5.2. PCSR 10-12-2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Item # 6.2. MEMORANDUM ~~ TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Jeremy Barnhart, Planning Manager DATE: September 13, 2010 SUBJECT: Spectrum High School I understand that some members of the City Council have been approached by Spectrum High School asking for some help in relocating their operations currently located in the northeast corner of County Rd 12 and Johnson Street in east Elk River. Officials of Spectrum High School have approached staff in recent months with the same inquiry. It is our understanding that, based on time, Spectrum requires an already built 24,000 square foot building with the hope of taking occupancy June 1, 2011, when the lease on their current location expires. They also stated their desire for space to expand the building to 40,000 square feet along with land for the tennis dome. Spectrum High School, as all high schools, is classified as an institutional use in the cite. Institutional uses are a conditional use in all residential and commercial districts, excluding planned unit developments. Institutional uses are not permitted in Industrial or Business Park zoning districts. Spectrum has questioned whether it could be classified as a vocational, technical, or trade school, which is a conditional use in the I-1 and BP zones. In staffls opinion, this would be a creative application of the term as vocational, technical, or trade schools specifically allowed in industrial zones implies hands on learning at manufacturing trades, in areas where manufacturing would not be appropriate. It is staff s understanding that Spectrum is considering several locations currently zoned Industrial or Business Park. While staff understands the desire to retain Spectrum High School in the city, adding institutional uses to those zones may have far reaching negative impacts and should be considered cautiously. Industrially zoned property has been identified by the EDA and Council as a first priority objective in the 2009-2012 EDA Strategic Plan. Using these parcels for non- industrial uses would be inconsistent with this plan. There is not a wealth of vacant industrially zoned property in the city. There are approximately seven business parks or industrially zoned parcels in the city with water and sewer available immediately to the site. This excludes the FAST area because water/sewer and streets need to be extended to serve the area. There are C:\Users\jmiller\AppData\Local\Miaosoft\Windows\Temporary Internet F$es\OLKE8DB\spectrum (2).doc