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Planning commission approves Somerset Academy expansion and trail realignment; student increase tied to traffic study
Summary
Commission recommended approval of a general plan amendment to reroute a shared‑use trail and approved an expansion for Somerset Academy that includes a small theater and parking changes, while imposing a requirement that student population increases be contingent on an approved traffic impact analysis and an administrative review period.
The Planning Commission approved a set of entitlements for Somerset Academy seeking to expand its campus, realign a planned shared‑use trail, and add classroom, athletic and meeting space on a roughly 12.5‑acre campus east of Skypoint Drive and north of Deer Springs Way.
Staff supported the general‑plan amendment to relocate the public trail alignment to avoid conflict with school uses and to provide a safer route that avoids the school play areas. The school also requested site development changes to add approximately 28,600 square feet of new facilities, a small theater and a reconfigured parking plan; the applicant asked for a limited parking variance and several waivers related to facade and buffer treatments. Staff recommended denial of the parking variance, SUP and SDR as submitted because the site is “overbuilt” relative to town center and Title 19 standards, but included conditions that would allow continued review.
The applicant, represented by Somerset’s attorney, said the expanded program would bring arts and conference space and that traffic and circulation concerns centered on pick‑up/drop‑off operations could be resolved. The record reflects a requirement added by staff that no student population increase would be allowed until the traffic impact analysis is approved and that an administrative review within 60 days would allow staff to require modifications if queuing or circulation issues persisted.
Commissioners noted the double layer of review — traffic impact approval and post‑approval administrative review — and approved the applications with conditions. The applicant committed to withdraw 1 waiver (perimeter landscaping along Sky Point) and to continue stakeholder outreach; the approval will move to City Council on June 18.
