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Forest Park approves conditional use permit to combine W.A. Fountain Elementary and Unidos Language School
Summary
The city approved Conditional Use Permit 2025-01 allowing a partial demolition and expansion of W.A. Fountain Elementary School to incorporate Unidos Language School; council approved the permit after a public hearing and a 5–0 vote.
Forest Park's mayor and council on March 3 approved Conditional Use Permit 2025-01 to combine W.A. Fountain Elementary School and Unidos Language School into an expanded elementary facility at 5215 West Street, the city said.
City planning staff told council the project would involve partial demolition and expansion while retaining the property's single-family residential zoning designation. Planned site work includes a new driveway, improved circulation and parking, landscaping, a post-construction stormwater system and erosion controls for work in a floodplain and stream buffer. The Planning Commission recommended approval on Feb. 20.
Why it matters: The consolidated facility aims to respond to projected community growth and to provide updated classrooms and technology. Staff said the design will preserve significant site features and maintain vegetative areas while improving safety and circulation.
The school district representative at the meeting said the district expects to repurpose one of the vacated buildings as an early-learning center, though staff said final uses will be confirmed through the board of education. Council members asked about adjacent vegetation (kudzu) and whether recent cutting addressed complaints; staff said the school district had removed some growth and that staff would confirm whether the construction work will fully address the remaining concerns.
Per the city charter, the council recessed into a public hearing for the conditional use permit; no members of the public signed up to speak either for or against the request. After the hearing the council voted to approve the permit. The motion to approve was made by Councilwoman James and seconded by Councilman Mears; the roll-call vote was recorded as yes from Councilmembers James, Gutierrez, Akins Wells, Mears and Mayor Butler, 5–0.
Staff said if the council's approval is upheld through the permitting steps, the applicant can proceed with partial demolition and construction per the approved site and erosion-control plans.
