PC 02/26/97 - Laserfiche WebLink

An ongoing issue between the church and the adjacent townhomes has been the church parking lot lighting. The location of the lights were bothersome to the neighbors. There has been mediation to relocate these lights. and this has been accomplished. More lighting will be installed along the north property line and bollard-type lighting will be installed along the west property line. The conditional use permit is essentially the same as to the activities and functions of the church. Churches are usually found in neighborhood areas and prove to be good neighbors. Staff feels the interrelationship between the church and the neighborhood is now satisfactory. Staff feels the parking will be sufficient to avoid impacts on the neighborhood. Staff feels the setback from the church buildings and the residential units is appropriate. The FAR is well within the General Plan limitation of 60%. This site has an FAR of 32%. Regarding the amount of parking required under the Municipal Code, it states that the floor area of the church and classrooms must be added together to calculate the parking spaces needed if they are used at the same time. Practically speaking, because parents come to church and drop their children off for Sunday School in the same car, it is more realistic not to look at the parking requirements in a combined way. Based on this, there will be enough parking to handle both church and Sunday School activities. A future issue to be aware of is if the church loses its use of the high school parking lot. If that should occur, staff will have to re-analyze the parking situation when Phase IV is constructed. The Tiffany Lane homeowners have stated they approve of this application with its conditions. Staff believes the revised master plan for the church facility will be compatible with the surrounding neighborhood, is appropriate for the site, and, therefore, recommends approval of the conditional use permit and the design review, subject to the conditions of approval listed in Exhibit B. Vice Chair Dove inquired if there was still a need to chain the driveways from Del Valle Parkway. Staff feels that the removal basketball nets has eliminated the need for chaining the driveway. PUBLIC HEARING WAS OPENED John Moore, 1537 Courtney Avenue, is a co-chair of the Building Committee. The master plan approved in 1982 envisioned four phases. Phases I and II are complete. They are seeking approval of design review for Phase Ill. Mr. Moore spoke to the previous problems the church has had with the Tiffany Lane residents. They feel that those problems have been addressed and resolved. Outstanding issues are the landscape buffer, the fence and parking lighting. Due to previous mistakes, the landscape buffer adjacent the townhomes was installed incorrectly. Now they will provide a five foot or more landscape buffer along the residential units. The lighting will be provided from low level light bollards. Both the church and the Tiffany Lane residents have agreed that the property line fence should become a masonry wall. For further assurances to Tiffany Lane residents, Condition 31 requires the landscaping will be installed in accordance to the landscape plan before the church can get an occupancy permit. ~ Page 11 February 26, 1997 Planning Commission Minutes