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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2303 Trousdale Drive - ApplicationCity of Burlingame Planning Department 501 Primrose Road P(650) 558-7250 F(650) 696-3790 www.burlingame.org 44, ITY CA Byt 14!►.. APPLICATION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION Iwo, Type of application: Design Review Conditional Use Permit x Variance Special Permit Other Parcel Number: Project address: 2303 Trousdale Drive, Burlingame, CA 94010 APPLICANT Name: Erudite Technology Group Address: 1722 Gilbreth Road City/State/Zip: Burlingame, CA 94010 Phone 650-259-0566 (h): (f): 650-259-0577 ARCHITECT/DESIGNER Name: Kastro-D Group. Inc. Architects Address: 1204 Middlefield Rd. Ste. C City/State/Zip: Redwood City, CA 94063 Phone(w): 650-299-0303 (h): (f): 650-299-1140 PROPERTY OWNER Name: Burl i ngamP R1 PmPntary School Dist. Address: 1825 Trousdale Drive City/State/Zip: Btirlingame, CA 94010 Phone(w): 6sn-299--iSnn (h): (f): 65n-95_g--IR?n Please indicate with an asterisk * the contact person for this project. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: See attached cover letter. AFFADAVIT/SIGNATURE: I hereby certify under penalty of perjury that the information given herein is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. Applicant's signature: kc6a -.13 . kgx,► . Date: I�qevn�& zs zAoz I know about the proposed application and hereby authorize the above applicant to submit this application to the Planning Commission. Property owner's signature: 14• � / `Date: Date submitted: R E CEIVFD NOV 2 7 2002 PCAPP.FRM CITY OF BURLINGAME PLANNING DEPT. November 27, 2002 Ms. Erika Lewit, Zoning Technician City of Burlingame Planning Commission City Hall 501 Primrose Road Burlingame, CA 94010 Re: Amended Conditional Use Permit; Cover Letter Dear Ms Lewit: Hope School � RECEIVEr= NOV 2 7 ?00? CITY OF BUIiLiNGANIt PLANNING DEPT. I am writing on behalf of Erudite Technology Group for the purpose of applying for an Amendment to our existing Conditional Use Permit for Hope Technology School located at 2302 Trousdale Drive, Burlingame, California; APN: 025-130-007. This request is made pursuant to Chapters 25.16 and 25.56 of the City of Burlingame Municipal Code. The subject property is part of Franklin Elementary School, which is owned by the Burlingame Elementary School District. The existing permit was granted by the Burlingame Planning Commission on May 13, 2002 and became effective May 21, 2002. Background On November 14, 2000 the Burlingame Elementary School District Board of Trustees approved leasing the premises to Erudite Technology Group for the purpose of operating a private, non-public school. We have operated Hope Technology School on the Franklin Elementary School premises since April 1, 2001. On March 19, 2002, the School Board approved renewal of our lease for an another year, effective July 1, 2002. In October 2002, District staff contacted our offices to offer us the use of an additional portable classroom, because estimated increases in enrollment at Franklin Elementary School had not materialized. On November 12, 2002 the District Board of Trustees approved lease of the extra classroom space to us and we took occupancy on November 21, 2002. Reason for Amended Application At the time we took occupancy, we did not realize that an additional amendment would be required, since the additional space did not effect our class sizes, the number of students, staff and volunteers on campus, the traffic flow or our bell schedule. However, PMB 172 1534 Plaza Lane, Burlingame, CA 94010-3204 www.hopetecq.org 650-259-0566 Tel 650-259-0543 Facsimile we have subsequently learned that the addition of a portable classroom is a change in condition, which requires us to come back before the Planning Commission. Current School Operations Unchanged Although the addition of a portable classroom increases the approved leased space by 960 sq.ft., to a total 5632 sq.ft. of classroom space, the remaining conditions approved by the Planning Commission stay the same. Classroom structure, class start and end times, school staffing and student population, parking, drop off and pick — all remain unchanged. Our plan is to move one of our larger classes into the new space and use the prior space for expanded therapy services. Justification for Conditional Use Permit 1 Since the proposed amendment involves the use of a portable classroom placed on campus by the District and that use furthers the continued operation of a private, nonpublic school site, the portable classroom is compatible with the existing school use, which is an appropriate conditional use within an R-1 Residential District. We do not propose to make any exterior structural changes to the portable classroom. Nor do we anticipate making any internal modifications at this time. The classroom has electricity, water, and heat and is ready for use. Wheelchair accessible ramps have also been installed. Bathroom facilities are located in the main school building approximately 27 feet away. If modifications become necessary at a later time, we will submit them to the appropriate City department(s) for approval. In addition to the portable classroom being leased to us, the District has another portable classroom, which it is using for an after school program and other classroom purposes. That portable adjoins ours. Use of the portable classroom will not change the character of the neighborhood, nor will it increase police or fire protection responsibilities, add additional public health concerns, or prevent access to the property, including the athletic field, by neighbors or members of the public who currently use it. The leased premises have been used previously as a school, or have been occupied by either District administrative staff (for District offices) or private entities under lease to the District, including us. In addition, as mentioned above, the portable classroom is ADA compliant and is accessible for elderly and handicapped persons, should they use or visit the facility. There is also a social benefit to the community by having our school for exceptional children continue to operate at this location. 