By Nancy Huddleston, Editor

The Savage City Council unanimously approved a site plan and building design Monday night (May 5) that will add seven new classrooms to Bethesda Church.

The church is located on the border of Savage and Prior Lake, near the intersection of Highway 13 and 150th Street. And that location caused Councilman Gene Abbott to ask if improvements to that intersection were taken into consideration when planning the addition at the church.

Public Works Director John Powell said the church received the concept plan for intersection improvements and those were incorporated into the building plan.

According to the staff report, the new addition will include seven classrooms, bathrooms and an office/lobby area to accommodate a charter school, reportedly Aspen Academy. Some 6,674 square feet will be added to the existing 32,182-square-foot building.

The addition will be connection to the rest of the church via a walkway at the back of the church. Main access points for parents using the classrooms will be on the south side of the building, with a second access on the north side. A one-way driveway is proposed and four new angled parking spaces along this drive will be provided for parents dropping off children.

In addition to the charter school, Bethesda also leases space to a Montessori school. The addition will bring the total number of classrooms at the church to 15. The staff report indicates the charter school plans to use the classrooms for two or three years.

In order to build the addition, 29 trees will have to be removed from the 2.5-acre site, which is below the city’s 50 percent threshold for tree removal. Some trees will be saved to continue to provide screening to nearby homes.