Item # 2.  Special Review #933.  Motion/Recommendation.  Dave Green, Planner II
This is a special review request to locate a new elementary/secondary school (K-8) in a 87,000 square foot proposed building with 36 classrooms, a library, multi-function rooms, music rooms, gymnasium, a kitchen and dining area, commons area, administration, and utility support spaces. New drive approaches off Colton Boulevard and Woody Drive would be added as well as drop-off & pick-up areas, new entry plazas, 126 parking off-street spaces, and landscaping. The subject property is located in a Residential 9,600 (R-96) zone, on Lot 2, Block 1 of St Thomas Subdivision, a 26.089 acre parcel of land. Tax ID: A33734.

The Planning Division is recommending conditional approval.
 

OWNER: Roman Catholic Bishop of Great Falls
AGENT: A&E Architects, PC
LEGAL DESCRIPTION: Lot 2, Block 1, St Thomas Subdivision
ADDRESS: Lot immediately east of the St. Thomas Church on Colton Boulevard between Woody Drive and 21st Street West
CURRENT ZONING: Residential 9600
EXISTING LAND USE: Undeveloped and Practice Field for Billings Catholic Schools
PROPOSED USE: New K-8 School
SIZE OF PARCEL: 26.089 acres

None

The City approved two special reviews for the assisted living centers to the west of this property in residential zoning. Other private schools located on residentially zoned property in the city have gone through special review and been granted conditional approval.

NORTH:	Zoning: Residential 9600 (R-96) Land Use: Residential
SOUTH:	Zoning: Residential 6,000 (R-60) and Public Land Use: Residential and Rose Park
EAST:	Zoning: R-96 Land Use: Residential
WEST:	Zoning: R-96, Residential Multi-family Restricted and R-60  Land Use: Assisted Living Facilities, Residential, and Professional offices

This is a request to allow the construction of a new school on property owned by the Billings Catholic Schools. According to the letter that was submitted by Billings Catholic Schools with this application, the property was purchased in 1959 for 1 dollar with the future goal of building a school. The property is approximately 26 acres in area and is located on the south side of Colton Boulevard between Woody Drive and 21^st Street West.  The entire 26 acres will not be used in the plan, the southern portion of the lot will remain in its native state providing open space and separation from the BBWA canal.  The site plan shows the building closer to Colton with some parking alongside the existing sports field.  The properties surrounding the subject property are zoned residential and public with single-family and multi-family residential uses, assisted living facilities, professional offices, and public park land. A special review is required when a school is proposed to be built on residentially zoned land. The applicant has submitted a site plan that identifies location of the proposed school, parking areas, vehicle circulation, and site upgrades including landscaping and outdoor play areas for the students. The plan also identifies one access off of Colton Boulevard and one off of Woody Drive.  Solid waste service will be located in an approved area with an enclosure.  The site plan shows adequate parking for the school.
 
The surrounding zoning is primarily residential except for the zoning to the south which is public where Rose Park is located. Schools have traditionally been built in neighborhoods to serve the surrounding areas.  In general, they increase values in the neighborhoods as people looking to buy a house consider where the nearest school is to the area they are looking to buy.  With the school there also is the increase in traffic when dropping off children and when they are being picked up after school.  These two times generally close to the same time as those commuting to or coming from work, but often the school traffic is a little later in the morning and earlier in the afternoon. These potential impacts can be mitigated through application of conditions of approval and adherence to an approved site plan through the special review process. The Planning staff is recommending several conditions related to noise, lighting, solid waste management, traffic and site control.
 
Colton Boulevard is a collector street that carries up to 5,000 vehicle trips per day in this area of Billings with a posted speed limit of 35 mph. With a school, there would be a school zone created on Colton Boulevard which would slow traffic down during student drop off and pickup times.  There are curb-walk sidewalks on both sides of Colton Boulevard. On the Colton Boulevard frontage there are proposed ‘bulb outs’ to provide a student drop off area.  The proposed ‘bulb outs’ on Colton Boulevard were discussed with City Engineering staff prior to the site plan submittal for the special review.
 
