Council approves special‑use permit for Water Life private school at West Lenoir site

The City Council approved a special‑use permit (SUP‑2‑26) to allow Water Life Church to reuse the former West Lenoir Elementary building at 117 Maple Drive NW as a private elementary school.

Planning Director (S2) told council the property is zoned R‑12, covers about four acres, and was sold to Hasso Holdings LLC following the school's closure in 2022. The staff report proposed a set of historic‑preservation conditions drafted with the State Historic Preservation Office, including: "The brick exterior of the building must not be painted," retaining concrete accents and decorative elements, no additions to the existing structure, a maintained 15‑foot vegetative buffer on the southern property lines, and restricted signage and lighting. The staff report also specified that the applicant must repair paved areas to meet design and pedestrian safety standards.

Council members asked whether the hours of operation—7 a.m. to 5 p.m.—would prevent occasional evening school events; staff amended condition #8 to allow "occasional evening uses for school functions." An applicant representative (S7) told the council the applicant would like to preserve the option to add a preschool in the future: "We would like to amend that to allow for the potential of a preschool if we deem that in the future." The council voted to approve the permit as amended and adopt the required findings of fact; the chair announced the motion carried unanimously.