Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

I'd like to call the meeting to order of May 1st, 2025 planning commission meeting. We'll first have uh ple uh pledge of allegiance. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Roll call. Miss Canable here. Miss Dobson. Mr. Hehart here. Mr. Mitchell here. Mr. Aravalo here. Miss Kier here. Am I saying that right? Yeah. Okay, you got it. Mr. Sly here. Miss Squire here. Mr. Morris here. Chairman, we have a quorum. Thank you. Approval of agenda. Any questions? If not, can I have a motion? I'll make a motion to approve the agenda as presented. Second. All in favor? I I I thank you. Uh citizen participation. We have everybody on the list. Okay. Okay. Then we'll close that section. Formal actions. Approval of minutes. Move that we approve minutes as presented. Second. I second it. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. All those opposed I stayaining.

See that site plan application. Grace Community Church. Um, we have a couple represent We have a couple of representatives um that are here if there's any questions that I'm not able to answer. Um, this is SP24-8 for Grace Community Church of the Nazarene site plan. Um, located off of US 169 on the west side of the highway. Um it is zoned R1 and it's about 11 acres. Um the applicant um RI has submitted a request for a site plan um for approval of Grace Community Church um to expand their property. Um the expansion would be used for a youth room and um a lobby area and probably some offices. Um I don't believe it's supposed to increase their um their attendees. Um so we have reviewed um all the requirements per section 17.340 of the Spring Hill Municipal Code. Um all the lot lines and rideaways are identified. Um all proposed structures with with applicable data are identified. There's no water or sewer available. Um, so they are on a septic which Johnson County um maintains. Um, there's no exterior lighting on the proposed structure and the existing parking lot will not be um improved. So there's no additional lighting. So a photometrics would not be required at this time. Um, the landscape plan was submitted and does meet city standards um and all the consultants and utility providers have reviewed. Um there are some outstanding comments um from engineering um that will get um

dealt with um probably prior to going to city council or during the pre-construction. And if you have any questions um I will try to answer them. Are they making any changes to the building facade or is this just an addition? It's an addition. Okay. I couldn't tell from the drawings. Yeah. come on up. Hey, good evening. Yeah, the um facade of the existing building is going to be changed. The east facing facade is going to be changed to match the expansion. Okay. Okay. And so it it it'll you'll maintain the stone way scouting that you have there. Yeah. Yeah. It's actually going to be a concrete um fiber kind of structure with with a a metal lath kind of deal on it. Yeah. Sorry, I don't explain things real well. So, will will that east facing facade be all one material? Be two materials and be integrated across the old building and the new building. Okay. So, then the whole building will be uniform when it's done. Yes. Okay. Yeah. That that face. That face. Yeah. Okay. And I think I did put an elevation in your guys's folder that they provided to us. Cool. And no uh I I heard you say no lighting in the parking lot cuz no changes to the parking lot. Not doing any no changes to the signage or anything either? I don't believe so. Signage. No. No new and improved sign. Now accepting me new members. Okay. Thanks. Did I read that the city is requesting one sidewalk from the exit but not from the other two exits? Is that the city or is that for like fire code? Um the city

and fire department are um requiring it. Um they are not required um fire suppression at this time. Um so we both feel that it would be requirement for them to have a sidewalk for safe um egress in case of an emergency. Just the one just the south side. Yeah. On the other two exits for fire. Um are those already or I'm sorry are those do they already have a fire suppressant system there or are they also excluded from the fire suppressant? It would also be excluded. I don't think you guys have one there, right? Yeah. So, would they be required to put sidewalks in at those as well since they don't have virus suppressants at those exits? Um, you can require that. Okay. Thank you. Yeah, that would be your guys' call if you want to require that. Any other questions? So, how many new exit doors do we have? Um, it's two new two exit door or two doors. I think it's three. I thought it was three. I thought it was three. Three. That's why it was close. Oh, yeah. Up there. I missed that one at the top. Sorry.

