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08-08-00KALISPELL CITY -COUNTY PLANNING BOARD MINUTES OF MEETING AUGUST 8, 2000 CALL TO ORDER AND Johnson called the meeting to order at approximately 6:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Members present were: Jean Johnson, Rob Heinecke, Bill Rice, Don Garberg, Brian Sipe, Dale Pierce, Don Hines, and Greg Stevens. Don Mann had an excused absence. Narda Wilson represented the Flathead Regional Development Office. There were. approximately 24 people in the audience. APPROVAL OF MINUTES On a motion by Heinecke and seconded by Sipe the minutes of the meeting of July 11, 2000 were unanimously approved. KALISPELL ASSEMBLY A request by the Kalispell Assembly of God Church for a OF GOD CHURCH conditional use permit to allow for the expansion of their CONDITIONAL USE church at 255 Summit Ridge Drive on property in an R-3 PERMIT zoning district in Kalispell. STAFF REPORT Narda Wilson gave a presentation on staff report KCU-00-6. Wilson indicated the property on a map saying it was southwest of Four Mile Drive and Hwy 93, with the new ball fields to the north. She stated the applicants were proposing an approximate 35,000 sq. ft. addition to their existing facility, which was located on a 17.5 acre site. She said the current facility was 41,000 square feet. The main addition, adding �> 21,000 square .feet, would be used for classrooms and multi- purpose use, as opposed to expansion of the seating capacity for the sanctuary, and another 12,000 square foot addition in the foyer, plus two small additions off the east and west wings of the building. She said there were no elevation drawings submitted because they are in preliminary stages. Wilson noted that Sugar and Spice Day Care moved to the Salvation Army building and that function of the church building no longer existed. She said the seating capacity for the church was 2,138, including the balcony, -and there were areas with classrooms and administrative offices. The church was constructed in 1985 and zoning at that time allowed the church as a permitted use. She added that subsequent to then zoning regulations had changed and the church was now in a conditional use permit category, hence the need for them to come before the Planning Board and the City Council. She said all of the property in the area was developed and zoned residential. Wilson stated there was a newer subdivision to the north, Sunrise View, which was mostly undeveloped, and a significant density of single-family residences to the south and west in North Ridge and Summit Ridge. These create quite a bit of residential traffic in the area. She stated there was adequate space on the property for the addition, noting a third of the site to the north would remain undeveloped. Wilson noted that access to the site stemmed from two existing approaches off Summit Ridge Drive to the south, and a private access off of North Haven Drive to the north, which was a gated access and not open to the public except during church functions. The staff recommended approval subject to the conditions in the staff report. Pierce asked how much of the property remained with the Parkway extension and wondered how they would use that property. Wilson said it could be used to create the same size residential lots that were located to the south and north and, yes, the church would still own the property. Pierce asked if they would grant a right-of-way to the road and Wilson said they did not know yet, that it was up to the Board and the City Council as to how they wanted to handle it. PUBLIC ilEARING The public hearing was opened to those who wished to speak on the application. PROPONENTS Dick Bishop of 136 Trail Ridge Rd., a pastor of the church for 18 years spoke in favor of the application. He said the church currently seated 1200 people. He thought they had a good facility in terms of worship space and a place to have large public meetings, but the need now was to provide facilities for their youth. He said the multi -purpose facility would be used for that purpose. In addition, he said they were out of space for educational purposes, like space for classes and small meetings. They are also building a major kitchen, which would provide opportunity for fellowship. He said they were excited about the project, that it would enhance their ability to love and care for people. He said they made changes with their parking by adding access to the north off Haven Drive and wanted it to be a win/win for everyone. Howard Sebestinas, of 179 Cheviot Loop in North Ridge, a business manager of the church, stated they would put in additional parking as required and were planning additional parking regardless. He said the church purchased an additional 4 acres to the west of North Haven Drive, abutting Four Mile Drive and they now have that land for additional use. He said Sugar and Spice was closing August 25+h, and thought it would significantly reduce the amount of vehicle trips per day during the week. He said they did not anticipate a significant increase in trips per day on Wednesday evenings or Sundays and that the expansion was to provide for people who are already coming to the church. He said the church would probably grow, but the immediate plan was to meet a need that is already critical. Sebastinas stated they now have parking attendants on Sundays and have asked everyone notto park on Summit Ridge Drive. He said they just opened the access off North Haven Drive and would pave it and make it 20 feet (� wide. He said it was gated due to traffic hazards to the children at Sugar and Spice, but they would consider opening Kalispell City -County Planning Board August 8, 2000 Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 9' it up as an alternative to Parkway Drive. He said the church would go one step further for their special events and hire the sheriffs posy to direct traffic on the streets and