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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRIGDEN FARM, 13TH FILING - PDP - 56-98AM - DECISION - MINUTES/NOTESPlanning & Zoning Board December 7, 2006 Page 3 Member Schmidt stated that she didn't want to dictate the styling or the materials of the fence but requested that the picket spacing be changed so that the fence would appear to be open when looking at it head on. She thought 3Y2" to 4" spacing with a 1" picket would accomplish this. The applicant was agreeable to the changes suggested. Opportunity for public comment was offered; however, there was none. Member Schmidt moved that the Planning & Zoning Board approve Rigden Farm, 13' Filing (New Dawn Assisted Living) Project Development Plan #56-98 based on the facts and findings on page 8 of the staff report with the condition that the perimeter fence be redesigned to contain at least 31/2" to 4" spacing between the vertical pickets. Member Stockover seconded the motion. Motion was approved 5-1, with Member Smith voting nay. Project: Elementary School at Ridgewood Hills Site Plan Advisory Review, #28-06 Project Description: The Thompson School District requests a Site Plan Advisory Review of a proposed elementary school in the Ridgewood Hills neighborhood, located south of Trilby Road and west of South College Avenue. The school site is located at 7115 Avondale Road, on the south side of the existing Homestead Park. The property is zoned LMN — Low Density Mixed -Use Neighborhood District, in which schools for elementary education are permitted uses. Staff Recommendation: Disapproval Hearina Testimony, Written Comments and Other Evidence: Associate Planner, Shelby Sommer, gave the staff presentation for this project. She stated that this was a request from the Thompson School District for a site plan advisory review for a new elementary school in the Ridgewood Hills Subdivision. A site plan advisory review is allowed pursuant to state statute and permits the City to review and comment on the project based on its location, character and extent. The school site is located directly south of the existing Homestead Park along Avondale Road, south of Trilby Road, and west of College Avenue. The school is positioned in the middle of the site. Avondale Road is located along the east side of the site. The site is organized with the parking and drop-off areas to the east of the building along Avondale, play areas to the west that will border the existing neighborhood greenbelt, and a bus turnaround loop along the northern property line,adjacent to the park. Staff has determined that the location of the proposed school is acceptable. The school property is approximately 7.7 acres and features a 56,000 square foot, partial two-story building. The north wing of the building will be used for classrooms, with 0 and 5°i grade classrooms located on the second floor. Early Childhood Education, Kindergarten and 1st grade classrooms will be in a separate wing on the first floor. There will be a separate play area for the Early Childhood and Planning & Zoning Board December 7, 2006 . Page 2 Staff Recommendation: Approval. Hearing Testimony, Written Comments and Other Evidence: Member Schmidt requested more detail 'regarding the perimeter fencing. City Planner, Steve Olt, referred to the site plan. He stated that there are streets on three sides of the development; Iowa Drive on the west side, Limon Drive along the north side, and Kansas Drive along the east side of the project. There will be a perimeter fence around the entire three -building complex. It will face the three streets. In this particular case, the perimeter fence sets back substantially from Kansas Drive, with landscaping just inside it. The perimeter fence continues along the back of the sidewalk on both Limon Drive and Iowa Drive. The fence is located internal to the sidewalk along the detention pond and follows the parking lot. Olt explained that the perimeter fence is proposed as a picket fence with posts that are six feet apart. Between the posts are one inch wide vertical pickets with a two inch gap in between . The total height of the fence is 3'10" from grade. The fence color is proposed as tan to light brown which would be consistent with the colors of the building. Applicant Eric Boe, 147 Halifax Road, Mahwah, NJ 07430, addressed the Board. He stated that he is the Chief Developmental Officer for New Dawn Assisted Living and that the perimeter fence is necessary due to the fact that they serve Alzheimer's and Dementia residents who have a tendency to wander. He noted that the fence is the last means of defense from the residence buildings to the streets and that, even though the buildings have alarms and residents are never supposed to be outside unsupervised, the fence provides added security. The gate on this fence will have magnetic key pads, so residents cannot open it without knowing the combination. Member Schmidt understood the purpose for having the fence, but was concerned, especially along Limon Drive, that such narrow spacing between the pickets would give the visual impression of a solid wall to someone on the road. She added that the applicant had done a really nice job with the landscaping and everything inside and around the buildings and thought the project would be very attractive for the residents. She was concerned about the fence looking like a solid wall. Member Schmidt stated that she had driven around town measuring fences and felt that a similar example was Woodward Governor on Lemay Avenue. This company has a fence that exists along the entire perimeter of the property, right along the sidewalk and along lengthy stretches of roadway. She stated that the fence has''/2" pickets with 3.5" spacing in between. Applicant asked if the fencing was aluminum square pickets. Member Schmidt confirmed this. She also noted that the perimeter fencing behind Radio Shack in the Wal-Mart Plaza is 1" in diameter with 4" spacing in between and that the smallest spacing she saw with pickets was approximately 3" spacing. She preferred a different fence design that would help ensure that the attractiveness of the buildings would be preserved for outside viewers. Her understanding was that there really wasn't going to be any landscaping, with the exception of some deciduous trees, to break up the look of the fence along the roadways. Applicant stated that his company has done fifteen similar projects in New Jersey. He stated that neighbors have always liked the picket fence since it promotes a more residential feel. He was agreeable to switching to alternate fencing materials and style. His only concern was that they obtain approval for some kind of fence to enable them to keep residents from wandering. Chairperson Lingle called the meeting to order at 6:04 p.m. Roll Call: Smith, Fries, Schmidt, Rollins, Stockover and Lingle. Member Meyer was absent. Staff Present: Gloss, Eckman, Olt, Sommer and Deines Citizen participation: None. Director of Current Planning, Cameron Gloss, reviewed the Consent and Discussion Agendas: Consent Agenda: 1. PZ06-18 Easement Dedication 2. PZ06-19 Easement Dedication 3. PZ06-20 Easement Dedication 4. PZ06-21 Easement Dedication 5. PZ06-22 Easement Dedication 6. PZ06-23 Easement Dedication 7. PZ06-24 Easement Dedication 8. #56-98AM Rigden Farm 13°i Filing (Pulled: Schmidt) 9. #33-01 N Plank PLO/PD Annexation and Zoning 10. #31-06 Plank PLD/PD Annexation and Zoning Discussion Items: 11. #28-06 Elementary School at Ridgewood Hills — Site Plan Advisory Review Member Fries moved for the approval of the Consent Agenda, with the exception of Item 8, Rigden Farm 13"' Filing, which was pulled by Member Schmidt for discussion. Member Schmidt seconded the motion. The motion passed 6-0. Project: Rigden Farm, 13"' Filing (New Dawn Assisted Living), Project Development Plan, #56-98 Project Description: This is a request for a long-term care (assisted living) facility on 2.5 acres. The facility will provide care for all forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. There will be a total of approximately 29,000 square feet of floor area in three 1-story buildings (9,538 square feet each with 16 private rooms). The maximum height of the buildings will be 22.5 feet (excluding chimneys). A total of 22 parking spaces will be provided on the site. The property is located at the southeast comer of Limon Drive and Iowa Drive. Kansas Drive will form the east property line and a single point of vehicular access to the site will be from the street. The property is in the MMN - Medium Density Mixed -Use Neighborhood Zoning District.