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HomeMy WebLinkAbout19036 ApplicationEXISTING BOZEMAN HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS JANUARY 15, 2019 SITE PLAN SUBMITTAL SITE PLAN NARRATIVE WITH UDC DEPARTURE REQUESTS Page 1 of 12 SITE PLAN NARRATIVE WITH UDC DEPARTURE REQUESTS In compliance and with the Interlocal Agreement dated November 12, 2012 and as outlined in the November 6, 2018 informal Review Submittal for this same project, the Bozeman Public Schools is submitting for Site Plan Submittal for the Existing Bozeman High School Campus. Noticing and Public Hearing for requested exemptions occurred January 7, 2019. Overview Bozeman Public Schools is moving forward in the next phase of high school improvements for the community of Bozeman. The new high school campus started construction earlier this year and the stadium at the existing school campus is just starting its construction. The project included in this phase proposed herein includes the renovation of the existing high school main building facility. With completion of all of the high school improvement projects, the existing campus will change substantially from its current state. With approximately a 37% reduction of students, the vehicle and pedestrian circulation patterns and aesthetics will better serve the revised number of faculty, students, and visitors, as well as reduce the pressure on the adjacent residents and nearby community. This project includes removal of older classroom wings primarily at the southeast portion of the site and construction of a new learning facility, auditorium, and commons area along this same façade, consolidating these functions to the north. A portion of the commons will extend west to the newly constructed Ruth Thibeault Way (stadium project) and become the school’s new Main Entrance. Additionally, new secure vestibules will be added to entry doors at both the south façade and the east façade of the northernmost building (the N-Wing). The south parking lot and south loop off of Main Street will be reconstructed for more efficient use and safer street exiting. The existing open space will be expanded and enlarged along 11th Avenue. Existing Improvements The high school is on a previously developed site bound by West Main Street, North 11th Avenue, North 15th Avenue and West Durston Road. Parking lots are located north, west, and south of the main school facility with access points onto the adjacent perimeter roads. Numerous courts and practice/ playfields are located on the north and west sides. As part of a separate project, a new stadium and track will be constructed east of 15th Avenue and north of the reconstructed Ruth Thibeault Way. The reconstructed road of this stadium project is to serve as the main vehicle drop-off, creating a separate drop-off from the existing bus drop-off that will remain along 11th Avenue. The school building was built in multiple stages from the mid-1950s through 2010. The earliest built areas towards the south and east were primarily 1-story structures. The rest of the building is two-story in height, including the newer N-wing to the north and the gymnasiums further south and west. The south two gymnasiums abut the south entry and cafeteria entrance. Utilities Drainage The site generally slopes down from south to north with Mandeville Creek flowing north along the east boundary and the Middle Creek Ditch Return Flow bisecting the site from west to east. Many of the site EXISTING BOZEMAN HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS JANUARY 15, 2019 SITE PLAN SUBMITTAL SITE PLAN NARRATIVE WITH UDC DEPARTURE REQUESTS Page 2 of 12 grades and drainage patterns have been established by historic irrigation patterns and previous development. Generally, existing drainage patterns will continue as currently with the new improvements (i.e., areas/roofs that drain to Mandeville Creek or to internal infiltration structures will continue to do so with reconstruction). Much of the existing impervious roof area is being converted to landscaping, which should help to reduce runoff rates and volumes from the development. Reconstructed drive surfaces will be re-graded to drain properly with inlets to appropriately sized stormwater management facilities and connections to existing storm drain infrastructure. Where buildings are demolished and converted to landscaping, area drains and dry wells may be required to preserve existing trees at existing low spots. Runoff from the roofs of the new buildings will be collected and routed through pipes to a detention pond with a designed outfall to the Mandeville Creek drainage basin meeting City design standards. Mandeville Creek does not have a delineated floodplain. However, site grading on the east side of the school will be evaluated to ensure flood flows have an overflow route to North 11th Avenue, in lieu of encroaching upon the school buildings. Water No new water mains are required as part of this project. A section of existing water main will be capped and removed where it exists within the proposed building footprint between M- and