they would do it every Sunday if necessary to help move traffic on and off of Hwy. 93. He said they were community minded and shared their facility with FVCC, Flathead Festival, other churches for large weddings, Glacier Choral, and radio stations. However, they have not had significant impacts on trip usage. If the church had to do anything with Parkway Drive, he said the financial impact would be significant and there was no money in the budget for an issue like that. Albert Olszenski of 722 Parkway Drive stated his position was neutral/positive on the project. He wanted to point out that with the amount of traffic going through with the expansion, the length of Summit Ridge Drive to Parkway Drive connection would be too long of a distance. He suggested a turn lane on Hwy. 93 and asked the Board to consider a controlled traffic light at Summit Ridge Drive and Hwy 93. Don Counsell, 92 Hawthorne West, an architect for the project spoke in favor stating the church would respect the set backs and said they intended to stay well over the 20 feet required. He said they had a green belt between the parking lot and the neighboring houses and even though the church was large, it was small compared to what could be developed on that site. He pointed out that allowable lot coverage could be up to 35% of the lot, given they had 17.5 acres, plus they had purchased another 4 acres on the west side of North Haven Drive. Regarding elevation drawings, he said they were working on height and elevations now, adding that the building would be designed in kind with what was there. He reiterated what Bishop said regarding the use of the project, adding they would be installing more toilets. He said he agreed with all of the conditions except for the street connection on Parkway Drive. He thought it was a planning issue and that it was a poor plan.. He believed the ball fields increased traffic during weeknights, whereas church was Wednesday night and Sundays. He said they had a big impact for a short amount of time. He thought the traffic snarl on Sunday mornings may last 10 minutes and said they initiated and announced a back way out on North Haven Drive. He believed it was a good project and it would enhance the community. John Schwartz, 4 Sunset Plaza, represented Schwartz Engineering and was retained by the church to assist with the conditional use permit. He addressed the technical merits of the project and staff conditions 4 and 5. He explained that the existing church had established parking and subsequent traffic flow requirements based on seating capabilities. He stated there would not be an increase in the seating capacity of the church. Therefore, they did not anticipate an increase in traffic Kalispell City -County Planning Board August 8, 2000 Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 9 generation. He explained the conditional use process by saying it was established for the planning commission, and the neighbors and citizens to take a look at and evaluate the impacts the facility would have on the neighbors, and that the process would allow mitigation to those impacts. He said churches impose a significant traffic generation, but, from a design standard, peak hour traffic was counted as the greatest amount of traffic in four consecutive fifteen -minute intervals. He said one hour, from 9:30 to 10:30 on Sunday mornings, would be the greatest hour, and that traffic from the church was peak for 10 to 1.5 minutes. He added that was an acceptable delay. He said the amount of traffic coming out of the facility needed to be addressed and the intention of any transportation network, Kalispell not being a successful model of, was to take traffic from collectors to major collectors, to minor arterials to major arterials. Basically, he said, to move that traffic from its origin to its destination. He said FRDO presented a staff report recommending traffic would enter Parkway Drive, through a residential zone, onto Four Mile Drive and in his opinion it was a failure of the transportation network. He said the goal was to quickly and efficiently move the traffic to higher capacity streets and recommended accessing North Haven Drive and Four Mile Drive, then proceeding to a lighted intersection, quickly, effectively, and without moving through a residential neighborhood. Or, traffic that is southbound may come out on Summit Ridge Drive and \ turn right or continue south on Parkway drive to the lighted v intersection. Either way would be acceptable. He said southbound traffic had a right turn onto a major arterial, northbound had the ability to access through North Haven Drive, accessing Hwy 93 on a controlled intersection. Both of those would be minimal or acceptable impacts. He added that if the City wanted to take 342 feet of property and divide off the land, then the City needed to do that through a taking process. The City should not cause an effect on the existing residential neighborhood that, in turn, is a taking of the property owner's property. He said it divides and subdivides the owner's property by placing a street through it. He didn't think it was good planning. He said the planners should not encourage traffic to short circuit the network through residential areas; it was an issue the City of Kalispell needed to resolve. The Planning Board's goal should be to create a beneficial appearance and positive approach to the City. Right now, he said the church presented them with green space and asked it be left as green space. He encouraged the Board to adopt staff recommendations, saying they had done a good job and he agreed, except for recommendations 4 and 5, which he requested be removed from the conditions. Linda Smith of 627 Parkway Drive submitted a letter to the \l planning commission and spoke in favor of the expansion, but -/ not in favor of the Parkway Drive connection. She said it was Kalispell City -County Planning Board August 8, 2000 Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 9 hard to get across Parkway Drive, with the long line of traffic on Summit Ridge Drive. Smith said Parkway Drive would not be a beneficial route adding there was a very steep drop off that went down into a field. She said the church put aside expansion plans 5 or 6 years ago because of those same problems. She was confident the church would take care of their parking. She said they really needed the expansion for functions and she didn't mind the traffic because someone usually stopped and let her in, however, the traffic lasted from 15 to 30 minutes. She said there were incidents of people cutting through New Haven, to get to the baseball field, and one night she counted 60 cars. OPPONENTS No one else wished to speak and the public hearing was closed. BOARD DISCUSSION Garberg asked and Olszenski answered that yes, his question was addressed regarding seating, stating the average attendance was approximately 1300 between the two services. Wilson stated the number 2000 came from the building permit application. Rice asked and Wilson answered that the idea to connect Parkway Drive came from a recommendation by Kalispell Site Review Committee, not just from FRDO. She said it was obvious there was no connection between the residential areas there and Four Mile Drive, and that traffic was forced to go out on to the highway. She said the connection would provide public access between Northridge, Summit Ridge, Four Mile Drive, and the ball fields. She clarified that FRDO was not recommending the church construct Parkway Drive, but dedicate the right-of-way and enter into a discussion with the City as to how and when construction might happen. Wilson added that after hearing Smith say that 60 cars cut through the parking lot, a definite need was there for a connection between the two areas. Pierce stated there was opposition from the neighbors and Wilson agreed because, she said, the people on Parkway Drive knew that if the road were constructed there would be traffic driving past their homes. She said she couldn't blame them, but, in the interest of the public at large, people used the ball fields and lived in North Ridge and Summit Ridge subdivisions. Pierce asked if they exited on Four Mile Drive and Hwy. 93 and Wilson said it depended on where the traffic came from. She said they entered on Hwy. 93 either from Summit Ridge Drive or North Ridge, where there was a controlled intersection. Pierce asked about the feasibility of a stop light at Summit Ridge Drive and Hwy. 93, and Wilson said it would have to be proposed, for example, a recommendation made by the planning board and adopted by the council, as a condition of the permit. Then the applicant would have to talk to MDOT and do a traffic study to see if it warranted a traffic light. She Kalispell City -County Planning Board August 8, 2000 Meeting Minutes Page 5 of 9 said that would be an option, but it would be expensive and time consuming on the part of the applicant. Wilson said they didn't know if the traffic at that intersection warranted a light. Stevens questioned the recommendation for the extension and Wilson explained that the Site Review Committee was composed of the Public Works Dept., Police Dept., Fire Dept., Building Dept., Zoning Administrator, FRDO staff, and Parks and Rec. She said it was the Site Review Committees' recommendation. Stevens suggested they consider all the impacts of the expansion in the hospital area, the Buffalo Commons, the State lands, NuPac, and he thought the City should contact MDOT and cooperate with them. He said there would be a tremendous amount of growth all the way to Reserve Drive and he thought the City should pay attention to what was going to happen there. He thought the City should contact MDOT and develop a traffic light pattern all the way. to Reserve Drive, but specifically at Summit Ridge. He said it didn't seem the extension of Parkway Drive would solve the problem and that another traffic light would be more sensible. He added that creating a tremendous impact on the neighborhood and a tremendous sacrifice by the church for a questionable benefit to others was not maintaining the general welfare. In light of that Stevens was ready to make a motion to delete conditions 4 and 5. Garberg commented that new roads and street lights would be a detraction from people's views. He mentioned he had spoken to several attorneys about it who said, unless the conditional use request had an impact on the property it would be a taking. He questioned the legality of conditions 4 and 5 and wanted the City Council to check into whether it would be a taking or not. Sipe asked and Counsell answered that they did not anticipate the road accessing North Haven Drive to be open all of the time. Counsell said it could become a liability to the church, but they would be using it during church hours and during special events. He said the design could be made so that it can be crashed by emergency vehicles. Sipe stated that if the City wanted access they should negotiate with the church, should the church be willing to sell. He didn't think the church should be required to give up anything and that the reasons were not good enough for that. Johnson asked and Schwarz answered that the percentage of slope on Parkway Drive was approximately 10 percent. Johnson questioned the feasibility of a 10 percent grade going into a 90 degree turn. He also questioned the access to North Haven as being a complete approach and having a controlled access. He said his only comment was regarding the U subdivision to the north, which he developed, saying they went Kalispell City -County Planning Board August 8, 2000 Meeting Minutes Page 6 of 9 to site review and fought for that extension; to go nowhere, with lighted streets to go nowhere, and that it would be inappropriate. His client volunteered to take all the monies required for that