The Bodine School private schoolhas plans to construct a new building on campus, though the proposal is getting pushback from nearby residents, who say additional traffic and students could be unsafe at the site.
The Germantown Planning Commission will hear a conditional use permit and revised final site plan for The Bodine School expansion Sept. 1 at 6 p.m.
John Murphy, Bodine's head of school, sent a letter of request for approval of the final site plan and permit for the campus expansion to the City of Germantown on Aug. 27.
New building on 5 acres proposed
Bodine School, 2432 Yester Oaks Drive, has plans to expand the existing 18,039-square-foot school on 5.38 acres of land, which is currently zoned as residential.
The proposed project includes the construction of a 23,000-square-foot building that would include an all-purpose space and four new classrooms, a library, a new playground area and selected renovations to the existing building. The expansion would increase Bodine School's building total space to roughly 44,000 square feet.
The project would also increase school capacity by 40 students. Bodine School currently serves 100 students with a faculty of 29 total staff members. With the proposed expansion, the school anticipates increasing enrollment to a maximum of 140 students over five-years and expand faculty staff to 36.
The proposed new building would be located behind the existing school facility.
Bodine School was founded and opened in 1972. The school serves students in first through fifth grades, who have been diagnosed with dyslexia or similar difficulties with reading. Bodine is located east of Yester Oaks Drive, north of Poplar Avenue and southeast of the intersection of Dogwood Road and Yester Oaks Drive.
Residents raise concerns over school expansion project
In July, Murphy sent out a letter to neighbors surrounding the school about the proposed building expansion and improvements. A community outreach meeting for neighbors to hear about the project and address any concerns was held on July 22.
“Our goal is to improve our campus in ways that support our students, enhance safety and traffic flow, and remain respectful of the character of the neighborhood,” Murphy said in the letter.
Some residents have expressed concerns at recent Germantown Board of Mayor and Aldermen, Planning Commission Sketch Plan and Design Review Commission meetings, as well as written letters to the city.
Some resident concerns include the following as provided to The Commercial Appeal by email ahead of the planning commission meeting Sept. 1:
- "Traffic and safety: Yester Oaks Drive is already heavily impacted by school traffic, including car lines, before- and after-care, and summer sessions. The proposed increase in enrollment and staff could increase traffic further.
- Traffic through additional neighborhood streets: The school's traffic engineer has recommended considering a route that would bring school traffic from Dogwood Road onto Windy Oaks Drive and then to Yester Oaks Drive.
- Removal of mature trees: The proposed construction would require removal of a large number of mature trees, particularly along the east and south portions of the property, affecting views and the character of the neighborhood.
- Drainage: The property already drains toward Redbud Trail Drive and Redbud Trail Cove, where residents have experienced drainage issues. The proposed project includes a large underground detention system to handle additional runoff that may or may not make the situation better.
- Parking: The school already relies on street parking at times. Residents are concerned that additional enrollment and staff, combined with construction and limited on-site parking, could increase parking problems on Yester Oaks Drive.
- Zoning: The existing school is not a permitted use under the current zoning code, and the proposed addition would be a further expansion of that nonconforming use."
Leslie Bouldin and her husband Rand have resided in their home for 30 years on Yester Oaks Drive in front of Bodine School. Leslie Bouldin said they’ve seen the longtime neighborhood school make additions and upgrades over the years.
She said Yester Oaks Drive is already heavily impacted by school traffic, including car lines, before and after care and summer sessions. She said the city’s traffic study only addressed the existing car line, but does not address the increase in traffic on Yester Oaks Drive.
“We want Bodine to be successful,” Leslie Bouldin said. “The students that they teach and the students they take care of are very important to us, but we just don’t feel like this expansion belongs in this location due to the property access and all the resulting safety and traffic issues. We don’t feel that more traffic and students in this location is safe. We also as residents feel the expansion will drive down property values.”
Additionally, according to Murphy, the proposed circulation improvements are intended reduce vehicles traveling on adjacent neighborhood streets and would improve on-site operations during student drop-off and pick-up.
Existing parking is proposed to increase from 33 parking spaces to a total of 66 parking spaces, including existing and proposed parking. On-site vehicle stacking capacity at dismissal is proposed to increase from six vehicles to 43 vehicles.
“The improvements will provide additional instructional and support spaces that complement current operations while preserving the character of the area and minimizing impacts to adjacent properties,” Murphy said in the letter.
Corey Davis is the Collierville and Germantown reporter with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at Corey.Davis@commercialappeal.com or 901-293-1610.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Bodine School final expansion plan to be heard as residents push back
