I’ve just emailed these questions to be asked at this mornings Zoning Appeals Board meeting. The Board is currently touring the Ordean site in preperation for the 10AM hearing.
Related to the first proposed change under Sec. 50-30 Location of required parking spaces in front yards; front yard permits.
Is it responsible not to set any distance requirement for the parking lots of a public school?
Could student safety be impaired?
Will giving the School District these parking lot exceptions next to an R lot decrease the value of nearby homes so that if eminent domain was to be used by the School District at some future point homeowners could face the prospect of having to accept a devalued price for their homes?
Related to the first proposed change under Sec. 50-55.1 Permitted Uses (e)
Were the distances established for aesthetic reasons or safety reasons? If for safety, why would the City relax the safety requirements for a building housing children? If for aesthetic reasons doesn’t this change have the same impact on value of nearby homes which could be later be acquired for a lower price under the powers of eminent Domain?
Related to the first proposed change under Sec. 50-55.1 Exceptions to article-height (b)
Is it considered good public policy to grant anyone unlimited authority to construct as tall a building as they want anywhere let alone in residentially zoned district?
Finally, as eminent domain could be employed by future school boards, what does the City’s Planning staff think the likelihood is that ISD 709 will want to acquire additional land in the Ordean neighborhood if the proposed Ordean High School is built?
