Minutes - Planning Commission - 09/15/2003 - Special Meeting

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to discuss with the applicant the possibility of mitigating the visual impact of parking lots as viewed from the street, such as the use of additional landscaping elements. Assistant Commu~ ity Development Director Tmdgeon indicated that as the PACT Charter School is the first ~development within the Town Center, it will set the standard and the tone for future site plan reviews. Therefore, the City will want to ensure that the review is complete and that any deviation-from the Guidelines is based on logical rationale that is specific to the use of the building and/of the location of the site. He stated it concerns Staff that the first development in the Town Center cannot comply with all of the standards envisioned for the Town Center. This thought is tempered by the fact that the City is reviewing an educational facility and not a commercial enterprise. He indicated Staffalso believes a lot of the inconsistencies pointed out in the review can be mitigated in a satisfactory manner that is consistent with the spirit and intent of the Town Center Development. Alan Linoff, Academic Investments, Inc., developer for the project, indicated they are excited to be part of this. He feels it will be a good kick off project for the Town Center, and feels they have designed a building where they can meet as well as possible the Guidelines set forth by the City and also complete the building in time to open September 2004. He advised the school will increase enrollmerit from 300+ students to 560. He indicated they have a waiting list, and they need to enroll the students soon. If they could not open on time it would create a great problem for the school. He: indicated if they cannot open on time, they will have to wait another year. He noted that is a consideration they took into account when they prepared the design and materials. He feels they have designed an attractive facility and it will be an attractive part of the Town Center. Dave Thorson, project manager of the project, indicated the school will be a K-12 facility with 560 students. He indicated there will be parents dropping students off, as well as some of the older students driving themselves, and staff and volunteers parking. They needed to segregate the staff parking tO make it efficient and separate from the bus areas. They also have volunteers who need designated parking, and student parking, which will be limited to 62 parking stall. He stated there is a dedicated bus lane, with six or seven buses every day, and a two-lane drop off route, which will function somewhat like a drop-off at the airport. He indicated they need to control the traffic, routes to create a safe environment for the kids. He advised the busing operation would access off of Peridot and go across the north face of the building to drop-off and pick-up. Students and volunteers will also enter off Peridot, but will stay on the west side, whereas staff will park on the east. He indicated this provides a clockwise vehicular travel pattern. He also stated that on the southeast comer of the building there is a semi-track size loading and unloading platform, as well as trash enclosures. Trucks will be loading and unloading during off-peak hours, only five or six times a year. He indicated the trash pick-up would be in a counter pattern to the semi-trucks. He stated on the east side would be a playground and tot. lot, which need to be separated to segregate the children of various ages. Chairperson Nixt stated that as Assistant Community Development Director Trudgeon pointed out, in order to make this use fit within the Town Center Guidelines, they will have to have Planning Commission/September 15, 2003 Page 5 of 10