The Planning Division has reviewed this application and is recommending conditional approval. Before a recommendation of approval or conditional approval can be made, each special review request must demonstrate conformance with three primary criteria: 1) the application complies with all parts of the Unified Zoning Regulations, 2) the application is consistent with the objectives and purposes of the Unified Zoning Regulations and the 2008 Growth Policy, and 3) is compatible with surrounding land uses and is otherwise screened and separated from adjacent land to minimize adverse impacts. This application conforms to the first criteria, in so far, that it is in a district that allows a school as long as they have gone through the special review process. The proposed buildings and landscaping meet the code requirements for this zone. At the time of building permit submittal, other details for zoning will be reviewed for compliance such as solid waste dumpster locations and enclosures.  New landscaping will be installed around the building and along the street frontages. The property will have an approach off of Colton Boulevard and one off of Woody Drive. A drop off area along the west side of the new building off of the streets is also proposed.
 
The proposal is consistent with goals of the 2008 Growth Policy and the Billings Infill Policy, specifically the recommendation to encourage re-development of under-utilized land, encouraging compatible uses and avoiding leapfrogging development beyond city services. Planning staff is recommending conditions for this special review based on the approval criteria for special review uses.  Conditions of approval will mitigate any potential negative impacts to the residential neighborhood.
 
RECOMMENDATION
The Planning Department recommends conditional approval.
 
PROPOSED CONDITIONS

1. The special review is limited to Lot 2, Block 1 of St. Thomas Subdivision generally located on the lot immediately east of the St. Thomas Church on Colton Boulevard between Woody Drive and 21^st Street West.
    
2. The special review approval is for the construction of a new 87,000 square foot building for Billings Catholic Schools, grades K-8. No other use or development configuration is intended or implied by this approval.
    
3. Any expansion of the proposed building or parking greater than 10 percent of what is shown on the submitted site plan will require an additional special review approval
    
4. All exterior lighting, including security lighting shall have full cut-off shields so no part of the fixture or lens projects below the shield. The  maximum height of any light pole in the outdoor areas shall be 20 feet above grade. Exceptions to this requirement are allowed for entry doorway lighting.
    
5. All proposed drive approaches will be reviewed by City Traffic Engineering for final approval and location.
    
6. No construction or demolition activity will occur before 7 am or after 8 pm daily.


7. New trees shall not be any of the following species: Carolina poplar, other populus subspecies including any variety of aspens, elms, lombardy poplar, silver leaf poplar, weeping willow, or box elder. All installed trees will be continuously maintained and replaced as necessary by the owner.
    
8. Any centralized solid waste storage shall be enclosed by a wall on 3 sides and a closing gate or gates. The wall and gates for the solid waste storage shall be similar or complimentary in color to the adjacent buildings and shall be sight-obscuring. The wall and gates shall be tall enough that no part of the interior dumpster(s) are visible from the outside.
    
9. The site will be developed in substantial conformance with the submitted site plan including landscaping, parking, and building locations with the exception of condition 5.
    
10. Any new signage will require sign permit approval from the Planning Division.  The school will be allowed on (1) monument sign not larger than 32 square feet and it may have external illumination.
     
11. These conditions of special review approval shall run with the land described in this authorization and shall apply to all current and subsequent owners, operators, managers, lease holders, heirs and assigns.
     
12. The proposed development shall comply with all other limitations of Section 27-613 of the Unified Zoning Regulations concerning special review uses, and all other City of Billings regulations and ordinances that apply.

 
**NOTE**     Approval of this Special Review does not constitute approval of a building permit, sign permit or fence permit. Compliance with all applicable local codes will be reviewed at the building permit level. This application is for a Special Review as noted above and no other request is being considered with this application. The Planning Division points out that the use and development of the property must be in accordance with the submitted site plan.
 
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Zoning Commission Action.
Attachment B: Zoning Map
Attachment C: Site photographs
Attachment D: Site Plan
Attachment E: Applicant Letter
 

Staff recommends Conditional Approval