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Staff Comment The project includes the reallocation of the parking spaces between two parking lots. Specifically, it would relocate 20 parking spaces from the Del Valle Parkway side to the Golden Road side; thus, it would reduce the availability of parking on Del Valle Parking side, and it would conceivable bring in additional traffic to the site via Golden Road. The applicant has stated that the parking at Del Valle Parkway side is not much used by the public during the weekend. It is more of a staff parking lot. This statement was verified by staff as it was observed that the majority of visitors and preschool parents use the parking lot on Golden Road when visiting the church or dropping-off/picking-up children, and this travel pattern is expected to continue as the main entrance to the proposed education building is via the parking lot on Golden Road. Staff observed parking and circulation patterns on Sundays of January 7, 2007 and January 14, 2007. It was observed that ample parking spaces were available in both parking lots for the first worship at 8:00 a. m. However, both parking lots were fully occupied during the 10 o'clock service with vehicles parked in the unstriped area in the Golden Road parking lot, and also on both streets. The circulation pattern appeared to be very simple. Majority of the parishioners arrived the church from Hopyard Road. Early arrivers used the parking lot. Those who arrived just minute before the service time did not circulate the parking lot in search of a parking space. They simply parked on the streets. Parking and Safety The appellant and some of the residents on Golden Road and Harvest Circle state that the large parking lot and foot pathway as conditioned by the Planning Commission encourages parking on the street and that the proposal would be detrimentally affect the surrounding properties and put public safety in jeopardy, especially those of children's . Staff Comment The intent to provide additional on-site parking is to alleviate street parking during Sunday service so that the street parking would be available to the residents. Observation of the parking lot usage during Sunday services indicated that the parishioners use street parking when all on-site parking is exhausted. Examples were that a few vehicles were parked in undesignated parking area during Sunday service. Thus, it is clear that additional on-site parking would relieve street parking issues. To provide and maintain a pedestrian pathway connecting Golden Road to the proposed education building that would house the existing preschool program was one of the conditions from the Planning Commission. The purpose of providing a maintained pathway is to provide a safer walkway and to avoid mingling with the parking lot should and parents and children choose to walk to the preschool. Page 5 of 11