Anybody else? If not, obtain a motion. Um, I'll make the motion. And I move to recommend approval of application SP24-8 site plan of Grace Community Church uh expansion to the Spring Hill governing body including any conditions as presented in the staff report in theory. I'll second. I for discussion purposes I'd like to require that they have sidewalks on all three of the exit doors and connecting sidewalks for emergencies so that we can get any any and all occupants out during a fire or even fire drills. If you have at this point, if you have somebody that's wheelchair or handicapped at all or in crut on crutches for the day and we have a bad rain, they're not going to be able to exit those doors into grass or mud like we have now and get very far at all. Yeah. I would I would like to have I'm back on my bandwagons of of sidewalks that we need sidewalks to get around that building and a far away from that building if it was to catch fire. I think they can fall down and roll down the hill which is fine. I don't find that funny. Is it accurate? Is it accurate that those two entrances though I believe that there's going to be a fence around them? I don't think they're meant to be like main entrance or exit points in a fire. They have to be a exit point. Yeah. Oh, I can speak to that. I'm Andrea. I'm with RI. Um those two exits in the fenced area, that's with

like the daycare kind of um play areas that those are not emergency exits. It's not intended to um be a point of egress. It is um the one to the left of the the fence area, that is the emergency exit. And then the one on the north side of that building, that is an emergency exit. And then um on the south side of the northwest building expansion, that's the other emergency exit door. So those two doors inside the fence area won't be a problem. Again, I would like to have all three of them be sidewalked as you don't know what's going to happen. I was in a school system for 26 years. I if there's a door, somebody's going to use it in a fire emergency. And yeah, and so we're we've provided the the stoops um at all the I want sidewalks to be connected and all the doors able to go out as an emergency. Even if it's not for fire, there's other types of emergencies that can happen. And I'd like to see all of those doors have sidewalks and connected to get around to exit the building. Like I said, I've just done too many scenarios, worked too many scenarios being in the school system that I feel like it's really something that's needed. Which to me also begs the question, if you have a door that's going to be labeled an emergency exit into a fenced area, will there be a gate for people to exit? No, it's not labeled emergency exit. Those two doors are not emergency exits. Only the one outside the fence on the very south side. Right. Yes. here. Yeah. So that's that's more of the daycare that's play area. Okay. So I got confused. So those won't be emergency exit. Okay. But it sounds like one on the on the south edition. It looks like there's a there will be an emergency exit on the northwest side of

that edition. And then on the very northwest corner of everything where there's another building expansion. There are two doors there. Um or just one on the south side of it. Just one is the emergency. Oh yeah, you're I'm sorry. On the north side as well. Okay, that's what I There is a connect a sidewalk connected. So, the one on the north side it I can't quite read. Is there a sidewalk in front of that one with the dotted the dash the dashes? Oh, no. That's the swale. That's a swale. Oh, swale. Okay. So, all all of those would exit onto grass basically. Maybe with a concrete pad. Yeah. Yeah. The concrete pad outside. Yeah. And then which is required and then um after that is the grass area. So your your typical flow though when not in an emergency would be to use the existing entrances and exits which pretty much go right onto your parking lot. Yes, that's correct. Gotcha. And then there's one another entrance to the north parking lot. Um Yep. But that's it. Yeah. So these new um like the new emergency exit doors, these are to building buildings parts of the building that are not the sanctuary. So, so the um I guess the idea, Cindy, would be that those would truly be emergency exits. They wouldn't be for regular use at all. So, if you built sidewalks, those sidewalks would not be used. Or it may actually start directing traffic in a way they don't intend cuz they don't want people using those doors. They want people to continue to use the existing door on the north side to the parking lot and the east side to the parking lot on the east. But is as far as emergency goes and your experiences with a school district, is it more for folks who are um like physically like like in a wheelchair or something? Is that is that the issue? It is, but at any point you can have a that is not mobile for any given reason. I mean, it's a sport injury. It's a vehicle injury. It's a sickness that

