ARLINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA

Transcription

1 ARLINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA County Board Agenda Item Meeting of April 22, 2017 DATE: March 30, 2017 SUBJECT: U Arlington County School Board for a new elementary school, parking garage, and associated facilities in the S-3A zoning district under ACZO 4.2, 4.1.2, 15.4 with modification of zoning ordinance requirements for height, setbacks, parking, and other modifications as necessary to achieve the proposed development plan. Property is approximately 167,820 sq. ft. (3.85 acres); and to incorporate the existing Thomas Jefferson Middle School and associated facilities with modification of zoning ordinance requirements for parking, located at 125 S. Old Glebe Road (RPC# , -058). Applicable policies: GLUP Public. New Elementary School at Thomas Jefferson Applicant: Arlington County School Board 1726 N. Quincy St. Arlington, VA C.M. RECOMMENDATIONS: Approve the subject use permit for a new elementary school, parking garage, and associated facilities with height, setback, and parking modifications; and to incorporate the existing Thomas Jefferson Middle School and associated facilities with parking modifications, subject to the conditions of the staff report. Confirm the public school is consistent with the Arlington County Comprehensive Plan. ISSUES: This is a use permit request for a new elementary school and associated parking garage on an existing surface parking lot. After an extensive community process, remaining concerns are theater parking during construction, buffer to single-family residences at the north side of the site, the existing surface parking lot on the prominent corner of S. Old Glebe Road and 2 nd Street S, and the sidewalk network in the immediate area. Several advisory commissions have reviewed the subject use permit and have provided comments, which are included and discussed in the report. County Manager: ##### County Attorney: ***** 1A,B Staff: Michelle Stahlhut, DCPHD Planning Robert Gibson, DES Transportation Marco Rivero, DPR

2 SUMMARY: A use permit is proposed to construct a new elementary school with a capacity of 752 students on the parking lot located directly west of the existing Thomas Jefferson Middle School (TJMS). The parking lot is owned by Arlington County and a concurrent lease agreement with Arlington Public Schools (APS) will allow for construction of the school on this land. The project will include a parking garage that will accommodate parking for both the new elementary school and TJMS. The site is zoned S-3A and designated Public on the General Land Use Plan (GLUP). The new school was included in the School Board s Capital Improvements Plan (CIP). The new elementary school consists of a multi-story, approximately 110,000 square foot building located on the northwest corner of the property with a height up to approximately 70 feet and an underground parking garage containing 214 parking spaces. In addition to the parking garage, APS proposes an additional 36 surface parking spots in three surface lots for a total of 250 spaces for the middle school and elementary school. The project has had an extensive public review process that began in September 2014 with the establishment of the Thomas Jefferson Working Group (TJWG) and continued in June 2015 with the South Arlington Working Group (SAWG). The current design has been endorsed by the School s Building Level Planning Committee (BLPC), and the County s Public Facilities Review Committee (PFRC). The proposal meets the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance with modifications for height from 45 up to 70, front setback reduction from 50 to the street centerline to 37.8 and rear setback to property line from 28 to 0, and parking modifications from 292 to 250, is consistent with the GLUP, and is generally consistent with the County s Principles of Civic Design and the TJWG s Guidelines, Conditions & Design Principles. Staff recommends that the County Board approve the use permit with modifications to Arlington County Zoning Ordinance (ACZO) requirements subject to conditions of the staff report. BACKGROUND: There were a number of APS and County processes with regard to planning the new elementary school at the. APS CIP Process, TJWG, SAWG The Fiscal Year (FY) APS Capital Improvements Program (CIP) was approved by the Arlington School Board in June The CIP called for funding for a new elementary school at the. The Thomas Jefferson Working Group (TJWG) was established to study the site between September 2014 and January In January 2015, the TJWG issued a report summarizing their findings about the potential for an elementary school at the and based on this report, the County Board decided not to support moving forward for this school site option. As a result, the South Arlington Working Group (SAWG) was formed to study various sites for a new South Arlington elementary school. The SAWG process was completed in November 2015, and the SAWG issued a final report including a preference to build a new elementary school for Patrick Henry on the. In December 2015, the County Board and the U# New Elementary School - 2 -

