§ 58-61. E-D educational district.
Joint proposal from staffs of Union County Public Schools, Union County and all Union County Municipalities regarding standardized zoning regulations.
Union County Public Schools (UCPS) is currently subject to 13 different sets of local land use regulations (12 different municipalities and Union County). Regulations vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, making it difficult to build new schools, renovate existing schools or locate mobile units in a consistent, timely and cost effective manner.
As a part of the Union County Board of Education's adopted "Building Program Cost Saving Principles", UCPS is endeavoring to establish a standard zoning classification and standardized requirements for school construction regardless of the schools locale in Union County. Such standardization will result in: (i) equitable school facilities throughout the county; (ii) more efficient permitting of school facilities; and (iii) cost savings for the benefit of the taxpayers of Union County. Staffs from UCPS, Union County and local municipalities have met and have agreed to make recommendations to their elected boards as follows:
(1)
UCPS staff will involve local municipal staff early in the site selection process. The local municipal staff will make recommendations regarding target sites or areas within their respective jurisdictions that are suitable for school uses. Pursuant to state statute, final decisions regarding the selection of school sites are made by the Union County Board of Education.
(2)
Allow all new schools, additions or renovation uses by right with supplemental standards. This will eliminate the costly and time-consuming discretionary (CUP/SUP) zoning process and site-by-site negotiations. All local government entities benefit by having expectations regarding school design and construction identified in advance.
(3)
Jurisdictions may consider an optional CUP/SUP review process if unique conditions exist as determined by the zoning/planning administrator. The administrator shall consider if the proposed project poses a negative impact on the public health and safety.
(4)
Supplemental standards shall include:
a.
Exterior of buildings:
1.
Exterior building materials shall be limited to masonry brick (brick or prefinished block), natural or synthetic stucco, prefinished insulated or noninsulated metal panel system, prefinished metal fascia and wall coping, standing seam metal roof (for sloped roof only), painted hollow metal and/or prefinished aluminum door and window frames, glass, painted or prefinished steel.
2.
UCPS staff will work with municipality staff to follow any requirements of municipality "special overlay districts" as it relates to the exterior design of the facility.
3.
Exterior of buildings will be articulated to enhance the area of the site.
b.
Mobile classrooms (MCR):
1.
MCR's shall be located in rear yard if possible. If rear yard cannot accommodate the MCR's then they can be placed in the side yard. MCR's can be placed in the front yard only if the MCR's cannot be accommodated in the rear or side yards.
2.
MCR underpinning and crawl spaces shall be screened.
3.
Landscaping/planting shall be provided between the MCR and any adjacent roads from which the MCR's are visible.
c.
Sidewalks:
1.
Sidewalks will not be required if they present a public health and safety hazard; sidewalks on the school property that connect to an existing sidewalk infrastructure will be provided by UCPS. Except as provided above, the municipalities shall be responsible for paying for and constructing sidewalks.
2.
UCPS will dedicate appropriate easement or road right-of-way needed for sidewalks if requested by municipality.
3.
UCPS will grade areas for sidewalks if requested by municipality.
4.
UCPS will cooperate with municipality to apply for grants for sidewalks.
d.
Exterior illumination:
1.
Driveway and parking area lighting shall be no more than ten footcandles. Spill over to adjacent properties shall not exceed one footcandle for nonresidential use/and or zoning and 0.50 footcandle for residential use and/or zoning. Lighting fixtures shall be shielding type.
2.
Lighting fixtures located on the building exterior shall not emit more than five footcandles and shall be shielding type.
3.
Lighting for athletic fields shall follow the current standards as set forth by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Lighting Standard. A lighting control package shall be included and lights shall be shut off no later than one hour after the end of the event.
e.
Signs:
1.
Materials for sign base and structure shall match the primary building materials.
2.
Sign face shall not exceed 40 square feet and does not include the sign support structure. The bottom of the sign face shall be no less than 24 inches above, nor more than 72 inches above the ground surface. The sign support structure can include columns and walls on either side of and below the sign face and shall not be more than 16 inches taller than the sign face.
3.
One sign shall be permitted per school. Alternatively, if multiple schools use the same driveway access, then the allowable square footage may be increased by ten square feet for each additional school.
4.