they've been through. Not just necessarily handicapped because of a of their lifestyle. It's at any given point in time. And we've had we've had playgrounds that have been fenced as well. But even through that, even through that, you still have those doors that are are in people's heads that that's the door you're going to go out because it is the closest door to get out. Sure. And I I mean, it's not just fire. I mean, in today's world, there's other reasons that you need that's your closest door and that's your nearest door to get out. Um, I I would think that you'd even want those playgrounds to have a gate for those reasons to be able to get out. It it does have a gate. Okay. I I'm just saying that there there are reasons in today's world that you want to get out. Well, and in those scenarios, I don't think a sidewalk is going to make or break your exit. I understand. But again, you're going to get out. But again, that student, that person that is handicapped and not able to, then you're depending on two adults that are going to be able to pick up that wheelchair. Yep. And go and they are responsible for other people as well. I just just living through all the drills that I have been drilled in my head over the years, it's the safest thing to do. And if you guys have sat here on this board and long enough and heard me say safety is my number one thing. Whether it's the sidewalks, whether it's the tornado shelters, I'm just going from a safety standpoint. So you would Okay, so I'm just looking at the site plan. You would want them to have like on the northwest building, you'd want them to have a sidewalk, let's say from the southern entrance straight west to that drive, that new drive. I think all sidewalks

need to connect up to get them back to safety. Is that drive going to be paved on the west side of the building? It's a gravel drive. That's what I thought. But even that, just so that the pavement can get to gravel so that you can get them going. I mean, you've got to get you've got to make sure you have connectivity that you've got gates open that you have pathways. You've got to have a pathway to Would you be okay with a gravel pathway to a gravel drive? Is a seven-year-old going to be able to put their wheelchair across the gravel pathway? Crutches can do it. Can a can a wheelchair? Can a 70-year-old in a wheelchair make it go? If it's a mobile one, probably. So, but is it enough to have a concrete sidewalk to a gravel driveway? Cuz cuz you're still 20 ft from the building. It's better than to mud and dirt and grass. Yes. I'd be much happier with that than I would I don't think there's silence. Mhm. I I mean it's it's better than the alternative grass and mud. Where is what my yard is right now after all the rain and just to add one point to the conversation, that north area there from that new expansion to that parking lot, it there's no way to get a sidewalk in there that's actually ADA compliant at all. It's like about a five foot elevation change in swale ac and across the swell. So on that piece that one door just just so you know that's what's there. Which one is that? The north very north. Yeah, the very north one out of that over here. Yeah, in the north side of that there's a drainage soil through there and then the parking lot was a sidewalk that Yeah, you can see. Yeah, that's Yeah, that's drainage. Then the sidewalk actually sits or not sidewalk, the parking lot sits about 5 ft above that pad site there. So, um that it

would not be a real usable sidewalk without me doing this. You need to tell me if that's coming out of the emergency exit or is that coming out playground emergency exit? Yeah. So, that that exit would be ADA compliant, right? That's correct. Um well, to get through it. Yeah. Yes. Yes. the width of the door would be. So, it's an emergency exit that's ADA compliant, but it's not gonna you're not then ADA compliant without having a sidewalk there, right? Well, fire code is that you need to have an exit and a stoop there, which is what we have, but beyond that, you know, it's it's still ADA. Yeah. Legally speaking, they don't just from what I'm seeing, they don't need to have um a sidewalk at every entrance. I'm just concerned again on the safety issue how you're going to get them out of there. I think we're talking about an area of refuge right here and we need to define what that area of refuge is cuz right now we're looking at adding a significant amount of concrete for a sidewalk to wrap back around to the east side where I think this is really the only proposed sidewalk connection to ADA stalls and that's a lot compared to what they're proposing right here. So, I think the fair thing the applicant is identifying what's a fair size or distance for an area refuge for the building and going that route. Do they have to be 10 ft from the building? Do they have to be 12 ft from the building? What is that distance? And then find that area refuge. Otherwise, you're wrapping this whole thing in a 4ft wide sidewalk and it's, you know, it's triple the the amount of Yeah. And that's for exits that aren't really intended to be regularly used. Correct. And you know, then you start to get into the the whole can of now, do you have to illuminate that path of travel? So, yeah, point taken. I understand that. So, it's I mean, you're we're kind of getting into it right here. So,

