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HomeMy WebLinkAbout8.2 PCSR Fountainhead Montessori CUP&SDR OF�DU��2 sz STAFF REPORT PLANNING COMMISSION �'1LIFOR�� DATE: December 11, 2012 TO: Planning Commission SUBJECT: PUBLIC HEARING: PLPA-2012-00054 Fountainhead Montessori Conditional Use Permit and Site Development Review for the operation of a Day Care Center and Community Facility and related building and site improvements. Prepared By. Martha Aja, Environmental Coordinator EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Planning Commission will consider a request for a Conditional Use Permit to allow the operation of a Day Care Center and a Community Facility (Elementary School) with up to 381 children and a Site Development Review Permit for fagade modifications to three existing buildings and associated site improvements, including additional outdoor play areas, alterations to parking and circulation and the installation of landscaping and fencing. The Project site is located at 6665, 6670 and 6690 Amador Plaza Road within the Dublin Specific Plan area. 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 Conditional Use Permit for the operation of a Day Care Center and Community Facility and Site Development Review Permit for fagade modifications and related site improvements at 6665, 6670 & 6690 Amador Plaza Road (APN 941-1500-51, 52, 53). ZIL'-, Submitted By Revi ed By Environmental Coord nator Assistant Community Development Director COPIES TO: Applicant File Q a ITEM NO.: D Page 1 of 9 DESCRIPTION: Figure 1. Project Site (6665, 6670 & 6690 Amador Plaza Rd) The 4.55 acre Project site is located at the southerly terminus of Amador Plaza Road and is currently developed with three two- story office buildings (each 20,256 square feet). Adjacent uses include retail uses to the north, an auto dealership to the east, office and light industrial uses to the west and Interstate 580 to the south. The site has a General Plan, Downtown ,. Dublin Specific Plan and Zoning Project Site designation of Downtown Dublin — Transit Oriented District. The project site is developed with three existing two-story office Existing Daycare buildings. The office buildings are identical and are each 20,256 square feet. Four office buildings were originally constructed in the early 1980's on the project site. Subsequently, one of the four office buildings burned down and was never reconstructed. In April 2006 Fountainhead Montessori received approvals to operate a day care center on the ground floor of one of the office buildings (6665 Amador Plaza Road) for up to 135 children and includes an existing 5,875 square foot outdoor play area located to the east of the building (see Attachment 1, 2, & 3). This approval allowed Fountainhead Montessori to provide child care services for up to 135 children ages 18 months through kindergarten. The existing day care center operates from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Friday. The property is now under contract to be purchased by the Applicant. The Applicant is proposing to expand into the ground floor of the other two office buildings (6670 and 6690 Amador Plaza Road) in order to expand the Day Care Center and operate an elementary school at the project site. The Applicant is currently requesting approval of a Conditional Use Permit to allow the operation of a Day Care Center and Community Facility (Elementary School) with up to 381 children and a Site Development Review Permit to make fagade modifications to all three buildings and site modifications including new outdoor play areas, a soccer field, alterations to the parking and circulation and installation of landscaping and fencing. Under the current proposal, the Applicant is proposing to lease out approximately 20,000 square feet of office space to various tenants. The second floor office space of two of the buildings (6670 & 6690 Amador Plaza Road) will be leased to non-Fountainhead Montessori tenants. The remaining second floor office spaces will be utilized by Fountainhead Montessori. 2 of 9 ANALYSIS: Conditional Use Permit A Conditional Use Permit enables the City to place Conditions of Approval on a project to ensure that the operating characteristics are compatible with surrounding uses. The proposed Project has been reviewed for issues related to noise, parking and other operating characteristics such as hours of operation and outdoor play activities. Conditions of approval have been placed on the Project, where appropriate, to ensure compatibility with the surrounding commercial uses. The Applicant is proposing to operate a Day Care Center and an Elementary School with 42 employees and up to 381 children between 18 months - 10 years of age as further discussed below. The hours of operation would be 7:00 am to 6:30 pm Monday through Friday. Below is a description of the proposed uses. Building 1 (6665 Amador Plaza): Building 1 is the existing Pre-Primary School. The Applicant is proposing a total of 165 children in this building. The second floor office space will be utilized by Fountainhead Montessori Staff. Pre-Primary programs are for children ages 3-5 and may include morning preschool, afternoon preschool or a combination of the two. This program is a preparatory environmental for elementary school. Building 2 (6670 Amador Plaza): Building 2 will include the proposed Day Care. The Applicant is proposing to provide care for up to 48 children at this building. This program is essentially childcare and it is available to kids who are on site before and after regular class time. This environment offers opportunities for play, art and socializing. Building 2 will