Planning Commission rezones former Capstone school to let Memory Cafe occupy site

The Fargo Planning Commission voted June 3 to rezone the former Capstone Classical Academy property at 3910 20th Avenue South (Lot 21, Block 12, Prairie Crossing) from SR-2 (Single Dwelling Residential) to PI (Public and Institutional) with a conditional overlay, enabling Memory Cafe to occupy the site as a permitted community service use.

Planner Chelsea Lieberson explained Memory Cafe is a nonprofit that provides education and support at no cost for people living with memory loss; the organization had outgrown its North Fargo space and sought the entire property so the public-service use would be allowed by-right under PI zoning. "The conditional overlay will limit future land uses to protect the integrity of the surrounding residential neighborhoods," Chelsea said and noted staff received three inquiries (one after packet publication) with no voiced concerns about the proposed use.

Deb Cole, co-founder and director of community outreach for Memory Cafe of the Red River Valley, described the organization’s work and community uptake: "We meet 3 times every week. Average attendance is about 100 to 150 people now. So we had 6,000 people attend Memory Cafe events last year." She also noted the group’s conference had 500 attendees at the Holiday Inn the same day. Commissioners did not record substantive objections and voted to approve staff recommendations.

Discussion and decision: Staff recommended approval of the rezoning with a conditional overlay that prohibits certain future uses listed in the staff report; the commission approved the zone change by roll-call vote. The rezoning removes the need for a conditional-use permit for Memory Cafe and allows the nonprofit to use the property as its primary site. The item will proceed per typical post-approval steps for zoning amendments.