N-Wings. No new domestic water or fire services are anticipated for the new buildings. The existing water services are adequate to meet the demands of the new facility with some internal system reconfiguration. The existing water service on the east side of the building will be disconnected and abandoned at the water main on North 11th Avenue, east of D-Wing. Two existing on-site fire hydrants will be relocated to accommodate the improvements. Two new irrigation service connections to the City water system are proposed with the Stadium project to supply the current system. Sanitary A portion of an existing sewer main and one manhole will require removal and realignment, where the main crosses the site, to avoid the southeast corner of the new classroom building. New sewer services will exit the east side of the new building and connect to the existing (realigned) on- site sewer main west of Mandeville Creek. The new sewer services will pick up the M-Wing sewer that is currently interconnected with the J-Wing sewer, scheduled for demolition. Plans for water and sewer main extensions are currently being submitted to DEQ for approval, as necessary. Irrigation Ditch An existing irrigation ditch crosses the site from the North 15th Avenue & West Beall Street intersection west of the school to Mandeville Creek on the east. Portions of the ditch are currently piped under existing improvements, including approximately 280 lineal feet that is piped beneath the existing annex between M-Wing and N-Wing. This ditch has been confirmed with members of the Middle Creek Ditch Company as the return flow for the ditch system. Therefore, historic conveyance capacity to Mandeville Creek must be maintained through the property. EXISTING BOZEMAN HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS JANUARY 15, 2019 SITE PLAN SUBMITTAL SITE PLAN NARRATIVE WITH UDC DEPARTURE REQUESTS Page 3 of 12 The portion of the ditch that crosses under the existing annex structure (between wings M and N) is proposed to be realigned beneath the new building in a similar manner. Piping will be required to convey ditch flow from the west entrance loop to the east side of the new auditorium at the narrowest part of the building. Precast box culvert is proposed for the portion beneath the building as a sleeve for the new pipe to allow for future maintenance or repairs if necessary. In the event of pipe blockage, a ditch overflow route has been identified through the parking lot west of N-Wing; the overflow eventually makes its way to Mandeville Creek without inundating school buildings. Before routing the ditch feature under the new building, necessary easements are be prepared with legal counsel and the stakeholders to address the use, maintenance, and liability of this pipe on school property should it be routed as proposed. Gas An existing natural gas main crosses the site from the North 15th Avenue & West Beall Street intersection west of the school to West Lamme Street (parallel to West Beall Street, yet east of the high school site). A portion of the gas main currently passes under the existing annex between M-Wing and N-Wing. This utility is owned by NorthWestern Energy (NWE) and will not be able to pass underneath the new building. However, the connection across campus is important to the overall distribution system and needs to be maintained. Therefore, the gas main needs to be re-routed north of the school and re-connected in the vicinity of West Lamme Street. A route around the north end of N-Wing is currently proposed. Installation will be by NWE and the final route will be coordinated with NWE for acceptability. NWE will also be responsible to quantify associated costs to be covered by the school project. NWE is also evaluating if it is regionally beneficial to their system to route the gas main around campus via North 15th Avenue and Durston Road. This option is desirable as it requires less coordination and disturbance to existing school improvements. However, the estimated cost to the school for routing it around N-Wing would still be required and assessed towards the larger re-routing project. A NWE formal request for utility relocates is under development and is forthcoming. Power An existing overhead electric line crosses the site from the North 15th Avenue & West Beall Street intersection west of the school to North 11th Avenue on the east, and passes between M-Wing and N- Wing. This line will be terminated on either end of the school building by NWE to accommodate the new buildings. A NWE formal request for utility relocates is under development and is forthcoming. New service to the remodeled area will come from existing NWE overhead distribution lines along North 11th Avenue. Primary power will transition from overhead to underground, and extend to a new pad- mounted transformer outside of the new main electrical room south of the auditorium. A photovoltaic array is not proposed with this project; however the necessary infrastructure including structural supports are included on the roof for future implementation. Transportation Improvements Site Access and