Woodbury council approves conditional use permit and conduit financing for Woodbury Leadership Academy expansion

The Woodbury City Council voted June 11 to approve a conditional use permit that will allow Woodbury Leadership Academy to expand its program to include grades 9 through 12 at the school’s campus at 8147 Globe Drive and to operate within most of the existing former Globe College building.

City planning staff told the council the school plans to add roughly 300 to 400 students to an existing enrollment of about 890 students and about 85 employees, bringing the campuswide total to an estimated 1,200–1,300 students once buildout is complete. City Planner Eric Searls explained the school will take occupancy in phases as existing commercial leases expire; the initial expansion area targeted for August 2025 totals about 15,000 square feet and occupies suites without active leases.

Planning Commission liaison Marsha Kennedy reported the commission’s concerns focused on vehicle stacking, student safety and circulation between buildings; the commission’s motion of approval included a condition requiring staff and the applicant to explore an additional sidewalk to improve student transitions between buildings. Eric Searls said the applicant proposes a staggered pickup plan and a parent stacking area to reduce queueing onto Hudson Road and Wood Duck Drive, and staff included a required traffic management plan as a condition of approval.

The council adopted Resolution No. 25-126 to approve the conditional use permit and findings of fact, with a roll-call approval (Council members Stafford, Wilson, Santini and Mayor Burt voting aye; one member absent). After the land-use vote, the council held a separate public hearing and approved a city resolution authorizing Woodbury Leadership Academy to issue approximately $18,000,000 in conduit revenue bonds (Resolution No. 25-127). City staff and the council emphasized that conduit bonds are not city debt: the academy is solely responsible for repayment, and fee and issuance costs are paid by the school.

Council members asked staff about parking, student driver strategies and coordination with remaining commercial tenants. Staff said existing on-site parking exceeds city code requirements and that the school has been proactive in tenant outreach. The council’s approval included a condition that the traffic management plan be approved by city staff and that future physical expansion plans would return to planning commission and council for design review and any necessary code adjustments.

The council’s actions open the way for the school to begin phased occupancy of vacant suites this August and to pursue subsequent interior and site changes as leases terminate through 2031.