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Permit for NSA’s expansion appealed

Moscow City Council to hear five protests of Board of Adjustment approval for former CJ’s building

By Garrett Cabeza, Daily News staff writer

Geoff Crimmins/Daily News
New Saint Andrews College awaits the Moscow City Council’s say on whether it can keep an approved conditional use permit to expand into the former Cadillac Jack’s building (above) on North Main Street.

The Moscow City Council will have its say on New Saint Andrews College’s conditional use permit application that would allow the college to expand into the former Cadillac Jack’s building on North Main Street. The Moscow Board of Adjustment approved the college’s permit last month, but five people appealed the board’s decision during a 10-day appeal period, which ended last week.

City Planner Ryan Cash said each appellant will have the opportunity to address the City Council June 5.

The council could sustain the board’s decision, reverse it or send the decision back to the board for further review.

Parking was one of the concerns cited in the appeals.

The permit would allow NSA to convert the former CJ’s building at 112 N. Main St. into a music conservatory. It would be allowed a maximum enrollment of 300 full-time equivalent students and 44 full-time equivalent faculty and staff. The facility would include five classrooms/studios, nine offices, a multi-purpose room, a student lounge and a music conservatory with seating for 680 occupants, according to the board packet for its April 25 meeting.

NSA President Benjamin Merkle said at the meeting that 165 students are enrolled at the college’s existing campus on South Main Street.

The board approved the permit with two conditions related to parking that city staff recommended. NSA must provide 47 off-street parking spaces within about half of a mile of the property, subject to the approval of the zoning administrator.

NSA will be allowed to phase in the off-street parking requirement by providing 50 percent of it on occupancy of the building and the remainder when NSA’s enrollment reaches 150 students, or five years from the date of occupancy, whichever comes first.

Garrett Cabeza can be reached at (208) 883-4631, or by email to gcabeza at dnews.com.

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