07/25/2012 Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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t subject to the commissions review. Father Stollenwerlc said in 1999 when the church expanded there were twice as many parishioners as there are today. The parking lots are only fiill during Easter and Christmas and the percentage of inembers attending weekend masses is down 33%. Senior housing is needed in North Olmsted and the housing at Emerald Village is inarlcet rate. Mr. Cappabianca reviewed parking conditions during school hours and said once the project is done visitor parking will be in the front parking lot to miniinize parking in the rear lot. When there are large funerals the school has indoor recesses and during winter months the snow is relocated throughout the site which will not change. Father Stollenwerk reviewed off site locations which parishioners use regardless the condition of the onsite parking. The church occupancy of 984 seats is based on all offices, meeting rooms, school rooms and church seating combined. Mr. Malone said the ash trees along Country Club should be replaced to match the scheduled trees at the senior housing. Mr. Bohlmann asked why additional property to the south wasn't purchased and Father Stollenwerk said the church wasn't in a position to acquire additional property. Ms. Karban asked if there would be a curb cut onto Whitethorn, what steps were being talcen to address school buses along Whitethorn and the parishioners parking along their street. Ms. Sergi aslced if there would be fencing between the two parking lots. She is concerned the flow of traffic at the school will be adversely impacted by the new parking layout and asked why the City would want to create a non-conforming lot. Mr. Pulice said he is not opposed to the new building but is disappointed that the parishioners were not provided more information. He asked if thought had been given to malcing the building smaller so the impact of the development would be less. Mr. Lasko said as a member of the church for 29 years and as a member of the financial council, if the church lcnew then what they now know they would not have expanded the church. The landbank parking spaces have never been developed not even when the Whitethorn curb cut was eliminated so it truly is only 64 spaces being eliminated not 156 spaces. He equated the loss of the parking spaces in relation to the loss in parishioners which was a higher percentage. Father Stollenwerlc said the children in the school are veiy important however the purpose of the church is to evangelize and work with the community in serving the needs of all people. Ms. Staab said the area between the church and the senior housing won't be fenced but there will be a gate to block the ingress/egress point between sites during school hours. Mr. Cappabianca said he would work with the school to address buses parking along Whitethorn and said the play area for the children will be the same size just moved north. Mr. Malone moved, seconded by Mr. Mahoney, to recommend the BZA grant CMS12-18: St. Richard Church of 26855 Lorain n variance for 156 parking spaces, code requires 394 and applicant shows 238. Based upon the following findings: 1. Parishioner membership and participation is declining as shown by the applicant. 2. The Planning and Development Director, in researching other communities' standards, found North Olmsted's code appears too restrictive. The average found was 1 parking space per 4-5 seats and the applicant averages 1 space per 4.13 persons of capacity. 3. The landbanlced parking granted in 1999 to date has not had to be built out. Roll call: Malone, Nader, Parry, Mahoney - yes; Bohlmann - no; motion passed 4-1. Mr. Mahoney said his vote is based on the study finding the City's code to be restrictive. The fact that landbanlc parking was never required to be built out in more then ten years enforces the 64 2