Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Street Improvements Waiver topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission splits on street‑improvement waiver for Our Lady of Sorrows expansion; variances approved
Summary
The Planning Commission approved variances and a large‑scale development for Our Lady of Sorrows church expansion but deadlocked 4‑4 on a requested waiver to defer street improvements on Graham Road, so the commission forwarded the waiver to City Council without a recommendation.
Commissioners approved a large‑scale plan and two variances for an expansion at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church but were evenly divided on a developer request to waive street‑improvement obligations on Graham Road. Because the vote on the waiver was 4‑4 the waiver was not recommended by the commission and will be forwarded to City Council for final action.
Katie with Core Architects and Jonathan Schmitz of Engineering Services presented a plan to add a parish hall and upgrade a gravel parking area adjacent to the existing church. Planning and engineering asked for typical construction details: reinforced concrete piping in rights‑of‑way, sidewalks, curb and gutter or drainage facilities required by the Master Street Plan, and structural plans for any retaining walls. The applicant requested waivers for full street improvements along Graham Road on the grounds that future planned improvements and an eventual overpass would alter the street and potentially require rework if completed now.
Planning staff supported variances for pedestrian flow and landscaping and recommended denial of the waiver as a planning commission action because of concerns about timing: if street improvements were installed now they might be torn up later when planned larger projects occur. Commissioners debated whether building the street to city standards now or deferring would be better for the neighborhood; one commissioner said a minimum street‑light at the site should be required if the commission allowed a waiver because Graham Road is “incredibly dark.” The commission approved the two variances (one for pavement/parking layout and another for pedestrian flow/landscaping) on recorded votes and approved the large‑scale project subject to staff comments 8-0; the waiver vote tied 4‑4 so the commission did not recommend approval and staff will prepare a resolution to forward to City Council for their March 22 meeting.
Why this matters: the project upgrades church facilities and parking, but the waiver request raised a policy choice about who should pay now for street work that may be replaced later; neighbors and commissioners pushed for at least minimal lighting and pavement so that safety and walkability are not left to future, uncertain projects.
Next steps: applicant will coordinate with staff to provide revised parking counts and sign removal, clarify the proposed paving schedule for the site, and attend the City Council hearing where the waiver will be considered.
