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January 14, 2015 VOLU M E 5 4 | I S S UE 2 | 7 5 ¢
PikesPeakCourier.net T E L L E R C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
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Sanctuary set to expand parking, auditorium PUD/PBD amendment makes it through WP Planning Commission By Norma Engelberg Contributing writer
The original plans for The Sanctuary, the Charis Bible College’s Woodland Park campus, called for a number of parking lots scattered around its main buildings. Instead Andrew Wommack Ministries Inc. will consolidate most of the surface parking into a five-level parking garage. Wommack Ministries’ representatives presented the parking garage proposal and plans to expand the proposed auditorium to the Woodland Park Planning Commission on Jan. 8. Because The Sanctuary is a planned unit development/planned business development, amendments such as these proposed for Phase 2 construction must be approved by the planning commission. Usually planning-commission decisions are ratified by city council but not in cases such as this. Because he serves on the Rampart Library District Board of Directors and Andrew Wommack Ministries supports the district
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monetarily, Commissioner Phil Mella announced that he would not be participating. The remaining commissioners approved the amendments unanimously. The new parking facility and the existing surface parking areas will have spaces for 1,083 vehicles and The Sanctuary’s new auditorium will have 3,185 seats instead of 2,500 seats. Woodland Park Planning Director Sally Riley said Wommack Ministries originally based its parking plan on 2,500 students but now is planning to eventually enroll 3,000 students. Using the city’s parking formula, one space for five students, the required number of parking spaces would jump from 505 to 605. Wommack Ministries is proposing to provide 1,440 spaces or one space for every 2.1 students. These additional spaces will not only provide spaces for students but also spaces for people attending various conferences when students are on campus. Kyle Campbell, from Classic Construction has started on Phase 2 of the Sanctuary, Charis Bible College, project. This is what neighbors living in parts of Westwood Lakes Consulting, Engineers & Surveyors, said the additional seats in see. At left, tucked behind the Phase 1 buildings, is the foundation for an auditorium that will seat 3,185 visitors if the Woodland Park City the auditorium will have a negli- Council approves an amendment allowing Andrew Wommack Ministries Inc. to expand its original plans. The expansion plan also includes a gible effect on the size of the au- five-level parking garage. Photos by Norma Engelberg ditorium and the parking garage will cover about the same area as the single surface lot that was originally approved in 2012. Planning Commissioners were concerned about a letter from Northeast Teller County Fire Protection District stating that the district wouldn’t sign-off on the expansion. This refusal was not based on whether the plan meets fire protection standards but on the department’s concerns that it wouldn’t have enough resources to protect such a large facility. Since the letter was written on Dec. 30, Brett Prather, of Architectural Innovations LLC, said he has worked with the department to decrease its concerns. The buildings will be fully “sprinkled” and there will be additional fire hydrants around the facility, better emergency access and “wet” stand pipes that would mean if there were a fire the department would have more water available. When asked if The Sanctuary might create its own emergencyservices department, Prather said, “What fire departments re- Phase 2 construction at The Sanctuary, the Woodland Park campus of Charis Bible College is clearly visible from the Phase 1 building’s porteally want is for civilians to get out cochere. of the way quickly so they can do their jobs. We already conduct regular fire drills and we’ll con- tion’s nonprofit status. duct evacuation drills in the new “We’re watching developfacility.” ments in the field,” he said. “It There were also concerns may take a few years but I’m conabout headlights shining into the fident it will happen.” Westwood Lakes neighborhood Another neighbor, Jim Hitt, when the parking garage is used asked about traffic that piles up at at night. Campbell said Womthe Trout Creek/U.S. 24 intersecmack Ministries will alleviate the tion. He said sometimes he has to problem using a combination of wait through three or four cycles landscaping and construction of the light before he can through design. the intersection. One of those concerned was Wommack’s traffic consultant Westwood-Lakes neighbor Steve Jeff Hodsdon, of LSC TransportaRoshek, who said, “They’ve been very good neighbors; I just want- tion Consultants Inc., suggested that the Colorado Department of ed a little clarification.” Roshek also asked when stu- Transportation, which controls dent housing might be built. signal lights on U.S. 24, hasn’t alLarry Bozman, who oversees lowed enough “side-street green Wommack Ministries’ construc- time.” Riley said the city is working People living in some parts of Westwood Lakes don’t see Charis Bible College, while other tion projects, said construction of student housing, in partnership with the state on a pilot program neighbors have a close-up view. Andrew Wommack Ministries Inc., which owns Bible colleges with a for-profit, commercial firm that would allow Public Works Di- around the world, is requesting permission to amend The Sanctuary’s original plans for Phase so that it will generate tax rev- rector William Alspach to moni- 2, adding more seats to the auditorium and a five-level parking garage. enue, is still planned but Wom- tor and adjust signals through the mack Ministries’ attorneys want city. Planner Lisa Parnell. Parnell, who be administrator, clerk and treaShe also announced that this is from Nebraska, has taken a job surer. Woodland Park is advertisto make sure such a partnership won’t jeopardize the organiza- was the last meeting for City in Creighton, Neb., where she will ing for a new planner.