Enrollment Increase Project

The proposed project consists of amendments to conditions of approval that were adopted as part of CUP 10-00007 (2010 CUP) for the Enrollment Increase Project. The CUP, approved by the Planning Commission on June 22, 2011, allowed the School to increase its enrollment from 750 to 795 students. The School seeks to modify the requirements of Condition 22, which address the traffic impacts from the Enrollment Increase Project. The proposed amendments to Condition 22 would 1) revise the PM peak hour trip generation goal to reflect a more realistic threshold, 2) substitute annual three-day independent traffic monitoring with a annual average of daily counts collected throughout the academic year, using the Menlo School’s in-pavement counting system, 3) eliminate intersection improvements required as mitigation measures for the original IS/MND, and 4) amend the schedule in which the Menlo School would be required to reduce enrollment, if deemed out of compliance with the peak hour thresholds.

Subsequent to approval of CUP10-00007 Menlo School, together with Sacred Heart Schools, embarked upon design of the required intersection improvements. When the intersection improvements were actually designed, it was discovered that approximately 12 heritage trees would need to be removed to accommodate the expanded roadways. Menlo School, Sacred Heart and Town Staff believe the tree removal would be environmentally unacceptable.

Menlo School is proposing to eliminate the Use Permit condition that requires the intersection improvements described above (including the removal of 12 heritage trees). In its materials supporting this application, the School describes the success of the Go Menlo TDM Program in reducing school-generated traffic, resulting in a corresponding reduction of traffic impacts at nearby intersections, including those that were identified for improvements as mitigation measures in the IS/MND.

The process to achieve this change consists of three steps.
1. Preparing an Addendum to the previously adopted IS/MND.
2. Making a finding based on substantial evidence that the Intersection Improvements are no longer necessary to mitigate a significant impact and a better alternative exists in the form of the existing TDM program.
3. Amending the Use Permit condition to (1) eliminate the existing Intersection Improvements condition, (2) modify the condition requiring the TDM Program by amending the PM peak hours threshold standard, (3) substitute annual three-day independent traffic monitoring with a annual average of daily counts collected throughout the academic year, using the Menlo School’s in-pavement counting system, with independent auditing by the Town and (4) amend the schedule in which the Menlo School would be required to reduce enrollment, if deemed out of compliance with the peak hour thresholds. For further analysis and information see Planning Commission Staff Report (PDF).

Project Documents
•Final Addendum (PDF)
•Addendum Conditional Use Permit Certificate (PDF)
•Revised Initial Study and Draft Mitigation (PDF)