3 School Board School approved the as the site for a new neighborhood elementary school. Public Review Process At a joint work session with the School Board held on February 19, 2016, the County Board endorsed a planning process for the. Unique to the new elementary school at Thomas Jefferson process, the BLPC and PFRC held joint monthly meetings. Separate BLPC and PFRC meetings were also scheduled as needed to provide the individual committees more time when discussing certain topics. The design process included three (3) phases: a conceptual phase, a schematic phase, and the final phase which included review of the use permit to be considered by the County Board. The following provides additional information about the new elementary school site and location (125 S. Old Glebe Rd.): Site: The site is bound on the north by single family dwellings and Arlington Boulevard, on the east by Thomas Jefferson Middle School and Thomas Jefferson Park and Community Center, on the south by Dominion Arms Apartments, the Dominion Square Townhouses and 2nd Street South, and on the west by the Arbors of Arlington Condominiums and South Old Glebe Road. Zoning: The site is zoned S-3A Special District. Schools are a permitted use by provision of a use permit subject to ACZO Section Land Use: The site is identified on the General Land Use Plan (GLUP) as Public. Neighborhood: The site is located within the Arlington Heights Civic Association and is adjacent to Alcova Heights Civic Association. The Arbors of Arlington condominiums are located across S. Old Glebe Rd. to the west, and the Dominion Square Townhomes and Dominion Arms Apartments are across 2 nd St. S. to the South. All were active participants in the public review process. Existing Development: The site for the new elementary school is currently a surface parking lot which provides parking for the existing Thomas Jefferson Middle School (TJMS) directly to the east. A theater for joint school and community use is located at the north end of TJMS and also uses the existing parking lot. Additionally, the Thomas Jefferson Community and Fitness Center are located on the east side of the TJMS building. Thomas Jefferson Park is located east of the existing buildings and contains playing fields, open space and trees, and parking lots. U# New Elementary School - 3 -

4 New Elementary School at TJ site 125 S. Old Glebe Rd. N Figure 1 Existing New Elementary School at Thomas Jefferson Site (Google Maps) Proposed Elementary School Capacity Existing Middle School Capacity Total Site Area New Elementary School Existing Middle School Thomas Jefferson Park Building Height Average Site Elevation (ASE) Main Roof Elevation from ASE Main Roof Height* S-3A Max. Permitted Height Setbacks Front* Side Rear Parking* Proposed 752 seats 1,086 seats acres 167,820 sq. ft., 3.85 acres 375,646 sq. ft., 8.62 acres acres ft ft. for highest point of roof 69 2 to highest point of roof 45 feet or as modified according to ACZO 4.2.4(A)3 Required Proposed 25 property line street centerline (56 to TJMS) 250 shown on use permit plans: 214 parking garage 36 in three separate surface lots Required 292 *Height and Setbacks require modification per Arlington County Zoning Ordinance (ACZO) Section and Parking requires modification per ACZO, Section U# New Elementary School - 4 -

5 Site Design and Building Design The current design concept was selected as the preferred option by both the BLPC and PFRC after extensive community review. Key features of the proposed design include: Site Design o New elementary school on surface parking lot west of existing TJMS. o New underground two story parking garage. o A bus loop located on the north end of the site. o Pre-K, elementary and middle school (unfenced) play areas. o Two additional accessible entrances created at TJMS. o Reduced impervious area over existing Figure 2 Proposed Site Plan (Source: VMDO Architects) U# New Elementary School - 5 -

6 Building Design o Multi-story 110,879 sq. ft. building on 38,100 sq. ft. footprint. o Varied roof heights o Gym wall opens to outside to create outdoor theater. o Publicly accessible restroom on southwest corner of the gym available in off hours. Figure 3 West Aerial View (VMDO Architects) Figure 4 South Aerial View (VMDO Architects) U# New Elementary School - 6 -

7 Figure 5 Northeast Aerial View (VMDO Architects) Figure 6 Northwest Aerial View (VMDO Architects) Sustainability, Environmental Assessment: The proposed elementary school is designed to use significantly less energy than comparable APS facilities. As part of the LEED Version 4 certification, the project is committed to achieving 16 energy points in LEED s Energy Optimization credit. The building includes a highly insulated building envelope, efficient lighting technology, and an energy efficient HVAC system, designed with the goal of achieving an Energy Use Intensity (EUI) of no more than 25 kbtu/square foot. The LEED Version 4 Silver certification level and the 16 Energy Optimization points are specified in a use permit condition and will be incorporated in the design and construction process. County staff will work collaboratively with APS to review the documentation during and after construction to ensure compliance with LEED certification. APS will submit the project for certification to the U.S. Green Building Council. Stormwater will be managed in accordance with the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance and Stormwater Detention Ordinance (see Utilities section). U# New Elementary School - 7 -

