July 19, 2005

SUBJECT: Stratford School Use Permit– One Year Review

REPORT IN BRIEF

In August 2004, the City Council approved a Use Permit for Stratford School that allowed expanded enrollment up to 440 students. As part of that approval, the Council required staff to return by the end of July 2005 with a report on any community problems and the amount of enrollment for the first year. This report recommends the City Council review and accept the information provided to them and take no further action.

BACKGROUND

In summer 2003, Stratford School requested a Use Permit for a private school to allow up to 440 students and 27 full time staff. Stratford is located at 819 West Iowa Avenue, near the corner of Pastoria and McKinley Avenues. After comments were received from the City’s Transportation Division, it was determined that a traffic impact analysis would be required. Under the City’s current policy, any proposed use that generates an increase of 100 peak hour trips or more, over the previous use, is subject to a traffic impact analysis and environmental review. Stratford School’s projected peak trip generation rate exceeded this 100-trip generation threshold and, therefore, would have required a traffic study.

At that time, the applicant was not averse to completing these additional studies but found that the additional level of review would not allow them to meet their projected timeline. The applicant stated that it was critical for the school to be open by the start of the regular school year in September 2003. As a result, the applicant modified the project to reduce the maximum number of proposed students from 440 down to 258. A reduction in the maximum number of students decreased the number of additional peak trips to be less than 100; therefore, a traffic study was not required. The Use Permit was approved at the City’s Administrative Hearing on August 4, 2003.

In 2004, the applicant returned to the City to request an increase in the maximum enrollment up to the originally intended 440 students. The applicant completed a full traffic impact analysis, which reviewed projected traffic volumes and suggested mitigation that would minimize the impacts of the proposed project. These mitigation measures, along with staff’s Conditions of Approval, were proposed as a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program for the school.

Planning Commission Hearing: On July 26, 2004, the Planning Commission reviewed this application and received testimony from five members of the public. The speakers were concerned with a variety of issues, including, traffic safety, increased traffic volumes resulting from this application, lack of crosswalks on nearby streets, and lack of on-site parking for the school. Following public testimony, the Planning Commission discussed the merits and impacts of the proposal and voted 4-2 to approve the Use Permit with the conditions of approval.

The Planning Commission added one Condition of Approval stating that the turn-out on Pastoria Avenue shall not be used for loading and unloading operations. The Commission was concerned that this turn-out does not have sufficient length to accommodate loading operations and could cause queuing onto Pastoria Ave.

The Planning Commission’s decision was appealed by two neighbors on August 10, 2004.  The appellants’ justification was based on the following information submitted in their letter of appeal.

• There is not adequate emergency access for the surrounding residents when the school is in operation.
• There are level of service problems at intersections in the surrounding area.  Residents have already complained to Public Safety on numerous occasions about existing level of service problems.
• The Senior Center was a less impacting use than Stratford, due to different types of operations.
• Adair Elementary School may have had a similar enrollment as Stratford is now proposing, but Adair operated at a time when most students walked or biked to school.  In addition, the low-medium density housing development (Somerset) did not exist in the area at that time.
• Neighboring residents are already experiencing traffic problems under Stratford’s current enrollment, including queuing onto the street.
• The parking ratios from the City Code do not accurately reflect the operation of Stratford.
• The existing facility cannot accommodate 440 students.  The applicant may eventually build a two-story building to accommodate these students.
• The staggering of class start and end times cannot practically be implemented.

City Council Hearing: The City Council reviewed this item on August 24, 2004 and received testimony from 11 members of the public. The speakers generally spoke against expansion of student enrollment at the school but some were in favor of the project. Following public testimony, the Council discussed the merits and impacts of the proposal and voted 6-0 to deny the appeal and uphold the Planning Commission’s decision with modified Conditions of Approval. The Council generally felt that the increased enrollment would increase the traffic in the area, but the increase would not be a significant impact to the neighborhood. Several Council members stated their decision to recommend approval of the project was a difficult one, but also stated that the TDM program would help to mitigate potential traffic problems in the future.

The City Council added four Conditions of Approval to the project. The first was for the applicant to work with the Sunnyvale School District to arrange for access for student drop off through the Iowa Avenue parking lot if it becomes necessary. The second was for Stratford School to provide a dedicated contact person for residents who have complaints about the school’s operations. The third was for staff to report back to Council by the end of July 2005 on any community problems and the amount of enrollment for the first year. The final condition was for staff to provide a dedicated City staff person to review email complaints and track findings on a quarterly basis and report back to the Council in July 2005.

EXISTING POLICY

Stratford’s Operations: Stratford School operates on a year round basis, with the regular school year session beginning in September and ending in mid-June. Summer session starts in early July and ends in mid-August. The hours of operation are between 7:00am and 6:00pm, Monday through Friday, with intermittent special events permitted during evening hours and on weekends. There are a maximum of 440 students allowed for preschool and grades K through 8. Approximately 56% of these students attend preschool classes and 44% attend grades K through 8^th. The school’s representative estimates that 50% of the total number of students are from Sunnyvale.

DISCUSSION

During the 2004-2005 school year Stratford had a maximum enrollment of 400 students. This number includes children who attend school on a full time and an intermittent basis, such as Tuesday and Thursday mornings only. During the morning hours is when the school reaches its maximum operations.

Over the past year a TDM program was created and implemented for the school (Attachment C). This program was issued to all parents as part of their parent handbook. The school’s representative states that the TDM program is continually reviewed and updated as certain programs are found to be successful or not. In general, the school’s representative stated that there were very few traffic related incidences at the site. In the instance when a problem did occur, the offending party/parent was contacted directly by Stratford staff and instructed on correct operations at the school.

Stratford worked with the Sunnyvale School District to arrange for access for student drop off through the Iowa Avenue parking lot but found that it was not necessary. School staff reported that the drop-off and pick-up area on West McKinley Avenue was sufficient for the school’s needs. In the McKinley lot parents are required to right turn in and out only; left turns and three point turns are not allowed on McKinley Avenue.

Complaints to the School: The school’s representative stated they received only a few phone calls, emails, or visits from neighboring residents regarding traffic problems in the area. In all cases, school staff worked directly with the neighbors to resolve the complaints.

Complaints to City: During Stratford’s 2004-2005 school year, Jack Witthaus of the City’s Division of Transportation and Traffic was designated as the single point of contact for complaints/comments from the public. During this time he received only one complaint regarding congestion on the public street at the Stratford site. City Transportation and Traffic Division staff responded but found no issue, as traffic was moving smoothly. The Department of Public Safety received no complaints related to traffic or Stratford School’s activities between August 2004 and July 2005.

FISCAL IMPACT

No fiscal impacts are expected.