and if it was something truly happening, you would hope that you would have those others on call. I mean, that did get out and would come help. I get that. I'm just concerned that we're not getting Sure. That's That's my point. It's not a very big area of refuge. I agree with that. Just too many too many practice modes and too many stories that we've all heard. Fair enough. Okay. I don't have that number though, so don't look at me with that square foot with that. So, I just reading between the comments, that's what we're looking for right here is how big of an area does that need to be for everyone to feel comfortable for when an able person is able to get out there that they're in a safe, manageable distance from the incident, right? You got that? Yep. I think he's dead on. Yeah, the cost would just be too dramatic, I think, for the sidewalk. And and not just that, if I can add, um it's also some grading challenges cuz you know, if you take a look at the grading plane, you'll see there's significant slope coming off that south building edition. So, that was our biggest challenge. So, we then we end up with a sidewalk with a 45°ree ramp. So, they they move quick. So on the point of refu or uh refuge, is that what you said? I just Googled it. It says once out of the building, this is on the fire alarm building evacuation website.edu. Um at least 100 ft from structure or is instructed by public safety officials is the safe distance to be out of a burning or away from a burning building. And that would be our fire review saying what that safe distances. Is that

correct? Um he would. Yeah. Is that 4 foot or 5 foot? It's 5 foot. Now, was was the fire department okay with just the the initial sidewalk and not the one in the back? That's correct. It was just the south side of the student. Okay. Any other comments? just go ahead. Yeah, I kind of like the concept of the uh area of rescue. Um I've been in a multi-story building with areas of rescue designated in it. Really from our perspective at the church, having that south door exit to the west on a sidewalk that went to an area rescue that was in proximity to the fire apparatus road and then allowing the south exit out of the uh youth center to also use that area of rescue. It that's reasonable grade through there. Um, we intend to ultimately do some sort of courtyard, hardscaping, playground area where those sidewalks actually could be usable for something. So, you know, if you wanted to go that direction, uh, that not not a hard thing to do, you know, technically we avoid the slopes and maybe provides the solution. So, I just wanted to throw that out. So, so just so I understand that would be on here, let me point to it. But it' be out of here going west. No, I would probably drop it south. So come out. Yeah, that one. Yeah, exactly. And use that staging area for the fire apparatus. While it's still kind of close to the building, it it is the staging area for the fire apparatus to come in. So as a area of of rescue, it would make a lot of sense, right? Yeah.

But then you're not you're not having to deal with the big swale on the north end. Correct. Point. Mhm. Cindy, can you some better? Mhm. It could be a good compromise for sure on that. Yeah. Well, and I I point taken with what Josh said. I'm just Mhm. any of this stuff. That's where my head goes. And it's like, oh my god, we don't we can't get these guys out. We're stuck in the mud. Well, and it and it's it stinks, too, because right now you're like, "Well, that's a ton of extra, you know, concrete and everything like that, which is a huge expense, but also when you're talking about in a true emergency situation, the cost of a life versus cost of concrete." So, like I I do get wanting to cover every emergency situation, we are planning for worst case scenario, hoping it never ever ever happens, and it is a waste of money. Um, so I I totally get what Cindy's saying, but I also think that like what Bill said, that that would be a great compromise, right? Um, it's also Yes. And also like like he said, if that's the staging area for fire and rescue, then that would be um a much better make us feel better situation. At least as far as I go. Anything else motion? Do you need to do a new motion? Yeah. Is there a new motion that includes that? Yeah. Needs to be withdrawn. And I was going to say cuz moved and seconded. I move to withdraw the previous motion. Correct. Second. Withdraw or vote and it dries. We'll never second. Those in favor of withdrawing the motion. I I I. All those opposed. Okay. I stand ready for another motion. Substitute. No, I mean and with conversation at

least then that brings it to the forefront and then it's just been brought to the table and it's been discussed and that hopefully then everybody's more aware of okay well what about this because I mean in a school situation you're talking about it all the time. Maybe in a church situation you're not talking about it. At least it's there to be thought about and talked about more. Not not that I'm wanting to cost you more money. It's just that that's the society unfortunately that we do live in today. So do you want to make a motion where the sidewalks is the strong recommendation of the planning commission or a requirement of approving? I think that it's a requirement to get out whatever 75 ft 100 feet. Well, I think what what is being proposed is just to the road on the west side, which is intended for the fire department to be able to come in and fight fires. So, we don't know what that distance is. Okay. I thought I heard somebody say how many feet. Maybe maybe I misheard that. You want to propose? Sure. Okay. you. Well, and then what about out the what are we going to do with the the playground doors that are not meant to be an exit door? They won't be labeled as an exit emergency exit. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And there will be a gate. Just to be clear, there is a gate there set up. So, if someone finds itself out there, then they can't adult gate, not a kid gate, but and the kids won't be there without an adult. So, um Okay. So, before I make the motion, are you okay with language where we're just um including at