extension and build a park, at his cost, and maintain it. It was denied. The site review committee, at that time, did not allow people to present their case, as is done now. He said, it was highly inappropriate to come down a 10 degree slope and expect people to make a 90 degree turn, then proceed down the street to make another 90 degree turn, to finally access Four Mile Drive, which was a substandard street to begin with. In addition, if and when North Haven became a part of the city, there were provisions for the North Ridge people to access North Haven Drive to get access to Four Mile Drive. The lot was set aside, the property was there, it was just never developed. He said the extension of Parkway Drive was as absurd 4 years ago, when they did the subdivision, as it was now. MOTION Sipe moved and Rice seconded to adopt FRDO staff report KCU-00-6 as findings of fact and recommend to the Kalispell City Council the requested conditional use permit be granted subject to the following conditions. MOTION Garberg moved and Pierce seconded to amend the conditions of approval by deleting items 4 and 5. BOARD DISCUSSION Heinecke stated that it seemed obvious that the connection had 0 been planned to pass and he was reluctant to drop it out. He said he would feel more comfortable if there was a condition to have a connection between the street coming onto North Haven and Summit Ridge, which would mean construction of a dedicated street with access to the parking lot. His concern was that if you got down to Four Mile Drive you had to get back on the highway and get off again. He said they needed to think about access, and if they wanted to keep the traffic on Hwy. 93 or put the traffic flow through the neighborhood. Stevens said he appreciated those concerns and thought the problem needed to be addressed by what was going on with the highway and the amount of growth in that area. He didn't think a little road was going to do the trick. He said they needed to recommend to the City Council they get together with MDOT, in view of all the growth that was happening from West Reserve Drive south, and address the problem with controlled access rather than destroying the neighborhood and taking property from the church. Garberg stated he wished to recall the conversation of the engineer about "what was impact", and how to evaluate impact. He said the church had an impact on the traffic of less then an \l hour to an. hour and a half a week. So, to divide the property and put a thoroughfare through would not be conducive to Kalispell City -County Planning Board August 8, 2000 Meeting Minutes Page 7 of 9 what the conditional use permit was all about, and it would detract from that property. He thought the property owner would experience a loss by having a driveway put through his D property, plus, he said, it would be used by everyone going to the baseball fields. He said it defeated the purpose of a good traffic plan. He thought the traffic needed to get to a major artery by not going through residential areas. Johnson said the access road was not conducive to meeting Kalispell street standards because of grade and proximity to the church. Rice commented that there were two issues; one being the traffic, and the other being access to neighborhoods, North Haven Drive, Four We Drive, and the ballparks. He did not see Parkway Drive extension as a solution to the traffic issue. He said it was a solution for access from one neighborhood to another neighborhood, but thought it was in the wrong place for that access because of the slope and splitting of the property. He thought one available spot was the extension of the street off Summit Ridge onto North Haven. He didn't see a problem with the City pursuing buying that property if the church wanted to sell. Johnson had two comments; If and when they get a fire department in North Ridge the connection between North Haven and North Ridge would become effective. Number two, as of a month ago, the NIDOT in Helena said the City of Kalispell was not communicating with them regarding plans for `J development of the Hwy. 93 corridor to Reserve Street, and he said that needed to be done. He said one of the issues was to figure out if they needed a traffic control device at Summit Ridge and Hwy. 93, and no one was talking to anyone, and they should be. He said, we're talking about DNRC, about 127 houses on Reserve Street, and who knows what's happening with NuPac, doubling the size of the hospital and not accommodating traffic flow. He said that was not a condition of the conditional use permit, it was a much bigger problem. DOLL CALL Stevens called for the question and on a roll call vote the motion to delete items 4 and 5 of the recommended conditions was unanimously approved. MOTION Garberg called for the question and on a roll call vote the motion to approve staff report KCU-00-6 as findings of fact, with the amended conditions, passed unanimously and was recommended to the Kalispell City Council for approval. OLD BUSINESS It was agreed that summer was over and meeting times would resume in September to 7:00 p.m. for the fall/winter schedule. NEW BUSINESS Johnson stated that the next step in the growth management plan was that the City Council had provided staff with recommendations and those would be reviewed at a workshop Kalispell City -County Planning Board August 8, 2000 Meeting Minutes Page 8 of 9 on Aug. 28, where there would be a consensus brought to amend accordingly. Wilson stated the only thing so far on the agenda for next month was the Stratford subdivision, which had been previously withdrawn. AWOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned by a motion from Stevens and seconded by Pierce at approximately 7:25 p.m. The next regular meeting will be September 12, 2000 at 7:00 p.m. ' • • Approved as submitted/corrected: � / /9100 Kalispell City -County Planning Board August 8, 2000 Meeting Minutes Page 9 of 9