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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCD Mark Day Schoolcrry oFi,,,:,� n 7, Agenda Item No: 5. b Meeting Date: May 4, 2015 SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT Department: Community Development Prepared by: Paul A. Jensen, Director (SS) City Manager Approval. )>% 4C t SUBJECT: 39 Trellis Dr. (`Mark Day School'; formerly 'St. Mark's School') — Consider Amendment to Planned Development (PD 1760) District and approval of a Master Use Permit Amendment and an Environmental and Design Review Permit to allow demolition of an existing, 3,935 sq. ft., single -story administration building and the construction of a new 11,270 sq. ft., multi -story administration/library bldg. and site improvements, including: redesign of the existing courtyard 'quad'; reconfiguration of an existing surface parking lot with no reduction in on-site parking spaces; landscaping improvements; and security fencing on an existing 10 -acre elementary school facilities campus; APN: 175-060-01; Planned Development (PD 1760) District; Ted Lieser for Equity Community Builders, applicant; Joe Harvey for Mark Day School, lessee; Dixie School District, owner; File Nos.: ZC14-001; ED14-086; UP14-027; IS14- 002 RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends that the City Council: 1. Pass Ordinance to print amendment (ZC14-001) of an existing Planned Development District (PD 1760) zoning to the PD District (Attachment 1 a); and 2. Adopt Resolution conditionally approving amendment (UP14-027) to the existing Master Use Permit for Mark Day School and approving an Environmental and Design Review Permit (ED14-086) to allow the proposed new building and site improvements (Attachment 1 b). BACKGROUND: A detailed background, project description, discussion of review by the Planning Commission and the Design Review Board, as well as a discussion of the project analysis are contained in the February 24, 2015 staff report to the Planning Commission attached to this report (See Exhibit 2, report pages 36-48). Reduced (11"x17") project plans and color renderings/aerial photos/story pole plan/photo simulations were previously distributed to the City Council on April 22, 2015 under a separate cover. Mark Day School has installed story poles on the site for the project, reflecting the top of the clerestory element and height of the roof overhang projections. These story poles were originally installed before the review of the project by the Design Review Board and have continued to remain throughout all hearings on the project. Site Description & Setting: The Mark Day School (MDS) campus is located in the Terra Linda neighborhood, on the site of the former Don Timoteo Elementary School, which is owned by the Dixie School District. MDS holds a long-term lease with Dixie School District (lease options through at least 2045). The school campus is ten (10) FOR CITY CLERK ONLY File No.: V, /v'3 Council Meeting: S/4��o/S Disposition: ©2cb cr ce <« 192,1 ��SaLU 'i/a.0 13`1 �O SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2 acres (435,600 sq. ft.) in size and MDS currently operates as an independent, non -secular, kindergarten - 8'h grade school campus with a maximum enrollment capacity of 380 students. The site is a "panhandle" or "flag" lot, where a small strip of land is used to access the predominant 10 - acre campus. The campus is accessed from Trellis Drive by a deep driveway, providing a 220' setback from Trellis Drive. The campus is surrounded by single-family residences (R5 District) to the north and west, Freitas Park and Kaiser Hospital to the south, and Vallecito Elementary School to the east. History: MDS was originally established in unincorporated Marinwood in 1980 as 'St. Marks School'. It moved to its current location in 1991. It changed its name to "Mark Day School" in 2014. In 2001, the City Council adopted an amendment to the Planned Development District (ZC00-06) and conditionally approved a Use Permit Amendment (UP00-014) and an Environmental and Design Review Permit (ED00-039) to allow the construction of a 9,216 sq. ft. multi-purpose/gymnasium building, slightly less than 28' in height, a 4,896 sq. ft. arts and sciences classroom building, 19' in height, and associated landscape and parking lot improvements. These campus buildings were later constructed and their use is currently incorporated in the MDS curriculum. The existing Master Use Permit requires MDS to operate under an approved Transportation System Management (TSM) plan. To manage the traffic and parking impacts on the surrounding neighborhood, the TSM plan requires MDS to operate within a maximum 146 PM �eak hour traffic trips and with the goal of reducing AM peak hour traffic trips by 25%. On or before May 15 of each year, MDS shall submit an annual report on the compliance of the TSM plan to the Community Development Department, Planning Division, for review by the City Engineer and further study, monitoring or modification, if necessary. These annual reports indicate MDS consistently operates within their maximum allowable PM peak hour trips; however, they have been unable to achieve a full 25% reduction in AM peak hour trips. MDS consistently operates with an approximate 15% reduction in AM peak hour trips, which the