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6.5. SR 09-22-1997~,ty of iver FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Item ~t 6.5. MEMORANDUM Planning Commission Steve Ach, City Planner.~- August 26, 1997 Request for Conditional Use Permit by Independent School District #728, Public Hearing Case No. CU 97-21 Issue Independent School District #728 is requesting a conditional use permit to construct an Alternative Learning Center (institutional use), along with a new parking lot facility. Location The property is located at the northwest corner of Proctor and School Street (south end of Oak Knoll Park). Zoning/Land Use I-1 (Light Industrial) and R4 (Multi-Family Residential) / LI (Light Industrial) and MR (Medium Density Residential) Attachments Memo from City Engineer dated August Location map Proposed development plans ,1997 Overview The conditional use permit request involves constructing a 16,000 square foot Alternative Learning Center (ALC) along with associated parking facilities. The ALC will include a variety of classroom space, shop area, multi-purpose room, offices, and locker room facilities. The parking facility will include converting an existing soccer field into a parking facility which will have an 13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 · TDD & Phone: (612) 441-7420 · Fax: (612) 441-7425 Memo to Planning Commission/CU 97-21 August 26, 1997 Page 2 access drive constructed from the north end of the parking lot out to Proctor Avenue. Parking and Circulation The parking requirements according to the ordinance for the ALC is one parking space for each classroom plus one parking space for each three students, based on the design capacity. The ALC is proposed to have approximately 9 classrooms with the capacity of approximately 70 to 100 students. Based on the proposed parking area with a total of approximately 180 stalls, the parking meets city ordinance and should be adequate for the ALC. The proposed driveway leaving the north end of the parking facility will enter onto Proctor Avenue immediately north of the existing residences along Proctor. With the construction of this new entrance onto Proctor, it is recommended the existing southerly entrance into the existing parking lot be eliminated. Furthermore, given the size of the new parking facility, it would be desirable to have a secondary access leaving the parking lot to the south towards School Street. Based on some reconfiguration of the building location, a driveway could be located along the west side of the ALC building connecting with School Street. The parking lot facility and new driveway will be bounded with concrete curb and gutter as set forth in the zoning ordinance. It is also recommended any new parking lot facilities or construction of existing parking lot south of the proposed ALC building and next to Community Ed be improved with curb and gutter. School Street extending west of Proctor currently does not have any curb and gutter and is probably a segment of street which will need to be repaired in the near future. Depending upon the amount of underground utility work within School Street as part of the ALC project; some portions of the street could be improved at this time. Landscavine The proposed plans that have been submitted do not include a great deal of proposed landscaping. Staff has indicated berming and landscaping will be necessary between the parking area and the existing homes immediately to the east. This is a 30 foot area that could include a berm with plantings on top providing a year-round buffer for the residential homes. The landscape plan does identify new overstory and ornamental trees that will be planted throughout the site. This landscaping will need to be located accordingly, based on the final plan that is approved. \\elkriver\sys\shrdoc\planning\pc\cu97-21.doc Memo to Planning Commission/CU 97-21 August 26, 1997 Page 3 Building Orientation The proposed angle of the ALC building does not allow for a driveway to connect the proposed parking lot with School Street to the south. If the building was reconfigured to be more parallel to School Street and the proposed parking area to the north, a driveway could be located around the west side of the building. This idea was presented to the School District which they said they would consider and discuss with the architects. Fire Protection The Fire Chief has indicated the existing watermain, which currently ends at the west end of School Street, should be looped through this site and back out to Proctor in order to provide the adequate fire flows to protect the proposed building. Looping of the watermain will also include the installation of at least one fire hydrant somewhere north of the building. Pedestrian Circulation Immediately to the west of the proposed ALC building is oak Knoll Park. As part of the planning for the proposed ALC building, a pedestrian corridor to allow the construction of a 10'-12' bituminous pathway should be included which would extend from the planned trail system in the park along the southwest portion of the property and, eventually, along School Street to Proctor Avenue. In addition, the School District should provide the necessary sidewalks on site for pedestrian circulation around the school facility. Easements Elk River Municipal Utilities has indicated they have various electrical lines extending throughout the School District's property. Most of these electrical hnes are not located in drainage and utility easements. Therefore, the Utility Department has asked that easements be granted for their existing utility lines. A legal description should be provided by the School District's surveyors which can then be attached to easement documents and recorded with Sherburne County. Drainage and Utilities Please refer to the attached memo from Terry Maurer for information on these issues. \\elkriver\sys\shrdoc\planning\pc\cu97-21.doc Memo to Planning Commission/CU 97-21 August 26, 1997 Page 4 Recommendation It is recommended the Planning Commission recommend approval of.the proposed 16,000 sq. ft. Alternative Learning Center facility by District #728 with the following conditions: Consideration be given to re-orienting the building further to the east in a manner which will allow a new driveway to be installed around the west side of the building connecting the proposed parking lot with School Street. A revised landscaping plan be submitted which shows earth berming along the east side of the proposed parking lot, along with plantings that will provide a year-round screening of the residences immediately to the east. The new parking lot facihty be bounded with concrete curb and gutter and any new or revised existing parking areas also be improved with curb and gutter. The new access drive onto Proctor Avenue will require a permit from the Sherburne County Highway Department. The southerly driveway into the existing parking lot facility along Proctor Avenue should be closed, with the opening of the new driveway immediately to the south. o 15 foot easements be granted for all electrical lines located on the School District's property. Drainage and utility recommendations from Terry Maurer's memo dated August 21, 1997 be incorporated into the plans. 