Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout8.1 PLPA-2011-00013/00014 MontessoriPlus Daycare CUP/SDRSTAFF REPORT PLANNING COMMISSION DATE: July 26, 2011 TO: Planning Commission SUBJECT: PUBLIC HEARING: PLPA-2011-00013100014 Montessori Plus Day Care Center Conditional Use Permit and Site Development Review EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Applicant is requesting approval of a Conditional Use Permit for the operation of Montessori Plus, a Day Care Center with up to 60 children, and Site Development Review for the establishment of an outdoor play area including wrought iron fencing with mesh screening. The proposed Day Care Center would be located in a former single-story office building located at 11900 Silvergate Drive, the northwest corner of Silvergate Drive and Dublin Green Drive. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Planning Commission: 1) Receive Staff presentation; 2) Open the public hearing; 3) Take testimony from the Applicant and the public; 4) Close the public hearing and deliberate; and 5) Adopt a Resolution approving a Conditional Use Permit and Site Development Review for the Montessori Plus Day Care Center located at 11900 Silvergate Drive. Submitted By Planning Consultant n( "__ evi ed By Planning Manager COPIES TO: Applicant File ITEM NO.: Page 1 of 6 GAPAM20111PLPA-2011-00013 Montessori Plus CUPIPCSR 7.26.11.doc DESCRIPTION: The project site has a General Plan Land Use Designation of Retail/Office and is located within a C-O (Commercial Office) Zoning District. Montessori Plus has been located at 7234 San Ramon Valley Boulevard in Dublin for the last 15 years. They are vacating their current location and are purchasing the property at 11900 Silvergate Drive. Montessori Plus provides child care services for pre-kindergarten children between the ages of 3 to under 6 years old (Attachment 1). They are open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and will provide care for a maximum of 60 children. Children are dropped off between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. and picked-up between 11:45 a.m. until they close at 6:30p.m. The building they are purchasing has a floor area of 7,082 square feet. They will be using approximately 3,700 square feet of the building. The floor plan will consist of a lobby, the main indoor activity area for the children, rest room facilities, storage, and a room devoted to food preparation. The remaining 1,969 square feet of the building will remain vacant. A play area for the children will be located along the east side and a portion of the west side of the building adjacent to Dublin Green Drive and Silvergate Drive. The Dublin Zoning Ordinance defines a Day Care Center as a child day care facility that accommodates 15 or more children. Day Care Centers are subject to a Conditional Use Permit in the C-O Zoning District. The Applicant is requesting approval of a Conditional Use Permit for the operation of a Day Care Center with up to 60 children and Site Development Review for a fenced play area with new playground equipment and a trash enclosure. 2 of 6 Figure 1. Montessori Plus Day Care Center Site ANALYSIS: Conditional Use Permit A Conditional Use Permit enables the City to place Conditions of Approval on the project to ensure that the operation of the proposed use is compatible with the surrounding uses. The proposed project has been reviewed for issues related to operating characteristics, noise, and parking. Conditions of Approval have been included where appropriate to ensure compatibility with the surrounding residential and commercial uses (Attachment 2). Hours of Operation The hours of operation for Montessori Plus are Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. In order to ensure ongoing compatibility with the surrounding residential neighborhood, conditions of approval have been placed on the project which limits outdoor playground activities between the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A maximum of 30 children will be in the play area one hour in the morning and a half hour in the afternoon Noise The Dublin General Plan Noise Element includes policies regarding noise and the location of land uses. An Environmental Noise Impact Report was prepared by Rosen Goldberg Der and Lewitz, Inc. to evaluate the potential noise impacts from the day care center's outdoor play area (Attachment 3). To quantify the existing ambient noise levels at the site a series of noise measurements were made at locations around the project site near the adjacent homes. The major source of noise during the ambient measurements was distant traffic on 1-680 and San Ramon Valley Boulevard as well as local traffic on Dublin Green Drive and Silvergate Drive. The Community Noise Level or CNEL was between 53 dBA and 60 dBA. The City's normally acceptable compatibility standard CNEL for a residential area is CNEL 60 dBA. Noise measurements were also conducted of children in the play area at KinderCare Learning Center on Amador Valley Court, a similar facility to the proposed day care center. Proposed noise levels for the children at the proposed Montessori Plus play area were calculated based on the noise measurements at the Kinder Care Facility. Adjustments were made for the number of children and distance between the play area and property line. The predicted noise level from children using the proposed project's play yard is expected to be within the normally acceptable level of 60 dBA per the City's General Plan Noise Element. With the ambient traffic noise at the site, the play area noise is not expected to significantly increase the long-term average noise levels at the nearby residences. Parking Chapter 8.76 (Off Street Parking and Loading Regulations) of the Dublin Zoning Ordinance sets forth the parking requirements for Day Care Centers as follows: • 1 parking space per employee; 1 parking space per company vehicle; and • 1 loading space for every 5 children at the facility. Montessori Plus will have a maximum of 8 employees including the two owners, no company vehicles and 60 children. Therefore, the total parking requirement is 20 spaces per the table below. A total of 24 parking spaces will be provided on the site including one handicap space. 