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February 19, 1999
MEMORANDUM
TO: Planning Commission
FROM: Planning Division Staff
SUBJECT: Special Exception SPX98-0273, Montgomery County Public Schools
Wootton High School, 2100 Wootton Parkway, Rockville, Maryland 20850
At its January 27th 1999 meeting the Planning Commission reviewed and considered the subject application request, a proposal to expand, renovate, and modernize Wootton High School which is located within the R-150 (medium density residential) zone. The school is located on the west side of Wootton Parkway, approximately 1,200 feet south of Hurley Avenue and 30 feet northwest of the intersection of Greenleaf Terrace and Wootton Parkway. The existing school is approximately 235,265 square feet in size, with a building capacity for 1,535 students. The school's current 1998-99 student enrollment totals 1,725 students.
The planned school renovation and expansion will take place in two (2) phases. Under the first phase, a two-story classroom building addition will be constructed, adding approximately 41,128 square feet to the existing 235,265 square foot school building. The second phase will include the construction of a three-story building addition, creating 29,122 square feet of building space. After the second phase is completed, the newly renovated school will have a total of 305,515 square feet of building space, with a building capacity to accommodate 2,109 students. Also, as part of the planned school renovation, the faculty parking lot which currently has 116 parking spaces, will be redesigned and expanded by 63 parking spaces. The school's parking and loading areas will also be redesigned and expanded to accommodate 25 school buses.
Planning Commission Review:
The Planning Commission reviews special exception requests in order to provided input to the Board of Appeals via a formal recommendation, as to the appropriateness of a given request. At its meeting on January 27th 1999, staff provided a brief overview of the planned project, followed by the applicant's detailed presentation and discussion of the request before the Commission. Planning staff recommended denial of the application because of unresolved issues related to traffic, on-site circulation, parking and impacts to surrounding properties. In its review and consideration of the request, the Commission raised several concerns regarding the project proposal and potential impact the planned school expansion would have on the surrounding community. The concerns raised by the Commission included, but were not limited to the following: the amount of existing/projected traffic generated by the school; site vehicular ingress-egress; site area circulation; students parking in surrounding residential areas; on-site student parking facilities; and discharging students from personal vehicles on Wootton Parkway, etc.
After hearing all of the testimony the Commission concluded it review and moved into its work session. Due to the substantive nature of the issues raised regarding the school and its planned expansion, the Commission voted to continue its review and defer formal action on the request. The Commission instructed the applicant to work with staff to address as many of the afore noted issues as possible. It was the consensus of the Commission, the applicant specifically provide additional information to improve site area circulation and on-site parking. It must be noted that those concerns were also raised in the project's staff report and voiced by neighboring property owners of the school. The Commission requested that a traffic and site parking study be completed, and the subject request be rescheduled for its reconsideration.
As directed, staff has worked with representative of the school, community, and Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) attempting to address those concerns deemed of great important by the Commission. The City provided the services of its traffic consultant, A/E Inc., to enable analysis to proceed immediately rather than wait for MCPS to procure such services. It is anticipated that a traffic study will be completed and its findings ready for presentation to the Commission at its February 24th 1999 meeting. Staff assumes that after the Commission has reviewed the findings of the traffic study and site-parking assessment, it will have sufficient information to formulate its recommendation on the application request, which must then be forwarded to the Board of Appeals.
In addition to these efforts, the principal of Wootton High School, Rebecca Newman has coordinated several meetings between the neighboring property owners and civic organizations, representatives of the Parents Teachers Association (PTA), City Police, and other staff. The outcome of these meetings is attached. We would like to go on record as being extremely grateful to Dr. Newman and the community for working to address several difficult issues. The combination of program and policy changes, with design changes expected to be recommended by the traffic consultant, may solve many of the outstanding problems associated with the planned school expansion.
Actions to be Taken by Wootton High School:
1. Increased "off-campus" presence of Security Staff at the Giant parking lot before and after school to redirect cars away from Rockshire private roads and encourage students to use designated crosswalks.
2. Stationed security personnel at entrances to both parking lots to insure that only students with valid reasons to leave campus may exit from school property.
3. Responded promptly on the two occasions that community members have notified the school concerning inappropriate student behavior during school hours.
4. Aired several educational segments on traffic issues, pedestrian safety and parking rules on the high school's daily television news program.
5. Published articles in the Common Sense student newspaper on the concerns of surrounding communities and informed students about the need to obey and respect established rules.
6. Parents have been informed by the PTSA:
A. If students did not have school-parking permits that they should not be permitted to drive.
B. Both parents and students must refrain from entering the Rockshire Townhouse Community for purposes of dropping off or picking up students.