8. Fire hydrants be provided on site as recommended by the Fire Chief. 9. All drive aisles must be a minimum of 24 feet in width. 10. Additional buffering be provided along the south edge of the new driveway onto Proctor Avenue. The buffer should include either landscaping or a fence, or a combination of the two. 11. A pedestrian path corridor be preserved and shown on the site plan through the site from the terminus of the unimproved trail between \\elkriver\sys\shrdoc\planning\pc\cu97-21.doc Memo to Planning Commission/CU 97-21 August 26, 1997 Page 5 the two soccer fields to School Street. This trail will be installed at a later date when the balance of the trail is completed. 12. A lighting plan be submitted showing the type of parking lot lights to be used and the illumination pattern. \\elkriver\sys\shrdoc\planning\pc\cu97-21.doc Howard R. Green Oompany QQNSULTING ENGINEERS August 21, 1997 File: 801140j-0240 Formerly MSA Consulting Engineers Mr. Steve Ach City Planner City of Elk River 13065 Orono Parkway P.O. Box 490 Elk River, MN 55330-0490 RE: ALTERNATIVE LEARNING CENTER SITE PLAN REVIEW Dear Mr. Ach: As requested we have reviewed the Alternative Learning Center (ALC) Site Plan that was submitted by Bogart, Pederson, and Associates. Based upon our review and comments received at the staff review meeting, we would offer the following comments: Sanitary Sewer service for the proposed ALC Building is available in School Street. The sewer is relatively shallow. The invert of the manhole, of the intersection of School Street and Proctor Avenue is 900.47. The invert of the manhole at the west end of School Street should be verified to insure the gravity sewer can be achieved from the new building and that the sewer line does not conflict with other utilities in the area. In meeting with the fire chief, he would like to have an additional hydrant located at the north side of the building. The watermain that currently exists on School Street is a dead end line. By extending this to the north side of the building, there will be two hydrants located on a dead end line. This is against municipal utilities' policy. Wherever possible the municipal utilities' policy is to loop watermains. Therefore, consideration should be given to looping the watermain back to the existing watermain on Proctor Avenue, north of the single family lots adjacent to Proctor Avenue. Another issue that was raised during the staff review, is the existing hydrant along School Street is in disrepair and should be replaced. This work should coordinated with Bob McCartney of the Elk River Municipal Utilities. o The site generally drains from the northeast to the southwest. The existing parking lot as shown will drain overland almost into the proposed ALC Building. Storm sewer should be provided in the parking lot to pick up storm drainage run off. There is an existing pond located southwest of the proposed building. We assume that this is the area that will be utilized for storm water run off quality control. Drainage calculations will need to be provided showing the amount of run off and ponding requirements according to Best Management Practices. Outlet from this pond could go to the intersection of School Street and Proctor Avenue, there is existing storm sewer at that location. The southwest corner has a catch basin with an invert of 897.27 and a 15" pipe leading across the street to an existing 24" pipe. Storm drainage from that pipe system flows to Lions Park and eventually to the Mississippi River. 1326 Energy Park Drive · St. Paul, MN 55108 · 612/644-4389 fax 612/644-9446 toll free 800/888-2923 August 21, 1997 Mr. Steve Ach Page Two o o Glen Sundeen from the Elk River Municipal Utilities indicated that there are overhead power lines running along the east side of the property and along the railroad tracks on the southwest side of the property. There is also underground electric at the north side of the parking area which serves the irrigation system. Glen needs to have a 15' easement over any electric facilities that fall within the property boundary. There is a proposed outlet from the parking area onto Proctor Avenue. The outlet is shown just south of an existing outlet from the parking lot for the baseball facility. This new outlet onto Proctor Avenue will require a County permit. We would suggest that as part of the new outlet construction, the existing outlet just to the north be eliminated and access be gained through the existing parking facility through the new road. The new parking lot should include a barrier style of concrete curb and gutter. It is unclear from the drawing whether it shows a barrier style of concrete curb and gutter. Along the west side of this property is the abandoned railroad bed that is currently a City trail. It would seem reasonable to provide for a 10' wide bituminous trail along the north side of School street, through this property, to tie the railroad trail to the existing sidewalk on Proctor Avenue and School Street east of Proctor Avenue. Phil Hals, the Street Superintendent, indicated at the staff review meeting that there are underground irrigation facilities located near the proposed outlet to the parking area. These facilities need to be located and considered in the final design of the parking area and access road. If you have any questions regarding any of these comments, please call. Sincerely, Howard R. Green Company T~r, P. E. TJM/et O:~proj~230140\140-2105.aug Howard R, Green Company CONSULTING ENGINEERS LOCATION  LOCATI N City of .~,~ MAI:' Ell~"~R'iver ZC 97-6 13065 Orono Parkway. P.O. Box 490 CASE: CU 97-26 Elk River, MN 553_30 I I I I / I I I I I I I I I I · ~.,., iI I I I I I I I "~,~~ I