plan with the following conditions:

1.      Execution of a site plan performance agreement per Section 20-1433;

2.      Filing of all easements with the Register of Deeds prior to issuance of a building permit;    

3.      Revise property ownership label to the west;  

4.      Label existing 40’ and 80’ rights-of-way for Stoneridge Drive;

5.      Provide Book and Page references on site plan for utility easements;

6.      Add note under General Notes:  “No access permitted to W. 6th Street or Stoneridge Drive (hatched area)”;

7.      Filing of the final plat at the Register of Deeds office prior to release of site plan to Neighborhood Resources for issuance of building permits; 

8.      Revise legal description to include: “to be platted as Lot 1, St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church Addition”; 

9.      Include note on plan that states a revised site plan must be submitted for review and approval prior to issuance of building permits for future phases;

10.    Submittal and approval of photometric plan; 

11.    Screen south side of proposed parking lot with appropriate landscaping; 

12.    Include “quantity” column on Landscape Schedule; and

13.    Revise proposed parking lot to meet accessible space requirement.

 

C.        Findings

 

Per Section 20-1432 Staff shall first find that the following conditions have been met:

 

(a)             That the proposed use is a permitted use in the district in which the property is located;

 

The subject property is located within an RS-1 (Single-Family Residence) District. “RS Districts are designed for those areas where the land is presently being used, or where development appears desirable, for single-family dwellings.  In addition to the general purposes applying to residential districts, the regulations for the RS Districts are designed to encourage the provision of single-family, detached residences in districts of four permitted densities.” A church is a permitted use in the RS-1 district as long as all special conditions have been met as identified in Chapter 20, Zoning and Planning of the City Code. At present, the location of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church is located on the periphery of residential subdivisions and neighborhoods in extreme west Lawrence. 

 

(b)             That the proposed arrangements of buildings, off-street parking, access, lighting, landscaping and drainage is compatible with adjacent land uses;

 

Currently, the subject property is surrounded by undeveloped land, zoned primarily A (Agricultural) District. The existing church and the proposed expanded facility and parking areas have been designed to be compatible with adjacent land uses transitioning from agricultural to residential uses. The proposed parking lot will add an additional 75 parking spaces to the site and will provide a circular drive for access to the sanctuary addition. All proposed site improvements comply with the 50’ greenspace setback requirement.

 

(c)             That the vehicular ingress and egress to and from the site and circulation within the site provides for safe, efficient and convenient movement of traffic not only within the site but on adjacent roadways as well;

 

As part of a KDOT Hwy 40/W. 6th Street improvement project, the church has lost its sole access point off of W. 6th Street. An agreement between the church, the City of Lawrence and KDOT will result in the church taking access from improved Stoneridge Drive and through City-owned property via a permanent ingress and egress easement. The site plan provides for the safe, efficient and convenient movement of traffic within the site and on adjacent roadways.  

 

(d)             That the site plan provides for the safe movements of pedestrians within the site;

 

The site plan provides for the safe movement of pedestrians within the site.

  

(e)             That there is a sufficient mixture of grass, trees, and shrubs within the interior and perimeter (including public right-of-way) of site so that the proposed development will be in harmony with adjacent land uses and will provide a pleasing appearance to the public. Any part of the site plan area not used for buildings, structures, parking, or accessways shall be landscaped with a mixture of grass, trees and shrubs;

 

The site plan provides for a sufficient mixture of grass, trees, and shrubs within the interior and perimeter (including right-of-way) of the site.

 

(f)              That all outdoor trash storage areas are screened and are in accordance with standards as prepared by the department of public works;

 

All outdoor trash storage areas will be screened in accordance with City standards.  

 

(g)             That the site plan takes into consideration existing improvements or physical alterations that have been made to prepare the site for development.

 

The site plan takes into consideration existing improvements or physical alterations that have been made to the site when the original church and parking lot were built in 1996 (SP-1-5-96).

 

D.        STAFF REVIEW

 

St. Margaret’s Church proposes to add a 25,033 g.s.f. addition to an existing sanctuary and expand the church’s parking lot to accommodate the increase in sanctuary seating. As stated, as part of a KDOT Hwy 40/W. 6th Street improvement project, the church has lost its sole access point off of W. 6th Street. An agreement between the church, the City of Lawrence and

 

KDOT will result in the church taking access from improved Stoneridge Drive and through City-owned property via a permanent ingress and egress easement.

 

As identified on the site plan, the church anticipates future phases of construction that will result in the following; youth center (9,453 sq. ft.); expanded sanctuary (2,611 sq. ft.); fellowship hall (5,785 sq. ft.); toddler classroom (2,194 sq. ft.); and picnic shelter (1,200 sq. ft.). The detention study submitted with the proposed sanctuary addition/parking lot calls for the three detention areas on site. The site plan also identifies two proposed multi-use fields; one of which will be located in a proposed detention area.

 

Approval of this site plan does not approve all future development on the site. Revised site plans will need to be submitted and approved prior to issuance of building permits for these future improvements. Future phases may have parking requirements that aren’t addressed with this site plan.    

 

Other Easements/Rights-of-Way

 

A number of easements and rights-of-way are for controlled access highway and public utilities as part of KDOT Project #40-23K-6880-01 and are described in Tract 5 of Condemnation Case #03-C-311, District Court of Douglas County, Kansas, recorded November 25, 2003. They are:

·         Stoneridge Drive – Permanent easement for controlled access, highway right-of-way;

·         Stoneridge Drive – Permanent easement for public and utility purposes;

·         Stoneridge Drive – Permanent easement for ingress and egress;

·         W. 6th Street – Temporary easement for the construction of an entrance;

·         W. 6th Street – 50’ permanent easement for public and utility purposes; and

·         W. 6th Street – 35’ permanent easement for controlled access, highway right-of-way.

 

Other easements are on file with the Douglas County Register of Deeds. They are:

·         Stoneridge Drive – Permanent easement for public utilities, recorded Book 591, Page 117;

·         Stoneridge Drive – Permanent easement for public utilities, recorded Book 584, Page 567; and

·         W. 6th Street and Stoneridge Drive -- Permanent easement for public utilities, recorded Book 722, Page 113.

 

Rights-of-Way

·         75’ existing right-of-way, W. 6th Street

·         40’ existing right-of-way, Stoneridge Drive

 

Previous Planning Commission Actions

 

At its September 22, 2004 meeting, the Planning Commission voted 8-0 to allow concurrent submission of the preliminary and final plats for St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church due to a six-month deadline imposed by KDOT to close its sole access point on W. 6th Street. At its October 27, 2004 meeting, the Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve both the preliminary and final plats for St. Margaret’s Church Addition, subject to conditions identified in the staff reports.