C. That students and parents should refrain from using the private roads of the Rockshire Townhouse Community as an alternative to Wootton Parkway.
D. That parents should not, under any circumstances, stop their vehicles on Wootton Parkway for the purpose of dropping off students.
E. That parents and students should respect the private property surrounding the school.
Proposed Action Plan
As a result of the recent community meetings, a proposed action plan has been identified. The plan focuses on three major themes; communication, collaboration, and commitment. The basic elements include:
Communication:
1. The school will maintain an up-to-date mailing list of affected and interested stakeholders.
2. The school will distribute letters to neighborhoods with information.
3. The school will educate students and parents about traffic, issues, parking policies, expectations, truancy and off-campus activities.
4. The school will notify MCPS Executive staff about community concerns, especially when MCPS resources may be needed.
5. The school will notify Homeowner's Associations (HOAs) in advance of large events, construction, and changes in policies that may affect traffic, parking and other issues that may be of concern to the HOAs.
6. The Parent, Teacher and Student Association (PTSA) will educate parents about traffic and parking rules.
7. The PTSA , cluster PTAs and the HOAs will share current and correct information with their constituents.
8. The HOAs will notify the school when student's cars have been towed.
9. The HOAs will encourage their residents to contact the school when they see inappropriate student behavior.
10. The HOAs will notify the school and Police Department if they believe that a student has retaliated against an individual as a result of a student being reported.
Collaborative Efforts:
1. Creation of a permanent advisory board comprised of school, civic, government, police, and business representatives.
2. The school will work closely with police to monitor and respond to community reports.
3. The school will continue to tow illegally parked cars in the Giant Food parking lot.
4. Create an overflow-parking map so that visitors to the school for large events may park legally.
5. The City will determine if the "Neighborhood Matching Grant Program" can fund ongoing communication efforts.
6. The City will work with the Rockshire HOA to pursue changes in signage that may enable police to provide assistance in removing illegally parked and standing vehicles.
7. The City Police will provide education on the "Write Program" to improve traffic safety.
8. The City Police will provide education on the appropriate response to suspected vandalism, retaliation and other illegal activities.
9. The HOAs will collaborate with the school, the City and others to find solutions to the current identified problems and ongoing issues.
Commitment Efforts:
1. The school will provide security personnel, when available, for periodic and unannounced inspections of the Giant Food parking lot.
2. The school will provide additional supervision, when possible, of the properties along Eton Overlook to prevent students from illegally trespassing on private property during school hours.
3. The school will continue, for as long as necessary, stationing security personnel in the Giant Food parking lot in the morning and afternoon to encourage the proper use of parking lots and prevent student and parent drivers from illegally entering the private property of the Rockshire Townhouse community.
4. The school will immediately request additional security personnel during construction.
5. The school will increase the level of sensitivity of school staff regarding the need to appropriately and promptly respond to community concerns.
6. The school will work with the SGA to develop an on-going campaign to encourage students to walk, carpool, or ride buses.
7. The school will request funding from MCPS for activity buses to reduce the number of students who drive or must be picked up after school.
8. The school will schedule a community forum to introduce the Advisory Board to the surrounding neighborhoods to publicize new policies, procedures, and efforts.
9. The City will investigate completing the sidewalk on the Wootton Parkway side of the berm located directly in front t of Newton Drive.
10. The City will support efforts of the City Police in addressing the needs of the school and its surrounding neighborhoods
11. The City Police will provide an increased effort to make random check on neighborhood streets to enforce regulations with special attention to the Rockshire townhouse community.
12. The City Police will provide random checks for proper drop-off and pick up procedures and enforcing where appropriate.
13. Assist with insuring safe crossing for students using crosswalks on Wootton Parkway.
14. The Homeowners Associations (HOAs) will work closely with all involved parties to insure that the school and community issues are addressed in a timely and responsive manner in order to prevent concerns from escalating.
15. The HOA's will report to school staff and City Police illegally parked cares, illegally standing cars, suspected truancy, and suspected inappropriate student behavior.
16. The Rockshire HOA will commit to continue to tow illegally parked cars and inform Wootton High School, where possible, of the towed car's license plate numbers.
Based on all of the afore noted factors, the application has been scheduled for a public hearing before the Board of Appeals, the body that is responsible for approving or denying the application request. The Board will consider the Commission's recommendation, along with all of the evidence and testimony it receives in the course of its review of the subject application request. As is customary, the Board will weigh all of the evidence as it pertains to this application request and render its formal decision in accordance with Section 25-338 of the Zoning Ordinance. The Board of Appeals public meeting on the application request is scheduled for March 6th 1999, starting at 9:30 a.m.
Should the Commission have further questions regarding this matter please advise. Your attention in this matter is appreciated.