Circulation: One objective of the proposed campus improvements is to internalize much of the existing parking and circulation within the site. Consolidating the learning community and main entrance parking to the central west side of the building, and improving Ruth Thibeault as the main parent drop-off from North 15th Avenue and West Beall Street should help achieve this goal. An additional project objective is to improve EXISTING BOZEMAN HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS JANUARY 15, 2019 SITE PLAN SUBMITTAL SITE PLAN NARRATIVE WITH UDC DEPARTURE REQUESTS Page 4 of 12 circulation and safety on the south end of campus by reducing entrances, restricting movements onto Main Street, and reconfiguring the parking lot layouts. Proposed Main Street entrance modifications have been coordinated with Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and permits are being submitted for. Parking: The only modifications to parking with this project will be on the south side of campus. The objective is to maintain the existing parking capacity while enhancing the layout, paving surfaces, drainage patterns, access, and circulation. There are 303 existing parking stalls for the student parking lot, swim center lot, and front oval (combined). The current design provides 27 additional new stalls and increases ADA parking availability and proximity to the south entrance. See attached Bozeman High School Renovation and Addition Parking Calculations memo. Fire Access: Fire access routes are provided throughout campus and have been coordinated with Scott Mueller of the Bozeman Fire Department. Fire lane improvements with this project include: reestablishing the fire lane in the front loop, adding a hammerhead turnaround to the fire lane behind the swim center, and widening a sidewalk with stabilized turf from North 11th Avenue off the southeast corner of N-Wing to allow fire truck access across Mandeville Creek to the new building wings. All new fire routes will be designed in accordance with the latest version of the International Fire Code. Pedestrian: Pedestrian circulation is simplified for safe access. Street access is direct to designated building entrances. Sidewalks are provided from all parking areas directed toward building entrances, public assembly areas and adjacent streets. The newly constructed south lot provides additional safety for users with sidewalks on all sides of the lot. Along 11th Avenue, a new path network is provided to and through the enlarged and enhanced open space. This path also provides a safe and durable egress from adjacent building exterior doors to public ways. Off-Site Improvements Off-site improvements are proposed to enhance pedestrian safety crossing North 11th Avenue to the school. Proposed improvements include removing the south painted crosswalk at North 11th Avenue & West Mendenhall Street to minimize conflicts with left-turning vehicles, and enhancing the painted crosswalk on the south side of North 11th Avenue and West Lamme Street with RRFB (rectangular rapid flash beacon) pedestrian-activated flashing crosswalk beacons. In coordination with city engineers and planners, an additional off-site improvement includes adjustment to the 11th Avenue parking lot and its access. The parking will now be angled with one-way access from the north exiting to the south. The exit will be right-out only and is shifted further south off the terminus of Mendenhall to allow for a safer street intersection for both pedestrians and vehicles. A short raised- curb planter with trees at the end of Mendenhall will reinforce the end of the street and create a barrier protecting parking and pedestrian users. The street crosswalk will extend through the barrier planter and through the parking lot. Encroachment permits are in process for submittal. Watercourse Watercourses that effect this project include Mandeville Creek along the east edge of the project and the Middle Creek Ditch Return Flow that bisects the campus from west to east. Aquatic resource delineations and classifications for these features are still to be determined by the Army Corps. In addition to the watercourse setback requirements identified in the City’s Uniform Development Code (UDC), required EXISTING BOZEMAN HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS JANUARY 15, 2019 SITE PLAN SUBMITTAL SITE PLAN NARRATIVE WITH UDC DEPARTURE REQUESTS Page 5 of 12 stream/wetland permitting for Mandeville Creek a temporary construction bridge will likely be applied for closer to the anticipated need for a bridge (estimated 2020). The proposed location is across from West Mendenhall Street, where larger construction traffic can access straight on, cross the creek and sensitive planting area using a 50’ span bridge. By using the bridge instead of the culvert, no 404 permit would be required for wetland disturbance or fill. However, a 310 stream permit would likely be required. No other permitted actives within Mandeville Creek are proposed with the project. Property Line Adjustment A property line currently exists between M-Wing and N-Wing separating