One wall sign per school shall be permitted and only for the name of the school and shall be reviewed by the administrator.
5.
External illumination is allowed.
f.
Parking:
1.
At elementary and middle schools provide one space per staff member plus 1.6 spaces per classroom or one space for each three seats used for assembly purposes whichever is greater.
2.
At high schools provide five spaces per instructional classroom or one space for each three seats used for assembly purposes whichever is greater.
3.
No more than 20 percent of the required spaces can be compact spaces.
4.
Minimum size of spaces shall be nine feet wide by 19 feet long for regular, 7½ feet wide by 15 feet long for compact, and accessible spaces shall meet current accessibility codes.
g.
Student drop-off stacking: On-site vehicle stacking for student drop-off shall be based on NCDOT requirements using the NCDOT required calculator.
h.
Landscaping and screening/buffering:
1.
Trees and shrubs shall be as indicated within the municipality species list.
2.
Parking area: One large or two small trees shall be provided for each 12 parking spaces. Each parking space shall be located within 65 feet of a tree. Rows of parking spaces shall be terminated with a landscaped island and shall be the same size as a parking space.
3.
Parking areas shall be screened from adjacent public roads with shrubs based on the municipality's species list.
4.
Storm detention basins shall be screened with fencing and/or shrubs as determined by the administrator and shall be dependant upon the size, location and use of the basin.
5.
Land berms will not be permitted between school facilities and roads.
6.
Land berms can be used in conjunction with required screening/buffering to adjacent uses as determined by the local regulations.
7.
Screening/buffering from adjacent uses will be opaque and shall consist of:
i.
Small trees planted at a rate of three per 100 feet and six feet high evergreen shrubs planted at a rate of 25 per 100 feet; or
ii.
Large trees planted at a rate of 2.5 per 100 feet and a six-foot high solid wood fence; or
iii.
Tall evergreen trees with branches touching the ground planted in a stagger.
8.
If the adjoining property is of similar or compatible use the administrator may reduce or eliminate the screening/buffer.
9.
Screening/buffering requirements may be waived when screening/buffering is already provided. There may be cases where the unusual topography or elevation of a site, or the size of the parcel involved, or the presence of screening on adjacent property would make the strict adherence to the regulation serve no useful purpose. In those cases, the administrator is empowered to waive the requirements for screening so long as the spirit and intent of this section and the general provisions of this section pertaining to screening are adhered to. This section does not negate the necessity for establishing screening for uses adjacent to vacant property.
10.
UCPS will endeavor to adhere to all tree preservation ordinances of the municipalities and shall preserve natural buffers between the school facility and adjacent properties as much as practical.
11.
UCPS will endeavor to retain as much existing trees and vegetation on school sites as practical and will re-introduce common local species into the project as possible.
(5)
Stormwater management. The postdevelopment rate of stormwater runoff from any lot shall not exceed the predevelopment rate of runoff for a 10-year storm. The applicant shall provide, at a minimum, the following information to the zoning administrator as part of his application to obtain a zoning permit:
a.
An engineering report made and certified as true and correct by a registered engineer licensed to do business in the state. Such report shall include the following:
1.
The routing of stormwater for the predevelopment and postdevelopment conditions of the proposed building lot.
2.
Calculations showing the peak estimated rates of runoff using a ten-year return period for predevelopment and postdevelopment conditions, for the lot, including each stream leaving the proposed building lot.
3.
Calculations, plans and specifications for stormwater retention/detention facilities or other means to effect peak rate attenuation.
4.
A statement indicating the rate of postdevelopment stormwater runoff for the proposed building lot will not be greater than the predevelopment rate for a 10-year storm.
b.
A statement from the owner acknowledging responsibility for the operation and maintenance of required retention/detention facilities, and to disclose such obligation to future owners.
(6)
Small cell telecommunication facilities are a permitted use within this district in accordance with article XI.
In the event any provisions of the supplemental regulations conflict with any other provisions of this section, then the provisions of these supplemental regulations shall control. Other ordinance provisions not in conflict with these supplemental regulations remain in effect.
(Ord. No. O-2008-06, 4-14-2008; Ord. No. O-2010-02, 3-8-2010; Ord. No. O-2017-10, 6-12-2017)