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CUP No. 2012 -17 & VA No. 2012 -06 <br />August 13, 2012 <br />Page 6 <br />Variance No. 2012 -06 (a) - Parkina Variance <br />The parking requirements for a high school would require a total of 277 parking spaces for this new <br />facility, which is based on one space per 150 feet of classroom area, one space per 333 square <br />feet of office area, one space per two beds (SAMC Sec. 41- 1401). As only 146 spaces are <br />proposed for the school, a Parking Needs Assessment and Special Event Parking Management <br />Plan was prepared by Linscott Law & Greenspan, a professional traffic engineering firm. <br />The February 2012 study analyzed the parking demand of a blended high school, which included <br />an academic and residential component. Further, it studied the parking characteristics of other <br />area high schools in an attempt to calculate a more appropriate parking demand for the school. <br />Based on field observations and studies of the neighboring schools, the study determined that a <br />maximum of 146 parking spaces would be needed. <br />The 146 parking spaces were derived by determining a more realistic parking demand of 126 <br />spaces (0.22 spaces per student) for the academic function of the school. Additionally, to ensure <br />there was a surplus of available parking, an additional 25 percent was added to the 0.22 ratio to <br />provide a generation rate of 0.28 spaces per student. Based on this ratio, a total of 126 spaces <br />were determined to be required for the educational component. <br />The study also analyzed the needs for the residential component of the high school. Based on the <br />City's parking standard, a total of 66 spaces would be required to accommodate the 80 students <br />and approximately 16 houseparent's expected to reside on campus. The assessment noted that <br />the city's parking requirement is typically applied to college campuses where all residents are <br />licensed drivers and many have their own personal vehicles. Because the high school will serve <br />foster youth that are less likely to have vehicles and may not be of driving age, the parking demand <br />for the residential component is anticipated to be reduced. A rate of 2.5 spaces per residential <br />unit, equaling 20 parking spaces, is proposed for the project (Exhibit 7). <br />Based upon the findings of the study and a review of similar campuses, Linscott Law & Greenspan <br />study concluded that the project, with 146 parking spaces, would be more than adequate for this <br />use. The study concludes that additional parking be made available in the event a special event <br />occurs on the premises. As a result, conditions of approval have been placed on the project that <br />requires the school to secure a reciprocal parking agreement at a nearby parcel. Staff <br />recommends approval of this variance based on the following facts and findings. <br />• The project site has a special circumstance related to its size, shape and location. Due to the <br />location and constraints of the site, which is surrounded by development, the project is unable to <br />provide the code required parking. To determine an alternate parking demand for the school, a <br />parking and special needs assessment was prepared by the traffic engineering firm of Linscott <br />Law & Greenspan. The study concluded that a maximum parking demand of 146 would be <br />required for the school, including all staff and residents. Applying the strict letter of the parking <br />31 B -8 <br />