Brainerd council approves preliminary plat for St. Francis with conditions; street vacation to be decided later

The Brainerd City Council on March 10 approved a preliminary plat for St. Francis Church that would consolidate 14 parcels into three lots for the church, school and a new rectory, but made the approval contingent on a future street vacation, rezoning and a development agreement.

The 4–3 vote clears the plat to move forward in the city review process but does not itself vacate North Ninth Street between Ivy and Juniper; the vacation is a separate, later action. Council President Eric O'Day presided over the meeting; the motion to approve carried 4–3 (Bevins, Johnson, Stunick and Erickson voting yes; Chesak, Yeager and O'Day voting no on the street vacation condition tied motion).

The preliminary plat would consolidate lots used by St. Francis Church, its school and the rectory and would demolish three single-family homes to accommodate a larger rectory building. The planning commission had unanimously recommended approval of the preliminary plat with conditions, and city staff recommended the council treat the street vacation as part of the preliminary plat review because the plat will not function without the proposed vacation.

Community Development Director James Krambick told the council the applicant intends to later request rezoning to a public/semi-public (PSP) district so the site configuration…