Agenda - Planning Commission - 02/24/2022

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Regular Planning Commission 6. 2. Meeting Date: 02/24/2022 By: Chris Anderson, Community Development Information Title: PUBLIC HEARING: Consider Request for Sketch Plan, Zoning Amendment, and Comprehensive Plan Amendment Related to a Proposed Second School Campus for PACT Charter School on the Property Located at 7633 161st Ave NW (Project No. 22-107); Case of PACT Charter School Purpose/Background: The City has received an application from JB Vang Partners (the "Applicant"), on behalf of PACT Charter School, for a Sketch Plan related to a proposed new, second school campus to be located at 7633 161st Avenue NW (the "Subject Property"). The Subject Property is presently owned by The Church of Saint Katharine Drexel (the "Property Owner"). The application also includes requests for a Zoning Amendment and a Comprehensive Plan Amendment based on the proposed use and current zoning and future land use guidance. Notification: Staff attempted to notify property owners within 700 feet of the Subject Property, as reflected in the Anoka County Property Records, of the request for Sketch Plan, Zoning Amendment, and Comprehensive Plan Amendment and the Public Hearing to be held by the Planning Commission on February 24, 2022. The mailing also included an invitation to a Public Open House, also on February 24, 2022, where property owners can learn more about the project and ask questions of the Applicant in a less formal setting. Finally, a notice of the Public Hearing was also published in the Anoka County UnionHerald, the City's official newspaper. Comments Received Attached to the case are written comments received at time of packet preparation. Observations/Alternatives: Background Information The Subject Property is approximately thirty-three (33) acres in size and is currently zoned R-1 Residential (MUSA) - 80. The Subject Property is at the northwest corner of the intersection of Variolite Street and 161st Avenue and abuts Central Park to the west. Properties to the east (across Variolite Street) are zoned R-1 Residential (MUSA) - 80 and range in size from about 0.31 acres to 1.46 acres. This area is guided as Low Density Residential in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. The properties to the north and south (across 161st Avenue) are zoned R-1 Rural Developing and range in size from about 1.1 acres up to about 2.57 acres. These properties are guided as Rural Developing in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. The property to the west (Central Park) is about 37 acres in size, is zoned Public/Quasi-Public and is guided as Public. General Project Summary PACT Charter School (hereinafter referred to as "PACT") is seeking to construct a new, second school campus that would be located on the Subject Property and would serve grades 6-12. PACT would retain their existing campus in The COR for students in grades K-5. The proposed school would be approximately 115,000 square feet in size and would include an athletic stadium with a field as well as a track. Please note that the attached exhibits are conceptual; formal Site Plan review will occur at a future step in the review process. The project is being reviewed under the B-1 General Business District bulk standards. Sketch Plan The Sketch Plan proposes to split the Subject Property into Lot 1, Block 1 (for the school campus), which would be