Bayport council approves annexation and preliminary plat for new elementary school

The Bayport City Council voted unanimously on Nov. 4 to annex property at Fifth Avenue North and approve a preliminary plat and related zoning changes to allow a new elementary school proposed by Stillwater Area Public Schools.

Dan Lick, the planning consultant assisting the city, said the 10-acre site would be annexed, brought into the municipal urban service area and redesigned with municipal utilities to support the school. “The structure is 96,000 square feet, has a 600-student capacity with staff of 100 persons,” Lick said during his presentation, noting the building height would be 34 feet — within the R2 district limit.

Why it matters: the project requires several entitlements — annexation, comprehensive-plan amendment, zoning map amendment, a conditional-use for school use in R2, variances (including impervious-surface and grading near slopes), and a final development contract that will obligate public improvements. The site sits adjacent to Barker’s Alps Park and nearby county roadways; Washington County recommended a single driveway and asked staff to continue traffic review, including whether a left-turn lane is needed on westbound Fifth Avenue.

Key details and conditions - Impervious surface: The proposed site exceeded the city’s 35% maximum and was shown at about 43% because a single access point increased pavement; the design uses porous pavers and would require a maintenance agreement and staff oversight to allow the additional impervious area. - Parking and circulation: The combined site plan shows 86 stalls north of the building, with shared spaces and re-striping that could create an additional 16 spaces in the bus-loading area outside school hours; five vehicle stalls were proposed for Sunday morning use to serve an adjacent outdoor classroom, with staff later clarifying that number was likely three. - Shared use and access: The school district and city will finalize a shared-use agreement covering parking, playground access and the outdoor classroom; multiple council members and church representatives pressed staff to clarify whether the emergency access drive could be used for limited Sunday drop-off for elderly or disabled church attendees.

Public concerns and responses Residents and church negotiators spoke during the council’s question-and-answer period, saying a lease the church signed with the district had promised ADA-compliant drop-off access to the Outdoor Learning space. Church representative Mary Binger and Diane Legado said the lease language created an expectation of nearby drop-off. City and school staff, with Fire Chief Eisinger, cautioned that the access road functions as a fire lane and that allowing regular public vehicular access could conflict with fire code and the district’s safety priorities. Staff proposed signage, time-limited posting and a shared-use agreement to minimize conflicts.

Next steps and approvals Council members adopted the annexation resolution and the preliminary plat approval by roll call; the council recorded a unanimous vote in favor. The council directed staff to return with the final plat application, a development contract and the memoranda of understanding that will formalize shared parking and access. The public hearing on assessments for a separate Fourth Avenue North improvement is set for Dec. 2, 2024, and city staff said the final school-related assessment and stipulations will be completed for the December meeting.

The council’s action permits the school to advance to final plat and contract negotiations; city staff will bring detailed, binding agreements back to the council for final approval.