the two school parcels; the property line aligns with the West Beall Street right-of-way. This property line previously separated the Senior High and Junior High facilities prior to re-location of the middle school and annexation of N-Wing to the current High School facility. Because new buildings are generally not desired to cross property lines, a boundary line adjustment is under development and will be finalized under city staff direction. The Subdivision Exemption Application and Survey will include also include updated easements for various utilizes, as required. Building Additions The Bozeman High School project will engage the broader community, neighborhood, and student community on multiple levels. This engagement begins with attractive, comfortable outdoor spaces that allow the community to witness the learning environment, and continues inside with a new auditorium that will be an amenity for the community. A new primary entrance located on the west side of the High School at the terminus of Ruth Thibeault creates a campus-like approach to the building and relieves traffic along North 11th Avenue and West Main Street. Inside the new west entry, a commons will connect the existing north and south buildings. Glass walls in the commons will visually connect landscaped courtyards at the west side of the building to landscaped courtyards at the east. Carrying repetitive floor patterns and seating elements from the exterior into the commons will give a greater sense of openness and connectivity to the natural environment. This project strives to create an environment that feels safe for students and faculty while attending school, promoting better learning experiences. An assessment of the current facility identified the need for secure entrances as there were currently an excessive number of exterior doors that pose security concerns. Creating secure vestibules at the west, east, and south entrances, coupled with decentralized administration, creates the needed security. The learning community wing (classrooms) is currently designed for two stories with a mechanical penthouse on the roof. The learning community and auditorium will each be approximately 45’ in height. Building Exterior Design The new building portions of Bozeman High School will be constructed of different structural and finish systems to enhance the design opportunities reflecting the different uses of the building portions. Exterior finishes will consist of prefinished metal panels, masonry veneer, and pre-cast concrete panels. A textural mural is proposed across the pre-cast panels of the auditorium. The roofs will be low-slope mechanically fastened EPDM or TPO. Exterior fenestration and primary entrances will be comprised of EXISTING BOZEMAN HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS JANUARY 15, 2019 SITE PLAN SUBMITTAL SITE PLAN NARRATIVE WITH UDC DEPARTURE REQUESTS Page 6 of 12 painted steel and aluminum storefront frames with clear finish. See below UDC Design Responses for specific code compliant design elements. Basic wayfinding for the site and building will be clearly identified so that as people enter the grounds, they know where to park and which doors they are supposed to enter (or not enter). The facility is being upgraded to have one single primary entry for student parking and drop-off at the west side of the new central commons addition. The bus entry will remain on the east side of the building as a secondary entrance. The south entry facing Main St. will still be used for athletics, sporting and community events. A new entrance proposed for the Hawk’s Nest day care will be located on the southeast corner of the building. All other doors will be used for egress or authorized access only. Site/Landscape Amenities Plazas As mentioned above, designated public entrances within the project area will be enhanced both architecturally and with inviting exterior spaces. Three plazas will be provided with this project. These include the new main entrance plaza at the terminus of the redesigned Ruth Thibeault Way, the east courtyard connected to the new main entrance via the commons, and the secondary south entrance plaza near Main Street. Each of these areas include direct access into the building. Changes in elevation from adjacent areas to entrances are incorporated into the concepts providing varying experiences for users. Paved and/or grassy gathering spaces are provided off to the side of the direct access with pedestrian scale-lighting, seating and enhanced landscaping. Some areas may receive specialty concrete to further emphasize these entrance and plaza locations. Bicycle Parking Bicycle parking areas disturbed by demolition/construction have been restored on site. Areas receiving bike stalls include the main and south entrance plazas. New racks comply per city code. Landscaping Enhanced areas at entry plazas include planting beds with a mix of native and adapted plant materials. These will consist of low shrubs, ground covers, and trees. Some of this ground cover will be seeded with shade tolerant grasses. The use of taller shrubs is