Citizens For A Better Norwood

Friday, January 09, 2009

Planning Commission’s recommendation re St. Aloysius

Following is a letter dated 12/18/08 sent by the Planning Commission secretary to Norwood City Council with the recommendation PC members approved for St. Aloysius Orphanage School. Immediately following the letter is the staff’s recommended condition of approval, which the Planning Commission modified.

Dear President Grote and Members of Council,

At the December 17, 2008 meeting of the Norwood Planning Commission it was voted to recommend to Norwood City Council to approve with conditions the Preliminary and Final PUD (Planned Unit Development) plan submission for St. Aloysius Orphanage School R1-PUD located at 2420 Drex Avenue.

Per the Norwood Zoning code the next step in the process is for the Norwood City Council to set Public Hearing for the above case. Please find attached the staff report and written findings which the Planning Commission based its recommendation with the following modifications to the staff’s recommended condition of approval (page six)**

1. St. Aloysius shall use the facility only for a school as presented in the PUD application. Any expansion of the school beyond what is being proposed is subject to the approval of the Planning Commission and City Council.
2. Operating hours shall be normal school hours and incidental operation uses. Any change in operating hours shall be reported to the City of Norwood to determine if it will create any negative impact to the surrounding neighborhood.
3. St. Aloysius be required to staff appropriate personnel to manage its students and ensure security. Additional security personnel needs may be evaluated jointly by St. Aloysius and the City of Norwood as required.
4. Plans delineating the placement of the proposed fence for the purpose of restricting the outside activities of the individuals attending St. Aloysius along with enhanced landscape plan shall be subject of Planning Commission approval.
5. No office uses, medical uses or clinical uses except as ancillary to the school use (e.g.: school nurse) shall be permitted on the property unless St. Aloysius applies for and receives a zone change to allow for such uses.
6. Plans for the fencing contemplated by St. Aloysius must be submitted and approved by the Building Commissioner.
7. Bus transportation shall be generally limited to small buses and vans no larger than 12 passengers and following consultation with the Norwood Police Department regarding traffic and transportation safety issues. St. Aloysius shall present a plan to the Safety Service Director for approval as to how bus transportation will be handled on the site and the surrounding side streets.
8. St. Aloysius shall present a plan for the landscaping and maintenance of the landscaping, as required in the PUD, to the Building Commissioner for approval.

The Planning Commission is requesting in time for public hearing that the Law Department prepare the necessary ordinance for the suggested public hearing date of Tuesday, February 10, 2009.


** page 6, staff’s recommended condition of approval:
1. St. Aloysius shall use the facility only for a school as presented in the PUD application. Any expansion of the school beyond what is being proposed is subject to the approval of the Planning Commission and City Council.
2. Any change in operating hours shall be reported to the City of Norwood to determine if it will create any negative impact to the surrounding neighborhood.
3. St. Aloysius be required to staff appropriate full-time security personnel to control its students.
4. Plans delineating the placement of the proposed fence for the purpose of restricting the outside activities of the individuals attending St. Aloysius, along with enhanced landscape plan shall be subject of Planning Commission approval.
5. No office uses, medical uses, or clinical uses shall be permitted on the property unless St. Aloysius applies for and receives a zone change to allow for such uses.
6. Plans for the fencing contemplated by St. Aloysius must be submitted and approved by the Building Commissioner.
7. Bus transportation shall be limited to small buses and vans no larger than 12 passengers and following consultation with the Norwood Police Department regarding traffic and transportation safety issues. St Aloysius shall present a plan to the Safety Service Director for approval as to how bus transportation will be handled on the site and the surrounding side streets.
8. St. Aloysius shall present a plan for the landscaping and maintenance of the landscaping, as required in the PUD, to the Building Commissioner for approval.