Commission recommends limited Phase 1 approval for Good Counsel Meadows reuse, citing parking limits and environmental protections

The Mankato Planning Commission recommended that city council approve Phase 1 of the Good Counsel Meadows redevelopment on the former School Sisters of Notre Dame campus, provided the developer meet a set of staff conditions intended to protect natural features and ensure public safety.

Staff presented Phase 1 as a limited adaptive‑reuse plan that would convert existing historic campus buildings into roughly 53 residential units and a reduced amount of office space. Molly Westman, senior planner, said staff found 154 total stalls on the site but determined only about 113 met city code for emergency access and drive‑aisle widths; based on that analysis staff recommended limiting Phase 1 occupancy and non‑residential uses to the number of code‑compliant stalls and restricting chapel events to 10 per year.

Brianne Kennedy, representing developer Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership, told commissioners the nonprofit aims to preserve the historic buildings and surrounding woodlands while producing market‑rate housing in Phase 1 and reserving future phases for assisted‑living and affordable units. Kennedy said the team has an MOU with the Cato Ballroom for occasional off‑site parking and plans to use shuttle service for chapel events, adding that the partnership will restripe existing lots and seek to maximize compliant parking without paving environmentally sensitive areas.

Neighbors and nearby Loyola Catholic School officials urged stricter controls. Reggie Reid, speaking for Crusader Holdings LLC (Loyola’s owner), said the Phase 1 submission falls short by an estimated 57 stalls and warned of parking spillover and safety risks during school hours. Reid said there is no shared‑parking agreement in place with Loyola and asked the commission to hold to staff parking findings. Mark Sands and other residents asked about emergency access on private Thompson Ravine Road and whether future road improvements would be borne by the developer.

The commission’s approval was explicit about limits and next steps: Phase 1 occupancy will be capped at the number of on‑site code‑compliant stalls (approximately 113) and Scheid and Florian halls were excluded from Phase 1 pending submission of verifiable floor plans and parking. The motion also requires a development agreement for future utility connections to municipal systems, a playground or open‑space implementation plan prior to occupancy, wetland and woodland easements as required by code, verification of required fire flow, and an annual report verifying chapel event counts. The applicant must obtain rental licenses for units intended for rental prior to occupancy.

Staff said future phases that increase parking demand, add new buildings, or expand campus uses would require an amended PUD and additional review. The commission set the anticipated council review date as May 11.

The vote forwarded the project with the conditions described; proponents argue the reuse preserves a significant historic property and helps address a regional housing shortage, while neighbors and the adjacent school seek stronger guarantees on parking, access and event management.

What’s next: The recommendation goes to Mankato City Council for final action on May 11. The developer must meet the listed conditions and provide the documentation required for any buildings to be included in Phase 1.