8 Transportation: The is centrally located within the County, just south of Arlington Boulevard and east of Glebe Road. The site is bound by South Old Glebe Road to the west, 2 nd Street South to the south, and South Irving Street to the east. Arlington Boulevard (US Route 50) is just north of the site with an access road connection to South Old Glebe Road. Since the Thomas Jefferson Site Evaluation process began in 2014, the transportation and traffic impacts of siting a new elementary school on the property have been a key component of site evaluations. Not only the impacts of the proposed elementary school were studied but also any existing traffic and operations issues for the middle school have been considered as well. The traffic analysis for the site analyzed a future buildout of the site included an expanded middle school with 1,086 students along with a new elementary school with 725 students. The project proposes that the middle school and elementary school will have offset arrival and departure periods such that the two schools can utilize and share the same transportation facilities, with the middle school beginning at 7:50 AM, ending at 2:24 PM and the elementary school beginning at 9:00AM, ending at 3:41 PM. The proposed parking facilities are shared, the proposed school bus loop is shared, and student drop-off and pick-up by parents occur in the same location for the two schools. Streets and Sidewalks: The has street frontage on three sides of the site. South Old Glebe Road along the western side of the site and South Irving Street along the eastern side of the site are identified on the Master Transportation Plan (MTP) as neighborhood non-arterial streets. Along the southern boundary of the site, 2 nd Street South is a Type D Primarily Garden Apartments and Townhouse Neighborhoods arterial street. To the north of the site Arlington Boulevard is identified as a Type F- Primarily Low to Medium Density Mixed Use arterial street. All of the arrival and departure activities for the two schools along with access to the proposed below grade garage and the bus loop are proposed from South Old Glebe Road. South Old Glebe Road The project has over 1,000 feet of frontage along South Old Glebe Road extending north from 2 nd Street South. The street is currently 36-feet wide, curb to curb, with parking on either side of the street and a single travel lane in each direction. Along the school side of the street a 5-foot wide sidewalk is buffered from the street by a 3-foot wide utility strip. On the opposite side of the street is a 5-foot wide sidewalk is located at the back of curb. Without a utility strip this sidewalk and its clear path are frequently narrowed by utility poles, traffic signs and fire hydrants. The site currently has five (5) curb cuts/driveways along South Old Glebe Road providing site and parking access. Due to the width of the road, parking on both sides of the street is prohibited during the morning arrival period and afternoon dismissal to support school operation and allow two buses to pass each other while turning to and from 2 nd Street South. The project proposes to significantly redesign South Old Glebe Road to better support school operations and manage traffic at the site. By siting the proposed elementary school on the existing parking lot for the middle school, the current student drop-off and pick-up by single occupancy vehicles and school buses need to be relocated. As a result, the project proposes a drop-off and pick-up lane, with a layby and turn around, along the eastern side of South Old Glebe Road to support both programs. School bus operation is proposed to occur internal to the U# New Elementary School - 8 -

9 property along the northern property line of the site off a new driveway entering from South Old Glebe Road. As school activities are anticipated to affect different segments of South Old Glebe Road differently, along the frontage, the street cross section is proposed to change to support those activities. There are three general segments along the school s frontage with varying proposed street cross sections: A. From 2 nd Street South to 1 st Road South 40-feet to 46-feet curb to curb, adding a dedicated southbound right-turn lane. Through this section a 14-foot wide sidewalk is proposed including a 4-foot planting strip with street trees, and an 8-foot clear sidewalk. B. 1 st Road South to the school s layby 38.5-feet curb to curb, widening the street for a drop-off/pick-up lane along the east side for the street. To support drop-off and pick-up operations a 9-foot wide sidewalk is proposed. This will generally provide an 8-foot wide clear sidewalk. C. North of the school s layby 36-feet curb to curb, maintaining the street s existing cross section. Along this section the sidewalk is proposed to be improved to provide a 14-foot wide sidewalk including a 4-foot planting strip with street trees, and an 8-foot clear sidewalk. The segment between 2 nd Street South and 1 st Road South is proposed to be widened to improve operations of the intersection, adding a dedicated southbound right-turn lane. With the addition of the southbound right-turn lane the proposed on-street parking on the east side of the street will no longer need to be prohibited during the morning and afternoon arrival and dismissal periods. At the intersection of 2 nd Street South curb extensions are proposed to shadow the on-street parking lanes. These curb extensions will provide additional room at the corner for pedestrians to wait to cross the street, make them more visible prior to crossing, and they will reduce the overall crossing distance. The intersection is also proposed to be converted to an all-way stop controlled intersection. Currently only vehicles on South Old Glebe Road are required to stop. U# New Elementary School - 9 -

10 Figure 7. Proposed Widening of South Old Glebe Road between 2 nd Street South and 1 st Road South The project proposes to reconfigure the intersection of 1 st Road South and South Old Glebe Road as a three leg intersection. In addition, the alignment of 1 st Road South has been shifted to square the intersection. These proposed changes will improve pedestrian crossing and visibility at the intersection providing additional space for pedestrians to wait before crossing. The changes should also reduce the likelihood that vehicles from Old South Glebe Road would enter 1 st Road South and travel the wrong way down this one-way street. U# New Elementary School

11 Figure 8. Proposed 1st Road South and South Old Glebe Road Improvements 2nd Street South The project proposes to maintain the existing configuration of 2 nd Street South along the middle school and park frontages. The road is 42-feet wide with parking on both sides, on street bike lanes and a single travel lane in each direction. Loading: The trash and loading for the new school are proposed to be located off the internal drive and school bus loop along the northern property line of the site. The project proposes a large enclosure around the trash and loading area for the school located just behind the cafeteria. An existing trash area is proposed to be accommodated in the parking area north of the theater for the middle school. Bicycle Access: The site is served by a mix of on-street and off-street bicycle facilities. In recent years the County has improved the bicycle facilities along 2 nd Street South by adding dedicated bike lanes between North Irving Street and South Old Glebe Road, along the school/park frontage. In addition, segments of 2 nd Street South east of the site have been designated as shared on-street bike lanes. North of the site, segments of off street bike lanes lead to and from the pedestrian/bicycle bridge that goes over Arlington Boulevard. These bicycle facilities along with the existing network of residential neighborhood streets in the area help support student cycling to Thomas Jefferson Middle School today. Thomas Jefferson Middle School has one of the highest bike to school rate, at approximately 6%, of all of Arlington s middle schools. In recent year APS has added additional bike parking to meet demand. The project proposes to provide 38 exterior (Class 3) bicycle parking spaces for students and visitors to the new elementary school. An additional 18 secure (Class 1) bicycle spaces, located in the garage, are proposed for teacher and staff. The bicycle parking proposed for the new school is consistent with Arlington s bicycle parking requirements for elementary schools per Condition #27. U# New Elementary School

