| | | | | | | | TOWN OF ELON
TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
| Item Type: Other | SUBJECT: Elon University Major Development Plan - Pam DeSoto
| | | DATE: October 13, 2020 | |
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| | | | | | | | | TOWN COUNCIL ACTION REQUESTED ON: October 13, 2020 |
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PURPOSE:
- To request that the Mayor and Board of Aldermen conduct a public hearing on October 5, 2020 to receive comments on a Major Development Plan submitted by Stimmel Associates, P.A. on behalf of Elon University.
- To request that the Mayor and Board of Aldermen consider approval of the Major Development Plan on October 13, 2020.
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HISTORY:
- On August 12, 2020, Tim Jennings of Stimmel Associates submitted an application on behalf of Elon University for Major Site Plan and Technical Review Committee (TRC) review for development of an Engineering and Physics Building with associated parking (Attachment 1). The TRC had conducted a pre-application review of the plans prior to the August submittal.
- Elon's TRC has conducted formal review of the preliminary plans on September 2nd and September 16th, and anticipate one remaining review before giving approval. Most of the remaining outstanding items involve technical steps such as stormwater permitting and will be resolved during construction document development or during construction.
- On September 30, 2020, the Planning Board considered the application and recommended approval to the Board of Aldermen by unanimous vote.
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FACTS AND ISSUES:
- Elon's Land Development Ordinance (LDO) places major site plans, which include proposals involving any non-residential development, under the category of a major development plan.
- The LDO also specifies that major development plans receive a recommendation from the Planning Board prior to a final decision by the Board of Aldermen.
- The project proposes a 65,062 square foot building on a site that now contains a parking lot, located on N. O'Kelly Avenue between the Dalton L. McMichael Science Center and Sankey Hall. A new parking lot, to replace the one being demolished to accommodate the development, will be built just to the east of the new building, on a portion of the old elementary school site. Attachments 2 and 3 illustrate the locations on a map and aerial image. Both the building and parking lot are being considered together in this major development plan proposal.
- The total parcel acreage for the Engineering building is 8.94, and includes Sankey Hall, the McMichael Center, and two existing parking lots. The amount of built-upon area on the parcel is expected to decrease from 2.99 acres to 1.88 acres, due to the inclusion of ample green space that is consistent the University's design and development pattern. An 18.35 acre parcel that was the site of the former Elon Elementary School will accommodate the new parking lot and access drive; however, the project area will constitute only 6.3 acres of the parcel. The remainder is being set aside for future development. Related plans and building elevations are provided as Attachment 4.
- As required by LDO subsection 6.4.1, the applicant has provided a statement of development intent for the project (Attachment 5). In summary, the statement describes the general intent as follows:
- The construction of the new parking lot will precede the building construction, so that parking availability is not lost during construction;
- The building will accommodate a 4-year engineering program, recently established by the University, and will house classrooms, research labs, prototyping space, and collaboration type spaces and offices;
- The project will consider adjacent buildings and other spaces to create a cohesive design indicative of the overall campus development.
- The entirety of the Elon University campus is zoned Public Institutional (PI). The PI District is described in the LDO as being intended to accommodate primarily large-scale public, educational, and institutional uses. The uses being proposed for the development are considered uses permitted by right in the PI District. The project is compliant with all LDO requirements.
- Staff has identified no grounds for denial and the Planning Board has recommended approval of the major development plan by unanimous vote.
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OPTIONS:
- Mayor and Board of Aldermen:
- Conduct a public hearing on the proposed major development plan on October 5, 2020, and
- On October 13, 2020, consider approval of the project.
- Mayor and Board of Aldermen defined option.
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TOWN MANAGER RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Option 1.
Prepared by: Pamela DeSoto, Assistant Town Manager/Planning Director |
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