City has found to be an acceptable effort. In addition to Pre -application review by staff, the applicant hosted a Neighborhood Meeting for the project in which six (6) members of the public attended in addition to the Head of School for MDS, the project architect and the project planner. Comments expressed by the public varied and responses were provided by MDS, the project architect or staff (See Exhibit 10 to Exhibit 2, report pages 96-98). Project Description: The project proposes to demolish an existing 3,935 sq. ft., single -story administration building and construct a new, 11,270 sq. ft., multi -story "Learning Commons, Creativity Lab and Administration Building" (library and administration building) and associated parking, drainage and landscaping modifications/improvements. The project proposes to convert the existing library bldg., located immediately south of the project area, to a teacher's lounge and meeting spaces. The project does not propose to increase the maximum allowable enrollment capacity beyond the current cap of 380 students A more detailed project description is contained in the February 24, 2015 Planning Commission staff report (See Exhibit 2, report pages 38-40). Design Review Board Recommendations: The Design Review Board (Board) reviewed the project at three (3) separate meetings; August 5, 2014 concept review, November 4, 2014 formal review and a November 18, 2014 continuation of the formal review. At each meeting, the Board provided support for the two-story scale and energy-efficient design of the project with minor site and building modifications. All three (3) Board meetings may be reviewed online at: hftp://www.citvofsanrafael.org/meetings/. The Board recommended modifications to the project design to reduce the building height and mass, darken the exterior color palette and require expanded landscape enhancements, which have been incorporated into the project plans. Planning Commission Review: On February 24, 2015, the Planning Commission (Commission) held a public hearing, considering comments in support of and in opposition to the project. Following public testimony and deliberation, the SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 3 Commission adopted Resolutions 15-01 (ZC14-01) and 15-02 (UP14-027 and ED14-06) recommending City Council approval of the project. The Commission acknowledged the concerns of the residents but determined that many of the concerns were unfounded. The Commission recommended (both 6-0-1 votes; Commissioner Pick absent) an additional condition that the applicant work directly with the 'most affected' neighbors (31 and 47 Trellis Dr.) on the specific location and species of additional tree plantings (Condition #61, ED14-086). The Commission hearing may be reviewed online at hftp://www.citvofsanrafael.org/meetings/. ANALYSIS: The proposed Planned Development District Amendment, Master Use Permit Amendment and Design Review Permit applications would allow the replacement of an existing single -story building on the Mark Day School campus with a new two-story building in, essentially, the same location. The new building would be setback approximately 100' from any adjacent residential property along Trellis Drive, approximately 220' from Trellis Drive, and over 300' from any adjacent residential property along Arias St. Two recently constructed campus buildings, the 19' -tall arts and sciences building (located immediately north of the project area) and the 28' -tall multi-purpose/gymnasium (located south of the project area), help to provide a mufti -story context or scale on the Mark Day School campus, which would be further mitigated by proposed additional tree plantings between the project area, Trellis Dr. and the most affected neighbors (31 and 47 Trellis Dr.). A full analysis on the project's consistency with the applicable General Plan 2020 polices, Zoning Ordinance regulations and Interim Nonresidential Design Guidelines are contained in the February 24, 2015 Planning Commission staff report (See Exhibits 7-9 to Exhibit 2, report pages 64-95) and in the findings contained in the draft resolution (See Exhibit 1 b, report pages 15-35). Based on the review by staff, the Design Review Board and Planning Commission, with incorporation of the proposed conditions of approval, the project would be consistent with all applicable General Plan 2020 policies and the Zoning Ordinance. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: The project is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to Sections 15302 (a) (Replacement of Reconstruction), 15304 (a) and (f) (Minor Alterations to Land), 15311 (b) (Accessory Structures) and 15314 (Minor Additions To Schools) of the CEQA Guidelines, given the nature and scope of the project. These CEQA findings are incorporated into the project approval and are listed in the draft Ordinance and Resolution (See Exhibit 1 a, report pages 9 and 11; Exhibit 1b, report pages 17-18). PUBLIC NOTICING AND OUTREACH: Notice of the City Council public hearing was published in the Marin Independent Journal on Saturday, May 18, 2015, and mailed to neighboring property owners, businesses and residents within 300 feet and appropriate neighborhood associations (Terra Linda Homeowner's Association) on Friday, May 17, 2015. The site was also posted with