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FL Council tables NLA plan for school expansion |
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Wednesday, 06 February 2008 |
Jennifer Larson
Times Staff Writer
During their Jan. 28 meeting, the Forest Lake City Council tabled taking action on expansion plans for North Lakes Academy Charter School. The council will consider the public charter school’s concept plan at their next meeting on Feb. 11 pending additional project and tax-base information.
Community Development Director Doug Borglund explained that North Lakes Academy would like the council to consider selling city-owned land in the Headwaters Development for a new school site. The potential new site is at the northeast corner of Fenway Ave. N. and Fenston Ave., next door to the Forest Lake Sports Complex and near the new athletic field complex that the city began constructing in the summer of 2007.
Although there are seven acres to erect a structure, he noted the site is somewhat hampered by wetlands. Borglund said the planning commission voted 8-0 on Jan. 23 to amend the current zoning ordinance to allow school use under a conditional use permit.
“A school could be a really nice fit,” he said.
The proposal
According to Jackie Saunders, director of NLA, the steady growth of enrollment since the schools start in 1999 and a waiting list of potential students are the primary reasons to go ahead with plans to move from their current location in the Flyaways Gymnastics Building at 255 NW 7th St.
North Lakes Academy is a middle school for grades 6-9 with a student enrollment of 178. Due to growth, Saunders said the school is proposing to expand to include grades 5 through 12 with a projected enrollment of 380 students by the fall of 2010. For the 2011-2012 school year, a 420 student population is anticipated.
She noted there were a lot of internal hurdles that needed to be overcome before proceeding with expansion plans. They’ve put plenty of thought into the undertaking, Saunders said. Construction would begin later this year with the school opening in the fall of 2009.
The building is planned to have 20 classrooms on two floors and outdoor space for athletics including a soccer field and playground. Saunders said trails will surround the wetland to take advantage of the site’s natural resources.
Council concerns
However, Councilwoman Susan Young discussed her reservations with the proposal. She feels the city should make sure the land, which is two parcels that would be combined into one, be sold at or above market value.
“I have some real concerns with traffic,” Young said. She also questioned what would happen if the charter school is not successful in the long-haul.
“We’ve been in the black all of those nine years,” Saunders responded.
While Mayor Stev Stegner said he doesn’t see any drawbacks at all with the proposal, Councilman Greg Ochs said the site was designed to maximize taxpayer dollars. Selling it to a non-profit without a tax base doesn’t sit to well with him, Ochs noted. He said the government entity has invested a lot into Headwaters Development for the city’s future prosperity.
“This would be a very prime piece of property,” Ochs said.
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