12 Transit: WMATA and ART bus routes provide transit service in the area of the site. WMATA Routes Along South Glebe Road 10B Ballston to Alexandria (with stops on 2 nd Street South) 23A - Tysons Corner to Crystal City 23B Ballston to Crystal City 23T Tysons Corner to Shirlington WMATA Routes Along Arlington Boulevard (Route 50) 4A Seven Corners to Rosslyn ART Routes Along South Glebe Road 41 Court House to Columbia Pike and Dinwiddie Street Site Circulation, Drop-off and Pick-up Activities: Review and planning for site circulation was a critical part of the public review of the project, with collaborative input from community members and the PFRC, APS Staff, County Staff, and APS transportation consultants. The project proposes to provide separate and dedicated zones around the school for the different arrival and departure modes to the school: Pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users The proposed elementary school has multiple entrances that provide access from South Old Glebe Road and form the interior of the site off the proposed bus loop and pedestrian plaza between the two schools. Along the western side of the existing middle school there are multiple entrances to the school. With this project APS proposes converting two of these entrances to ADA accessible entries to the middle school. The pedestrian plaza between the two schools will effectively provide a pedestrian way from 2 nd Street South to either school, internal to the site away from the vehicular traffic and operations. Drop-off and pick-up by parents - The project proposes dedicating curb space along South Old Glebe Road north of 1 st Road South to support student drop-off and pick up for both schools. The dedicated curb lane will funnel vehicles into the proposed layby near the entrance for the elementary school allowing vehicles to turn around and go back toward 2 nd Street South (the predominant movement for most vehicles dropping of or picking up students). Outside of the morning arrival and afternoon dismissal periods, the curb lane could be used for additional on-street parking. Arrival and departure by school bus The project proposes an on-site bus drop-off and pick-up bus loop located between the two schools. The driveway for the bus loop is also proposed to be used to access the underground garage proposed below the elementary school. Given the length of the on-site driveway and the location of the garage entrance, queueing buses are not anticipated to block the garage access. Transportation Demand Management (TDM): In addition to Arlington County policy to apply TDM programs to all significant new development, including public facilities, Zoning Ordinance Section C, allows reduced school parking with provision of a TDM plan. Staff recommends and the applicant agrees that the TDM for both the existing middle school and the proposed elementary school will include the elements listed in Condition #47, which provide for U# New Elementary School

13 mitigation of traffic and parking impacts of the school. These elements include appointment of school transportation coordinators (STC) for each school to oversee the implementation of the TDM, including development of measures to educate staff and students about travel alternatives, and incentivize travel by both staff and students by modes other than single occupant and single student vehicles. The TDM also includes performance monitoring requirements so that the County can track the effectiveness of the TDM program. This will be used both to measure the success of the programs at the campus and to inform future school TDM program recommendations. Transportation Analysis: Toole Design Group prepared a traffic impact analysis (TIA) dated November, The TIA analyzed the impact of the middle school with increased capacity to 1,086 students and the new elementary school with 725 students on the surrounding roadway network studying three time periods: Middle school arrival 7:15-8:15 AM Elementary school arrival 8:15-9:15 AM Elementary school dismissal 3:10-4:10 PM The TIA found that the future 1,086 seat Thomas Jefferson Middle School program would result in 61 additional trips during the middle school arrival period. During the same period the addition of the proposed elementary school would add approximately 258 trips, primarily associated with the arrival of staff and extended day students. During the arrival period for the new elementary school, the TIA projected 485 new trips. Similarly, during the afternoon dismissal period of the elementary school the TIA projected 425 new trips. These trips were calculated to have the most impact at the intersection of 2 nd Street South and South Old Glebe Road and to a lesser extent at the intersection 2 nd Street South and South Glebe Road. Toole Design Group recommended mitigating impacts at 2 nd Street South and South Old Glebe Road by changing the intersection from a two-way stop controlled intersection to either an all-way stop controlled intersection with a new southbound dedicated right-turn lane or reconfiguring the intersection with a mini-roundabout. The conversion of the intersection to allway stop control will require motorists approaching the intersection on 2 nd Street South to stop. With all vehicles stopping, more motorists will experience delay and congestion resulting in a level of service (LOS) E in the future the middle school arrival period. The LOS during the morning arrival period for the elementary school is projected to be more acceptable LOS C with the intersection operating under all-way stop control. Staff supports Toole Design Group s recommendation to add a new southbound right turn lane and convert the intersection to all-way stop control to mitigate the impacts of the project. Toole Design Group alternatively recommended the intersection could be converted to a mini roundabout. Arlington County has not converted any intersections into mini roundabouts despite examples from other jurisdictions in the area and across the country. When designed appropriately, mini roundabouts have been shown to handle more traffic with less congestion while slowing (but not stopping) all vehicles that go through the intersection compared to signalized or all-way stop controlled intersections. U# New Elementary School