also include the proposed Elementary School which will be for up to 72 children. The Applicant is proposing 4 classrooms. The Elementary School is for school aged children 6- 10 years and will offer a full day program. The second floor office space (9,394 square feet) of this building will be leased to various office tenants. Building 3 (6690 Amador Plaza). Building 3 will include the proposed Prep School. The Applicant is proposing a total of 96 children. This program is a preparatory environment for children ages 18 months to 3.5 years of age. The main goal of the program is socialization and learning to be at school. The second floor office space (9,394 square feet) of this building will be leased to various office tenants. Noise The Dublin General Plan Noise Element includes policies regarding noise and the location of lands uses. A Noise Study was previously prepared by Charles M Salter and Associates for the Fountainhead Montessori Day Care Center. The previous study concluded that noise from the children would be negligible compared to the existing traffic noise along 1-680 (Attachment 4). 3 of 9 While the proposed project does includes new outdoor play areas, these areas are not located adjacent to residential land uses or other sensitive receptors. Therefore the City did not require that the Applicant prepare a noise study for the project. A Condition of Approval (COA No. 13) has been included in the draft Resolution to ensure that outdoor activities are controlled so as not to become a nuisance to persons working in the vicinity of the Day Care Center and Elementary School (Attachment 5). Parking The City of Dublin Zoning Ordinance contains parking requirements by use type. The proposed mix of uses generates a parking requirement of 168 parking spaces as shown in Table 1 below. The Applicant proposes to provide 172 parking spaces as shown on the attached project plans (Exhibit A of Attachment 5, Sheet AO). Table 1. Day Care Center Parking Requirements Parking Standard Proposed Project Required Parking Consists of Spaces Day Care Center 1 space/employee 32 employees 32 spaces 1 space/5 children 309 children 62 spaces Elementary School 2 spaces/Classroom 4 classrooms 8 cars Non-Montessori Offices 1 space/300 SF 19,788 SF 66 Total Required Parking 168 spaces Site Development Review Parkinq and Circulation Access to the Project site is provided from two existing driveways on Amador Plaza Road. Both driveways are fully improved and provide vehicular access to the existing three buildings. The Project site includes 172 parking spaces including six accessible spaces for persons with disabilities. The circulation through the site is designed to be one-way. One of the driveways will be an "In" only driveway and the second driveway will be "In" and "Out." The site's circulation was reviewed by the City Engineer and the City Traffic Engineer. It was determined that one-way circulation will result in improved vehicular flow through the site. Additionally, each of the three buildings includes a drop-off area. As is the case with the existing Day Care, it is anticipated that many parents will drop off their children in these drop-off areas instead of parking and walking their children inside the building. Condition of Approval No. 12 has been included which requires a staff member to be present in the drop-off area at each of the buildings to greet the kids as they get dropped off and guide the children into the protected play area. It is anticipated that this Condition will reduce the need for parents to park the car and walk the children inside. Play Areas The Applicant is proposing two new outdoor play areas and a soccer field as shown in Figure 2 below. The outdoor play area for Building 2 is 7,627 square feet and is located adjacent to the north elevation of the building. This play area would be located in-between Building 2 and the proposed new soccer field. The outdoor play area for Building 3 is 3,700 square feet and is located adjacent to the west elevation of Building 3. The two new outdoor play areas would both be enclosed with a 6-foot high vinyl clad chain link fence (Exhibit A of Attachment 5, Sheet L2) and would include a play structure within the play area. These fences are not visible from the 4of9 public right-of-way. The proposed fence is consistent with the fence that encloses the existing play area at Building 1 (6665 Amador Plaza). Please refer to the site plan below for the location of the proposed new play areas. The Applicant is proposing a 90' by 135' turf ball field located in-between Buildings 2 and 3 (Exhibit A of Attachment 5, Sheet Al). The location of the turf field is in the same location where the fourth office building was previously located. The turf field would be enclosed by a 6-foot tall fence. Figure 2 — Play Areas Amador Plaza Road t Existing Outdoor Play Area - Building 1 O � a �= NORTH i Proposed Outdoor Play Proposed Outdoor Play Area - Building 2 Area - Building 3 "" i Proposed Soccer /*7 Field Trash Enclosure The project site has two existing trash enclosures. The Applicant is proposing to remove these two enclosures and to construct one large trash enclosure. The enclosure will include a roof and connection to the sanitary sewer and will comply with the City of Dublin's Solid Waste and Recycling Enclosure Standards adopted by the City Council in June 2011.The enclosure includes the same colors and materials as those proposed for the buildings. Building Elevations The Applicant is proposing to upgrade the facades of the three office buildings. The proposed modifications will be the same for all three buildings. The Applicant is proposing to use fiber cement siding for the walls. The existing plaster is proposed to be painted tan to match the siding. The existing tile roof and storefront windows would remain as is. The picture to the left shows the existing elevations of the office building. All of the existing office buildings are identical to one another in size, materials and colors. 