July 26, 2005

A. SUMMARY

SP-05-41-05: Jehovah’s Witness Congregation, a site plan for the renovation of the existing building to include two building additions and parking lot improvements at 1802 E. 19^th Street. Submitted by the Lawrence Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, property owners of record.

B. GENERAL INFORMATION

Current Zoning and Land Use:	RS-2 (Single-Family Residential) District; Jehovah’s Witness Congregation.
Surrounding Zoning and Land Use:	RS-2 (Single-Family Residential) District to the north, west, and south; Brookwood Mobile Home Community, single-family homes, and the Douglas County Fairgrounds, respectively. PID-2 (Planned Industrial) District to the east; Lawrence Humane Society, Inc.
Site Summary:
Gross Area:	57,206 square feet
Existing Building Coverage: Proposed Building Coverage:	4,640 square feet 6,911 square feet
Off-Street Parking Required:	1 per each 4 seats in auditorium (40 + 2 accessible = 42)
Off-Street Parking Provided:	78 + 4 accessible = 82
Staff Recommendation: Planning staff recommends approval of case no. SP-05-41-05, a site plan for the renovation of the existing building to include two building additions and parking lot improvements at 1802 E. 19^th Street, subject to the following conditions: Execution of a site plan performance agreement. Approval of a photometric plan. Submittal of public improvement plans for parking lot perimeter curb construction, sidewalk construction, and the removal of a curb cut on Myers Court. Revision of the site plan to include the following: a. The addition of two street trees within the landscaped setback abutting E. 19^th Street. b. The addition of a note stating the provision of 82 parking spaces. c. The removal of note stating, “Install lazy-back type curb”. d. The addition of a note stating that perimeter parking lot curbing with notches will be installed per city standards. e. The addition of a note stating all parking lot runoff must be directed to the existing street curb inlet. f. The addition of a note stating that the existing trash receptacle will be screened in accordance with city standards. g. The addition of a note stating that the site plan has been designed to comply with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). h. The reconfiguration of the accessible spaces to show a 5-foot sidewalk leading from the accessible parking spaces to the main building entrance. The spaces should be reconfigured to show one 5-foot access aisle and one 8-foot access aisle, with ramps leading from each aisle to the sidewalk. i. The removal of the note stating, “After compliance with planning department comments (5/31/05): parking spaces provided: 62 total (58 regular spaces, & 4 handicap spaces).”

1802 E. 19^th Street, 2003 Aerial

C. STAFF REVIEW

The subject property, which comprises the Lawrence Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses Church and associated parking lot, is located north of E. 19^th Street and east of Meyer’s Court. Residences surround the property to the west and north. The Douglas County Fairgrounds is located to the south, and the Lawrence Humane Society, Inc. is located to the east.

The applicant is proposing to remodel the existing 4,640 square foot building to include two additions, increasing the size of the building by 2,271 square feet. Other site improvements include the removal of one curb cut onto Meyers Court, the addition of 18 parking spaces, the reconfiguration of the southernmost parking row, the addition of a five-foot sidewalk leading from E. 19^th Street to the main structure, and the reconstruction of the drive-through overhang.

The proposed improvements represent a Significant Alteration to Existing Development as defined in Section 20-1428 and, therefore, require the existing site conditions to be improved to meet existing development standards. The applicant requested several variances from the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA).

Variances

The following variance requests were approved by the Board of Zoning Appeals on July 7, 2005: a reduction of the eastern side yard setback from 50 feet to a minimum of 17 feet for the construction of a building addition, and the lack of end islands on the eastern end of the three interior parking rows, as well as the western end of the southernmost parking row. The request to vary from the curbing requirements along the perimeter of the parking area was denied by the board. Staff had recommended denial of the variances related to the lack of end islands and perimeter curbing requirements, but approval of the building setback variance.

D. Findings

Per Section 19A-5, 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 zoned RS-2 (Single-Family Residential) District, which permits churches or other places or worship. This district is designed for those areas where the land is presently being used, or where development appears desirable, for single-family dwellings. The expansion of the existing religious institution is permitted within the RS-2 (Single-Family Residential) District.

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

The existing building will be remodeled from the existing footprint of 4,640 square feet to 6,911 square feet. A variance was granted on July 7, 2005 by the BZA for the encroachment of the larger of the two building additions on the eastern side of the building. Open space owned by the Lawrence Humane Society, Inc. is located directly east of the building additions. Although no additional parking spaces are required with the additional building area, the applicant proposes construction of an additional 18 spaces. As overflow vehicles currently park along Myers Court, the additional parking spaces will improve the site’s compatibility with the single-family uses to the west. Variances were also granted from the requirement to include landscaped end islands on the eastern end of the interior parking rows and the western end of the southernmost parking row. One Meyers Court access point is being eliminated with the site improvements. Vehicles will nonetheless be able to enter and exit the parking lot via the three remaining access points.

