Title
Helen Hunt Community Center development plan illustrating a two phase project for the renovation of the existing structures onsite and installation of a new parking lot, located at 917 East Moreno Avenue.
(Quasi-Judicial)
Related File: CPC ZC 17-00015
Presenter:
Lonna Thelen, Principal Planner, Planning & Community Development
Peter Wysocki, Planning and Community Development Director
Body
Summary:
Applicant: RTA Architects
Owner: John E and Margaret L Lane Foundation
Location: 917 E Moreno
This project includes an application for a zone change from R2 (Two-Family Residential to PBC/CR (Planned Business Center with Conditions of Record) and a development plan for Helen Hunt Community Center illustrating a two phase project for the renovation of the existing structures onsite. The site is 2.8 acres, located 917 East Moreno Avenue.
Previous Council Action:
There are no previous Council actions on this site.
Background:
Helen Hunt Elementary School closed in May of 2016. After the school closed, The John E. Margaret L. Lane Foundation approached School District 11 about a proposal for a non-profit campus on the site. District 11 approved the sale to the John E. Margaret L. Lane Foundation in August of 2016. The site currently contains Building A which is 32,112 square feet in size and was the original school building constructed in 1902. Building B is 24,957 square feet and was constructed in 1966. The applications submitted include a rezone to PBC and a development plan for the non-profit campus to include office, daycare and specialty food sales uses in the two existing buildings. Although the name of the project is called out as a community center, this is not a typical community center. A non-profit foundation has taken ownership of the site and intends to find users that maybe non-profits needing office space or users that provide a service to the community.
The property is currently zoned R2 (Two-Family Residential), which is consistent with the surrounding neighborhood. In current City Code, public schools are conditional uses in the R2 zone district. However, a preexisting, legal nonconforming use which would require the approval of a conditional use in its zone district shall be presumed to have the required conditional use approval (7.5.1203H). The school site is considered a legal nonconforming use because it was built prior to the code requiring a conditional use for a school. The new uses proposed by the applicant are not uses that are allowed within the R2 zone district; therefore, a zone change has been requested.
The development plan proposes a renovation to the interior of the existing buildings on the site and the addition of paved parking onsite to accommodate the required parking. The two phases proposed are outlined below.
Phase I is an interior remodel of Building B, upgrades to utilities for Building B, a new parking lot and new landscape and irrigation.
Phase II is an interior remodel to Building A and new landscape along Rio Grande Street.
Building B, which is proposed to open first, would accommodate offices for non-profits and a daycare center. Building A, which will open at a future date, would accommodate specialty food sales and general offices. The final users have not been determined at this time, but the applicant envisions primarily office space with a few neighborhood retail uses that may be open to the general public. The specialty food service use will likely be a catering kitchen that is used to prepare food onsite and serve it off site.
This item supports the City’s strategic goal relating to building community and collaborate relationships by reusing a school structure that was recently closed for a non-profit campus.
Please see the attached City Planning Commission staff report for additional detailed analysis.
Financial Implications:
N/A
Board/Commission Recommendation:
At their meeting on April 20, 2017 the Planning Commission, as part of their consent calendar, voted unanimously to recommend approval both applications to the City Council. Please reference the minutes from the hearing for a detailed record.
Stakeholder Process:
The public process involved with the review of these applications included posting the site and sending postcards on two separate occasions to 416 property owners within 1,000 feet. A neighborhood meeting was held on February 15, 2017 with 30 people in attendance. No public comments were received.
Staff input is outlined in the following sections of this report. Staff sent plans to the standard internal and external review agencies for comments. All comments received from the review agencies are addressed. Commenting agencies included Colorado Springs Utilities, City Engineering, City Traffic, City Fire, Police, Enumerations, Floodplain, Real Estate Services, Comcast, School District 11 and E-911. This site is not within the Airport Overlay and was not seen by the Airport Advisory Committee and is outside of the buffer for review by USAFA.
Alternatives:
1. Uphold the action of the City Planning Commission;
2. Modify the decision of the City Planning Commission;
3. Reverse the action of the City Planning Commission; or
4. Refer the matter back to the City Planning Commission for further consideration
Recommended Action
Proposed Motion:
Approval the development plan for Helen Hunt Community Center, based upon the finding that the development plan complies with the review criteria in City Code Section 7.5.502.E.
Summary of Ordinance Language
N/A