CONCEPT PLAN PROPOSAL
TO: Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager
FROM: J.B. Culpepper, Planning Director
SUBJECT: Concept Plan: St. Thomas More Church
DATE: September 18, 2006
INTRODUCTION
Attached is a proposal for Concept Plan review. The proposal includes an increase in floor area of 133,000 square feet for a Parish Center, gymnasium, athletic field, library, classrooms, and an Art and Music Building. The applicant is also proposing to increase parking with 130 new spaces. Access to the site is proposed from an existing driveway off a realigned Carmichael Street, and a new driveway off Carmichael Street. The 21.5-acre site is located on the northwest side of Fordham Boulevard in the Residential-5-Conditional (R-5-C) zoning district.
BACKGROUND
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July 19, 1971 |
The Board of Adjustment approved a Special Use Permit for a portable classroom building to the existing school building. |
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October 16, 1984 |
The Planning Board approved a Site Plan for a 10,000 square-foot building. |
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June 4, 1996 |
Town Council approved a Special Use Permit for one new building for 78,210 square feet and up to 250 parking spaces. |
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December 4, 1996 |
Town Council approved a Master Land Use Plan for five buildings and 111,210 square feet of floor area and a Zoning Atlas Amendment to rezone the property from Residential–1 (R-1) to Residential-5-Conditional (R-5-C). |
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February 29, 2000 |
An Administrative Zoning Compliance Permit issued for a 192 square-foot pottery shed. |
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March 2, 2005 |
An Administrative Zoning Compliance Permit issued to expand parking spaces by 20 for a total of 242 spaces. |
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May 17, 2006 |
The Community Design Commission reviewed a Concept Plan Proposal for the St. Thomas More Church Master Land Use Plan Modification and Special Use Permit Modification for the school campus to add 133,000 square feet of floor area to construct a Parish Center, gymnasium, athletic field, library, classrooms, an Art and Music Building, and 130 new parking spaces. The proposal reviewed by the Community Design Commission is identical to the proposal before the Council tonight. |
The Concept Plan review process does not involve staff evaluation of the proposal. Review of the Concept Plan submitted is conducted by the Community Design Commission and, in some instances, Town Council, as noted below.
PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
On January 27, 2003, the Council enacted a Land Use Management Ordinance requiring that the Council conduct a Concept Plan Review for proposed development meeting specific land or floor area thresholds. Applications (other than in Town Center) meeting any of the minimum thresholds as shown below require Town Council review in addition to the Community Design Commission review:
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Characteristic |
Threshold Triggering Council Review |
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Land Area |
5 acres |
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Floor Area |
100,000 square feet |
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# of Dwelling Units |
50 dwelling units |
The Council has the opportunity tonight to hear this applicant’s presentation, receive a set of comments from the Community Design Commission, hear public comment, and offer suggestions to the applicant for consideration as further plans are drawn. At the conclusion of the evening’s discussion, we recommend that the Council adopt a resolution (attached) transmitting comments to the applicant.
An excerpt from the Land Use Management Ordinance with a description of the process for Concept Plans is attached.
ELEMENTS OF REVIEW
A Concept Plan is a preliminary step toward preparation of a formal development plan and application. The Land Use Management Ordinance states that a design and construction of site elements should include:
Appropriate descriptions and explanations of relationships and balances among site elements;
The relationship of the development to natural features, neighboring developments, and undeveloped land;
Access and circulation systems;
Retention of natural vegetation, minimal alteration of natural topography, mitigation of erosion and sedimentation, mitigation of stormwater drainage and flooding;
Arrangement and orientation of buildings and amenities in relation to each other and to neighboring developments and streets;
Landscaping, preservation or enhancements of vistas; and
Mitigation of traffic impacts.
The Town Council and Community Design Commission, in examining development applications, are to consider the various aspects of design, with special emphasis on whether the proposed development is consistent with the Town’s Design Guidelines, and the Goals and Objectives of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan. A work sheet for review of Concept Plans is attached for the Council’s use with this memorandum (Attachment 2).
This Concept Plan was reviewed by the Community Design Commission on May 17, 2006. A summary of comments from that meeting are attached to this memorandum.
DESCRIPTION OF THE APPLICATION
This Concept Plan application describes development for expansion of the school campus for an additional 133,000 square feet of new floor area and 130 new parking spaces. Plans include expansion to the Parish Center including a social hall, kitchen, additional meeting rooms, Pastoral Care, administrative offices, library, nursery, additional storage space, and modifying the existing sanctuary to include an elevator. The plans also include constructing 130 new parking spaces, a second driveway, realigning Carmichael Street, and adding an Art and Music Building, a gymnasium, athletic field, and columbarium. The St. Thomas More site is on 21.5 acres at 940 Carmichael Street, north of Fordham Boulevard.
The Land Use Plan, a component of the Comprehensive Plan, identifies this site as Institutional. The site is located in the Residential-5-Conditional (R-5-C) zoning district. The property is located in Orange County and is identified as Chapel Hill Township PIN 9798-03-4997.
A Concept Plan for this site was reviewed by the Community Design Commission on May 17, 2006. A summary of comments from that meeting are attached. The Concept Plan before the Council tonight is the same plan reviewed by the Community Design Commission.
RECOMMENDATION
We recommend that the Council review this Concept Plan, receive comments from citizens, and adopt a resolution transmitting comments to the applicant.
ATTACHMENTS
