Coppell panel approves Saint Constantine School temporary campus at Church of the Apostles with conditions

The Coppell Planning and Zoning Commission on June 18 approved a special-use permit allowing Saint Constantine School to operate a private school at the Church of the Apostles, 322 S. MacArthur Blvd., with a maximum enrollment of 100 students and subject to standard engineering review and staff conditions.

Staff recommended approval, saying the school would use an existing facility during hours when it is not otherwise occupied and that on-site circulation should prevent congestion spilling onto MacArthur. Matt Steer, development services administrator, said, "All in all, staff is in support of the request and feels it's a good use of space that's not currently occupied during the proposed hours." The commission voted unanimously to approve the permit.

The applicant and staff emphasized traffic management and internal stacking on the property as the primary public-safety concern. The application states the school would enroll prekindergarten-3 through 12th grade, operate Monday–Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and anticipate 60 students the first year and 80 the second year, with a 100-student cap written into the permit. The submitted circulation plan estimates a maximum vehicular queue of 36 vehicles and up to three vehicles loading or unloading simultaneously. Catherine Clayton, representing the applicant, said the school expects a mix of two-, three- and five-day enrollments and told the commission, "we believe this school will be an asset to the city," adding that on a typical day the campus would not host full enrollment.

Engineering staff said they are reviewing the site and the nearby intersection, and that a broader safety study of the MacArthur/StarLeaf intersection is already under way. Aaron Tanner, assistant director of public works (engineering), told the commission, "we are currently looking to study this area and what can be done at this intersection to improve safety and we can definitely include looking at the school's own limits in that study." One written opposition from a resident within 800 feet raised concerns about vehicle speeds, signage and the nearby Riverchase Elementary School; staff noted there were no responses from the immediate 200-foot notice area required by state law.

The school said it will staff arrival and dismissal to direct circulation on site. A school representative, Bond Palmore, described operational limits for families: "we will have a strict policy of you can drop off students beginning at, 07:30 and then they all students have to be picked up by 4PM and that, an email will be sent out if if that is ever broken." Staff also noted the city is in the process of purchasing an adjacent parking parcel that could affect future circulation; commissioners discussed the possibility of bollards or other controls if the parcel's use changes.

Action and next steps: Commissioner Guerra moved to approve the special-use permit subject to staff conditions; Vice Chair Sue Blankenship seconded the motion and the commission recorded a unanimous roll-call vote. The staff conditions noted in the hearing include completing engineering review comments and maintaining the school as a private school licensed in accordance with state law; the permit includes the 100-student cap. The commission record shows no further public testimony in opposition during the hearing.

The commission’s approval was limited to the application and conditions before it; staff told commissioners that additional engineering comments may be generated during final review and that operational controls, signage and any changes to the adjacent parking parcel will be addressed through the city's engineering and permitting process.