06 ATTACHMENT 5 - Laserfiche WebLink

ATTACHMENT 6 EXHIBIT S bc'c 1(i t1 VA Gt - 3 U Issues Regarding Masonic Temple on IHonvard Road Background Until a few years ago, there was no problem with the Masonic Temple. There was no noticeable noise from the building, and their activities did not cause a nuisance. A few years ago, however, the Temple built glass doors on the north side of the building, built a patio on the north side, landscaped the north side, and built a fence to provide privacy from Hopyard Rd. These building and grounds changes resulted in the Temple starting to have parties and other activities on the north side of the building during the day, opening the north side doors or keeping them open during parties at night, extending the parties in the building into the north side yard area, and having sound from parties inside the building pass through the doors on the north side. Initially we wondered how the City Council and Planning Cormission could grant a permit in a residential area for a business to conduct such activities. The other two closest businesses to the Masonic Temple, which are both churches, do not have these types of activities. This question caused us to request a copy of the Temple's conditional use permit and also research the Planning Commission files and meeting minutes for background on their thinking behind the provisions of the permit. Staff Report and Public Hearing Notes The Staff Report on page 1 states, "One of the positive features of the conditional use permit approved for the church (this refers to the original business on the property which sold part of the land to the Masonic Temple) was that all structures were shown on the southern part of the parcel considerably removed from the residences north of the subject property. The current proposal shows the lodge and a possible future parking lot in that intervening upper zone. While lodge meetings are normally staid affairs which do not generate much commotion, lodge buildings are commonly rented for non -lodge affairs such as wedding receptions and parties which can be nuisance creating. Physical separation of such facilities from residences therefore would normally be desirable. While it might be preferable to have the lodge building farther south on the property, it would be possible to design the structure so as to maintain anv f emphasis addedl noise generated from within. This could be done by prohibiting openings on the north or west sides of the structure, and therefore, activity would be focused away from the northern residences." The staff report was clearly concerned about noise nuisance and wanted the building to be designed to keep the noise within the structure and activities away from the north and west sides of the building so as not to be a nuisance to the neighbors. Furthermore, knowing that the Masonic Temple would be built closer to the residences than the original plans for the church, the Planning Commission specifically added the restrictions discussed above to protect the residences. The Staff Report further states "activities restricted to south side of building" and "The guiding standards for the development of the site shall be that ... the buildings be designed so that the activities will be focused toward the southern portion of the subject property." Exhibit A shows the north side area was suppose to be parking lot, precluding any activities to the north side.