06-13-00 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES CITY COUNCIL JUNE 13, 2000 REZONING OF 433 LITTLE CANADA ROAD FROM RESIDENTIAL BUSINESS (RB) TO PUBLIC (P) Mayor Fahey opened the continuation of Public Hearing to consider the request of Thomas Conroy for Rezoning of 433 Little Canada Road from Residential Business (RB) to Public (P) to facilitate the location of a public charter school. Fahey noted that the Planning Commission had recommended approval of the rezoning to Public. Fahey asked if there was anyone from Family Academy who wished to present additional information on this matter. Carol Koski, Family Academy, noted that since the last Council meeting she presented the additional information on the charter school that was requested by the Council. Koski indicated that she would answer any questions that the Council might have. Fahey asked if there was anyone else from the general public who wished to comment on this matter. Paul May, architect for Family Academy, presented a site plan that showed bus circulation for the site as well as the layout for the parking and play areas. Harold Welsch, Children's Discovery Day Care, indicated that they were neutral on the rezoning issue. Initially Children's Discovery had concern with bus turn-around as well as the operation of a Kindergarten program as part of the charter school. Welsch reported that the bus turn area was initially shown as using part of the Children's Discovery property. This has since been changed to keep bus traffic on the property at 433 Little Canada Road. Welsch indicated that Children's Discovery operates a Kindergarten program and they were very concerned about the impact that Family Academy's Kindergarten program would have on the viability of their business. This has been discussed with Family Academy and have eliminated Kindergarten from their curriculum. Given those changes, Children's Discovery is neutral on the rezoning issue. Betty Strohbeen, 465 Little Canada Road, indicated that she was in support of the public charter school pointing out that the school would help people who could not be served by other schools in the area. A resident of Viking Drive indicated her support for Family Academy indicating that she has children that she home schools because their needs cannot be met by the public schools and she cannot afford to send her children to a private school. This resident felt that public charter schools offer choices to people whose situation and needs fall between the traditional public schools and private schools.