The following letter is the recommendation of the Johnson County, KS, Planning Department to the Oxford Township Zoning Board on the proposed Blue Valley High School public announcement system. The recommendation is for approval of the sound system subject to the 60dBA limit set forth in current Johnson County regulations.

Neighbors who have worked with the school over the last two years on this effort are very pleased with the work done by the school and its consultants and also support these recommendations. Two key changes have occured since the original proposal was submitted:

• The new design is cheaper and quieter in the neighborhoods than the original;
• The staff eliminates the provision for the loud 67dBA variance and adopts the standard of 60dBA which already is in place in the Johnson County regulations.

Many thanks also to the Johnson County Planning Department and especially in this case to Paul Greeley, Zoning Administrator.

Planning Department Recommendation Letter:

November 5, 2002

To: Oxford Township Zoning Board
Fr: Paul Greeley, Zoning Administrator
Re: Blue Valley High School, 6001 W. 159th St, Changes to athletic stadium public announcement system.

This application is back before the Zoning Board due to changes/developments that occurred after the last meeting in January 2002.

Background

On April 20, 2000, the Oxford Township Zoning Board considered a request from the Blue Valley School District to make certain improvements (bleachers, dressing rooms, concessions, etc.) to the existing athletic stadium at Blue Valley High School. The zoning board recommended to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) that the stadium improvements be allowed and included a stipulation about any future changes to the stadium’s existing public announcement system. The BOCC approved the request of the school district on May 18, 2000 including the following stipulation:

Subsequent to the Zoning Board meeting it was discovered that the County has a zoning regulation relating to controlling noise that the proposed 67 dBA would violate. The regulation indicates that in no case shall the noise level exceed 60 dBA in the residential district measured at any point along the property line. Therefore, after the Zoning Board meeting, the acoustical consultants were asked to come up with a system that could meet the 60 dBA requirement. The County’s consultant prepared a model of a system that can comply. The School District’s consultant has designed a system in accordance with the model. The conclusions are that subject to adjustments, and once installed, the system now proposed by the School District can comply with County regulations.

Conclusion

Planning staff is of the opinion that the School District’s proposal is in keeping with the original provisions of Stipulation #2, BOCC Resolution No. 039-00 and the County regulations dealing with noise.

Recommendation

Planning staff recommends approval of the Blue Valley High School athletic stadium public announcement sound system project subject to the following stipulations:

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