1 We have included the supplemental information required for a Conditional Use Permit in tRneEC,L-- ' V E'[1) that follows, rather than on an attached form. NOV 2 7 2002 CITY OF BURLINGAME PLANNING DEPT. School District Considerations As part of the approval process, we are required to address the following Guidelines for Leasing Franklin School, adopted by the Burlingame Elementary School District Board of Trustees in 1984. First, we are a nonprofit corporation and as such we are an acceptable use under the Guidelines. We will continue to operate as a private school and may also seek certification from the State Department of Education as a nonpublic, nonsectarian school. Therefore, our business is compatible with Franklin Elementary School and the neighborhood location. Our program is available for students from the Burlingame Elementary School District; however, our plan does not currently include students from the District. If we pursue certification from the State Department of Education, we will offer our services to the District for any students requiring special education and related services, which the District requests us to consider. Our students arrive and leave at staggered times, attend class in their own separate classrooms on campus, have lunch and play activities in their own enclosed areas apart from the Franklin School children and do not interrupt, interfere with, compete with or create unsafe conditions for Franklin School or its students. The addition of the portable classroom will not change that situation. Second, as explained above, our operation will not create undue traffic in and around the school areas. We will continue to stagger our class start and end times, as well as our drop off and pick up times to ameliorate traffic flow problems. Also our small class sizes reduce the number of students involved in the program. Third, our parking plan should adequately address staff parking issues. The children are elementary students who do not drive and their parents will drop them off and pick them up. Although we will add a portable classroom and increase our leased space, we will just be relocating existing staff, students and volunteers. There should be no additional on - street parking concerns. Fourth, except for the portable classroom, we have small class sizes, with our children in self-contained classrooms in the bottom level of the building, which minimizes the noise from school activities and the disruption to the regular instructional program. With respect to their lunch and play activities, the children are in a fenced area and we schedule their activities so as to not overlap or interfere with Franklin School and its students. The circumstances will not change even with the addition of the portable classroom. It is self-contained and the children will follow our bell schedule (i.e., their classes, lunch and play activities will follow our schedule). Also, the adjoing portable operated by Franklin School is used for an after school program and our class activities should have minimal, if any, disruptive effect on that use. Fifth, except for the portable classroom being added, all the classrooms included in our permit are located in the same building, on the ground floor level, next to one another. This includes the bathrooms. There is direct access from each classroom in the main building to the outside lunch and play area. The bathrooms for the portable are inR E C E I V E NOV 2 7 2002 CITY OF BURLIIvGAIdIE PLANNING DEPT. 4 separate building adjacent to the portable, approximately 27 feet away. The play area for the children is a short walk away from the portable classroom. This application also includes copies of previously submitted floor and site plans and our parking plan, which were prepared by our architectural firm, Kastrop Group, Inc. We have also enclosed our check in the amount of $210.00 for processing the amended application. If you have any question or if we have failed to provide you with all the necessary information, please contact the school at 650-259-0566, or by fax at 650-259-0557. You may also contact me directly at 650-552-4909. If at all possible, we request that our application be placed on the December 9, 2002 Study Meeting calendar. If not, please set it for the first meeting in January 2003. If two hearings are not required, due to the routine nature of the request, then we ask that the matter be set for action at the earliest possible date. We look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Michael B. Mount President Attach. R E C E I E 1 Nov 2 7 ?00? CITY OF BURLINGAME PLANNING DEPT.