Citizen Participation Final Report
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3040 78th Avenue SE #1042, Mercer Island, WA 98040 | info@bezosacademy.org | www.bezosacademy.org CITIZEN PARTICIPATION FINAL REPORT AZ001 GLENDALE - SAHUARO GLENN 6511 WEST ALICE AVENUE GLENDALE, AZ 85302 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CASE NUMBER: SR24-0217 Failed BY DATE Conditionally Approved Approved Sydney Tirella 10/16/2024 City of Glendale Development Services Department Planning Division SR24-0217 Approved Citizen Participation Final Report Received 10/16/2024 3040 78th Avenue SE #1042, Mercer Island, WA 98040 | info@bezosacademy.org | www.bezosacademy.org 2. Project Description This project will establish a tuition-free, full-day, year-round, Montessori-inspired facility for 100 children ages 3-5 years old. This facility will be licensed as a childcare center by the Arizona Department of Health Service under the Bureau of Childcare Licensing. This project will be located entirely within the existing 8,123 SF single-story residential building situated in a residential zone R-4 that permits educational (E) use, via the Conditional Use Permit Process. No additional building square footage will be added. The existing building will be remodeled to accommodate five classrooms, an administration area, a warming kitchen, and related toilet facilities. The exterior play space will be set up in the existing yards and surrounded by a masonry fence in accordance with Glendale City standards. The existing adjacent covered parking area will have 20 spaces dedicated to the project for use by teachers and visitors. Children will be dropped off and picked up in the east side street parking area of N 65th Ave, directly adjacent to the entrance of the building. Operated by Bezos Academy, this building aims to provide a nurturing and enriching environment, leveraging the Montessori-inspired curriculum to foster early childhood development and learning. Bezos Academy Background: Founded in 2019, Bezos Academy offers high-quality, tuition- free, full-day, year-round Montessori-inspired education across the country. Today, Bezos Academy operates 19 centers across Florida, Texas, and Washington, serving over 1,000 children. Bezos Academy is dedicated to providing early childhood education to underserved communities, ensuring that every child has access to a nurturing and enriching learning environment. Bezos Academy is actively expanding, with plans to open additional facilities in Arizona, Kentucky, and Hawaii. All centers are fully licensed through the relevant state and jurisdictional licensing agencies, ensuring compliance with local regulations and maintaining high standards of care and education. By focusing on underserved communities, Bezos Academy aims to bridge the educational gap and provide children with the foundational skills needed for lifelong learning and success. 3040 78th Avenue SE #1042, Mercer Island, WA 98040 | info@bezosacademy.org | www.bezosacademy.org 3. Elements of the Citizen Participation Plan Bezos Academy has notified neighbors within a certain radius of the project site and the public in general to provide comment and feedback during a time window of 26 days from August 28th, 2024, to the date of the neighborhood meeting on September 23rd, 2024. The notification of the neighbors and the public was conducted by mailing notification letters to a City of Glendale provided list of applicable neighbors. This list included 558 addresses of households within and outside of the City of Glendale. Additionally, Bezos Academy elected to notify the resident of the Glencroft Center for Modern Aging as well, which was submitted as a supplementary notification list with 170 households. Bezos Academy installed two large yellow signs per City guidelines advertising the neighborhood meeting on September 4th, 19 days prior to the neighborhood meeting. The neighborhood meeting was held in the auditorium of the Glencroft Center for Modern Aging. 4. Milestone Dates August 19th, 2024: Citizen Participation Plan was submitted to the City of Glendale via email. August 28th, 2024: Notification Letters were mailed to 558 households September 3rd, 2024: Notification Letters were handed out to 170 Glencroft of Modern Aging residents September 6th, 2024: Two large yellow signs were installed next to the project site to announce the neighborhood meeting. September 23rd, 2024: Neighborhood Meeting at the Glencroft Center for Modern Aging. October 14th, 2024: Planned removal of the two large yellow signs. 