5 of 9 ■ The Applicant is also proposing a lobby entry feature at each of the three buildings. The entry feature would include a trellis feature and decorative lighting (Exhibit A of Attachment 5, Sheet CB). A Fountainhead Montessori entry feature is proposed at the site's entrance. The entry feature would incorporate the materials and colors of the buildings. The picture bellow shows the proposed entry feature of the project and the proposed facade remodel. I 0 6 p Compliance with the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan Design Guidelines The Downtown Dublin Specific Plan contains Design Guidelines for development occurring within the Specific Plan Area. Some of the design standards contained in the Design Guidelines are required while others are recommended; the Design Guidelines also include standards that may not necessarily be recommended but are allowed or optional. The Design Guidelines require that all building facades that are visible from the public realm be designed with similar architectural elements, materials and colors as the front fagade. The proposed three buildings would have fiber cement siding on all four elevations. Each of the buildings also includes a trellis entry feature which incorporates the building material and includes decorative lighting. Landscaping The Applicant is proposing to add additional trees and shrubs around the buildings and outdoor play areas. Additionally, a garden area is proposed in front of Building 1). The Applicant is proposing to remove certain trees on the project site to allow for the proposed site improvements, which include the additional play areas and modifications to the parking and circulation. The majority of the perimeter trees, including all the large redwoods, will be retained. Please refer to Exhibit A of Attachment 5, Sheet L2 for the planting plan. As required by Provision C.3 of the Municipal Regional Permit, the Applicant is installing storm water basins throughout the site to treat the site's stormwater runoff. The storm water basins are located adjacent to the driveway and drive aisles. The storm water basins will account for more than 1,650 square feet of landscaping on the site. 6 of 9 CONSISTENCY WITH THE GENERAL PLAN, SPECIFIC PLAN AND ZONING ORDINANCE: The Project is consistent with the General Plan land use designation of Downtown Dublin — Transit Oriented District which allows for range of uses consistent with the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan. The Project is consistent with the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan land use designation of Downtown Dublin —Transit Oriented District in that Day Care Centers and Community Facilities are a conditionally permitted use and the development of the Project site complies with the development standards and design guidelines contained in the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan. 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 5). 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. A copy of this Staff Report has been provided to the Applicant. 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 15304, Minor Alterations to Land. The project consists of a Conditional Use Permit to allow the operation of a Day Care Center and a Community Facility (elementary school) for up to 381 students; and a Site Development Review permit for fagade enhancements to three existing buildings and site modifications which would include the construction of additional outdoor play areas, alternations to parking and circulation and the installation of landscaping and fencing. ATTACHMENTS: 1) Planning Commission Staff Reported dated April 25, 2006 without Attachments. 2) Planning Commission Minutes dated April 25, 2006. 3) Planning Commission Resolution 06-10 approving a Conditional Use Permit and Site Development Review to operate a day care center, construct an outdoor playground, and make associated site improvements for Fountainhead Montessori School located at 6665 Amador Plaza Road. 4) Charles M. Salter and Associates Noise Study dated March 23, 2006. 7of9 5) Resolution approving a Conditional Use Permit for the operation of a Day Care Center and Community Facility and Site Development Review for fagade modifications and related site improvements at 6665, 6670 and 6690 amador Plaza Road with the project plans attached as Exhibit A. 8of9 GENERAL INFORMATION: APPLICANT: Dave Johnson, Johnson Lyman Architects, 1375 Locust Street, #202, Walnut Creek, CA 94596 PROPERTY OWNER: Karyn Mitchell, HHH Investment, 5601 Arnold Road, Ste. 101, Dublin, CA 94568 LOCATION: 6665, 6670 & 6690 Amador Plaza Road ASSESSORS PARCEL NUMBER: 941-1500-51, 52, 53 GENERAL PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION: Downtown Dublin — Transit Oriented District SPECIFIC PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION: Downtown Dublin Specific Plan —Transit Oriented District SURROUNDING USES: LOCATION ZONING GENERAL PLAN LAND USE CURRENT USE OF PROPERTY North DDZD Downtown Dublin — Transit Commercial Oriented District South N/A N/A Freeway East DDZD Downtown Dublin — Transit Commercial Oriented District West DDZD Downtown Dublin — Transit Office & Light Industrial Oriented District REFERENCES: General Plan Downtown Dublin Specific Plan Zoning Ordinance 9of9