Rivermont Schools is asking the city council to let it set up a new, private facility in a former church building on Leesville Road, saying it has outgrown its Old Forest Road campus.
Residents can voice their thoughts on the plan Tuesday before council votes on a conditional use permit needed if the school is going to relocate. Both a public hearing on the conditional use permit request and council’s vote are scheduled for council’s regular meeting at 7 p.m. in City Hall.
For 35 years, Rivermont has taught students with autism and special needs, according to the company’s website. The site lists 17 locations in Virginia, including two in Lynchburg: the Old Forest Road campus and another on Creekside Lane.
According to information sent to city planning staff by Rivermont Senior Vice President Beth Ackerman, the school wants to move its Old Forest operation to 742 Leesburg Road. The new school would begin with about 50 to 55 K-12 students, Ackerman wrote, and would plan to grow to 70 students in five years.
The conditional use permit that council is to consider would limit the school to 70 students. It would have to ask for a new conditional use permit to grow beyond that.
The Leesville Road property was home to the Hope Company church, which moved to Waterlick Road last year.
The Leesville property covers about 6.7 acres and is next to residential single-family and townhome developments on the north and west and residences and vacant land to the south and east. It is zoned R-1, Low Density Residential.
The former church building is a two-story, 14,800-square-foot, steel-frame structure that was constructed in 1992.
In November, Lynchburg’s planning commission recommended approval of the conditional use permit for Rivermont Schools.
See the city council’s complete agenda and information packet here.
