Minutes 05-23-2011 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Larry Wright: I would like to ask those who have signed up to give testimony for this #2 item to please come to the Clerk and be duly sworn in. Deputy Clerk David Hunt: Do you solemnly swear/affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God? Michael Harvey: I am Michael Harvey with the Planning Department and I am here this evening to present to you staff's abstract concerning a Class A Special Use Permit application requesting authorization to locate a Montessori School at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Hillsborough at 1710 Old NC 10. You will note from your packet that this parcel of property is 2.8 acres in area, it is zoned Rural Residential, and it is within a 10-year Transition Area as designated on the Land Use Element Map. The applicant has provided you with a formal site plan and photographs of the building. As you will note from the notes section on the submitted site plan as well as our abstract, the Unitarian Universalist Church wishes to allow a Montessori School utilizing the existing church facility where students range in ages of 6-12 years of age, for a maximum capacity of 12 students at the school. All children, according to the narrative as well as the site plan, are to be dropped off by their parents or guardians and there will be no bus service or bus traffic at the property associated with the school operation. For the Board members, you do have the PowerPoint presentation in front of you to follow along. You will note from the abstract as well as the narrative, this project does not involve any new construction and will make use existing building and parking facilities. As also noted on the site plan, there are no outdoor sports fields or other recreational facilities proposed. The school actually plans to make use of the existing playground facility on the property. The entrance to the site will be off of Old NC 10 as denoted on the site plan. We've already talked about the applicant providing pictures of the various elevations of the building. As this Board is already aware, a Class A Special Use Permit is processed through a quasi-judicial review process. The County Commissioners and the Planning Board will hear factual evidence and sworn testimony concerning the project's compliance with the various provisions of the ordinance and your decision on this application will be based on evidence presented at these hearings and testimony offered by the applicant and all of those that have been sworn in to speak. With respect to providing our assessment of this application, you will note beginning on page 250 of your abstract, we have provided the various requirements contained within the ordinance with respect to the development of a school within Orange County. It is our contention that the proposal is generally consistent with the components of the Unified Development Ordinance, the Comprehensive Plan, the Land Use Element Map, and that the application does contain all required elements in order for the formal review to commence. It is our opinion that the applicant has demonstrated compliance with various development standards contained within the ordinance. As the project is limited to 12 students, we do not foresee any negative impacts on adjacent properties resulting from the approval of this application. With respect to conditions, staff will be suggesting conditions as we move through this process and will address those at the July Planning Board meeting when this is due to be taken