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PLN15-0323 - 508 Taylor Ave. - Applicant: Catherine Cook. Applicant requests approval of an Administrative Use Permit to allow the operation of a private school, with extended child care before and after class. The maximum capacity would be for 25 students. The site is served by three (3) off-street parking spaces for faculty. Classes will be conducted from 8:30am to 3:30pm, with extended morning child care starting at 7am, and ending at 6:00pm. The applicant is proposing to install a staggered drop off schedule for students in order to minimize traffic from on and off loading of students. The property is zoned R-2, Two-Family Residence Zoning District. The project is categorically exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301.
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CITY OF ALAMEDA
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
ADMINISTRATIVE USE PERMIT
ITEM NO: 3-A
(Continued from August 18, 2015)
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION: PLN15-0323 - 508 Taylor Ave. - Applicant: Catherine Cook. Applicant requests approval of an Administrative Use Permit to allow the operation of a private school, with extended child care before and after class. The maximum capacity would be for 25 students. The site is served by three (3) off-street parking spaces for faculty. Classes will be conducted from 8:30am to 3:30pm, with extended morning child care starting at 7am, and ending at 6:00pm. The applicant is proposing to install a staggered drop off schedule for students in order to minimize traffic from on and off loading of students. The property is zoned R-2, Two-Family Residence Zoning District. The project is categorically exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301.
GENERAL PLAN: Medium Density Residential
ZONING: R-2, Two-Family Residence District
ENVIRONMENTAL
DETERMINATION: Categorically exempt from State CEQA Guidelines, Section 15301 - Existing Facilities.
PROJECT PLANNER: David Sablan, Planner I
PUBLIC NOTICE: A public notice was mailed to property owners and residents within 300 feet of the project site, published in local newspapers and posted in public areas near the subject property.
ATTACHMENTS: 1. Proposed Site Plan & Floor Plan
2. Public Correspondence
BACKGROUND:
On July 7, 2015, the applicant filed an application for a Use Permit to allow for the operation of a private school, the Da Vinci Center for Gifted Children, to be located in an existing one-family residence at 508 Taylor Avenue. The operation currently exists at nearby 474 Taylor Avenue as a large family day care home, which is a permitted use in residential zoning district under State law and Alameda’s zoning regulations. The daycare wishes to expand from its current maximum capacity of 14 children as a large family daycare home to become a private school for up to 25 students. Private schools require a Use Permit residential districts in Alameda.
The proposed maximum capacity of the private school is 25 students, and the proposed hours of operations are from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with regular school hours occurring from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. The hours before and after school operations are to accommodate extended care primarily for children with working parents. The applicant is also proposing to institute a staggered drop-off and pick-up schedule for students to limit the amount of simultaneous traffic generated by the school.
DISCUSSION:
After the project was noticed to the public, staff received extensive public correspondence regarding the project. There were 14 letters in support, citing the need for child care services in west Alameda and the minimal traffic generated by the facility’s existing Taylor Avenue location. There were also four letters in opposition, including a petition signed by 25 residents of the 500 block of Taylor Ave, representing 15 separate households. The petition cited concerns over potential traffic impacts generated the private school. Pursuant to AMC Section 30-21.4, the Zoning Administrator may refer applications that generate significant public interest to the Planning Board. Given the amount of neighborhood interest generated by the project, staff recommends forwarding the project for Planning Board consideration. Once a Planning Board hearing date is established, there will be separate public noticing to the surrounding neighborhood as required by law.
RECOMMENDATION:
Take no action and refer the application to the Planning Board for future consideration at the September 28, 2015 noticed public hearing.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED BY:
DAVID SABLAN,
PLANNER I