3040 78th Avenue SE #1042, Mercer Island, WA 98040 | info@bezosacademy.org | www.bezosacademy.org 5. Outlined Map of Notified Neighbors NEIGHBORHOOD NOTIFICATION AREA NAME / TYPE OF REQUEST: Sahuaro Glenn – Bezos Academy LOCATION: 6511 West Alice Avenue REQUEST: The applicant is requesting Planning Commission approval for a Conditional Use Permit to allow a preschool. ZONING DISTRICT: R-4 (Multiple Residence) COUNCIL DISTRICT: Barrel FORMAL APPLICATION SUBMITTED: No 3040 78th Avenue SE #1042, Mercer Island, WA 98040 | info@bezosacademy.org | www.bezosacademy.org Parking Parking Parking Auditorium 6. Dates and Locations of Meetings The neighborhood meeting was conducted on Monday, September 23rd, 2024 at 6pm inside the auditorium of the Glencroft Center for Modern Aging, an event hall that has a total capacity of 120 people. Citizens were invited to participate in discussing the project. Shown here is a map of the Glencroft campus indicating the location of the auditorium. This map was included in the notification letter as well. 3040 78th Avenue SE #1042, Mercer Island, WA 98040 | info@bezosacademy.org | www.bezosacademy.org 7. Number of Notified Individuals and Number of Participants in the Process 558 letters were sent via mail to neighbors within a certain radius to the project site per the City of Glendale provided list. Additionally, 170 letters were hand-delivered to residents within the Glencroft Center for Modern Aging. A total of 38 individuals participated in the public neighborhood meeting on September 23rd, 2024. 3 individuals were staff members of Glencroft Center for Modern Aging. 9 individuals were members of Bezos Academy. 1 individual was a member of the City of Glendale. 22 individuals were residents of the Glencroft Center for Modern Aging. 3 individuals were neighbors outside of the Glencroft property. Additionally, one individual emailed questions to the project’s email account prior to the meeting. No phone calls have been received. 8/9/10. List of Feedback from Participants and How it will be Addressed. A. Questions during the Neighborhood Meeting on September 23rd, 2024: (Glencroft Resident-Marie Lengen) voiced her support of the project. She lived in the building which would become Bezos Academy and will be happy to have children on site. (Glencroft Resident) How will you deal with parking? We are consulting with a licensed traffic engineer to produce traffic and parking studies to determine the exact requirements for parking, drop-off and pick up which will be submitted to the City of Glendale as part of the Change of Use permit for review and approval. Conceptually, parents will drive (or walk) their children to our school. Cars enter the Glencroft Center for Modern Aging property through the south gate on N 65th Ave. Parents briefly park their cars at the assigned parking stalls or drop-off lane on the Glencroft property and will walk their children to the entry gates of the secure and fully fenced playground. Our staff receives the children at the entry gates and brings them into the playground, where they will then enter their assigned classroom, which is directly accessible from the secure playground. Parents then return to their cars and leave the property through the north gate on N 65th Ave. Drop-off and pick- 3040 78th Avenue SE #1042, Mercer Island, WA 98040 | info@bezosacademy.org | www.bezosacademy.org up occurs staggered per classroom in the morning from 8:00am to 9:00am, and in the afternoon from 3:00pm to approximately 3:40pm. Children attending our aftercare program will be picked up beginning at 5:00pm. (Glencroft Resident) What is the age range? 3-5 years old. (Glencroft Resident) Where is the playground? The area between the building and N. 65th Ave will be enclosed and become the play areas. (Glencroft Resident) Is this a done deal? A lease has been signed between Bezos Academy and the Glencroft Center for Modern Aging and we are looking to proceed with this project as soon as we have obtained all required approvals. The design itself is not final given the pending approval process. (Glencroft Resident) Who Is paying for this? Bezos Academy is fully funded by Jeff Bezos’s personal philanthropy. We cover all the operating expenses for our preschool programs at no cost to the families we serve. We hire, train, develop, and pay talented educators, and we provide everything that children need during their day with us, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. The funds to build the school are also provided by Bezos Academy with a $100,000 tenant allowance provided by the Glencroft Center for Modern Aging. (Michelle- Resident of Tarrington Place across the street) voiced her support. I am thrilled this is happening. Concerned about the location, there is a lot of crime, some car donuts at the intersection, concerned about the playground, criminal activity in the area) Safety is our number one priority. Our security approach combines devices, policies, plans, training, and drills. The devices include access control, intrusion detection, and camera systems. The