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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJustification Statement 1551 N FLAGLER DR, STE 102, WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33401 ■ T: 561.684-6141 | E: WWW.SNLANDPLAN.COM Justification Statement Lake Worth Christian School City of Boynton Beach Minor Site Plan Modification Application Submittal: March 6, 2026 First Resubmittal: May 8, 2026 Second Resubmittal: July 6, 2026 Third Resubmittal: July 31, 2026 Request On behalf of the Applicant/Owner, Lake Worth Christian School (“Applicant”), Schmidt Nichols respectfully requests your consideration for a Minor Site Plan Modification application for the project known as Lake Worth Christian School. The 16.12-acre subject property (PCN: 08-43-45-09-00-000-7070; 08-43-45-09-21-001-0350; 08-43- 45-09-21-000-0020) is generally located on the east side of High Ridge Road in the City of Boynton Beach (“subject property”). Currently, the subject site supports a Future Land Use (FLU) designation of Public & Private Governmental/Institutional (PPGI) and is located in the Single-family Residential (R1AA) Zoning district. The Applicant proposes to increase the previously approved square footage for the general use building from 13,001 s.f. to 24,944 s.f. The Applicant seeks this modification as the school is estimated to increase by 200 students (800 students maximum) over the next ten years. The Applicant requests consideration of the following application: Request 1: Minor Site Plan Modification to increase the square footage of the previously approved General Use building from 13,001 s.f. to 24,944 s.f. Justification Statement Lake Worth Christian School City of Boynton Beach Zoning Application Submittal: March 6, 2026 First Resubmittal: May 8, 2026 Second Resubmittal: July 6, 2026 Third Resubmittal: July 31, 2026 Page 2 of 7 2 | P a g e Site Aerial Below is a summary of the surrounding properties: Adjacent Lands Uses FLU Zoning Subject Property Educational PPGI R1AA North Single-Family Residential LR-2 RS South Single-Family Residential LDR PUD East Multifamily Residential MEDR R3 West Single-Family Residential LR-2 RS Justification Statement Lake Worth Christian School City of Boynton Beach Zoning Application Submittal: March 6, 2026 First Resubmittal: May 8, 2026 Second Resubmittal: July 6, 2026 Third Resubmittal: July 31, 2026 Page 3 of 7 3 | P a g e Request 1: Minor Site Plan Modification Minor Modification. 1. Submittal Requirements. The applicant shall submit a letter explaining the modification(s) along with the affected plans and exhibits (in the number of copies specified by the Division). The applicant shall also provide consent from the property owner to file an application for the minor site plan modification. Response: The Agent has submitted all required statements, drawings, exhibits, and plans required for a Minor Site Plan Modification, along with the consent form signed by the property owner. 2. Review Criteria. The proposed minor site plan modification shall comply with the requirements of the respective zoning district regulations of Chapter 3, Article III, and site development standards described in Chapter 4. Response: The proposed modification is in compliance with the zoning requirements of the R1AA Zoning district and the site development standards outlined in Chapter 4. Chapter 3: ZONING Article 3: Zoning Districts and Overlay Zones: The proposed modification meets the intent of Table 3.1, Residential Building and Site Regulations, in that the site plan: o Meets the minimum lot size of 8,000 s.f. (16.12 acres provided), minimum width and frontage of 75 feet (320 feet of frontage on High Ridge Road), maximum building coverage of 45% (13% proposed), and max imum structure height of 30 feet (28’6” proposed roofline, 34”4’ proposed parapet height). o Meets the minimum setbacks for R1AA as follows: • Front: Min. 25 feet (117 feet provided) • Side Interior: Min. 10 feet (50 feet provided) • Rear (2-story Building Addition): Min. 20 feet (236 feet provided). Article 4: Use Regulations: School, Primary and Secondary: permitted as a Conditional Use in the R1AA Zoning district. Conditional Uses: A use that, because of special requirements or characteristics, may be allowed in a particular zoning district but only with conditions as necessary to make the use compatible with other uses permitted in the same zone or vicinity. Justification Statement Lake Worth Christian School City of Boynton Beach Zoning Application Submittal: March 6, 2026 First Resubmittal: May 8, 2026 Second Resubmittal: July 6, 2026 Third Resubmittal: July 31, 2026 Page 4 of 7 4 | P a g e The proposed modification to the existing educational (School, Primary, and Secondary) use is subject to the further requirements for Non-Residential Uses in Single-Family Residential Districts, as follows: a. Location. Along the following roadway types as designated in the City of Boynton Beach Comprehensive Plan: arterials and collectors. • Meets this requirement as the subject site for the proposed modification fronts High Ridge Road, which, according to the Comprehensive Plan, is designated as an urban collector (U-COLL). b. Minimum Lot size. One (1) acre for all non-residential uses, except for day care establishments, which shall be regulated in accordance with Section 3.D.87 below. • Meets the minimum lot size as the subject site for the proposed modification totals 16.12 Acres. c. Frontage. Except for day care establishments, a minimum frontage of one hundred fifty (150) feet for all non-residential uses. • Meets the minimum frontage requirement of 150 feet, as 320 feet of frontage is provided on High Ridge Road. d. Landscaping. A minimum buffer width of five (5) feet and a landscaping barrier shall be required for all parking and vehicle use areas, and outdoor recreation areas that abut single-family residential zoning districts. • As the subject property abuts single-family residential zoning districts, the site is subject to meet this requirement. • Existing 19’10” and 24’8” buffers and landscape barriers abut the single-family residential uses to the north and south. e. Design. Building design shall be consistent with surrounding residential styles. • Meets this requirement as the proposed modification is consistent with the building design styles of the existing buildings within the subject site and the design styles of the surrounding residential area(s). f. Separation. Distances between residential properties and outdoor play areas shall be