Agenda - Council - 03/08/2022 - Laserfiche WebLink

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From: Melissa Livgard To: Brian Hagen;Chris Anderson; Brian McCann; Nicole Laubach;Colleen Lasher Subject: PACT Charter School Concerns Date: Thursday,February 24,2022 3:34:45 PM am writing this to express that I do not want PACT charter school to build off 161 st. live on the other side of Armstrong in the neighborhood by the Armstrong Kennels. Living in this area we are already impacted by sports at Central, traffic when people go up north during the summer and for two weekends we are severely impacted by the Game Fair. I feel that an addition of a school would only exacerbate this and for nine months during the year. Some people on the Ramsey Facebook page were saying how much Ramsey needs a high school, this is not s public school and will not impact Anoka High School's enrollment. This is a charter school that students must apply for and be chosen by a lottery system, Ramsey residents do not get preferential enrollment. There was a court case, Look vs. PACT in 2008 where the courts determined that residents do not get preferential enrollment. For all we know none of the student at this proposed school could be from Ramsey. ask the planning commission how they are going to address the impact to traffic and safety. I see cars multiple times a week pass me on the shoulder when I am turning west on 161 st. I am concerned that the increase in traffic will be a safety concern not only for pedestrians in the area but motorists. I have had close calls crossing Armstrong in the current crosswalk, and if this school is built crossing the street would be like playing chicken with the extra vehicles. I have lived in Ramsey for many years and I like the rural atmosphere in the area of Central Park. I ask how the neighbors, whose house backs up to Central, feel about their view changing from trees and neighbors to looking at a high school football field and back of a school building. I would guess that they never guessed that that land would be sold and a school and football field would be built. This is a residential area and should stay that way. I am not against PACT being built in Ramsey, not just next to Central Park. I would also like to know if the members of the Planning Commission plan to share their affiliation to PACT: do you plan on your kids to attend PACT, do your children go there, are your children alumni, are you alumni? I am also disappointed that I first learned of this on the Ramsey Facebook Community Page, it feels that letter to residents within a mile be sent out prior. Dan Specht stated that the land has a contingent or pending sale, unfortunately this feels like this is a done deal with no opportunity for the residents in the area to have any input. Thank you from a concerned resident of Ramsey, Melissa Livgard