Germantown Planning Commission Meeting – May 6, 2025: Madonna Learning Center Expansion Approved
Germantown Planning Commission Meeting – May 6, 2025
On Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at 6:00 p.m., the Germantown Planning Commission met in the City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting was called to order by Chairman John McCreary, with a quorum present (Commissioners Clark, Jacobs, Salvaggio, McCreary, and Mayor Palazzolo). The primary agenda item was the approval of a preliminary and final site plan for the Madonna Learning Center campus expansion. The meeting also included approval of previous minutes, liaison reports, and adjournment.
Consent Calendar
- The minutes from the February 4, 2025, meeting were approved by unanimous roll-call vote (5-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public spoke for or against the agenda item during the public hearing.
Discussion Items
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Case 15‑512 – Madonna Learning Center, Inc. Campus Expansion
The applicant, Madonna Learning Center (represented by Greg Marcom of the Reaves Firm and Executive Director Jo Gilbert), requested approval of a preliminary and final site plan for a school campus expansion at 7007, 7035, and 7045 Poplar Avenue (8.306 acres, zoned R Low-Density Single-Family Residential). The proposal includes:- An adult education Monarch campus (16,000 sq. ft.) at 7035 and 7045 Poplar, serving up to 100 adult students and 30 staff.
- A future phase two chapel/multi-purpose building with kitchen facilities for vocational training (e.g., toffee production).
- A surface parking lot in the front setback area, aligning with the existing parking.
- Release of 0.102 acres of right-of-way along Poplar Avenue.
Staff Report (Director Ross): The existing Madonna campus serves 54 school-age children, 50 adults, and 45 staff. The expanded campus will accommodate 95 school-age students and 30 staff. The adjacent properties were acquired, and a Use on Appeal was approved by the BZA in September 2024.
Applicant Presentation: Mr. Marcom highlighted the positive community feedback from a neighborhood meeting. Neighbors expressed support for the school expansion over potential large residential development. A 25‑foot landscape buffer was agreed upon. The applicant requested to waive the requirement for curb and gutter along the eastern section of Poplar Avenue (approx. 200 feet) to avoid disturbing existing utilities and mature trees (5–6 pine trees). The curb and gutter is required by staff and shown on the plans but is not part of the current TDOT widening project (planned for 2050).
Commission Discussion:
- Commissioner Jacobs and Alderman Salvaggio raised safety concerns, noting that the existing grade drop and the new parking lot create a hazard without curb and gutter. The City Engineering Department concurred, citing safety risks.
- Chairman McCreary and others argued that curb and gutter installation is a minimal cost and depth (about 6 inches) and should not significantly impact utilities or trees. The state would have to approve the design since it is on a state highway.
- The applicant acknowledged the request and agreed to follow the engineering recommendation.
- The commission also noted that the curb and gutter requirement is a condition of the current motion.
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Liaison Reports:
- Commissioner Jacobs (BZA liaison) reported that the church project at Winchester and Forest Hill (Iread Church) received unanimous BZA approval and will come before the Planning Commission.
- Commissioner Clark (Transportation Commission) noted ongoing work on e-bike regulations for the Greenway.
Key Outcomes
- Motion to Approve: Alderman Salvaggio moved to approve the preliminary and final site plan for the Madonna Learning Center campus expansion, including the release of 0.102 acres of right-of-way, subject to the conditions, general requirements, and TAC comments listed on the plans. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously (5-0).
- Curb and Gutter: The conditions require installation of curb and gutter along the eastern section of Poplar Avenue as originally shown on the plans, despite the applicant’s request to waive it. The commission decided that the safety concern outweighs the cost and tree preservation arguments.
- Liaison Updates: Noted for information; no formal action taken.
- Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned after the liaison reports.
Meeting Transcript
All right, good evening, everyone, and welcome to the meeting of this Germantown Planning Commission. My name is John McCreary. I'll be serving as your chairman today. We're going to begin this evening's meeting with a roll call to establish a quorum. So, Miss Stacy Tillman, would you proceed, please? Mr. Clark. Here. Mr. Jacobs. Here. Mr. Salvaggio. Here. Chairman McCreary. Here. Mayor Paladin. I believe we have a quorum. Thank you, Ms. Tillman. I'd like to remind everybody we've got copies of today's agenda available here in the chamber if you need one. You just ask somebody up front in front of the chamber. We'll be happy to get you one. As a matter of courtesy for those watching or present here tonight, I'll explain our normal procedures. The item number and case from today's agenda will be read by the chairperson. Staff will then give their report. After the staff report, commission members will be able to ask questions of staff. Following the commission questions and clarifications of staff, we'll have a presentation by the applicant. After presentation by the applicant, the commissioners will ask questions of that applicant. Once the commission questions and the applicant are complete, we will break to a public hearing for the agenda item as required by state law, and the public will be given a chance to make comments for or against the agenda item. Once the public comments are complete, we'll revert back to the regular agenda, and our vice chair will make a motion and we'll get a second. At that time, members of the commission will discuss the case and make their comments. And once the commission discussions and comments are complete, we'll ask for a final roll call and vote. If you make if you wish to make any comments on an item on today's agenda, please fill out one of our citizens to be heard sheets and bring it forward and hand it to one of our staff members located in the front of the chamber. And when that item is called, we'll move to the public hearing portion of the agenda item. You'll be given an opportunity to make your comments. Each side being for against, we'll be given a total of 15 minutes with no more than three minutes per person. If there are multiple speakers on each side, for or against, we ask that you please divide your time up accordingly. We're a big supporter of community involvement, and we welcome citizen neighborhood comments. We're very respectful of the fact you've taken time away from your work, your family to be here and adjusted your schedules to be here today. And we ask your comments be made within the time frame allowed. At this point, I'd like to read our conflict of interest statement. The agreed procedure of the Germantown Planning Commission asks that any member of the board recuse himself or herself from any participation in the discussion or voting on any matter on the meeting's agenda in which he or she may have a direct or indirect personal financial interest. That member shall vocate shall vacate his or her seat during deliberations on any matter from which they have recused themselves, and an abstention may substitute for a recusal for the purposes of us maintaining a quorum. Lastly, like to ask everybody to silence your cell phone so we don't interrupt today's proceedings. So with our procedures explained, we'll move forward to approval of our minutes. Can I get a motion for approval of minutes from the last meeting? Move to approve. We have a motion to get a second. Second.
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