maximized. o The proposed modification will not alter the existing/previously approved site layout, which has been deemed sufficient in maximizing the distances between nearby residential properties and outdoor play areas. Chapter 4: SITE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS Article 2: Landscape Design and Buffering Standards: The proposed modification is consistent with Chapter 4, Article 2 Landscaping and Buffering . (Note: Green Island Ficus is not considered invasive; it is the parent species, Ficus microcarpa, that carries the invasive designation. Because Green Island is a cultivated Justification Statement Lake Worth Christian School City of Boynton Beach Zoning Application Submittal: March 6, 2026 First Resubmittal: May 8, 2026 Second Resubmittal: July 6, 2026 Third Resubmittal: July 31, 2026 Page 5 of 7 5 | P a g e variety, it has been vetted as non-invasive at this time. Were we proposing the parent species on its own, the invasive classification would apply. As for St. Augustine, there is no literature identifying this sod as an invasive ground cover.) Article 5: Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements: The proposed modification is consistent with Chapter 5, Article 5 Parking, specifically the following: Per Table 4.21, Educational Uses, and Table 4.20, Industrial Uses, the project will provide the minimum off-street parking spaces for uses as follows: Parking Required: 174 Spaces Existing West Elementary School – 1 Space/500 s.f. @ 10,609 s.f. = 22 spaces Existing East Elementary School – 1 Space/500 s.f. @ 13,087 s.f. = 17 spaces Existing Maintenance - 1 Space/800 s.f. @ 2,327 s.f. = 3 spaces Proposed Primary Classrooms (General Use) – 1 Space/500 s.f. @ 4,647 = 10 spaces Proposed Secondary Classrooms (General Use) – 1 Space/100 s.f. @ 4,654 = 47 spaces **1989 Developers Agreement = 75 Spaces Parking Provided: 190 Spaces o Pursuant to the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design on ADA.gov, the proposed project meets the required spaces for persons who have disabilities as follows: Handicap Spaces Required: 6 Spaces Handicap Spaces Provided: 12 Spaces Article 6: Sign Standards: The proposed modification is consistent with Chapter 4, Article 6 Sign Standards, as no form of signage is proposed to be constructed within this modification. 3. Approval Process. The application shall be reviewed by staff, and action will be taken by the appropriate administrative official. Upon approval of a minor site plan modification, all future development shall be consistent with the site plan, as modified, including all previously approved conditions of approval associated with the site plan. Response: The Agent and Applicant acknowledge this requirement. Justification Statement Lake Worth Christian School City of Boynton Beach Zoning Application Submittal: March 6, 2026 First Resubmittal: May 8, 2026 Second Resubmittal: July 6, 2026 Third Resubmittal: July 31, 2026 Page 6 of 7 6 | P a g e Article 8: Sustainable Development Standards: The proposed modification is consistent with Chapter 4, Article 8 Sustainable Development Standards, specifically the following: B. Applicability. All applications for approval of a new site plan, major site plan modification, or minor site plan modification (resulting in an increase, or replacement, of building square footage by five thousand (5,000) square feet or more), involving multi-family and planned unit residential, non-residential, and mixed use development shall incorporate a sufficient number of sustainable design options from Table 3-1, Sustainable Development Options and Points, to demonstrate achievement of the minimum number of points required below: 7. Non-residential development of a size greater than one (1) acre shall achieve at least twenty-five (25) points. Response: The proposed modification demonstrates compliance, as the development incorporates twelve sustainable design options spanning energy, water, site, and landscape strategies: ENERGY STAR-qualified cooling (min. SEER 16) and water heating (75% of demand), a white cool roof (SRI ≥ 75), a reflective white building color with accent and trim, aluminum shade structures (awnings) over the building's glazed openings, energy-efficient LED interior lighting, ENERGY STAR appliances, an enclosed recycle/dumpster area, usable common open space well in excess of code (approximately 88%, with no designed dimension less than seventy-five feet), non-potable (well or lake) water supplying 100% of site irrigation, canopy trees exceeding the required count by 25%, and additional green features awarded at the discretion of the Development Director, accumulating a total of 33 sustainable development points, thus exceeding the minimum points required (25) for a non-residential development larger than one acre. SUPPLEMENTAL NARRATIVE: SOLID WASTE SERVICE ANALYSIS The original dumpster locations were strategically situated to accommodate the operational needs and layout of the existing site plan. These locations were selected to ensure efficient access for service while minimizing disruption to daily activities on campus. At present, and moving forward, Lake Worth Christian School maintains an agreement with the City of Boynton Beach for solid waste collection twice daily, five days per week. This frequency of service has proven effective in managing current waste volumes and provides a strong foundation for supporting continued campus operations. With the addition of the new building, the existing dumpster system will continue to be utilized. Based on current usage patterns and the enhanced collection schedule, the Justification Statement Lake Worth Christian School City of Boynton Beach Zoning Application Submittal: March 6, 2026 First Resubmittal: May 8, 2026 Second Resubmittal: July 6, 2026 Third Resubmittal: July 31, 2026 Page 7 of 7 7 | P a g e dumpsters are expected to have sufficient capacity to support the expanded development. The increased frequency of collection ensures that waste is removed consistently throughout the day, preventing overflow and maintaining sanitary conditions. Should operational needs change over time, the school will continue to coordinate with the City to adjust service levels, including ordering higher- capacity dumpsters, as necessary to ensure ongoing adequacy and compliance. Conclusion On behalf of the Applicant, Lake Worth Christian School, Schmidt Nichols respectfully requests your approval of this Minor Site Plan Modification application for Lake Worth Christian School.