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/v t4 <br /> -2- <br /> permit had -been made by Dick Jones , 5157 - 6th Street N.E. , a trustee • <br /> for the church and a member of the Building Committee and Mr. Jones <br /> was present to answer questions about the proposal. He reiterated <br /> that the addition would increase the existing sanctuary seating <br /> capacity to . 300 , would provide 10 new classrooms, a kitchen and an <br /> assembly (Fellowship) room with a. split level structure to be con- <br /> -structed immediately behind the sanctuary. The church trustee told <br /> of the rapid growth of the Elmwood congregation under the leadership <br /> of Pastor Valtinson and the desperate need for additional Sunday <br /> School classrooms which would be met temporarily by renting six rooms' <br /> in the- Wilshire. bui.lding this winter .while the expansion is being <br /> constructed. Mr. Jones assured the Commissioners that it would not <br /> be necessary to remove any of -the evergreens or bushes which provide <br /> a -buffer for the adjoining properties from the existing parking lot <br /> when that lot is enlarged five feet to provide parking for 148 cars. <br /> The Manager confirmed that the City Ordinance only requires 120 <br /> parking spaces for an expansion of .the size proposed. He also reported <br /> the applicant had notified him that he had misunderstood the meaning <br /> of Condition #2 in the application and had mistakenly answered that <br /> question in the negative. Mr. Jones also confirmed that the architect <br /> who had drawn the site plans had inadvertantly omitted the existing <br /> garage from the drawings . <br /> When Commissioner Bowerman inquired why an addition would not be <br /> built across the back of the existing structure, making a square <br /> building which would not so adversely affect the properties immediately <br /> to the south, whose lot lines would .be only 15 . feet from the structure• <br /> the church trustee indicated the building committee had considered <br /> other alternatives but had concluded the expansion of the roof line <br /> to the east would be more logical since the sanctuary had been built <br /> with a stud wall and not concrete, so such an expansion could be <br /> made, and so as not to foreclose the possibility of adding another <br /> sanctuary on the west when the congregation could afford that <br /> improvement. <br /> There was a discussion of the drop in grade elevations between the <br /> church .property and the adjoining lots to the east and -the possibility <br /> of adverse effect of water runoff from. the new structure on those <br /> properties . The retention of the opaque windows -in the Fellowship <br /> Hall to provide privacy for the neighbors , provision of accessibility <br /> for the handicapped, and buffering to prevent headlights from shining <br /> on the neighbors ' homes when night services are held were also <br /> explored. <br /> Erling M. Weiberg, 3409 - 36th Avenue N.E. said his property would <br /> not be adversely affected by the expansion but he was present to <br /> support the concerns of his neighbors about the expansion. <br /> Don Esau who owns the property at 3505 - 36th Avenue N.E. , just south - <br /> of the church, reiterated the points made in the letter to the Plan- <br /> ning Commission which he gave the secretary- for inclusion in the <br /> minutes which stated Mr. Esau' s belief that the proposed addition • <br /> would "substantially reduce my quality of life and also reduce the <br /> value of my property" and indicated the resident intends to take legal <br /> action if those judgments are confirmed. Mr. Esau invited the <br />