3 of 6 Table 1. Montessori Plus Parkin Re uirements Number Parkin Ratio Required Parkin Employees 8 1 per employee 8 Company Vehicles 0 1 per company vehicle 0 Children 60 1 per 5 children 12 Total Parkin Required 20 Site Development Review The project includes the establishment of an outdoor playground enclosed with a wrought iron fence with mesh screening and construction of a trash enclosure. Chapter 8.104 (Site Development Review) requires Site Development Review for any modifications to site layout specifically fencing for the play area and the trash enclosure. Wrought Iron Fencing The play area for Montessori Plus is approximately 2,700 square feet in area and will be enclosed with a wrought iron fence with mesh screening (Attachment 2, Exhibit A, Sheets A2.1 & A3.1). The fence will be located on a low concrete retaining wall because of the difference in grade between the building and the street sidewalk. The height of the fence and wall as measured from the Dublin Green Drive and Silvergate Drive sidewalk will be approximately 6 feet (Attachment 2, Exhibit A, Sheet A3.1). The height of the fence will vary from four (4) to six (6) feet from the playground side. This type of fencing will withstand the use of the playground and is secure from intrusion from the surrounding area. The mesh screening also provides visual security of the playground area. Playground Equipment The playground will be divided up into the following areas as shown on the project plans (Attachment 2, Exhibit A, Sheet A2.1): • A small sandbox area in the north corner of the playground. • A concrete play area where children can use wheeled toys, balls and various pieces of equipment. • An area covered with playground fiber containing three play structures. The structures will be of varying sizes depending on the age of the children using them. The largest structure will be approximately 3 feet to the main platform and 9 feet to the peak of the roof. Accessory Structures The Applicant will be constructing a ten foot by sixteen foot trash enclosure at the rear corner of the parking lot (Attachment 2, Exhibit A, Sheets A2.1 & AM detail 16). The six foot high enclosure will be constructed of concrete block painted to match the building. It will have composition shingle roof and solid metal gates. Landscaping Existing landscaping consisting of ivy and two trees will be removed from the play area. New landscaping will be provided between the wrought iron fence and the back of the sidewalk along both street frontages (Attachment 2, Exhibit A, Sheet 2.1). The new landscaping will consist of trees, shrubs and groundcover. New landscaping will also be provided between the parking lot and the west side of the building. 4of6 CONSISTENCY WITH THE GENERAL PLAN AND ZONING ORDINANCE: The project site is designated Retail Office in the General Plan and is located in a C-O (Commercial Office) Zoning District. The C-O Zoning District allows the operation of a Day Care Center subject to approval of a Conditional Use Permit by the Planning Commission. An environmental noise assessment was prepared and concluded that the noise generated by the project playground activity would not exceed the standards set forth in the Noise Element of the Dublin General Plan. Conditions of Approval have been applied to the project to ensure on- going compatibility between the Day Care Center and surrounding single-family residences. The project meets the parking requirements set forth in Chapter 8.76 (Off-street Parking and Loading Regulations). REVIEW BY APPLICABLE DEPARTMENT AND AGENCIES: The Building Division, Fire Prevention Bureau, Public Works Department, Dublin Police Services and Dublin San Ramon Services District reviewed the project and provided Conditions of Approval where appropriate to ensure that the Project is established in compliance with all local Ordinances and Regulations. Conditions of Approval from these departments and agencies have been included in the attached Resolution (Attachment 2). NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH: In accordance with State law, a Public Notice was mailed to all property owners and occupants within 300 feet of the proposed Project. A Public Notice was also published in the Valley Times and posted at several locations throughout the City. To date, the City has received no objections from surrounding property owners regarding the Project. Staff recommended that the Applicant meet with the adjacent property owners to discuss their proposal. However, at the time that this Staff Report was prepared the Applicant indicated that they had not done outreach. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), together with the State Guidelines and City Environmental Regulations require that certain projects be reviewed for environmental impacts and when applicable, environmental documents prepared. Staff is recommending that the Project be found Categorically Exempt from CEQA, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301, Existing Facilities and Section 15303, New Construction or conversion of Small Structures. The project consists of a Conditional Use Permit for the operation of a Day Care Center for up to 60 children and Site Development Review for establishment of minor accessory structures related to an outdoor playground including wrought iron fencing with a wire mesh and a refuse enclosure. ATTACHMENTS: 1) Applicant's Written Statement. 2) Resolution approving a Conditional Use Permit and Site Development Review for the Montessori Plus Day Care Center located at 11900 Silvergate Drive with the Project Plans attached as Exhibit A. 3) Environmental Noise Assessment for Montessori Plus Day Care Center prepared by Rosen Goldberg Der and Lewitz dated July 15, 2011. 5 of 6 GENERAL INFORMATION: APPLICANT Ada Wong & Rupa Norain Montessori Plus 7238 San Ramon Road Dublin, CA 94568 PROPERTY OWNER: LOCATION: ASSESSORS PARCEL NUMBER: GENERAL PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION SPECIFIC PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION: SURROUNDING USES: Dwight W. Stump & Margaret L. Blair 1007 McCauley Road Danville, CA 94526-1971 11900 Silvergate Drive 941-0103-011-01 Retail Office N/A LOCATION ZONING GENERAL PLAN LAND USE CURRENT USE OF PROPERTY North Single Family Single Family Residential Residential Multi-Family Residential & South Planned Multi-Family Residential Residential Development Residential East Neighborhood Retail/Office Commercial Commercial West Single Family Single Family Residential Residential Residential REFERENCE: General Plan Zoning Ordinance 6of6