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CUP No. 2010 -01 and VA No. 2010 -02 <br />February 22, 2010 <br />Page 5 <br />19 percent of the student population is non - driving, and therefore use an alternative method of <br />commuting such as bicycling, ride - sharing and using public transit. The project site and vicinity <br />is well developed with sidewalks, crosswalks and pedestrian pushbuttons to accommodate the <br />movement of pedestrians between the bus stops and the building. The applicant should <br />provide a transit information area in the lobby of the building, where students can pick up <br />current bus route schedules and maps, and should consider providing transit passes at a <br />reduced rate to encourage transit ridership. <br />Based on the analysis, parking on -site is not sufficient to fully provide the needed parking for the <br />school use. Although 424 spaces are required by SAMC, the study concludes that a total of 285 <br />spaces are needed. The parking structure contains 258 parking stalls and therefore, 27 additional <br />parking spaces will need to be provided off -site. The applicant has been working with several <br />properties within the immediate downtown area to secure the 27 parking spaces. The concept of <br />utilizing parking within the downtown /civic center area is not unusual and to some extent parallels <br />the practice used in suburban shopping centers. Parking can be shared between uses, either <br />because of differing operational hours or the fact that customers park once to shop or visit <br />throughout the downtown and civic center areas. <br />Further, as a result of the study several conditions of approval are requested to ensure that the <br />operation of the school use does not adversely affect the surrounding areas. In general, these <br />conditions relate to: <br />• Securing additional parking off -site; <br />• Class schedules offer a 20- minute break between ending and starting; <br />• Implement appropriate measures to reduce vehicle queuing at parking structure; <br />• No public parking within parking structure; <br />• Provide transit alternatives including reduced bus passes, carpool matching and convenient <br />bike racks; and <br />Additionally, because of the late night operation of the school, the Police Department has <br />recommended an evening security service. Lastly, the parking for the project is directly tied to the <br />specific floor plan submitted. Any future expansion of the school use or deviation from the <br />approved floor plan resulting in a higher parking demand would require a re- evaluation of the <br />conditional use permit and variance by the Planning Commission. <br />The issuance of a conditional use permit will allow a professional trade school to provide educational <br />opportunities for residents of the City as well as those within the surrounding communities while <br />providing additional potential customers to the area. Staff has analyzed the project and has <br />determined that the project will create minimal impacts to the surrounding properties. The request for <br />a reduction in parking through Variance No. 2010 -02 has been analyzed and with conditions can be <br />accommodated and ensure the school will not negatively impact adjacent properties. Therefore, staff <br />recommends approval of Conditional Use Permit No. 2010 -01 and Variance No. 2010 -02 as <br />conditioned. <br />31A-7 <br />