City approves height variance for school district

The Tea City Council met March 20 first as a board of equalization and then called their regular meeting to order at 8:14 p.m.

The council held a public hearing for a variance for a building height over 35 feet for the Tea Area School District. District operations manager Wayne Larsen noted that the high school performing arts project was originally 72 feet tall, but that has been reduced to 52 feet. The council approved the variance.

They also looked at the site plan and building plans for the high school expansion project. Planning and zoning administrator Kevin Nissen said the building plans look good and required changes were made after plan review. Larsen noted the district had a meeting for neighbors on Cole Avenue. The council approved the site plan and building plan.

Nissen presented the information on permit fees for the school project. Superintendent Jennifer Lowery asked the council to consider that the district pays the hard costs from the fee total and the city consider the remainder as a donation to the performing arts center. The council came to a consensus to go with that suggestion.

Nissen presented the site and building plans for Embrace Church at 300 N. Heritage Parkway. The building plans call for 586 seats in the sanctuary, a gym, school classrooms and offices. The plans meet the parking lot needs and landscaping for the building size. The city is requesting them to work with the mixed use developer to the south of their property on connecting parking lots. The council approved the plans.

They also approved the building plans for Thornton Flooring’s new 99,000 square foot building.

The council approved the plat for tracts 35, 36 and 37 in the Landmark Industrial Park Addition, plat of lot 11, block 2 in Bakker Landing first addition, plat of lots 9-12, block 1, lots 1, 2, 13,14, 15, 16 and 17, block 2, lots 1-15, block 3, lots 1-6, block 4 in GC Estates Addition, plat of lots 1A, 2B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, block 5 in Boulder Addition, plat of 4A, 5A and 6A, block 4 in Nine Mile Lake Addition, plat of lots 17 and 18, block 4 and lot 2, block 10 in Pinnacle Estates Addition and plat of 3A and 3B, block 8 in Bakker Landing first addition. The council adjourned at 8:44 p.m.