PC 2006-62 - Laserfiche WebLink

PLANNING COMMISSION CITY OF PLEASANTON ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA RESOLUTION NO. PC-2006-62 RESOLUTION APPROVING THE APPLICATION OF JOHN MILLER ARCHITECTS/ SAINT ELIZABETH SETON CHURCH FOR DESIGN REVIEW APPROVAL AND A VARIANCE FROM THE PLEASANTON MUNICIPAL CODE, AS FILED UNDER CASE PDR-561/PV-158 WHEREAS, John Miller Architects/Saint Elizabeth Seton Church has applied for: (1) design review approval to modify the Saint Elizabeth Seton Church Master Plan to construct an approximately 22,296-square-foot parish center building with gymnasium and related site improvements on the existing Church site located at 4001 Stoneridge Drive; and (2) a variance from the Pleasanton Municipal Code to allow the proposed parish center building with gymnasium to be approximately 34 feet tall, where 30 feet is the maximum height limit; and WHEREAS, zoning for the property is A (Agriculture) District; and WHEREAS, at its duly noticed public hearing of November 19, 2006, the Planning Commission considered all public testimony, relevant exhibits, and recommendations of the City staff concerning this application; and WHEREAS, this project is categorically exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission made the following findings in support of the variance: That because of special circumstances applicable to the property, including size, shape, topography, location or surroundings, the strict application of the provisions of this chapter deprives such property of privileges enjoyed by other properties in the vicinity and under identical zoning classification. Part of the reason the building needs to exceed the 30-foot height limit is to accommodate the minimum interior height of the basketball court and the necessary structural, ventilation, and drainage requirements of the building. The other reasons are to improve the building design and to help screen any future roof-top equipment. The top of the proposed gymnasium roof measures approximately 31 feet in height. The applicants have extended the side walls of the gymnasium three feet above the top of the gymnasium roof in order to improve the aesthetics of the building and avoid the unattractive, "box-like" design commonly found on gymnasium buildings. The extension of the side walls would also help to screen any future roof-top equipment, such as photovoltaic panels. These are special circumstances applicable to the property, and the first finding can be made for the height variance.