14 Toole Design Group developed preliminary design drawings for a mini roundabout at the intersection. The design identified a number of constraints within the existing right-of-way. DES determined that the intersection would not be a good candidate for this a mini roundabout at this time. Some of the factors that went into this conclusion included the number of turning buses anticipated at the location, right-of-way limitations, utility concerns, as well as the limit experience within the County for this type of intersection. Should the County gain more experience with design and installation of this type of intersection, a mini roundabout for the intersection of 2 nd Street South and South Old Glebe Road may be reconsidered. Figure 9. Toole Design Group Mini Roundabout Concept Parking: The proposed elementary school will be located on the existing surface parking lot for the middle school. Currently there are 241 surface parking space spread across three lots on the site. There are 213 spaces in the lot west of the middle school and 29 spaces in the two smaller lots locates along 2 nd Street South. In addition, there are 123 surface spaces to the east of the middle school, in two lots along 2 nd Street South. These 123 spaces generally support the park and community center uses. Per the Joint Use Agreement all 364 spaces, on the two halves of the site, get shared to support parking needs for larger events, either schools or parks. The project proposes 250 parking spaces located in a mix of surface and below grade spaces to support the two schools. A new, two-level underground parking garage will provide 213 spaces. Additional surface parking spaces include: U# New Elementary School

15 North of Elementary School: 2 North of Theater, ADA: 5 TJMS Service and Delivery: 6 2 nd St. S. at corner: 23 Total: 36 Based on Zoning Ordinance requirements for middle and elementary schools the site would require 292 total parking spaces for the project. Parking Calculations for Thomas Jefferson Site ZO Requirement for Employee Parking Employee Parking Ratio Number of Students Required Parking Spaces New Elementary School 1 Space per 7.5 Students Existing Middle School 1 Space per 7.5 Students Employee Parking Sub Total 246 ZO Requirement for Visitors Parking Visitor Parking Ratio Number of Students Required Parking Spaces Middle School Visitors 1 Space per 40 Students Middle School Visitors 1 Space per 40 Students Visitor Sub Total 46 Total ZO Required Parking 292 Section c of the Zoning Ordinance permits the County Board to modify parking requirements for schools to balance other County environmental and recreational goals and objectives. For the proposed parking plan, APS is requesting a modification of the parking based on the provision and implementation for TDM plans for both schools along with the use of onstreet parking adjacent to the site along South Old Glebe Road and 2 nd Street South. The TDM will help reduce the need for on-site parking and on-street parking will help support visitor parking and resulting in a lower number of necessary on-site parking spaces. The parking in the garage is proposed to be shared in support of theater, community center, and park uses per the Joint Use Agreement. To support shared use of the garage, an elevator and stair is proposed providing access to the garage, with access from the exterior of the main school building. The elevator will provide convenient access between the two schools, the theater and the proposed garage. U# New Elementary School

16 Utilities: With the addition of upgraded water main improvements proposed as part of the project in South Old Glebe Road, adequate water and sewer facilities are available to serve the site. APS proposes to meet or exceed requirements for stormwater quantity and quality at full build out of the project. The project proposes to construct a new 12-inch water main extending from 2 nd Street South to the just north of the school s main entrance, in South Old Glebe Road to support the project. The new water main will provide service to the school and improve water flow to fire hydrants along the street. DISCUSSION Adopted Plan, Policies, and Regulations: The Comprehensive Plan General Land Use Plan (GLUP) Public designation, the Zoning Ordinance Section 4.1 S-3A Special District, the Master Transportation Plan (MTP), the Public Spaces Master Plan, and the TJWG s Guidelines, Conditions & Design Principles provide guidance for the new elementary school at this site. General Land Use Plan (GLUP) is the element of the Comprehensive Plan that guides future development and establishes the overall character, extent and location of land uses in the County. The area of the existing public school and proposed new elementary school is designated as Public on the General Land Use Plan. This designation is described on the GLUP as Parks (Local, regional, and federal). Schools (public). Parkways, major unpaved rights-of-way. Libraries and cultural facilities. Given the GLUP designation and description, and the existing school located on the property, staff requests that the Planning Commission confirm that the public school is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. Staff is currently exploring options to graphically show public facilities more explicitly on the GLUP or elsewhere in the Comprehensive Plan (e.g., through a symbol, label, or other manner), which may be reflected in future re-printings of the GLUP. U# New Elementary School