a public hearing notice board at the start of the 15 day notice period, along the Trellis Drive frontage. A copy of the public hearing notice and the notification list are attached (Exhibit 4, report page 145-154). Throughout the initial concept review and formal review by the Design Review Board, as well as a hearing conducted by the Planning Commission for the project, staff received a considerable amount of public comments, both in support and in opposition of the project. Comments were provided via email, letters, postcards, and 'signed' petition with both 'hard copy' and electronic signatures. Generally, the public comments in support of the proposed project find: • The new "Learning Commons and Creativity Lab" building is a campus enhancement important to the overall education goals for MDS; • Meets the maximum allowable building height for the site and is in context with the scale of other campus buildings and education buildings in the surrounding neighborhood; and • Provides adequate setbacks from Trellis Drive and the adjacent neighbors. SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / PaLye: 4 • Preserves existing trees and proposes additional trees to help screen the building from Trellis Drive and the adjacent neighbors. Generally, the public comments in opposition of the proposed project find: • The two-story scale is out of context with the surrounding residential neighborhood; • The two-story scale will block views of the nearly hills; • The two-story design will negatively affect the privacy of adjacent residence by creating a direct line - of -sight into the windows and rear yards of adjacent residences; • The proposed architectural design of the building will create an industrial or office feel in a residential community; and • The two-story scale is in conflict with the intent of the 'Terra Linda Master Plan' of neighborhood schools. General responses to these comments of opposition were provided by staff and can be found in the Planning Commission staff report (See Exhibit 2, report pages 45-47). All correspondence received by the City on the project may be reviewed online at: http://docs.cityofsanrafael.oro/CommDev/MarkDaySchool/public-comments pdf, This link will be updated at the time staffs report to the City Council is released and, again, on the day of the hearing (Monday, May 4, 2015). FISCAL IMPACT: This project is a private development and does not have any new fiscal impact on the City budget given that the review and processing of these applications are subject to cost recovery fees. Furthermore, the project does not propose to increase the maximum allowable enrollment capacity beyond its existing approved 380 students and any new impact fees are limited to an affordable housing in -lieu fee to help fund the project's fair share cost of additional staff and/or faculty housing needs. The site is owned by the Dixie School District (leased to Mark Day School) and tax-exempt; the project will not generate any increase to local and state property tax revenues. OPTIONS: The City Council has the following options available for action on this project: 1. Pass Ordinance to print and adopt Resolution to approve the proposed project as presented (staff recommendation). 2. Pass Ordinance to print and adopt Resolution to approve the project with additional modifications or conditions of approval. 3. Continue the public hearing and refer the applications back to the Planning Commission for additional review and modifications. 4. Continue the public hearing and require additional information or environmental analysis. 5. Deny the project and direct staff to return with revised Resolutions. ACTIONS REQUIRED: It is recommended that the City Council: 1. Open the public hearing and accept public testimony; 2. Close the public hearing; 3. Adopt appropriate Resolutions and Ordinance, including a. Pass Ordinance to print approving an amendment (ZC14-001) to the existing PD 1760 District to allow the proposed new building and site improvements (Attachment 1a), and SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Pame: 5 b. Adopt a Resolution approving an Amendment (UP14-027) to the Master Use Permit for Mark Day School and an Environmental and Design Review Permit (ED14-086) to allow the proposed new building and site improvements (Attachment 1 b). EXHIBITS: Report Page Number 1. Ordinance and Resolution a. Ordinance Amending Planned Development (PD 1760) District 7 b. Resolution Conditionally Approving the Master Use Permit 15 Amendment and Environmental and Design Review Permit applications 2. Planning Commission Staff Report with selected exhibits, February 24, 36 2015 a. Exhibit 1 - Location Map 49 b. Exhibit 3 - Applicant's Project Description 50 c. Exhibit 4 - Applicant's Statement of Intent/Design Narrative 51 d. Exhibit 5 - Story Pole Plan 55 e. Exhibit 6 - Photo Simulations 58 f. Exhibit 7 - General Plan 2020 Consistency Table 64 g. Exhibit 8 - Zoning Ordinance Consistency Table 75 h. Exhibit 9 - Interim Nonresidential Design Guidelines 93 i. Exhibit 10 - Neighborhood Meeting Summary 96 3. Project Plans 99 4. Public Hearing Notice and Notification Radius Map 145 Distributed to the City Council under separate cover: • Reduced (11"x17") Project Plans and Color Renderings/Aerial Photo/Story Pole Plan/Photo Simulations