discouraged by school security officers. New lawn areas are provided in the enlarged open space east of the building and near the south loop parking areas. Native dryland grassland areas in disturbed areas extend west of Mandeville Creek and transition to the building’s lawn areas, as shown on the plan. This approach will help reduce overall water consumption and provide a filter for run-off flowing toward the Creek. Bio-swales and detention ponds are be planted with an appropriate grassland mix. Berms approximately 3 feet tall will be used to enhance the expanded open space for screening, variety, and interest. If grades allow, the main and south entrance plaza areas will also incorporate berms. Landscaping meets all City of Bozeman code requirements, except for specific instances were visibility and transparency are required for safety and security. These exemptions were requested as noted above. Irrigation A new water-efficient permanent underground irrigation system will be installed for new lawn & planter planting areas. The water source will be domestic until it is determined by jurisdictional agencies that EXISTING BOZEMAN HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS JANUARY 15, 2019 SITE PLAN SUBMITTAL SITE PLAN NARRATIVE WITH UDC DEPARTURE REQUESTS Page 7 of 12 wells may be installed in the area. The design team and owner assessed using gray water for the system, however it is not feasible at this time. Large lawn areas will be watered using pop-up gear-driven rotors and Matched Precipitation Rotors on smaller lawn areas under 30 feet wide. Planter bed plantings will be watered via drip irrigation. All new native grass areas will be temporarily watered for establishment only. Phasing This project is to be constructed in one phase, however the sequencing will start summer of 2019 with the south parking lot area. Construction for the building renovation and addition will begin the summer of 2020. Special consideration and sequencing in coordination with the stadium project is also being coordinated. EXISTING BOZEMAN HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS JANUARY 15, 2019 SITE PLAN SUBMITTAL SITE PLAN NARRATIVE WITH UDC DEPARTURE REQUESTS Page 8 of 12 UDC DEPARTURE REQUESTs The UDC Departure Requests include: · Section 38.530.050.C: High visibility street corner and gateway sites · Section 38.530.070: Blank wall treatments. The information below is listed in UDC numbering conventions and includes rational for satisfying UDC design requirements and *departure requests. Section 38.510.030.A: Block frontage standards Design Response: Landscape block frontage selected. Section 38.510.030.G Design Response: See Design Response in Table below Table 38.510.030.G ‘Other’ block frontage standards Design Responses Element Standard (⇒ refers to departure opportunities, see subsection 38.510.030 below) Ground floor land use See Tables 38.310.030-.040 for permitted use details Use is permitted per code. Building placement Where allowed in the applicable zoning district, buildings may be placed up to the sidewalk edge provided block frontage standards herein are met (except where otherwise noted herein). 10' minimum front setback for other buildings, except where greater setbacks are specified in the district per division 38.320. ⇒ See section38.510.030.J for special design provisions associated with ground level residential used adjacent to the sidewalk. In the Public Lands and Institutions (PLI) district, there is no setback requirements except when a lot is adjacent to another district. Building entrances Building entrances facing the street are encouraged. At least one building entry visible and directly accessible from the street is required.⇒ Where buildings are set back from the street, pedestrian connections are required from the sidewalk. The primary entrance for Bozeman High School is being moved to the west side of the building off Ruth Thibeault Way. The south entrance is being redesigned as a prominent secondary entrance, which will have pedestrian connections from new sidewalks Façade transparency For storefronts, at least 60% of ground floor between 30" and 10' above the sidewalk is required. ⇒ Other buildings designed with non- All elevations of the building will be further than 10’ away from public sidewalks so a minimum of 10% of the facades are required to EXISTING BOZEMAN HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS JANUARY 15, 2019 SITE PLAN SUBMITTAL SITE PLAN NARRATIVE WITH UDC DEPARTURE REQUESTS Page 9 of 12 residential uses on the ground floor within 10' of sidewalk, at least 30% of the ground floor between 4'-8' above the sidewalk. ⇒ Other buildings, at least 10% of the entire façade (all vertical surfaces generally facing the street). ⇒ East Elev = 17% glazing, South Elev = 17% glazing. Window area that is glazed over or covered in any manner that obscures visibility into the storefront space must not count as transparent window area. be transparent glazing. As designed, the east elevation will have 17% glazing and the south elevation will have 17% glazing. Weather protection At least 