Logos School gets OK for expansion
Private Christian school plans to use building on south end of town until facility is built
Logos School will branch out from its Baker Street campus and add classroom space on the south end of Moscow after gaining approval from the Moscow Board of Adjustment on Thursday.
The board approved a conditional-use permit application allowing the private classical Christian school serving K-12 students to operate in the former Bonkerz Indoor Playcenter and the Intersect Community Church on South Main Street, south of Palouse River Drive.
The school’s proposal includes three first grade and three second grade classrooms with as many as 15 students in each room. About nine total staff members are expected for a maximum of 99 people at the school.
The school addition is intended to be temporary until Logos School is able to construct its permanent facility on North Mountain View Road on the northeast side of Moscow.
“There is a need for us to facilitate a building for 7- (and) 8-year-olds from our current building in order to add more space for more students,” Logos School Superintendent Larry Stephenson said.
The South Main Street school will include an outdoor playground and an indoor multipurpose room for students to play during inclement weather, Stephenson said.
“I think it’s a good use of the building for now,” Moscow Board of Adjustment member Marshall Comstock said. “I hate to see vacant buildings in the city of Moscow and if they can accommodate a good fit for it, I’m all in favor of that.”
The property is in the city’s Motor Business Zoning District and K-12 private schools require a conditional use permit in that zone, according to Moscow City Code.
One person spoke in favor of the project during the public hearing Thursday.
“We’re one of those families who couldn’t get into Logos because they didn’t have the room so we’re very much in favor of this opportunity,” Kirsten Westlund said.
Stephenson said the first of three development phases of the proposed permanent facility on North Mountain View Road should be done this summer.
In 2016, Logos School requested the annexation and rezoning of a 30-acre parcel on North Mountain View Road. After approval, a conditional use permit and variance to construct the school and church at that location were approved.
The first phase includes public street improvements necessary to mitigate impacts generated by the increased traffic demand as a result of the development, according to the Moscow Board of Adjustment packet Thursday. That includes construction of a new north-south street that will provide direct access to the school.
The first phase also involves the installation of utilities, vehicle circulation at the site including parking for about 120 vehicles and a track and field.
The second phase encompasses construction of the school building. The third phase includes installation of a regulation-sized gymnasium, construction of a chapel and installation of additional parking areas to accommodate the added uses and special event parking.
Stephenson said the school is paying as it goes on the project and is not going into debt by taking loans.
The Moscow Board of Adjustment on Thursday also directed city staff to prepare a Relevant Criteria and Standards document to be reviewed at a meeting next Thursday. The board’s approval of that document officially OKs the conditional use permit for the proposed South Main Street school.
Cabeza can be reached at (208) 883-4631, or by email to gcabeza@dnews.com.
