St. Cloud City Council Approves PUD for St. Cloud Christian School Amid Neighbor Concerns

(KNSI) — The St. Cloud Christian School has been granted a planned unit development by the St. Cloud City Council for a three-story, 22,700-square-foot addition.

Three neighbors spoke against the proposal.

Bradley Blonski lives a stone’s throw away. “It’s going to affect my property in terms of visibility. I’ll be looking at brick and students. They’re less than 50 feet away from my house; and they can see into my house just as easily as I can see them.”

He also has a garden that could be cut off from the sunlight if the addition is built, and he is concerned about what will happen to his property taxes. Blonski and others asked whether the school would maintain the property after complaining about green space and fences that have not been maintained and are unsightly.

School Interim Development Director Bill Corcoran says nothing is being built right now, and the approval gets the ball rolling. “The school needed to kind of evaluate what the next steps were if the growth continues, as far as enrollment goes. So this gives us the option to stay on site. Rather than have to look elsewhere to different cities to find a home.”

He says they will continue developing their plans over the next two or three years before deciding on a permanent place.

Nearly $80,000 has also been raised for Spalt Park across the street. They have been using it as a recess space for years and plan to add new playground equipment, a basketball court, and green space.

The school opened in 1930 as Jefferson Elementry in District 742. It has been home to the St. Cloud Christian School for nearly two decades.

___