least one sidewalk from each building expansion going west to the access road? Is that good enough? Yeah, as long as we're getting them out of the mud. Yeah. Okay. Um then I move to recommend approval of application SP24-8 site plan for Grace Community Church expansion to the Spring Hill governing body including any conditions as presented in the staff report and by engineering um but also to include at least one sidewalk going west from each building addition to the access road on the west side of the property. I second that. Okay, let's take a vote. Start on the left. I I I I I I 8 0. All those opposed. Negative. There you go. That works. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We distracted Cindy with sidewalks rather than tornado shelters. That's coming up. They've got some safe places out there. They've got some work. Okay. Item three, lots split application. I heard you mumbling under the breath over there. Ready? Yes. Okay. We have a lot split um application LS25-1 for 2015 Woodland Road. Uh Mr. Baker, the owner, is here if there's any questions I can't answer. Um, he is proposing to split um his one lot into two lots. Um, lot one is proposed to contain 2.6 acres and lot

three or lot one, no, lot two, 3 acres. Um there will be a private sanitary sewer easement that will be recorded with the county that goes directly up the middle of the two um of the lot split. Um engineering has reviewed and approved the legal description. Um so we just need um approval from you guys um for it to be recorded with the county. And this is that piece of property that's just west of Woodland Crossing subdivision and just south of Woodland Connect, whatever we call it. It it looked like um this property used to have one or more homes on it, but those have been taken down. Correct. Okay. It used to have one house. One house. Yeah. And how long ago was this annexed? Do we know? Couple years, I think. Okay. I'd have to look back. I'm not real sure. It's only been Do you remember when it was annexed? I can't hear you. Do you remember when it was annexed? I can't hear you. Do you remember when it was annexed? Years ago. About probably two two years ago. Oh, two years ago. Okay. At least two maybe two and a half. Yeah. So recent. It used to be a farm. Yeah. It had some farm buildings on it that had fallen down and a house on it that was full of mold that we had we tore down. I've always really liked that property right there on the corner. Yeah. And then Amy, are there any additional requirements that the city is requiring to bring anything up to code as as it part of the condition of approving the lot split? No.

Okay. I have a question that might actually not have anything necessarily to do with what's being proposed, but I know like in counties they have a certain size of which your land can be built on built on or divided. Do does the city have anything like that? We do. What is that? I'm I'm coming in with the hard-hitting questions of me. Um, man, page 26. You're getting me. Yeah. Do you have it? I do have it. Oh, what is it? All right. Um the such split so this is as section 17.374 tract or lot splits uh under A5. Such split will result in a tract without direct access in less than 75. So it needs 75 ft of frontage on both lots and also um I mean there's other guidelines here like there can't be a new street or alley that's need to be proposed. Sure. It needs to have direct access. Uh but that 75 foot I think is what Yeah. And it exceeds that 238 275. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Thanks you notebook. Got it looked up and marked. Mark. Any other questions? Um is the zoning What is the zoning? It's currently R1. Okay. I'm sorry. I don't see the sanitary easement on the planet. Um, it's in your there's a separate one. If you look in your folder, you'll I put it in there. The exhibit seems like it comes from the south. Yeah. And this is provided to the as it is of today, not potential coming in sewers, right? The sewers are are there now. Correct. like the future,