3' deep over primary business and residential entries. The new main entrance and south entrance will have weather protection to meet code. Parking location (see also 38.540 There are no parking lot location restrictions, except that a 10' buffer of landscaping between the street and off street parking areas meeting the performance standards of division 38.550 of this division is required. ⇒ A 10’ landscape buffer is provided per code for the reconstructed south parking lot. Landscaping (see also 38.550) The area between the street and building must be landscaped and/or private porch or patio space. For setbacks adjacent to buildings with windows, provide low level landscaping that maintains views between the building and the street. Also provide plant materials that screen any blank walls and add visual interest at both the pedestrian scale and motorist scale. For extended wall areas, provide for a diversity of plant materials and textures to maintain visual interest from a pedestrian scale. Landscaping is provided between the building and the street within the project area. For areas were building have been removed, a series of berm, native grasses and lawn areas are provided with trees to break up the building façade and provided differences in texture to increase pedestrian interest. The recently rehabilitated riparian Mandeville Creek provides an additional level of interest. Sidewalk width Where storefront buildings are proposed, sidewalks must meet storefront block frontage standards above. Otherwise, 6' minimum sidewalks are required adjacent to arterial streets and public parks and 5' minimum width in other areas, except the review authority may require wider sidewalks in special areas where called for in adopted plans or where significant pedestrian traffic is anticipated. Existing and proposed sidewalks and paths are provided per code. Section 38.520.040.C.4: Pedestrian paths through parking lots specially marked or paved sidewalks. At least one walkway required every four rows of parking or a maximum spacing of 200’ to provide safe connection to the building entrance. EXISTING BOZEMAN HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS JANUARY 15, 2019 SITE PLAN SUBMITTAL SITE PLAN NARRATIVE WITH UDC DEPARTURE REQUESTS Page 10 of 12 Design Response: A specially marked pathway west-to-east through the south parking lot is proposed in the current plan. Section 38.520.060: Usable commercial open space. New developments with non-residential uses must open space equal to at least two percent of the development envelope. Design Response: With the removal of portions of the building, great expanses of usable opens spaces are created along 11th Ave. Lawn, berms, natural grasses, paths, benching and paths are proposed and expand upon the existing creek restoration. Three pedestrian oriented open spaces are provided in the form of plazas at the new main entrance on Ruth Thibeault Way, commons courtyard, and the south secondary entrance drop-off loop. Seating and gathering areas are provided with enhanced surrounding landscaping. See cover and landscape sheets for detailed information. Section 38.520.070: Location and design of service areas and mechanical equipment. Design Response: All new mechanical equipment supporting the new building will be located within enclosed rooftop penthouses designed to complement the adjacent building elevations. The ground- mounted transformer is screened by landscaping. Section 38.530.040.B: Building massing and articulation - must include a minimum of three of the following articulation features every 60 feet (maximum) to create a human scaled façade pattern. Design Response: The three articulation features proposed for the auditorium façade are as follows: (7) articulation of a single building material through varying colors or textures, or incorporating joint and/or trim pattern (8) other design techniques that effectively reinforce the human-scaled pattern compatible with the building’s surrounding context, and (9) providing vertical elements such as a trellis with plants, green wall, art element. The proposed material for the auditorium portion of the project is precast graphic concrete panels. With graphic concrete, the design team is able to select any image to be expressed in the finish on the concrete. Through the application of a film to the surface of the concrete, the image is pressure washed exposing aggregate that creates the images contrast through smooth or rough concrete, which will create varying colors and textures. We have proposed a forest image showing multiple tree trunks in varying depths and scale. This image is regional in context based on Bozeman’s outdoor culture, will read well from a distance (the wall is nearly 200’ away from the sidewalk along 11th Ave), and will read well at a human scale closer to the wall. The use of the image is an artistic solution, which is an art element. Section 38.530.040.E: Maximum façade width. Design Response: The maximum width for the largest single wall is 146’. Each elevation has multiple vertical and horizontal steps that are all less