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. . 10-26-94 Plan Commission Meeting Minutes Page 2 specific location will contribute to and promote the community welfare or convenience; c) will not cause substantial injury to the value of neighboring property; d) complies with the overall neighborhood development plan and existing zoning district provisions; and e) will provide, if applicable, off-street parking and loading areas in accordance with the standards contained in the Zoning Code. The Chairperson called upon the applicant. Bettye Battle Turner, 4236 Lindell, Suite 201, St. Louis, Missouri 63108, attorney for Higher Heights Christian Church, stated that the church is requesting the waiver of the condition because it would cause the church to endure the expense and labor of tearing up the parking lot. The changing of the parking lot would take up existing parking spaces which the church needs. She stated that when the church agreed to the condition they were under the impression that the planting strip was along North & South and did not run along the north edge of the parking lot. The added expense of tearing up the parking lot will throw the church budget out of kilter. She stated that the church would accept planting bushes in that area since that would not require the tearing up of the pavement. The Chairperson called on Al Goldman, Director of Planning to provide the staff report. Mr. Goldman stated that Ms. Bettye Battle-Turner has filed an application for a second amendment to Conditional Use #307 requesting that her client, the Higher Heights Christian Church be exempt from the requirements of Condition No.2 of Conditional Use Permit #307(A) issued September 1, 1994. In his judgement the row of trees called for by Condition #2 is necessary to address the landscaping needs for the church parking lot. The financial impact on the church is minimal. They are, not being asked to furnish or plant the trees, but are being told to straighten up the north edge of their parking lot to create an area for planting the trees. Now that the curbing is installed for Car- X parking area, it can be seen that the unpaved space on the church property is not of uniform width and tapers down to almost nothing at the southwest corner of the Car-X property. Accordingly, he revises his recommendation to reduce the length of the planting strip from 142 feet to 97 feet long and to reduce the width from 8 feet wide to 6 feet. A planting strip of this size will not reduce the number of parking spaces on the church parking lot. In fact the number of parking spaces can be increased by almost 20% if the lot is re-striped with 9 foot wide stalls. A layout for the parking lot striping should be submitted for review and approval before the striping work is started. The installation of the curb and sidewalks along Riegert has not been done. In addition there was an attempt to have the street vacated to eliminate the need for the curb and sidewalk. He suggests that the church be given time for another attempt at vacation and then have a final deadline for the curb and sidewalk work. Accordingly he recommends that Conditions 2 and 3 be modified so that the conditions for the Conditional Use Permit read as follows: I) The occupant load for the sanctuary, including the choir and pulpit area, shall not exceed 300 persons. If additional off-street parking is arranged, the City Manager is empowered to increase the allowable occupant load by four persons for each additional parking stall provided. 2) By November 30, 1994, straighten up the north edge of the parking lot paving from North & South Boulevard westward to create a single planting strip approximately 6 feet wide by 97 feet long. Remove paving, gravel, stones and m-l0-26.plc