but it's not on the plat. I see it on the It's private. Um, okay. That didn't normally show up in the plant if it's p plat if it's private. I don't know why it's not on the Are you talking about the survey here? No, I'm talking about the easement. This the private easement for the I don't see it on the plat that you have. Oh, yeah. I don't I'm sorry. I can't I don't I can't answer that. Is that on page eight? Yeah, it's on um this last page. You want this? Yeah, on the last page, but I don't see it on the plat. Oh, I got you. Yeah. No, I I see that. But that's not the plat. That's not what's registered with the county. Do you do you know you know why he can't hear the why your private se it's been recorded. It's been recorded. It's already been recorded. It must have came after I guess there's a there's a there's an easement on it and it's been recorded again on the properties. Okay. Okay. So, it's just drawn separately. So, we see that this is currently zoned R1. Will it be staying R1 for both those tracks? Um, he does currently have a reasonzoning application in that hasn't been processed and you guys will see it. Okay. It's We were just waiting for all of this before we processed it. Yeah, that is odd that it's not showing considering that there was a house there and everything. That's odd. Anything else? Any other

discussion? Anybody have a motion? I move to approve uh application LS251 lot split as presented in the staff report. Second. All those in favor on the left I all three I I I Okay 0. Guess there's no room here to come off of it. know those rocks. That's good. Plat Maplewood. Maple Valley. Right. Maplewood Valley. Um I believe um Travis with uh Grata is on the phone. Travis, can you hear us? Yes. Okay. Yes, we can. Um so this is um a replat of the preliminary plat for Maplewood Valley PP-25-1. Um there was an issue um when they went to build out the road at 217 Street that meets up with the Oakwoods um subdivision. Um we don't know if it was a surveying issue or what, but the alignment was off. So, they've had to replplat um re preliminary plat it uh on lot 46 that's right there on the corner. They've had to take some additional rideway from there. Um so, this is just um replatting the preliminary plat to show that additional rightway there and the realignment on lot 46. Um this has been reviewed by engineering with no comments.

Um, it's just it's kind of, you know, a cleanup needs to be done. I'm sorry. This is Travis with who? Amy Grada. Thank you. So, has that road already been constructed? They have started that lot 46 since I'm sorry if you guys have already talked about that. Is that designated to be a future home? Is that R1? What? If you go uh go to the very page 27, it shows all of the lots and then you can kind of see where 46 is. It's it's I looked at it on the packet when it came through, but I wasn't I wasn't exactly sure. I assumed it was supposed to be a home. I just wanted to make sure that that wasn't like park space or, you know, something like that. Considering that's why I just wanted to make sure that's what that is. Oh, yeah. Correct. That was a big lot. I was going to ask is how much um would they have to I guess lose with that curvature adding in? Um I think it was around 660 ft. Do you know if that's right, Travis? Well, Okay. Okay. Thank you for clarifying. Plain friendly. Any other concerns? I think it's fine. Just trying to straighten the road out. Mhm. Yep. Make sure I fully understood what was going on. So, thank you. Appreciate

that. Okay. I entertain a motion. I move to approve application PP251 preliminary plot of Maplewood Valley. I second it. Second. Any other discussion? None. If not the left I I I I I I I I Hey. And you got another number five. Yep. So this is just the replat of the final plat um of this Maplewood Valley. Um, so it's just the replat of lot 46 to um meet what the preliminary plat you just approved is. Um, nothing really new to say. Um, if you have any questions, we'll be happy to help. Move that we approve suggest approval to uh of FP-25-2 Maplewood Valley third plat. I'll second it. Hey, is that final plan? Yes, final. Any other discussion? No, not we. We'll start at the right. Left. I I I I I I passes 80 Z. Thanks, Travis. Thank you. Any reports? Um, none with us. Okay. Any other items that people will like to bring up? Um, I just want to mention that I'm going to be at the Spring Hill Education Foundation golf tournament on Monday. And I know that I'm probably not

the only one up here. So, I don't know if we need to put out a Okay. When is that? Monday. It's Monday. Yeah. Cinco de Mayo. Oh. Oh. Okay. What time does that start? Early. Um, I think the golfers will have to be checked in and everything by like 7:30 or so. They're going to do the uh scholarship presentations in the morning though. Um, so that'll be good for the students. So, in the past, they're like they were kind of waiting around, you know, the golfers back in around the lunchtime. So, it'll be cool to have that in the morning before they kick start. to hold me to that time. Morning, guys. Sounds fun. Great. Anything else? Anybody else? Everything's good with Pat. Everything's good. Okay. His birthday Sunday. Excellent. I entertain a motion to adjurnn. So moved. Second. Okay. All those in favor? signify saying I I all oppose stand