than 150’ wide. Section 38.530.040.F: Roof modulation if needed to qualify as a façade articulation feature in subsections B, C, and E above. Design Response: Roof modulation of the auditorium is not required for a façade articulation feature (item 5 in section B) because items 7, 8, and 9 in section B were implemented to satisfy the articulation requirements. EXISTING BOZEMAN HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS JANUARY 15, 2019 SITE PLAN SUBMITTAL SITE PLAN NARRATIVE WITH UDC DEPARTURE REQUESTS Page 11 of 12 Section 38.530.050.C: High visibility street corner and gateway sites. Design Response: The intersections at 11th & Mendenhall and 11th & Main St are designated as high visibility street corners because they are where arterial and collector streets intersect. The intent of the this designation is to ‘encourage building facades with attractive design details at an appropriate pedestrian scale relative to the overall composition of the building and to integrate window design that adds depth richness and visual interest to the façade’. The requirement is to ‘locate a building or structure within 20’ of the street corner and include design features that accentuate the street corner. Alternatively, the building corner could be configured with a corner plaza’ … and ‘a sculptural architectural element, or other elements that meet the intent of the standards’. *DEPARTURE REQUEST: For most developments where space is limited, building area is maximized, and no natural watercourses occur, this code as written applies. However, the school district is removing building in these areas and shifting school-related activities to the north, away from these intersections. The removal of the buildings at these intersections actually enhances and accentuates the intersections as natural areas and open space amenities. The Mandeville Creek waterway was recently rehabilitated from Main St north through to the north edge of this project area with new meandering channeling and native/natural riparian plantings. It is not possible to comply strictly with both the 50’ minimum watercourse setback and the 20’ maximum building setback in these areas. To satisfy the intent of this provision, the school district seeks a departure from the high visibility provision and sees this riparian natural resource as the ‘built’ site façade with attractive natural and planting details. Large mature trees are intended to be preserved in these areas as a gateway backdrop for larger relocated on-site sculptural art works as located on the landscape plans. In addition to the above mentioned natural systems, the intersection of 11th & Mendenhall will receive additional off-site/on-street improvements. The existing parking lot access locations will be shifted to provide a small raised landscape planter with trees at the terminus of Mendenhall to promote visual cues and physical barrier at this T-intersection. Section 38.530.060: Building materials. Design Response: The primary exterior finish material will be factory finished minimum 24 gauge metal siding with appropriate molding, trim, and hemming. The auditorium portion of the building will be finished with graphic concrete as described above. Portions of the new construction will be brick with a color and finish to match the existing north building (known as N-Wing). The remaining finishes will be a combination of painted structural steel and glazing. Elevations with a material legend and cut sheets can be found in the drawing set (sheets A201 & A202). Section 38.530.070: Blank wall treatments. *DEPARTURE REQUEST: The east façade of the auditorium is the only wall that meets the definition of a blank wall. Of the suggested blank wall treatments, the option to install a mural (item 4) is being implemented in the form of the graphic concrete finish. The graphic concrete will also add visual interest at a pedestrian scale (item 5). With nearly 200’ separating the auditorium’s east façade and the public sidewalk, multiple layers of landscaped open space are proposed which will provide varying depths of trees and plantings between pedestrians near 11th Avenue and the building. Though the proposed EXISTING BOZEMAN HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS JANUARY 15, 2019 SITE PLAN SUBMITTAL SITE PLAN NARRATIVE WITH UDC DEPARTURE REQUESTS Page 12 of 12 landscaping does not strictly comply with item 2 of this section, the design team believes it exceeds the intent in using landscaping as a screening feature. Section 38.550.E Street frontage landscaping. Design Response: Street trees are provided along Main St. and 11th Ave. Because of existing utility locations along Main St, the new trees are located outside of any existing available boulevard strips and located on the back side of the sidewalks. This will provide a pedestrian-oriented shaded sidewalk for traveling pedestrians. On 11th Ave, the existing street section is non-compliant. Along this route, existing overhead power and below grade utilities require trees to be planted just outside the property line where a traditional boulevard would be.