10.2. SR 02-06-2017 - Laserfiche WebLink

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As to new site options, at the request of City Staff, Spectrum initially focused it's planning efforts on the land to the south of the high school. However, as you know, the EDA and City Council expressed reluctance to donate the proposed land. Further, that land offers substantial challenges with respect to school bus ingress and egress as well as acquiring land to connect the site to the current high school site. Thus, City Council directed City staff to pursue other land options within the City of Elk River for Spectrum to be located outside of the Business Park and bring those options back to the Council for the February 6 work session. Since that time, and in preparation for the upcoming February 6 City Council work session, Spectrum has pursued the two leads presented to us by City Staff. The first was a parcel of land located to the south east of the Business Park, off of Twin Lakes Road, owned by a private party. We met with the land owner of the 12.5 acre parcel. There were numerous reasons the land cannot work for the school. There are only 7.25 buildable acres and the owner is asking $1.3M for the property. This information was conveyed to City at the time. The second land owner that approached Spectrum was for property located in close proximity to Twin Lakes Elementary School off of Cleveland Street NW. While the developer has 50 acres and is open to selling land to the school, the price tag is $30,000/acre, which is well outside of Spectrum's ability to pay. In addition to the excessive price of the land in both cases, the school is not in a position to build a new building without a sale of the sixth grade facility that recoups Spectrum's investment in that facility, as discussed above. As the City Council work session is rapidly approaching, we want to communicate what the school feels would meet our needs and allow us to realize the return on our investment. The option of having land donated to the school in close proximity to the high school facility is appealing. However, in order for the school to pursue this as an option, we would need to have at least the following in place: 1. Assurance of traffic access through the Business Park for both entering and exiting at the southernmost intersection of Twin Lakes Road and 175th Avenue NW; 2. Assurance that a sufficient access point is established between the current high school property and the 13 acres; 3. Assurance that the City will seek out a buyer or purchase the current Spectrum 6th grade facility, with a current price tag of approximately $4M. This is necessary in order for the school to have sufficient funds to build a new facility; and 4. Assurance that the land will be free or very low cost in order for the school to be able to afford building a brand-new facility. In light of the necessary assurances with the 13 acre parcel, the school believes the best option moving forward will be for the City to approve a CUP for Spectrum to purchase the building and property