6.3. SR 03-19-2001Item # 6.3
City of
River
MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
Mayor and City Council
Michele McPherso~Director of Planning
March 19, 2001, 2001
Case No. CU 01-11
Request by lSD #728 to Expand Senior High Parking Lot
Request
Independent School District #728 requests approval of a conditional use permit
for the expansion of the senior high school parking lot.
Location
900 School Street
Zoning/Land Use
Rlc (Single Family Residential) / MR (Medium Density Residential)
Attachments
· Location map
· Aerial photo
· City Engineer's letter dated February 14, 2001
· Site plan
Analysis
In 2000, the existing Elk River High School parking lot was reconstructed. At that
time, staff was made aware that future plans would include an expansion of the
parking lot into the existing ball field. The access to the parking lot is controlled
and limited by an entry facility located on School Street.
The ordinance requires one parking space for each classroom and one space for
every three students. The parking facility will provide space for an additional 372
parking spaces. This meets the parking required for 1,116 students based on
13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 · TDD & Phone (763) 441-7420 · Fax (763) 441-7425
Memo to Mayor & City Council/CU 01-11
March 19, 2001
Page 2
one space per three students. The current parking lot has 242 spaces; which
provides parking for 726 students, again based on the student-parking ratio.
The City Engineer has reviewed this request and his comments are outlined in
the attached letter to Robert Baker. Staff would recommend that these
comments be incorporated into the final approval for the expanded parking
facility.
In order to offset the loss of green space due to the parking expansion, the
school district intends on removing a portion of the parking located north of the
high school along Jackson Avenue (see attached aerial photo).
Planning Commission Action
The Planning Commission conducted a public hearing at its February 27, 2001
meeting. No one spoke for or against the request. The Planning Commission
voted unanimously to recommend approval of the request to the City Council with
the one condition recommended by staff.
Recommendation
Over the years, the City has received a number of complaints regarding
excessive off-site parking by students attending Elk River Senior High. The
proposed expansion will provide on-site parking spaces for students as well as
faculty. Staff and the Planning Commission recommend that the City Council
approve the request with one condition:
1. All comments of the City Engineer be incorporated into the plan.
S:\PLANNING\MICHMC\CCREPRTS\CU01-11 ,DOC
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LOCATION
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~o~o~o~o~.P.O.~o~4~o c~s~: CU 01-11
Elk River, MN 55330
Howard R,
Green Gompany
February 14, 2001
File: 813370J-0240
Mr. Robert Baker
12131 Grouse Street, #201
Coon Rapids, MN 55433
RE: ELK RIVER SENIOR HIGH PARKING EXPANSION II
Dear Mr. Baker:
We have received a revised copy of the Elk River Senior High Parking Lot Expansion dated
February 6, 2001. As requested by Michele McPherson, we have reviewed this revised plan
relative to our comments from January 12, 2001. Based upon our review, we would offer the
following comments:
1. A small ponding area has been added to the green space and the parking lot grades have
been revised so that the northwest corner of the parking lot will drain to the ponding area.
We would suggest providing an emergency overflow at the south end of the ponding area at
an overflow elevation of approximately 907.5. This way, if the holding pond ever fills to
capacity, it can drain out the south end and along the southerly curb line to the catch basins
near the entrance.
2. There is a catch basin directly north of the entrance approximately center point of the
parking lot at elevation 909.83. We would suggest lowedng the rim on this catch basin so
that a much larger area can flow into the catch basin and drain through the storm sewer pipe
system. As it sits right now, in any faidy substantial storm event runoff will tend to bypass
this catch basin.
3. We would still recommend that there be ddve isles at the south end of the parking rows so
that someone searching for an open spot does not get stuck at the end of the row of parking
stalls with no way to exit other than backing up. In fact, we would suggest that consideration
be given to providing for head-in parking along that south curb line and creating a drive isle
through the double rows of parking a little bit north of this head-in parking. The single row of
parking can still stay intact to prevent shortcuts out the entrance. We believe this would be
a better layout and may actually provide a few additional parking stalls.
4, One item that we did not comment on in our January 12, 2001, letter was the auto gate
proposed for the exit from the parking lot. These are currently located in the public right-of-
way near the curb line. We question if this is the appropriate location for these. What
happens if the gates dse, but because of traffic on School Street, a car is not allowed to exit
the ramp? Or the reverse, if there is an opening for more than one car to exit onto School
Street, does each successive car have to wait for the gate to come down and then go back
up? we believe it would be better for the gates to be located near the guardhouse, which is
on school property and will allow some stacking in the ddveway past the gates as cars wait
for an opening to exit onto School Street.
O:~ROJ~813370j~240',Ltr 02-14-01 Baker. doc
1326 Energy Park Drive · St. Paul, MN 55108 · 651/644-4389 fax 651/644-9446 loll free 888~368-4389
Mr. Robert Baker
February 14, 2001
Page Two
If you have any questions regarding these comments, please call.
Sincerely,
Howard R. Green Company
J
Terry J. Maurer, P.E.
TJM:tw
cc: Michele McPherson, Director of Planning
Tom Kohler, Linden Construction, Inc., 307 Jackson Avenue, Elk River, MN 55330
O:',PROJ~81337Oj~240\Ltr 02-14.-01 Baker,doc
Howard R. Green Company
CONSULTING ENGINEERS