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Council approves conditional‑use permit for K–12 private school at 742 Leesville Road
Summary
Lynchburg City Council unanimously approved a conditional‑use permit allowing an existing church building at 742 Leesville Road to be repurposed as a private K–12 school for up to 70 students; petitioner and school officials said the site has sufficient parking and minimal exterior changes are required.
Lynchburg City Council on Jan. 14 voted 7-0 to adopt a resolution granting a conditional‑use permit to allow a private K–12 school to operate at 742 Leesville Road with a maximum enrollment of 70 students.
Planning staff summarized the petition, saying the 6.7‑acre property is zoned R‑1 (low density residential), and private schools are permitted in R‑1 upon council approval of a CUP. The existing two‑story structure is approximately 14,800 square feet, and staff told council no exterior improvements were proposed.
Jamie White of White Engineering Design, civil engineer for the prospective tenant, said the team had performed a targeted traffic analysis of morning peak traffic and found no need for left‑ or right‑turn lane warrants for the projected enrollment. He said the AM peak traffic for the school’s arrival was analyzed and that 70 students represented the study maximum; any increase beyond 70 would require council review.
Representatives of Rivermont Schools addressed council in favor of the CUP. Audra Daniel, principal of Rivermont North School, said the school serves students with significant needs and helps keep students in the community rather than in residential placements. "We service a lot of students with significant needs and behaviors and provide a way for those students to stay in their homes and in their communities," Daniel said.
Other supporters included Dr. Beth White, who described the school’s need to grow out of a smaller facility, and several parents who spoke about positive student outcomes and the lack of adequate space at the school’s current location.
Several council members praised the organization and noted the facility’s prior use as a church with adequate parking. The council adopted the resolution without recorded dissent; the transcript records the outcome as "motion passes, 7‑0."
