2024.06.03 CC Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Council Meeting Minutes for June 3, 2024 Page 6 of 11 Community Development Director Rachel Juba explained that Liberty Classical Academy was seeking approval of a site plan and conditional use permit (CUP) for an approximately 33,500 square foot building addition to the existing school and associated parking on the property located at 10158 122nd Street North. The building addition would include classrooms, gymnasium, and other learning spaces. The addition would be added to the north of the existing building. The existing parking lot would be moved to the east of the building, and access would be off Keller Avenue. Washington County required the access to 120th Street North be removed except for emergencies. Juba reviewed the building materials, architecture, and the criteria for approving a Conditional Use Permit. The property was guided as Public/Quasi Public/Agricultural in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan and zoned Agricultural which allowed for schools with a CUP. She said staff found it met all the ordinance standards for site plan and CUP approval. At the May 9, 2024, City of Hugo Planning Commission meeting, a public hearing on the request was held, and the Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval subject to changes to the lighting plan and parking lot setbacks, and they directed staff to have additional discussion with the County on access. Staff met with Washinton County on May 21, 2024, who confirmed the access on Keller Avenue was reasonable and safe and stated the roads had capacity for additional traffic with improvements of turn lanes. The applicant had also applied for a CUP in May Township for the stormwater facilities and septic system to be located in May Township. Their Planning Commission held a public hearing on May 30, 2024. There was a motion to approve it subject to three additional conditions, but the motion failed, and it would go to the Town Board on June 6, 2024, with no recommendation from the Planning Commission. Council had questions on the parking lot lighting plan, access, school zone signage, and turn lanes. Juba answered the questions saying staff had received revised parking lot and lighting plans, but they had not yet been reviewed. The current access did not meet the County’s requirements, and the County was comfortable with one on Keller Avenue with the addition of turn lanes, which the school would be responsible for construction and financing. Washington County had criteria for school zone signage, but as proposed, the school did not meet the criteria. Weidt invited the applicant to speak. Rebekah Hagstrom, Headmaster at Liberty Classical, explained that Liberty opened 21 years ago and is a classical and Christian school open to all backgrounds. There were currently 221 students, including staff, and when they open the addition, there would be approximately 351 total. She talked about meetings they held in November 2022 and in January 2023 when they moved into the old Withrow Elementary School. She said they had sent invites to everyone in a mile radius, and few attended. Those that did attend gave positive feedback, and she offered to have more meetings. She talked about the lights being designed to fit into the rural area. She sees the school as serving a need for the community and said she wanted to work to be a good neighbor. Elise Kelly, Pope Design Group, said she was working on this master plan, and they were