
The Board of Aldermen is being advised to open the public hearing Tuesday on Elementary School No. 10 (which we can only hope has a new name someday soon). According to the agenda items, the design of the school and the site plan have not gotten rave reviews from the town’s Transportation Advisory Board and the Environmental Advisory Board at their recent meetings.
In addition, the Planning Board is asking the town to kick in for a full-size gym as Chapel Hill did with Rashkis Elementary, which is the protype for the new school. The Planning Board also suggests future high density development within a quarter mile of the site.
(Links to these items and the school’s application are on the Jan.9 , 2007 agenda.)
Following are the recommendations from the town planning staff:
REVIEW OF CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR THE CHAPEL HILL – CARRBORO CITY SCHOOL’S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL #10
PURPOSE STATEMENT
Chapel Hill – Carrboro City Schools has submitted an application for construction of a 89,800 sf (30 classroom) elementary school on the parcel located at 215 Eubanks Road (Attachment C&D). The Conditional Use Permit, if approved, would allow the construction of the school, along with associated recreational facilities and infrastructure.
Site Design Summary
The school will be accessed by a new segment of collector road which proceeds north to intersect with Eubanks road by way of a roundabout (Attachment B). School buses, commuter traffic, service and utility vehicles will rely mainly on Eubanks Road to access the facility. Once on the site, the plan provides a circulation system designed to segregate drop-off traffic from bus and commuter traffic.
INFORMATION
The subject property is zoned RR, Rural Residential, contains 19.035 acres (829,164.6 sf) and is listed on the Orange County Tax Map as numbers 7.23.C.1. The existing site is vacant and wooded sloping predominantly to the south where two intermittent streams combine and drain into Jones Creek. (Attachment B). The proposed school building itself is a unified, single story, building with an attached gymnasium. A playfield, outdoor basketball court and, a play structure, are located south of the building. Parking is divided into two lots to the northeast of the building. The large footprint of these facilities and their supporting infrastructure requires substantial site grading.
RECOMMENDATION
Town staff recommends that the Board of Aldermen open the Elementary School #10 Conditional Use Permit public hearing. However, at the time of this report deadline, the stormwater engineering has not yet been approved by the Town Engineer. For this reason, staff cannot consider the project “complete†and therefore cannot recommend approval of the project.
However, if Sungate approval is obtained by the time of the public hearing, Town staff recommends approval of the project. If this is the case, the Board is directed to first complete the attached conditional use permit worksheet (Attachment M). Upon completing the worksheet, staff recommends that the Board consider the Conditional Use Permit for the CHCCS Elementary School #10, located off of Eubanks Road, subject to the conditions below:
1. That prior to construction plan approval the applicant provide a copy of an issued
NCDENR land disturbing activity permit and formally invite Orange County Erosion Control to voluntarily inspect the site during construction via a letter that is copied to the NC Land Quality Section Regional Engineer, Raleigh Regional Office;
2. That the applicant adjust the planting plan as requested by the Town Engineer and Environmental Planner prior to construction plan approval to ensure compliance with the stormwater and vehicle accommodation area shading requirements of the LUO;
3. That prior to construction plan approval, the applicant receive a driveway permit from NCDOT in accordance with any conditions imposed by such agency including but not limited to encroachment / maintenance agreements for lighting and sidewalks;
4. That subject to NCDOT approval, the applicant shall provide 6-feet of extra pavement on both sides of Eubanks Road where improvements are required. The 6-foot sections shall serve as bike lanes;
5. That, prior to construction plan approval, the bike lane arrangements in the vicinity of the roundabout and within the proposed collector street shall be designed to comply with their related specifications as identified in the Federal Highway Administration’s Roundabouts: An Informational Guide, and the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices;
(20 more recommendations after the break)