New Richmond approves conditional-use permits for three elementary/middle school additions

The New Richmond City Council approved conditional-use permits for improvement projects at Star Elementary School, New Richmond Middle School and Paperjack Elementary on motions the mayor offered and council members seconded.

City staff and the planning commission recommended approval of all three conditional-use permit (CUP) applications with conditions. The permits allow building additions and reconfigured pickup and drop-off circulation at the three schools, changes to on-site parking, and other site work; each approval was tied to a set of conditions imposed by staff and the planning commission.

The CUP applications were submitted by Wold Architects & Engineers on behalf of the School District of New Richmond and were reviewed under the city’s quasi‑judicial CUP process and applicable Wisconsin state statute referenced by staff. Amber Tautier, city planner, presented separate memos for each school and summarized site changes, parking counts, impervious-surface calculations and landscaping commitments.

Star Elementary: The proposed work at Star (Starr in some application materials) includes three building additions (two on the west side, one on the east), reconfiguration of parent and bus pickup/drop-off lanes and additional parking. The impervious surface for Star was listed at 25 percent (within the Z4 district limit of 40 percent). The school currently has 88 parking stalls and proposed an increase to 135 stalls (an increase of 47 stalls; net increase of 59 compared with an earlier reference in staff materials). The applicant proposes planting 40 new trees for screening. City staff and the planning commission recommended approval with 26 conditions; the council approved the permit (motion offered by the mayor; second recorded).

New Richmond Middle School: The middle school application proposes four building additions (one north, two east, one west) and reconstruction/expansion of the northern parking lot. Staff reported the proposed impervious surface for that parcel as 40.8 percent. Because the middle school parcel adjoins Paperjack Elementary, staff noted that if both parcels are combined the aggregated impervious surface is just under 26 percent. The middle school currently has 276 stalls and proposes reducing that to 213 stalls (a 63‑stall decrease); staff explained the reduction reflects the middle school's current use (fewer student drivers than when the building housed the high school). Thirteen new trees were proposed for screening. City staff and the planning commission recommended approval with 23 conditions; the council approved the permit (motion offered by the mayor; second recorded).

Paperjack Elementary: Paperjack’s plan calls for four additions (two at the rear and one on each side), reconfigured pickup/drop-off lanes, a new second entrance, and additional parking. Staff listed the proposed impervious surface at about 15 percent for the Z4 parcel (consistent with district requirements). Paperjack currently has 105 stalls and proposed 133 stalls (an increase of 28 stalls; staff also noted an increase of 23 stalls in one summary). The parent pickup/drop-off and parking on the south side will be accessible from two access points on East Eleventh Street; the eastern access will be enter‑only and the western access will serve as entry/exit and the bus entrance. Staff recommended approval with 27 conditions; the council approved the permit (one abstention was recorded in the roll call for Paperjack).

Council discussion focused on circulation and parking impacts, where staff described how bus and parent lanes would be relocated and how proposed parking counts relate to staff totals. A councilor asked what would become of the removed middle-school parking; staff answered the central area being removed will be occupied by a gym addition. A councilor also asked whether engineering revisions referenced in the Paperjack memo (grading, erosion control and stormwater) meant the city engineer’s comments had been accepted; staff confirmed those revisions had been incorporated into the recommended conditions.

The approvals were conditional: each CUP was adopted with the stated number of staff/planning‑commission conditions that the council asked staff to enforce as part of building permit review and site-plan approval. Representatives from the design team (Wold) attended and were available to answer technical questions during the meeting.

The decisions do not authorize construction financing or changes to school district budgets; they grant land‑use permission under the city’s zoning code subject to the stated conditions and future permitting.