AGENDA #3
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
From: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
Subject: Concept Plan: Montessori Community School
DATE: October
20, 2003
INTRODUCTION
Attached
for your consideration is an application for a Concept Plan Review. The proposed use is the expansion of an
elementary school on a 9.4 acre site.
The site is located on the west side of Pope Road, approximately 700
feet north of Ephesus Church Road. The
site is located in
PROCEDURAL
BACKGROUND
On
Characteristic Threshold Triggering Council
Review
Land
Area 5
acres
Floor
Area 100,000
square feet
#
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 discussions, 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 the preparation of a formal development plan and application. The Land Use Management Ordinance states that
design and construction of site elements should include:
·
Appropriate descriptions and explanations of the
relationship and balance 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 enhancement 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 included for Council use with this
memorandum (Attachment 2).
This Concept Plan was reviewed by the Community
Design Commission on
DESCRIPTION
OF THE APPLICATION
This Concept Plan application describes a
proposal to expand the Montessori Community School. Located at
The applicant indicates that the proposed
improvements will include:
·
One new building (6,718 square feet for class
rooms for middle school use);
·
Enlarging an existing gymnasium (12,395 square
feet for class rooms and gym);
·
Demolishing a 1,170 square feet building;
·
Additional impervious surface area (38,924
square feet);
·
New playing/ball fields;
·
Relocating several playgrounds; and
·
Improvements to stormwater management, (supplementing
existing detention basins with “wetlands”).
The Land Use Plan, a
component of the Comprehensive Plan, identifies this site as Institutional. The site is located in the Office/Institutional-2
(OI-2) zoning district. The property is
within Town Limits, the Town’s Urban Service Area and the Watershed Protection
District. This Concept Plan is proposed
in the context of the existing zoning for the site and therefore does not
require a rezoning request. The property
is located in Durham County and is identified as Triangle Township Tax Map 481,
Block 7, Lot 7A.
A Concept Plan was reviewed by the Community
Design Commission on
The Concept Plan before the Council tonight differs
from the plan reviewed by the Community Design Commission in several respects. Some of those differences area noted below
table.
|
Proposed
Concept Plan |
Plan Reviewed
by Community Design Commission on |
Revised Plan
Submitted for Town Council Review |
|
New Floor Area |
17,250 sq ft |
19,188 sq ft |
|
Total Floor
Area |
35,272 sq ft |
36,040 sq ft |
|
New Impervious
Surface |
Not specified |
Increased |
|
Land
Disturbance |
Not specified |
Increased |
|
Total No. Parking
Spaces |
75 |
79 |
We anticipate
that these proposed site changes will require Council approval of a Special Use
Permit.
RECOMMENDATION
We recommend that the Council review this
Concept Plan, receive comments from the Community Design Commission and
citizens, and adopt a resolution transmitting comments to the applicant.
ATTACHMENTS
1.
Excerpt from Land Use Management Ordinance on
Concept Plan procedures (p. 5).
2.
Work sheet for concept plan review (p. 8).
3.
Community Design Commission Summary Comments
4.
Concept Plan application materials (p. 14).
5.
Area Map (p. 52).
6. Reduced plans (p. 53).
A
RESOLUTION TRANSMITTING COUNCIL COMMENTS ON A CONCEPT PLAN FOR THE MONTESSORI
COMMUNITY SCHOOL PROPOSAL (2003-10-20/R-1)
WHEREAS, a Concept Plan has been
submitted for review by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill, proposing
general development plans for a project on Pope Road, called Montessori Community School; and
WHEREAS, the Council has heard
presentations from the applicant, the Community Design Commission, and citizens;
and
WHEREAS, the Council has discussed the
proposal, with Council members offering reactions and suggestions;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the
Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council transmits comments to the
applicant regarding this proposal, as expressed by Council members during
discussion on October 20, 2003, and reflected in minutes of that meeting.
This the 20th day of October, 2003.
