05-23-00 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES CITY COUNCIL MAY 23, 2000 Scalze asked if the building can accommodate special needs children. Paul May, architect for the Family Academy, reported that it is difficult to find facilities for the growing needs of schools. He pointed out that this building was a school at one time. There are some improvements that will have to be made to bring the building up to building code. May felt that it would be great to reuse the building as a school and bring it back to its initial use. May pointed out that Little Canada's Zoning Code is unique in that a public school must be located in a Public District. Other cities will allow schools in other zoning districts by conditional use permit. This would preclude the building being sold and taken offthe tax rolls. May noted that they are under some time constraints in order to get the school into operation by the fall. Scalze asked what the problems were that prevented the school from opening in Roseville. Koski replied that the requirements by the City were very costly, and there were no assurances that the owner of the building would not tear down the building within a year or two. Therefore, Family Academy did not want to proceed with these improvements without assurances that they could be a long-term tenant. Scalze asked about the City's Code requirement that a school be located in a Public District..The City Planner reported that the Code requires a public school to be located in a Public District. He agreed that some cities allow public schools in other districts by conditional use permit. The Planner indicated that the City has the option of amending the code to allow the CUP process, or allowing schools by interim use permit which would expire at the time the school vacates the building, Scalze indicated that either process outlined by the Planner would address her concerns. Fahey indicated that his concern is whether or not there is a need for the school and-asked what advantage there is to have the school in Little Canada. Pedersen felt it was beyond the scope of the City Council to debate whether or not a charter school should locate in Little Canada. Pedersen asked what a better or higher use would be for the property pointing out that he did not see this as a great commercial site.