17 Zoning Ordinance: The following provides a summary of Zoning Ordinance requirements applicable to the use permit. Use Permit: A use permit is required for schools in the S-3A zoning district. The use permit offers a process for considering and approving such uses, subject to special conditions particular to the character of the use. Potential areas that may be addressed by conditions include but are not limited to: construction, transportation, environmental impacts, and recreational fields. Parking: The proposed school parking requirements and proposed modifications are discussed further in other sections of this report; the elementary and middle school uses require 292 parking spaces per the Zoning Ordinance. Setbacks: Setback standards for buildings in the S-3A district are as generally defined in the Zoning Ordinance Section 3.2.(6), Bulk, Coverage, and Placements Requirements. The standards require that all buildings within the district be sited no closer to the street centerline than 50 feet, and no closer to the property line or street right of way line than 25 feet. Furthermore, side and rear yards may be setback, 10 feet plus one additional foot for each 2 ½ feet, or fraction thereof, of building height above 25 feet, provided that on interior lots no structure shall be located closer than 25 feet from a rear lot line. Proposed New Elementary School Setbacks Setbacks Front* Side Rear* Required Proposed 25 property line street centerline (56 to TJMS) Height: The Zoning Ordinance Section defines building height in all zoning districts, with the exception of R districts, as being measured from average site elevation. In the S-3A district, building height is a maximum of 45 feet. Maximum building height is 69 2, which exceeds ACZO requirements. Proposed New Elementary School Height Building Height Average Site Elevation (ASE) Main Roof Elevation from ASE Main Roof Height* ft ft. for highest point of roof 69 2 to highest point of roof S-3A Max. Permitted Height 45 feet or as modified according to ACZO 4.2.4(A)3 Modification of Setback and Height Regulations: The new elementary school as proposed does not comply with standard front and rear setback or height regulations. In December 2016, the County Board amended the ACZO to allow additional flexibility for setback and height specifically for elementary, middle and high schools due the variety of locations, adjacencies and other site-specific conditions associated with individual school properties in conjunction with recognition of the limited space available within the County for public facilities. U# New Elementary School

18 ACZO 4.2.4(A)3 allows modification of setbacks and dimensional standards for elementary, middle, and high school building and accessory buildings based on four findings: (a) The scale and massing of the school development project are compatible with existing and planned development abutting and across the street from the school development project; West: The building is setback less than 50 from the road centerline of S. Old Glebe Rd. and the maximum roof height is The roof height of the building is varied and steps up as it moves to the core of the site. At the western edge of the proposed school closest to the approximately 44 tall multi-family buildings located across S. Old Glebe Road, the distance between the buildings is approximately 101 feet and the height of the new elementary school steps up from 32 to 45 to 69 as is pulls in toward the interior of the site. This height of the new elementary school at the edge of the site is comparable to and compatible with the adjacent buildings to the west. Figure 10 Cross-section to closest adjacent building to the west North: The proposed school setback to the north property line and the adjacent single-family residential development exceeds the requirements of the zoning code. Additionally, the topography of the site is such that the adjacent bus loop on the north edge of the site is lower than then rear yards of the single-family homes to the north which reduces the visible height of the new elementary school building by about one full story. To provide a further buffer between the school and the properties to the north, APS is proposing to plant a row of three different species of tall evergreen trees. For these reasons the scale and massing of the school is compatible with the northern adjacent properties. U# New Elementary School

19 Figure 11 Cross-Section to residential on the north East: The proposed new school extends to and crosses the property line on the east side of the building closest to the existing middle school. A lease agreement is proposed as part of this project that essentially creates a campus shared by both schools at this site. Various walkways cut across the new elementary school site to lead to the existing middle school and theater, and there is a pedestrian plaza connecting the north-south space between the schools. Figure 12 View looking south at Pedestrian plaza (VMDO (b) The school development project incorporates a design that facilitates utilization of the range of transportation options available in the vicinity of the school development project; As detailed in the Transportation background, the project proposes to provide separate and dedicated zones around the school for the different arrival and departure modes to the school. This will be a neighborhood school which results in higher walk and biking rates which is demonstrated by the existing TJMS which has one of the highest bike to school rates in the County. The pedestrian plaza between the two schools will effectively provide a pedestrian way from 2 nd Street South to either school, internal to the site away from the vehicular traffic and U# New Elementary School

