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Special Use Permit – Bel Air Elementary Planning Commission Report; 12-18-18 Page 3 Notable Code Definitions:  SCHOOL. An institution for learning, specifically grammar and high schools, which provide elementary and preparatory instruction. Applicable Codes:  Chapter 4, Article 1, R-1 District. Identifies schools as a special use.  Chapter 8, Article 2, Special Use Permit and Variance. Identifies the process by which a special use request is to be reviewed and decided. Applicant’s Narrative: In general In November 2017, the taxpayers within Independent School District #621 approved a $164,800,000 referendum. The approved community-developed plan was to address the shortage of elementary space due to the addition of full-day kindergarten, four-year old preschool and slight enrollment growth, among other needs. The two additions to Bel Air Elementary would expand the existing cafeteria and create a new kitchen. In addition, there is a classroom addition, which would include special education group rooms on the lower level and one classroom and a resource area on the upper level. The project also includes the redesign of the bus drop-off area and parent parking to separate the two for the improvement of student safety. The person coordinating the project on behalf of Independent School District #621 is Nick Marcucci, Wold Architects and Engineers, 332 Minnesota Street, Suite W2000, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55101, ph. 651-227-7773 Regarding the Bus Drop Off Reconfiguration The proposed bus area would be stripped with yellow parking stripes. These will be sized for bus parking. For the safety of children, buses are never allowed to back up when students are present. The angle and geometry of the parking spots allow buses to stop approximately three feet from the curb. From this location the bus can drive forward with a left turning movement. This will allow buses to depart the site without backing up. One advantage of this design is that it allows buses to arrive in any order and park in a designated spot. This helps young students better find the correct bus when departing school. The buses need to depart from the bus area in order. The western most bus will need to depart before the second bus can pull out. It is common for bus areas to serve as overflow parking when not in use for buses. In this case it would provide ample width to allow cars to angle park along the curb in a similar configuration to the buses. The District would be open to discussing limitations on that parking at the request of the City.