Use Permit Application No. PLN2021-0068 - Wood Colony Christian School

Use Permit Application No. PLN2021-0068 - Wood Colony Christian School

Request to expand the area of an existing private school facility from 5± acres to 7± acres by incorporating a 2± acre area for a track and soccer field in the A-2-40 zoning district. The existing track and field did not receive appropriate land use entitlements prior to establishment. As such, a use permit is required to amend the boundaries for the school located on Assessor Parcel Number (APN) 005-030-035 and permit the existing track and field currently located on the eastern portion of APN 005-030-020, to the north of the school facility. If approved, a Lot Line Adjustment (LLA) application will be processed following the expansion request, to maintain the use on one parcel. No construction or site development is proposed under this request. The existing track is currently 24-feet wide, composed of hard packed dirt and encircles a 1.3± acre field, which will be used as a soccer field. The existing field currently receives irrigation water from Modesto Irrigation District. The applicant has requested an alternative from the County’s Agricultural Buffer requirements on the east and north portion of the project site consisting of a 0-foot buffer and a proposed 6-foot tall slatted chain link fence along the north and east property lines of APN 005-030-020. The existing school was permitted under Use Permit 79-85 – Brethren Heritage School, for temporary instruction of 150 students. Subsequently, the permit was amended under a time extension in 1982 to allow for 250 students and a permanent school facility. The project site is currently developed with the following: approximately 26,000± square-feet of building space for instructional use; two residences; a tool shed; a 3,575± square-foot barn; three parking areas consisting of 59 standard spaces and 2 accessible spaces; and 1± acre area consisting of a basketball court and baseball field. The two residences onsite are occupied by caretakers of the school facility. The project site is landscaped with mature deciduous and evergreen trees along the road frontage and adjacent to the instructional buildings and residences. On-site lighting for the existing school facility consists of fifty-five exterior wall fixtures on the existing buildings, and five pole-lighting fixtures approximately 18-20 feet in height. The school operates Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. No changes to the hours of operation are proposed as part of this request. The track and field will only be used in conjunction with the school during normal hours of operation; no public use is proposed. The school currently enrolls 60-85 students from Kindergarten to eighth grade and a total of 27 employees. The students are brought to school by 6-7 school buses with 10-12 students per bus and no more than 10 students are brought to school by individual passenger vehicles per day. No increase in the number of students or employees is anticipated under this request. The site is served by the Wood Colony Christian School Public Water System and private septic system, and has access to County-maintained Finney Road

Community of Wood Colony, Modesto

Stanislaus

Citywide, Countywide

California Air Resources Board (ARB), California Department of Conservation (DOC), California Department of Education, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bay Delta Region 3 (CDFW), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Central Region 4 (CDFW), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, North Central Region 2 (CDFW), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Transportation, District 10 (DOT), California Department of Water Resources (DWR), California Highway Patrol (CHP), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Natural Resources Agency, California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley Sacramento Region 5 (RWQCB), Central Valley Flood Protection Board, Department of General Services (DGS), Office of Historic Preservation, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, District 10

Educational (Private school facility)

Use Permit

N/A