20 operations. The project proposes dedicating curb space along South Old Glebe Road north of 1 st Road South to support student drop-off and pick up for both schools. The project proposes an onsite bus drop-off and pick-up bus loop located between the two schools. The driveway for the bus loop is also proposed to be used to access the underground garage proposed below the elementary school. (c) The school development project balances opportunities for providing open space and recreational amenities within the school development project in a manner appropriate for the size and location of the development project; and The project is able to provide 752 elementary school seats on a building footprint of 38,100 square feet in addition to a fully submerged parking garage which together provide recreational space serving both the elementary and middle school wholly within the west side of the project area providing a gymnasium, a Pre-K, elementary, and middle school play spaces wholly within the project area and does not propose use of TJ Park to meet school needs. (d) The school development project emphasizes energy conservation and environmental sustainability through architectural design, materials, construction methods, and site design. The project is targeting net zero energy as a goal for the site, proposes a LEED Silver certification level including 16 Energy Optimization points and proposes use of geothermal energy. It includes a highly insulated building envelope, efficient lighting technology, and an energy efficient HVAC system, designed with the goal of achieving an Energy Use Intensity (EUI) of no more than 25 kbtu/square foot. Master Transportation Plan (MTP): The MTP contains three major policies: 1) integrate transportation with land use; 2) support design and operation of complete streets; and 3) manage travel demand and transportation systems. In reviewing the use permit for the New Elementary School at Thomas Jefferson, the following two specific policies identified in the modal elements for the MTP were considered: Master Transportation Plan: Demand and System Management Element Policy 2. Incorporate Transportation Demand Management (TDM) measures with respect to all existing public buildings and facilities, irrespective of redevelopment status. Explore strategies and incentives to achieve TDM measures in existing private buildings. Master Transportation Plan: Parking and Curb Space Management Element Policy 6: Ensure that minimum parking needs are met and excessive parking is not built. Divert resources saved by reducing excess off-street parking to other community benefits. The project complies with the policies of the MTP set forth above. Specifically, the proposal includes TDM measures to reduce the demand for on-site parking, and APS has requested a modification to reduce the amount of required on-site parking spaces. U# New Elementary School

21 Modification of Parking Regulations: Section 14.3 of the Zoning Ordinance required one parking space for every 7.5 students of design capacity for employee parking at elementary and middles schools, plus one space for every 40 students of design capacity for visitor parking. Based on the proposed design capacity of 1,086 students in the middle school and 775 students in the elementary school, the Zoning Ordinance would require approximately 246 employee parking spaces and 46 visitor parking spaces for a total 292 on-site parking spaces without a modification. The Use Permit application requests a modification to reduce the on-site parking requirement to 250 spaces. This parking reduction is proposed to be mitigated by utilizing available on-street parking and through the implementation of transportation demand management (TDM) strategies. Along the site s frontages of South Old Glebe Road and 2 nd Street South there at least 18 on-street parking spaces that can be used to support visitor and employee parking at the schools. With the implementation of the TDM strategies identified in Condition #47 and discussed above, approximately 80% of staff are projected to drive to the site. This will reduce parking demand for staff and visitors to be in line with the 268 parking spaces proposed on-site and on-street. Staff supports the proposed parking reduction and finds it is consistent with the requirement of the Zoning Ordinance. Public Spaces Master Plan (PSMP): Arlington County is currently in the process of updating the Public Spaces Master Plan (PSMP). The existing PSMP was adopted by the County Board in 2005 and provides guidance on the design, preservation, enhancement, and acquisition of open space in the County. The purpose of the PSMP update is to assess various aspects of Arlington s public space system and provide strategies for the future of all associated public spaces, including all of the parks, natural resource and recreational needs that make up that system. This process includes extensive public engagement. The guidance within the PSMP includes maximizing partnerships with APS. With the New Elementary School at the Thomas Jefferson site, facility use will be permitted by Arlington Public Schools consistent with the Arlington Public Schools Use of School Facilities Policy , particularly the Arlington Public Schools Arlington Public Schools Use of Non-Joint Use Facilities PIP Additionally, APS has agreed to enter in to an interim agreement with the County for the use of public parking facilities associated with the Thomas Jefferson Community and Fitness Center and Thomas Jefferson Park to facilitate construction of the new elementary school. TJWG Guidelines, Conditions & Design Principles: At a Joint County Board and School Board Work Session On February 19, 2015, a BLPC/PFRC Coordinated Process was adopted to guide the review for the New Elementary School at the and gave direction that the BLPC and PFRC would use the Guidelines, Conditions and Design Principles included in Appendix A of the Thomas Jefferson Working Group Report for review of the proposed project. Attached to this report is a table (Attachment A: TJWG Guidelines, Conditions and Design Principles) comparing the proposed use permit with the TJWG recommendations. In reviewing the proposed use permit, there are three areas for consideration. Theater parking during construction: Although the theater season has not yet been finalized, Arlington Economic Development (AED) Cultural Affairs staff is continuing to U# New Elementary School