policies and plans relate to emergency preparedness and incident response. Thes school will be fully fenced off from the public. (Glencroft Resident) What time will students be dropped off? Drop-off and pick-up occurs staggered per classroom in the morning from 8:00am to 9:00am, and in the afternoon from 3:00pm to approximately 3:40pm. Children attending our aftercare program will be picked up beginning at 5:00pm. 3040 78th Avenue SE #1042, Mercer Island, WA 98040 | info@bezosacademy.org | www.bezosacademy.org (Glencroft Resident) Who will provide the three meals and snack for the children? Bezos Academy is still evaluating potential vendors. Glencroft has offered their food services as well. It has not been determined yet who will provide the food. (Resident across the street), There are a lot of buses on N 65th Ave. How will you make sure parents do not block the road? Drop off and pick up is currently planned to be on the Glencroft property, and not on the public roads. We are consulting with a licensed traffic engineer and do not foresee any parking congestion caused by this preschool. These traffic and parking studies will determine the exact requirements for parking, drop-off and pick up and will be submitted to the City of Glendale as part of the Change of Use permit for review and approval. (Glencroft Resident) How many parking spots? Bezos Academy will lease 12 parking stalls south of the leased building and 8 parking stalls directly adjacent to the leased building inside court 8. (Glencroft Resident) Do classes start at the same time Classes will start at the same time, however arrival times of students in the morning will be staggered. (Michelle- Resident of Tarrington Place across the street) Are you expecting parents to drop off at a particular time? Yes, we will work with parents to assign a particular time so that not everyone arrives at once. (Glencroft Resident) How can we residents be involved Bezos Academy is committed to fostering a supportive environment for children, and we actively encourage volunteer participation. We welcome volunteers who meet all requirements established by the Arizona Department of Child Safety. This ensures that our children are safeguarded and that our volunteers are equipped to contribute positively to our school community. (Glencroft Resident) What is your plan for the fencing inside the courtyard? What material will the fence be? We are planning to fence off the side of the building towards the interior courtyard with a 4 feet tall fence to secure children who accidentally leave the building. The exact design of this fence has not been determined, but it will comply with City guidelines. 3040 78th Avenue SE #1042, Mercer Island, WA 98040 | info@bezosacademy.org | www.bezosacademy.org (Sydney Tirella noted that there will be other opportunities to ask questions, there will be a second notification period) (Glencroft Resident) Wish there are more neighborhood people attending today. We residents are excited, this is a great opportunity. We appreciate the support. (Glencroft Resident) Do you anticipate more classrooms? This particular project will remain with five classrooms for the duration of its lease. There is a second Bezos Academy project in Glendale less than 2 miles away offering six classrooms to eligible households. (Glencroft Resident) Is any parking allowed in court 8? Bezos Academy is leasing 8 stalls in the parking lot which will be for the teachers. (Glencroft Resident) How many employees? This location is anticipated to have between 18-20 employees. (Glencroft Resident) Our house is right next to the walkway. Will the walkway be maintained, or will it change? Bezos Academy is not planning to change the existing walkway. The plot of land next to the walkway will be maintained by the Glencroft Center for Modern Aging. (Glencroft Resident) Are there any plans for students for families who don’t have a lot of money? We admit students by lottery. Our only eligibility requirement is that families earn up to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level. This income level allows us to serve families that qualify for fully subsidized programs like Head Start but can’t find available seats, as well as families that earn a earn a little too much to qualify for those programs, but still can’t afford to pay for preschool. We provide preference in our lottery for students who are experiencing homelessness, in foster care, or have siblings enrolled in one of our preschools. (Glencroft Resident) Why did you choose a location that you can’t expand? The physical footprint of the leased building may not be able to expand, but Bezos Academy could still collaborate with other partners in the Glendale area for other school locations. Another school serving up to 120 children is less than 2 miles away in partnership with the Glendale Elementary School District. 