Lincoln Planning Commission unanimously recommends conversion of St. Clara's Manor to residential hall for Lincoln College

[December 09, 2017] 

LINCOLN

On Thursday, December 7th, the City of Lincoln Planning Commission held a meeting to consider a request from Lincoln College for a Special Use Permit at the St. Clara's Manor location on fifth street.

St. Clara’s Manor will soon be relocating and the Directors of the not-for-profit corporation have offered to donate the existing facility located at 200 Fifth Street to Lincoln College. The college would establish a residence hall for students. Giving the building to the college would "restrict future use of the property by competing skilled-care providers."

Interim City Administrator Bob Mahrt said Lincoln College is in need of residence halls and this transfer of property would address this need. The city staff is interested in "maintaining the viability of the institutional facility to prevent neighborhood blight."

Forty-four people attended the hearing including faculty, staff, students, and trustees of Lincoln College and a few people who live near the facility.

Lincoln Planning Commission members present were Bob Coombs, Brian Fuiten, Bruce Huskins, David Klug, Victor Martinek, Clifton Marble and Jim Wessbecher. Also present were Lincoln Building and Safety Officer Wes Woodhall and Interim City Administrator Bob Mahrt.

Mahrt said forty-three nearby homeowners were notified about the donation of the facility and the request of the special use permit.

Marht said they looked at procedures, standards, criteria, and regulations in considering the request.

The applicant was asked to give testimony about the request.

Lincoln College President Dr. David Gerlach said since 2015, the school has added eight Baccalaureate degrees, purchased nearby apartments for student housing, and expanded their athletic program. The school is built on further baccalaureate degree expansion and students choosing to stay four years versus two years.

Dr. Gerlach said Lincoln College has seen a twenty percent enrollment increase over the past two years. By 2021, they expect to have over 1,000 students.

Gerlach said the annual economic impact of the college in the community is $43 million, which is the same economic impact in employment as the Lincoln Development Center had when it closed. Each student at the school has a $36,000 impact on the community.

Gerlach said the college plans to increase academic quality and have instituted strong student life programming with clubs, organizations, and community service. The college takes a strong stand on student misconduct and they deal with those who act up with a firm hand. He said a majority of the students are awesome.

Gerlach said the residence hall will have a full time live-in residence hall director, resident assistants, security, and security cameras. The college will run a shuttle bus from the residence hall to the campus.

Gerlach said the school will invest $2 M in renovations to the facility or $28,000 per bed at 80 beds. Lynx Village cost the school $36,000 per bed, and a new residence hall would minimally be $44,000 per bed, so using the building is more affordable than other options. The residence hall could hold up to 130 students, which would significantly lower the cost per bed.

Gerlach said keeping the building empty would be a blight and costly to the community. Having students live there could be a boon to many downtown businesses.

Gerlach said, "I seek your support. I ask for your consideration." He closed by saying, "Our students are amazing."

Planning Commission member Jim Wessbecher asked if there would be two students in each room. He also asked if the residence hall would be for juniors and seniors and whether it would be co-ed.

Gerlach said plans are for doubling rooms. Next fall, the school will need rooms for eighty more students. He said the school intends the residence hall to be for upperclassmen. It will be co-ed, unlike the other facilities. Each individual room would have a half-bath. There would be individual lockable showers down on the ends of each of the wings.

Bruce Huskins asked Gerlach if troublemakers at the residence hall would be moved back the campus for the community's sake.

Gerlach said troublemakers would be sent home.

Four members of the public next addressed the commission.

Kathy Schmidt, who works at the Academic Development Institute, said she has worked with some of the students from the college and found them to be polite and have excellent attitudes. She said the housing would be a great improvement.

Kathy Henson and her husband have lived behind St. Clara's Manor for 40 years and said she enjoys the quiet residential neighborhood and St. Clara's has been a nice neighbor. Henson said there are occasional parking problems when residents of the Manor have family visiting. She asked that they not allow parking on the south side of Sixth Street since it is so narrow. Henson asked if they could have entrances and exits on Maple and Walnut Streets and not into Sixth Street if there is parking lot construction.

Marht said they plan to use the existing parking lot. No driveway would come out on Sixth Street. The ordinance says there is one parking place per rooming unit.