22 explore a range of options to reduce the parking demand for theater productions during construction of the new elementary school. Staff expects theater attendance to be approximately 250 seats per show for 2-4 weekends a month September through May. The Zoning Code parking requirements for theaters, auditoriums and other commercial places of public assembly are 1 space per 3 seats for attendants, employees or participants. Although the TJMS theater seats approximately 750, staff would propose capping attendance at 250 during construction which would result in a need for 83 parking spaces. Staff is exploring options including: Review all show and production schedules across theater space available in the County in order to minimize use of the TJMS based on production size, needs, and space availability. Work with DPR to analyze community center and field use to minimize overlap of major events or uses. Share parking at the community center lots and on-street with TJ Park and Community Center users on a first-come first-serve basis. Cap the attendance for shows at approximately 250 seats. Provide off-site parking for cast and crew and coordinate carpooling to the theater. Develop multi-modal transportation information for the site that helps theater patrons get to the site without the need to park nearby. Corner of 2 nd Street S. and S. Old Glebe: The corner of 2 nd Street S. and S. Old Glebe Rd. is a prominent corner for the site that currently contains a 23 space surface parking lot. Although APS has at times shown renderings indicating this area will be converted to green space, the use permit shows this surface parking lot remaining but does note APS may consider removing the parking lot and replacing it with grass. During the final stages of the public review process, some members of the PFRC and BLPC wanted this area to be converted to green space and others felt the lot should continue to provide parking for the site. There was a suggestion to consider the use of shared parking with DPR on the northernmost lot along 2 nd Street to meet parking requirements however DPR does not support long-term shared parking. Without the use of this parking lot, there is a gap between the proposed and demonstrated need for parking on this site. Off-site Transportation Improvements and Issues: On August 10, 2016 Arlington County s Department of Environmental Services (DES) hosted a community meeting to discuss transportation projects, concerns, and issues around the. County Board Member Katie Cristol was instrumental in facilitating the meeting between community members and County staff. The staff presentation from the meeting can be accessed here. Based on feedback from the meeting DES has identified three transportation issues that are in the process of being addressed by the County separate from the proposed use permit through County maintenance efforts including: The County is in the process of removing two parking spaces along the westbound 2 nd Street South at the South Glebe Road intersection to increase the length of the existing right-turn lane. U# New Elementary School

23 The County will lengthen the center line striping on South Fenwick Street, extending further around the curve in the road. The County is planning to install Your Speed Is signs along 2 nd Street South to help manage vehicle speeds along the school and park frontage. The meeting also provided feedback that has been integrated into APS s proposal for the project. Specifically: The intersection of South Old Glebe Road and 1 st Road South has been designed to improve pedestrian safety and reduce the chances for vehicles entering 1 st Road South going the wrong way. South Old Glebe Road between 2 nd Street South and 1 st Road South is proposed to be widened so that on-street parking does not conflict with school bus operations and so that a new dedicated southbound left-turn lane can be added. A new all-way stop is proposed for the intersection of 2 nd Street South and South Old Glebe Road. (This will likely be installed a few months prior to the opening of the new elementary school.) 2 nd Street South Sidewalk and Utility Conflicts: One area of concern raised at the meeting and throughout the PFRC review process that is not able to be addressed through maintenance efforts or as part of the use permits are the existing utility poles located on the south side of 2 nd Street South from South Old Glebe Road to South Irving Street. The sidewalk along 2 nd Street South is approximately 5 feet wide without a utility strip in most locations. There are eight (8) utility poles located within the sidewalk between South Old Glebe Road and South Irving street that significantly narrow the sidewalk, in most cases reducing the clear width below 36-inches. Given the scope of the problem, addressing the issue will likely need to be addressed as separate project or set of projects. The community could work with the Neighborhood Conservation (NC) program as a mechanism to address the issue. This segment of 2 nd Street South is not an area planned for utility undergrounding by the County. With it being unlikely and cost prohibitive to underground these utilities, it is more likely that the sidewalk would need to be widened. Through the NC program tradeoffs between sidewalk width and on-street parking can be evaluated considered balancing community priorities in the development of possible solutions for this issue. Community Review of the Subject Use Permit: As highlighted earlier, the public review process for the project site began in September 2014 with the establishment of the Thomas Jefferson Working Group and continued with the establishment of the South Arlington Working Group in June After the decision to site the new school at the, the PFRC/BLPC process was established as a joint project review process in February The PFRC included members of various County commissions as well as community members representing neighboring civic associations and condominium and apartment buildings. Public Facilities Review Committee (PFRC) and Building Level Planning Committee (BLPC): The PFRC and BLPC conducted a joint review process for this project as it progressed through the concept stage, schematic design, and the use permit. The PFRC held seven joint meetings with the BLPC and met independently an additional two times. U# New Elementary School

24 Concept Design: During the concept design stage, the group agreed on a general building footprint including the concept of a multi-story building that exceeded zoning code height limits at that time. Additionally, the concept design proposed a partially submerged parking garage which provided parking as well as an on-site, covered student drop-off and pick-up opportunity deep within the site. The PFRC/BLPC expressed a desire to fully submerge the parking garage to provide clear sight lines to both TJMS and the theater, increase accessibility, and to increase play areas. The concept design was adopted by the School Board in July Figure 13 Concept Design, partially submerged parking garage showing on-site circulation for student drop-off (Source: VMDO) Schematic Design: During the schematic design stage, the group supported a final design that included a fully submerged parking garage. The PFRC believed this changed from a partially submerged garage was an improved site design, however acknowledged that it eliminated covered student drop-off options on-site. The fully submerged garage provided a better connection between the street and TJMS and the theater and increased play areas in the pedestrian plaza between the schools. Figure 14 Schematic Design comparison of parking garage options (Source: VMDO) Use Permit Review: At the final joint meeting on March 15, 2017, PFRC reviewed the project as proposed in the use permit submitted to the County. The PFRC was supportive of the site design, U# New Elementary School