Planning commission approves Redeemer Lutheran school on undersized Thayer Drive parcel

The Richland Planning Commission on the evening of the meeting unanimously approved a request from Redeemer Lutheran Church to locate a private school on a parcel of roughly 3.98 acres at 520 Thayer Drive, a size smaller than the city’s usual acreage requirement for a new school, city staff said.

City planning manager Mike Stevens told commissioners the Richland Municipal Code requires a school site of 5 acres plus an additional acre per 100 students; Redeemer’s combined parcels total about 3.25 acres in R1-12 zoning plus roughly 0.73 acres zoned parks and public facilities. The church asked the commission to permit a school on the undersized site and offered plans showing six classrooms, administrative space, a fenced playground and a one‑way loop drive for drop‑off and pickup.

Stevens said the application included…