3040 78th Avenue SE #1042, Mercer Island, WA 98040 | info@bezosacademy.org | www.bezosacademy.org (Michelle- Resident of Tarrington) Noted that parents desire smaller schools for safety and more personal attention. (Glencroft Resident) When was this discussed with the Glencroft residents? Glencroft Center for Modern Aging conducts monthly Town Hall meetings for residents. The Bezos Academy project has been introduced during the past eight months periodically during these Town Hall meetings. (Glencroft Resident) We hope that there will be additional meetings Yes, Glencroft will conduct additional town hall meeting as we get closer to construction (Glencroft Resident) Are there any preschools in Glendale School District? Yes, there are programs for 3 to 5 years old children already. Additionally, Bezos Academy is planning to open a school at the Desert Garden preschool. B. Questions received via email on September 8th, 2024. (Mr. John Aanenson) Is there any infrastructure work that will be needed in the surrounding Glencroft facilities or areas due to this project? No, the surrounding Glencroft facilities will not be impacted by this project. Will there be any resource draw from Glencroft facility that will initially cause short or long term strain on resources potentially impacting residents? No. Are the buildings cited in the project plan donated by Glencroft? Maps show it potentially as part of the current Glencroft facility? The Bezos Academy preschool will be located on the Glencroft campus. Bezos Academy is leasing the building from Glencroft. The building is currently vacant and not in use. Will this project have any effect on rates I currently pay for my brother’s care? No. 11. How is the proposal going to be revised to address public concern? None of the feedback received challenges the current design of the proposal. We are updating the drawings per the received comments during the pre-application meeting and will resubmit the revised package in October 2024. 3040 78th Avenue SE #1042, Mercer Island, WA 98040 | info@bezosacademy.org | www.bezosacademy.org 12/13. Appendix Attachments - Neighborhood Notification Letter - Notarized Affidavit of Mailing - Notarized Affidavit of Sign Posting - Signage Shopdrawing - Sign In Sheet used during the Neighborhood Meeting - Mailing List from City of Glendale - Mailing List for Glencroft residents August 26th, 2024 Wolfgang Horn 3040 78th Avenue, SE #1042 Mercer Island, WA 98040 206 536 1403 (Susan Conway) sahuaroglenn@bezosacademy.org SUBJECT: AZ001 Glendale – Sahuaro Glenn | SR24-0217 Dear Neighbor: This letter is to inform you that Day 1 Academies dba Bezos Academy is applying for a Change of Use application with the City of Glendale. The project is located within the Glencroft Center for Modern Aging at 6511 West Alice Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85302 in the Barrel District. This project will establish a tuition-free, full-day, year-round, Montessori-inspired facility for 100 children ages 3-5 years old. This project will be located entirely within the existing 8,123 SF single- story building situated in a residential zone R-4 that permits educational (INST) use, via the Conditional Use Permit Process. No additional building square footage will be added. The existing building will be remodeled to accommodate five classrooms, an administration area, a warming kitchen, and related toilet facilities. The exterior play space will be set up in the existing yards on 65th Avenue and enclosed by a masonry fence in accordance with Glendale City standards. I have included a site plan with this letter for your review. A neighborhood meeting will take place on Monday, September 23rd, 2024 at 6:00pm, at the Auditorium inside the Glencroft Center for Modern Aging on 8611 N 67th Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85302. If you are unable to attend, please write, email, or call the contact information above. You may also contact Sydney Tirella for the City of Glendale at (623) 930-2588 or stirella@glendaleaz.com. Comments must be received by Monday, September 23rd, 2024. For additional details about this project or to be added to the Interested Parties mailing list, scan the QR code: Sincerely, Wolfgang Horn Encl: Proposed Site Plan and Map with Directions to the Neighborhood Meeting Parking Parking Parking Auditorium G1.00 3 G1.00 G1.00 4 5 EXIT EXIT SAHURAO GLENN EXIT EXIT EXIT EXIT EXIT FH FH FH EXIT EXIT FE TRANSFORMER 9 10 11 12 14 15 16 17 13 18 19 20 N80 GATE STAFF PATIO UTILITY ENCLOSURE UTILITY ENCLOSURE W ALICE AVE N 65TH AVE GATE (8) ACADEMY PARKING (12) ACADEMY PARKING ADA ADA 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 BUILDING A BUILDING B G1.00 11 12 PROPOSED BEZOS ACADEMY SITE PLAN Scale: 1" = 80'-0" 1