Quasi-Judicial Hearing - Application for Conditional Use with No New Construction submitted by property owner, St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Inc. and Applicant Nicholas Gieseler, Attorney at Law, to establish a Private School at 2525 S 25^th Street, Fort Pierce, FL.The property is zoned Medium Density Residential Zone (R-4), Parcel ID: 2420-141-0002-000-4.

• The applicant is requesting the review and approval of a Conditional Use with No New Construction to allow for a Private School.  The applicant is seeking to operate a Private School in an existing four (4) classroom building on a church campus.
• The property is zoned R-4, Medium Density Residential Zone with a future land use of Medium Density Residential.
• The City Commission adopted Ordinance No. L-11 in 2008, amending Section 22-22 Allowed Uses; of the City Code to permit Day Care Centers and Schools other than education service establishments as a conditional use in the R-4, Medium Density Residential.
• The present facility is approximately 4,628 square-feet, consisting of four (4) classrooms. The applicant has submitted a new floor plan that will consist of four (4) connected classrooms, four (4) restrooms, and two (2) closet areas. There is no commercial kitchen; therefore no food will be cooked on site. Lunch for the students will be prepared off-site and delivered to the school daily.
• The proposed facility will be adequately parked, with the addition of short-term bicycle parking for students and faculty. Staff asks that the applicant consider the installation of a bicycle rack (two (2) – space minimum) for students/visitors. The facility can only be accessed from two (2) development entrances located on S. 25^th Street and Stanton Avenue

• The property owner is seeking conditional use approval to allow the operation of a private school in Building #3 of its church campus. The school, Faith United School of Excellence, will operate from 8:00a.m. to 4:00p.m., Monday through Friday. The building will house approximately 50 people during these days, including school staff. The school will contain grades 2-9, with three separate classes operating multiple grade levels. The students are picked up and dropped off by a school van. There will be no students dropped off or picked up by their parents; therefore there will be no additional traffic in connection with this operation.

The requested Conditional Use with No New Construction is consistent with City Code, the Comprehensive Plan, and does not adversely affect the public health, safety, convenience and general welfare; Staff recommends the City Commission approve the request with the following conditions:
1) Comply with City Code Section 22-60. Off-street Parking and Loading (c) Design Standards, d) Commercial Uses & (j) Lighting. Please provide the lighting plan with a minimum average of two (2) footcandles.
2) Per City Code Sec. 22-62. - Sidewalks. (b)Applicability - Please install a sidewalk along the Stanton Avenue corridor or submit payment in lieu off to St. Lucie County. Please install sidewalk linkages that connect to the sidewalks and between buildings.
 
3) Per City Code Sec. 22-60. Required off-street parking spaces for the handicapped shall be located near the front entrance of the main building for the use or if the use has no buildings, as close as practical to the center of the area where the principal activity associated with the use takes place.
 

Approval with alternative conditions.
Denial

Vennis Gilmore, Planning Analyst

Technical Review Committee