Planning Commission Packet - February 24, 2026

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The Elk River Vision A welcoming community with revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional service, and community engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity Request for Action To Planning Commission Item Number 6.1 Meeting Date February 24, 2026 Prepared By Zack Carlton, Community Development Director Item Description Conditional Use Permit: Educational Institution, Good Shepherd Lutheran High School — 630 Freeport Ave NW Reviewed by Chris Leeseberg Action Requested Recommend, by motion, approval of the conditional use permit allowing an Educational Institution in the MU- ERP district, subject to the following conditions: 1. The City Council must adopt an ordinance adding Educational Institutions as a Conditional Use in the MU- ERP zoning district. 2. Architectural plans will need to be reviewed by the MN Department of Labor and Industry prior to submitting for city building permits. 3. The accessible route and bathroom access for suites 600 and 700 must be updated to comply with the state building code. 4. All costs associated with potential address changes of affected tenants will be the responsibility of the property owner and/or applicant. 5. Any expansion of the school will require an amendment to the Conditional Use Permit. Background/Discussion The applicant, Good Shepherd Lutheran High School, has requested approval of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to establish an Educational Institution (school) at 630 Freeport Ave NW. The school use is not currently allowed in the zoning district, and prior to full approval, the City Council must adopt an ordinance that permits the use for the subject site. Without this approval, the CUP cannot be approved. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on January 24, 2026. The full meeting summary is included in the attached City Council staff report dated February 17, 2026. At the conclusion of the hearing, the Planning Commission voted unanimously to add Educational Institutions as an Interim Use in Subzone C of the MU-ERP zoning district. The Commission also continued the CUP discussion to February 24, 2026, Since the Planning Commission, staff and the city attorney have discussed the action from the commission meeting and do not believe that classifying a school as an interim use is appropriate. Conditional Use Permits are for ongoing uses, like schools, business, government facilities, etc. However, Interim Use Permits (IUPs) are used for temporary/short-term needs of a specific property. Examples from past activities in the city include temporary classroom trailers, short-term use of a single-family home for multifamily uses, parking lots for model homes, compost sites, and home occupations. A school is generally a long-term use that should receive the benefit of surety that a CUP provides rather than a definitive end date included with an IUP. Page 42 of 71