Keith Snyder said he wanted to express support for the college. Snyder walked by St. Clara's Manor many times growing up and said it is a great site and great opportunity for the community. He said it will not be "detrimental" or "injurious" to the community or "impede the orderly development of the area." It has adequate utilities, entrances, and exits.

Snyder said, " I would argue that Lincoln College's success and their growth is essential for Lincoln's future."

Snyder said Lincoln College helps Lincoln grow and they have quite an economic impact on town. He said President Gerlach and others have a vision and will address any concerns.

Mike Eads, Administrator of St. Clara's Manor, said Lincoln College students are great. They volunteer their time, come over to sing to the residents, and may soon do an adopt a grandparent program. Eads said ESDA told him a few years ago that the Manor is one of the safest buildings in town if there was ever a storm, and it would be a shame to see it torn down.

Once public comments had ended, the planning commission members briefly discussed criteria.

Mahrt said parking requirements would be for 63 spots, and there are 45 parking spaces on site at this time. There may be a possibility of adding 20 on the northwest side of the building. A landscape buffer will be needed. He said a one-way drive through on the south parking lot seems like a solid idea.

Commission members said any new pavement would have to comply with storm water management. Curbing may need to be added to address this issue.

Marhrt said the rooming units each have 190 square feet, so 130 would be the maximum number of students who could live there. The minimum land area requirements hold them to the threshold of 65 to 70 units.

In evaluating a Special Use, the Planning Commission must determine the appropriateness of the request based on six criteria outlined in the Lincoln Zoning Ordinance. The criteria and city staff's analysis and recommendations of each criteria for granting the special use are listed below:

(A) The establishment, maintenance or operation of the special use will not be detrimental to or endanger the public health, safety, morals, comfort or general welfare.

The R-2 District does allow for Multiple Family Dwellings as a Special Use and City staff has interpreted the proposed residence hall to be considered a Multiple Family Dwelling, and it would maintain the institutional use of the subject property.

(B) The special use will not be injurious to the use and enjoyment of other property in the immediate vicinity for the purpose already permitted nor substantially diminish property values within the neighborhood.

The proposed residence hall is intended to maintain the established footprint of existing institutional facility located within the block surrounded by Fifth Street, Sixth Street, Pine Street, and Walnut Street. The surrounding streets may serve as a buffer from the adjoining residential properties.

No significant alterations to the exterior of the structure have been proposed. The applicants are aware of the need to secure required Building Permits for the Change of Use of the structure. Appropriate accommodations for parking shall be provided for the proposed facility, with the intent to utilize established entrances on Maple and Walnut Streets.

A suggestion was also made for one-way traffic from Maple to Walnut for safety reasons.

(C) The establishment of the special use will not impede the normal and orderly development and improvement of the surrounding property for uses permitted in the district.

The applicants intend to utilize the existing facility, as it was originally designed. It is assumed that the property would continue to maintain its institutional appearance. The surrounding neighborhood is entirely built out and this facility is already a part of the neighborhood fabric.
(D) Adequate utilities, access roads, drainage or necessary facilities have been or will be provided.

All public utilities and transportation access are in place to accommodate the existing and proposed uses.

(E) Adequate measures have been or will be taken to provide ingress and egress so designed as to minimize traffic congestion in the public streets.

As per the IDOT Traffic Maps, the average daily traffic counts along Fifth Street total approximately 8,200 vehicles per day. Fifth Street is a State Route and would best be designated as a Major Arterial with comparative traffic counts to Woodlawn Avenue. This street would appear to be adequate to handle the traffic generated by this proposal and other development along the corridor.

(F) The special use is necessary for public convenience at that location.
Lincoln College is a significant economic contributor to the City. While it would be more advantageous to have residence halls on or directly adjacent to campus, this facility may meet current needs for the college. Continued use of the property may help.

The Commission also considered the nine letters of support and public comments with four in favor and one who raised concerns.

A motion for a vote on adopting the findings of fact including the letters, people who spoke in favor and support, and the six criteria for conditions was unanimously approved.

A motion to recommend the petition to the city council as amended to approve one-way traffic east to west from Maple to Walnut, and include all staff recommendations, was also unanimous.

The Commission recommended approval to the Lincoln City Council, who will discuss the request at their December 12th Committee of the Whole.

[Angela Reiners]