Lighting for the site will be provided by three single luminaries and six double-luminaries. A photometric plan must be approved prior to the site plan being released for building permits. Two new street trees along E. 19^th Street are required with the site’s improvements. A white birch will be added as a street tree along Myers Court. Additional landscaping will be added with the relocation of the removal of a curb cut, as well as with the addition of a landscaped end island at the western end of one of the parking rows. The site currently includes the following trees: three pears, one red maple, one pin oak, one spruce, and one ash. Since the site will include new perimeter curbing, the city’s stormwater engineer has indicated that notched curbing should be installed to facilitate the efficient flow of stormwater through the site.

(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;

East 19^th Street is designated as a collector, while Myers Court is considered a local street. Access to the property will be provided by three access point along Myers Court. An existing fourth curb cut is being eliminated with this project. The location of the building area in the southeast corner of the lot and the positioning of the three access drives will allow for safe and efficient movement of vehicles to and from the site.

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

A five-foot sidewalk currently exists along the frontage of the property as it abuts E. 19^th Street. The applicant is not required to construct sidewalks along Myers Court because sidewalks are only required on one side of a local street. However, a five-foot sidewalk will be constructed from the existing sidewalk along E. 19^th Street to the main building entrance. As a condition of approval, a five-foot sidewalk will be added, leading from the accessible parking spaces to the main building entrance. The accessible spaces will be reconfigured to include one 5-foot access aisle to serve standard vehicles, and one 8-foot access isle to serve vans. Each of the two access isles will include ramps leading up to the sidewalk.

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 applicant has received variances from the end island requirements for four parking rows, which would have included additional site landscaping. However, additional landscaping will be added with the relocation of the removal of a curb cut, as well as with the addition of a landscaped end island at the western end of one of the parking rows. The site currently includes the following trees: three pears, one red maple, one pin oak, one spruce, and one ash. The existing ash, pin oak, and spruce trees as shown along E. 19^th Street cannot count toward the required street trees due to their distance from the E. 19^th Street curb line. Therefore, the applicant will need to provide two street trees that meet city standards along E. 19^th Street. One white birch is proposed as a street tree along Myers Court.

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

An existing trash enclosure is located to the southeast of the main building. As a condition of approval, a note should be included on the site plan, stating that the trash enclosure 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;

Vehicles will enter and exit the site from one of three access drives. One access point will be removed with the site improvements. New curbing will be installed along the perimeter of the parking lot, per city standards. Per the city stormwater engineer, the applicant should utilize curb notches to allow stormwater to flow through the site. A five-foot sidewalk will be installed with the site improvements, which will lead from the existing sidewalk along E. 19^th Street to the main building entrance.

E. CONCLUSION

The proposed request is consistent with the zoning district and the setback requirements. Therefore, staff recommends approval of case no. SP-05-41-05, a site plan for the renovation of the existing building to include two building additions and parking lot improvements at 1802 E. 19^th Street, subject to the following conditions:

Execution of a site plan performance agreement.
Approval of a photometric plan.
Submittal of public improvement plans for parking lot perimeter curb construction, sidewalk construction, and the removal of a curb cut on Myers Court.
Revision of the site plan to include the following:

j. The addition of two street trees within the landscaped setback abutting E. 19^th Street.

k. The addition of a note stating the provision of 82 parking spaces.

l. The removal of note stating, “Install lazy-back type curb”.

m. The addition of a note stating that perimeter parking lot curbing with notches will be installed per city standards.

n. The addition of a note stating all parking lot runoff must be directed to the existing street curb inlet.

o. The addition of a note stating that the existing trash receptacle will be screened in accordance with city standards.

p. The addition of a note stating that the site plan has been designed to comply with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG).

q. The reconfiguration of the accessible spaces to show a 5-foot sidewalk leading from the accessible parking spaces to the main building entrance. The spaces should be reconfigured to show one 5-foot access aisle and one 8-foot access aisle, with ramps leading from each aisle to the sidewalk.

r. The removal of the note stating, “After compliance with planning department comments (5/31/05): parking spaces provided: 62 total (58 regular spaces, & 4 handicap spaces).”